Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119544419 - Wayne Patton, T/A Wayne'S Metalworks

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

On June 12, 1998, a man arrived at a metalworks and dropped off two 50-gallon metal containers, hoping that someone from the company could cut holes in them to make burn barrels. No one of sufficient authority was at the business, so the containers were left at the site and no work was done on them that day. On June 13, the man returned for his barrels. The company owner had told the workers to perform the work once the man returned, leaving no other instructions. Employee #1 and a coworker were using an acetylene/oxygen cutting torch to perform the work. Before starting on a drum, Employee #1 asked the man if the drums were clean, to which he responded that they were. The coworker had walked away from the immediate area to see why his plasma torch was not functioning. Meanwhile, Employee #1 applied his torch to the base of the container. Since the bungs on the container had never been opened, Employee #1 had no way to verify that it had been effectively purged. Shortly after the flame was introduced to the container, the vapors within ignited, resulting in an explosion and fire. Employee #1 suffered second- and third-degree burns, and was hospitalized. The container that he had been cutting had contained 99 isopropyl alcohol and had never been purged. It was effectively labeled and also had warning placards, but neither worker looked at the warning labels until after the explosion had occurred.

Keywords: BURN, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, ACETYLENE TORCH, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, DRUM, FIRE, EXPLOSION, CUTTING AND BURNING, INATTENTION