Abstract: At approximately 12:30 p.m. on November 6, 2003, Employee #1 and a coworker were cleaning buckets that had been used to hold tar for roofing job that had been completed. The employees were operating a Cleasby-Wittig Co. 1200-gallon capacity kettle, Model Number 260, LAFD Number 5567. The buckets still had tar in them and both employees had been told to clean them by placing them into the kettle to melt the tar off. Employee #1 turned down the temperature of the kettle and waited thirty minutes before placing the buckets inside. Employee #1 was not sure if the temperature of the kettle had actually decreased. Employee #1 stated that the temperature meter had not worked that day and did not notice the needle of the meter move lower. Despite that, Employee #1 placed the buckets inside the kettle. When Employee #1 opened the top of the kettle to retrieve the buckets, he encountered an "explosion." Employee #1 stated he had not received safety training or any protective equipment from his employer and, therefore, was not using face and hand protection. Employee #1 was immediately concerned about his face. He raised his arms and hands to cover his face. Employee #1 received second-degree burns to his face, hands and wrist and was hospitalized.