Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 202082491 - Worker Is Killed When Struck by Flying Pipe Fittings

Accident Summary Nr: 202082491 -- Report ID: 0453730 -- Event Date: 01/31/2014
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
317313898	01/31/2014	1711	238220	United Mechanical Corporation

Abstract: On January 31, 2014, Employee #1, of United Mechanical Corporation, was working on a pipe at a manufacturing plant. He was attempting to remove the steel cap and steel ring coupling from the 10-inch HDPE high-density polyethylene pipe. The piping system had undergone a pressure test a couple months earlier, and the pipe the employee was working on was still pressurized. The pressure inside the pipe released, causing the steel cap and steel ring coupling to fly outward and strike Employee #1 in the chin. Employee #1 was killed by this blunt force injury. This fatal event was investigated by North Carolina OSHA. The investigation determined that Employee #1 had been employed for 13 years with the employer.

Keywords: AIR PRESSURE, FRACTURE, HEAD, INSTALLING, CONSTRUCTION, PIPE, PLUMBING, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT, PRESSURE RELEASE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Manufacturing plant		New project or new addition		$5,000,000 to $20,000,000	1		X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	317313898			Fatality	Fracture	Construction laborers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing plumbing, lighting fixtures Fatality Cause: Struck by falling object/projectile

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