Inspection Detail

Inspection: 127357804 - Kilgore Operations

Inspection Information - Office: Tennessee Osha Nashville Office - Health

Investigation Summary

On April 13, 1999, Employee #1 was working in an infrared flare composition mixing building. He completed installation of a metal vacuum filter table in Bay #1, permanently anchoring it to the concrete floor by drilling holes in the concrete floor, installing concrete anchor bolts, and bolting down the table. Employee #1 then removed the eight anchor bolts from the concrete floor at the old table location by hitting them with a ball peen hammer until they broke. On the last anchor bolt, some residual flare composition on the bolt threads or on the floor ignited due to the impact of the hammer. According to a company representative, room evidence indicated that the ignited flare material then probably ignited the flare composition-contaminated denim filter on the vacuum table next to Employee #1, causing an explosion or deflagration. Other composition-contaminated material in the building caught on fire, resulting in two to four more explosions. Employee #1 suffered second- and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. He was transported by helicopter to a Memphis hospital that specialized in burn treatment, where he underwent a series of skin graft operations. Employee #1 died at approximately 1:00 p.m. on May 1, 1999. According to a company representative, the building had not been cleaned of residual composition material (a mixture of magnesium, teflon, and viton) that posed a fire/explosion hazard.

Keywords: BURN, DUST, DISMANTLING, FIRE, STRUCK AGAINST, EXPLOSION, SPARK, COMBUSTIBLE DUST, HOUSEKEEPING