Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14829196 - Donn Corp

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

Investigation Summary

An inspector was en route to make a routine die check on a Bliss machine press. As he passed a dead-front switchgear cabinet, it began making banging noises. An electrical fault in the cabinet and the ensuing electric arc blew a hole about 255 millimeters in diameter out of the lower left side of the cabinet. The flying hot metal debris ignited the employee's coat, causing minor facial burns and first- and second-degree burns to his arms and to one of his legs. A second employee was changing the die on the press when the fault occurred. He was about 4.6 meters away from the cabinet at the time. He suffered mild smoke inhalation. Both employees were hospitalized for their injuries. The six-circuit-breaker, 480-volt, 3000-ampere, three-phase switchgear assembly was manufactured by Square D Company, and it had been installed about 15 years before the accident. The employer had provided extensive safety training on a regular basis.

Keywords: BURN, CLOTHING, ELECTRIC ARC, ELECTRICAL, E GI VII, FIRE, SMOKE, ELECTRICAL FAULT, SWITCHGEAR, SMOKE INHALATION