Abstract: On August 16, 2003, Employee #1, a yard supervisor for Airgas West was punching holes in the sides of small, disposable, empty pressure vessels. The activity was being performed as preparation for the vessels to be discarded into a roll-off trash dumpster. Employee #1 had fashioned a spring-sheathed spike welded on top of a rod of rebar. Employer claimed to have no knowledge of the tool's use on the storage yard. Employee #1 stated in an interview that other supervisors including the facilities manager knew of the existence of the rebar spike. Employee #1 would grab both handles of the canister with both hands and throw the cylinder onto the spike, punching a hole in the side. At the time of the accident, one of the cylinders may have been pressurized with residual gas and the cylinder bounced back from the spike, striking Employee #1 in the face. He sustained serious injuries including facial fractures and lacerations. He was hospitalized.