Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126075373 - Commerce Casino

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:40 p.m. on December 15, 2004, Employee #2, a worker on the saute line of the High Limit Kitchen at Commerce Casino, noticed that a pot of oil on the stove was on fire. The inner diameter of the pot was 8 in., and it was 10 in. deep. The diameter of the saucepan was 10 1/2 in. on top and 8 in. on the bottom, and it was 2 in deep. There was about a half gallon of shortening in the pot. Employee #2 called out to Employee #3, who was working on the grill line. Employee #3 went to the saute line and turned off the stove, placing a saucepan over the pot to put out the fire. Then, Employee #3 removed the pot of oil from the stovetop and carried it to the kitchen hallway, about 10-ft from the saute line. As Employee #3 carried the pot to the kitchen hallway, he noticed that the oil was catching fire again. Employee #3 told Employee #1, who was working on the salad line, not to move the pot. Employee #1 and Employee #3 went back to their respective workstations to finish their orders. Employee #1 picked up the pot and saucepan with his hands and carried it from the hallway toward a door leading to the trash compact area. When Employee #2 saw what Employee #1 was doing, he again told him to be careful and opened the door for him. As Employee #1 stepped outside, the oil reignited and the pot became engulfed in flames. Employee #1 dropped the pot, and hot oil splashed on his body. Employee #1 ran to the kitchen through an open delivery door to wash his burns with cold water from the sink. Then, Employee #2 put out the fire by placing the saucepan over the pot. Employee #1 was transported to U.S. Health Works, where he was treated and released on the same day. Employee #1 went back to the clinic the next day for a follow-up and the doctor referred him to Sherman Oaks Hospital, where he was hospitalized for eight days. Employee #1 was diagnosed with second-degree burns on the left side of his face, forehead/scalp, and neck, and third-degree burns to his left arm and leg. The employer did not provide an educational program to employees on the proper method to control and combat oil/grease fires in the kitchen.

Keywords: BURN, POT, SCALP, WORK RULES, FIRE, HOT COOKING OIL, ARM, FACE, UNTRAINED, LEG