Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125799734 - Semco

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

Two employees were checking the thickness of a new epoxy liner that was installed on a 37.9-kiloliter underground gasoline storage tank. An employee from Semco was helping an employee from Hake Consulting and Inspection. The employees entered the tank to check the hardness and thickness of the new liner without testing the tank's atmosphere for explosive vapors or oxygen before entry. To find spots or holes in the lining, they were using a Holiday Detector, which created an electric arc when a pinhole in the lining was detected. The tank contained gasoline vapors, which had migrated from a vapor recovery line for a full 15.2-kiloliter tank. An explosion occurred and burned three employees. Two of the employees were very badly burned. One of them sustained burns over more than 70 percent of his body (including extensive third-degree burns). Another sustained extensive burns on his arms and legs. The third employee had burns of a nonserious nature. The three employees were taken, by helicopter, to a medical center.

Keywords: BURN, E GI V, ELECTRIC ARC, ELECTRICAL, CONFINED SPACE, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, STORAGE TANK, TEST EQUIPMENT, EXPLOSION, GASOLINE