Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1490964.015 - R W Garcia Corp, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Nv-E-Las Vegas 0953220

Investigation Summary

At 4:00 a.m. on August 21, 2020, an employee working as a maintenance technician for a snack food manufacturer was clearing a clog in machine piping. The piping ran between a large particulate oil filter (Casa Herrera, Inc, Model HRDF30, Serial RDF17060012) and a small particulate oil filter (Casa Herrera, Inc, Model PFC36XP, Serial PFC17060012). The employee attached an air compressor hose to the piping and followed the procedure for removing the clog. The procedure included the following steps: Close valve A, verify valve C is open, pressurize the line, close valve C, open valve B, push more pressurized air through the system, close valve B, then open valve C, and then culminate with opening valve A to resume normal operations. The employee completed the process up to the point of closing valve B, but failed to re-open valve C prior to opening valve A. As a result, the pressurized high-temperature oil released from the adjacent large particulate filter oil drum and onto the employee's non-protective clothing. The employee was unable to verify the over accumulation of pressure created by valve C remaining closed. The employee was hospitalized to treat 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his back, legs, arms, and the back of his head.

Keywords: Arm, Back, Burn, Clogged, Clothing, Compressed Air, Drum, Filter, Head, High Pressure, High Pressure Pipe, Hot Cooking Oil, Leg, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Maintenance, Metal Pipe, PPE, PPE Hazard Assessment, Protective Clothing, Skin, Struck By