Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110326303 - Roberto'S Backhoe Service, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Lubbock Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employees #1 through #3, part of a welding contractor's crew, were in a petroleum storage facility when a clogged section of pipeline blew out the plug, spraying the employees with crude petroleum. The petroleum was ignited by the arc welding operation, and Employees #1 through #3 were fatally burned. Two roustabout employees were also injured while attempting to rescue the welding crew. Employee #4 was hospitalized with burns to his back and Employee #5 was treated and released for burns to his hands. Although no definite cause for this accident could be determined, it was found that blind flanges were not used to isolate the pipeline segment the crew was welding; a vacuum truck had been connected to that segment just prior to the fire; residual petroleum may have been left in the pipeline; and the crew was not given appropriate warning of a potentially hazardous situation.

Keywords: WORK RULES, CLOGGED, HAND, BURN, FLAMMABLE LIQUID, FIRE, CONSTRUCTION, WELDING, BACK, ARC WELDING