Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 202545976 - Employees Are Injured in Exposure to Carbon Monoxide
Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
314865700 | 08/28/2013 | 8221 | 611310 | Uc Los Angeles Facilities Management |
Abstract: At approximately 6:45 pm on August 8, 2013, three employees of UC Los Angeles Facilities Management sustained injuries after exposure to Carbon Monoxide containing exhaust gases. The employees were using an internal combustion engine gasoline/propane powered concrete cutting saw (make MECO, Model Number M35) indoors when the exposure occurred. On August 7, 2013, the employer conducted a job hazard evaluation for the concrete cutting work to be conducted in the Center for Health Sciences. The employer's Environmental Health and Safety Department recommended N-95 dust mask respiratory protection for silica dust to be generated during the concrete cutting work. The employer's Environmental Health and Safety Department was unaware that an internal combustion engine gasoline/propane powered concrete cutting saw was to be used for this job. On the morning of August 8, 2013, the employer's Environmental Health and Safety Department became aware that an internal combustion engine gasoline/propane powered concrete cutting saw would be used in the job. As employees were about to begin this work with N-95 respiratory protection, the job was stopped. The job was rescheduled for the evening of August 8, 2013 with other employees, who were fit tested for full-face respirators. The concrete cutting work began at approximately 4:00 p.m. on August 8, 2013. Employees were wearing full-face respirators with dual stack organic vapor/P100 cartridges. A 1,000 cfm negative air machine was present in the work area. However, the employer did not attempt to calculate if it would provide adequate ventilation to prevent employee exposure to hazardous carbon monoxide levels. The employer did not perform any monitoring to determine the actual carbon monoxide levels present during the work. The employer selected respiratory protection was not appropriate for the atmospheric hazard present at the worksite. At approximately 7:00 p.m. on August 8, 2013, the three employees involved in this concrete cutting work, using an internal combustion engine gasoline/propane powered concrete cutting saw, MECO, Model Number M35, became ill due to carbon monoxide exposure. All three employees were hospitalized due their carbon monoxide exposure. Carboxyhemoglobin blood test results of the exposed employees indicate that they were exposed to carbon monoxide concentrations between approximately 100 and 220 ppm.
Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 314865700 | Hospitalized injury | Asphyxia | Construction laborers | ||
2 | 314865700 | Hospitalized injury | Asphyxia | Construction laborers | ||
3 | 314865700 | Hospitalized injury | Asphyxia | Construction laborers |