Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1538751.015 - Zekelman Industries, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Erie Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 12:15 on June 23, 2021, an employee working as a laborer for a steel pipe and tube manufacturer was sitting on the south end of the zinc pot #2 charger rolling pipe into the zinc pot. The employee would roll about five pieces of pipe into the pot at a time. The crane picked up a cradle of one-inch standard pipe out of the dryer to set it down on the zinc pot charging table. The employee stopped rolling pipe into the zinc pot to allow the crane to set the cradle of pipe down on the zinc pot charging table. When the crane released the cable of the lift, an estimated 8 to 20 pieces of pipe that were on top of the cradle crisscrossed and jumped the four-inch pegs that were designed to prevent the pipe from sliding directly into the pot. The pipes slid into the north end of the zinc pot at an angle causing the zinc pressure to build up. The zinc shot out of the south end of the pipe at the operator station. This end of the pipe, which was not in the zinc, was pointed at the employee. The employee was sprayed with molten zinc from the zinc tank via the pipe. The employee was hospitalized with first degree burns to his chest and abdomen and third degree burns to his right wrist. The employee stated that as the zinc hit his cotton sateen sleeve, rolled down the sleeve and under the glove and melted the elastic of the sleeve. As the elastic melted, the employee's right wrist continued to burn resulting in the third degree burn. The local hospital diverted the employee to a burn center for treatment. The employee stated he received skin grafting for the third degree burn and was off work for one week to monitor for infection. Then, the employee returned to duty and was on light-duty for two to three weeks.

Keywords: Abdomen, Burn, Chest, Coating Operation, Crane, Engineering Controls, Falling Object, Flying Object, Heat, High Pressure, High Pressure Pipe, High Temperature, Insufficient Supervision, Laborer, Lack of Engineering Controls, Manufacturing, Metal, Metal Pipe, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Molten Metal, PPE, PPE Hazard Assessment, Pipe, Pot, Pressure, Production Line, Protective Clothing, Sprayed, Struck By, Unsafe Position, Unstable Load, Wrist, Wrong Equipment, Zinc Plating