Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112052790 - American Metal Bearing Co

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

At about 7 a.m. on December 3, 1991, Employee #1, of American Metal Bearing Co., was pouring babbitt with a ladle into a wooden mold when it broke and splashed molten babbitt on him. He was taken to UCI Medical Center for treatment and hospitalization. He suffered third-degree burns to his stomach, and both legs and arms. He was wearing a face shield, gloves for handling hot objects, foot protection, and a long sleeve work shirt. He said that he had built the wooden mold. The photographs submitted with the report were taken by the employer after the accident. There were two violations relating to this accident: 1. T8CCR 3383(a) because the employee was not wearing appropriate body protection for the exposure; 2. the employee used a wooden mold that was not appropriate for molten metal because it reached a high temperature between 650 and 700 degrees F. The employer said that this mold making was not practiced at their plant and that only on one occasion where the employee was making a counterweight for the maintenance department was this type of production practiced.

Keywords: BURN, PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, PPE, WORK RULES, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, MOLTEN METAL, MOLD