Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1448123.015 - Calverthealth Medical Center, Inc.

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

Investigation Summary

At 3:45 p.m. on November 26, 2019, an employee who worked in maintenance for a medical center was in the process of repairing a leak in the ceiling. The employee identified the leak in a variable control valve located above a drop ceiling over a nurse's station in the emergency room. The valve has an actuator above the valve body that allows hot water to flow through the piping and provide heat throughout the emergency room. The employee was standing on a 6-foot Werner stepladder 10 feet 6 inches above the floor in order to reach the valve that turns off the water. The valve was positioned on the copper piping before the variable control valve. As the employee attempted to remove the variable control valve, the ?-inch copper pipe on the other side of the water shutoff valve burst showering him with hot water. According to a coworker (Director of Plant Operations) the water was approximately 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit in the copper pipe. The coworker also stated that the copper pipe burst on a joint that was improperly soldered years ago. After being showered with the hot water, the employee attempted to descend the ladder but slipped while doing so and fell to the concrete floor below. The employee sustained second degree burns from his left fingertips up to his shoulder, on the right side of his chest, neck, face and ear. He also broke his right femur in the fall and was hospitalized.

Keywords: Arm, Broken Bone, Burn, Chest, Concrete Floor, Defect, Defective, Ear, Face, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Finger, Fingertip, Fracture, Hand, Heat, High Temperature, Hot Water, Inadequate Maint, Ladder, Leak, Leg, Maintenance, Metal Pipe, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Neck, Pipe, Repair, Slip, Slippery Surface, Stepladder, Valve