Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18871947 - Baltimore Thermal Energy Corp.

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

Inspection Nr: 18871947

Report ID: 0352420

Date Opened: 07/27/1987

Site Address:
Baltimore Thermal Energy Corp.
100 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

Mailing Address:
1400 Ridgeley Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

Union Status: NonUnion

SIC:4961

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 10/20/1987

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 01/06/1988

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	360750871

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	3					3
Current Violations	3					3
Initial Penalty	$1,360	$0	$0	$0	$0	$1,360
Current Penalty	$890	$0	$0	$0	$0	$890
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citation Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Latest Event
1.	01001	Serious	09123503 A 5 A	11/19/1987	11/22/1987	$420	$420	$0	-
2.	02001	Serious	09123503 A 5 B	11/19/1987	11/22/1987	$0	$470	$0	I - Informal Settlement
3.	03001	Serious	19100132 A	11/19/1987	11/22/1987	$470	$470	$0	-

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 825505

Event: 07/24/1987

EMPLOYEE KILLED WHEN STEAM LINE RUPTURED

AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 PM ON JULY 24, 1987, A 4 INCH DIAMETER STRAINER RUPTURED CAUSING A HIGH PRESSURE STEAM LEAK. THE STRAINER WAS PART OF A STEAM PIPELINE WHICH ENTERS THE BOILER ROOM OF THE I.B.M. BUILDING. THE STEAM LEAK WAS LOCATED IN AN UNDERGROUND VAULT, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO A TUNNEL LEADING INTO THE BOILER ROOM OF THE I.B.M. BUILDING. THE VAULT HAS A REMOVABLE METAL GRATE TOP FROM WHICH A WORK LADDER IS USED TO GAIN ACCESS INTO THE VAULT. THE NIGHT CREW HAD REPLACED THE RUPTURED STRAINER WITH A NEW ONE. IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THE NEXT DAY (7/25), SEVERAL EMPLOYEES HAD TROUBLE ADJUSTING THE REGULATOR PILOT VALVES. THE PILOT VALVES CONTROL THE STEAM PRESSURE FLOW INTO THE I.B.M. BUILDING. THAT MORNING AT ABOUT 6 AM, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS CALLED IN TO TAKE OVER THE ADJUSTMENTS OF THE PILOT VALVES. FROM 6:45 TO 9 AM HE WAS WORKING BY HIMSELF. AT APPROXIMATELY 9 AM THE 4 INCH STRAINER RUPTURED AGAIN. HE HURRIED INTO THE TUNNEL TRYING TO ESCAPE THE STEAM. HE DID NOT MAKE IT TO SAFETY. HIS BODY WAS FOUND IN THE TUNNEL ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE DOORWAY LEADING INTO THE BOILER ROOM. THE VAULT WAS 16 FEET, 8 INCHES LONG, 8 FEET WIDE AND 8 FEET, 11 INCHES HIGH. THE TUNNEL WAS 223 FEET, 7 INCHES LONG, 6 FEET, 10 INCHES WIDE AND 10 FEET HIGH.

Keywords: STEAM LINE, TUNNEL, ELECTRICAL VAULT, CONFINED SPACE, WORK RULES, BOILER, RUPTURE, STEAM, PIPELINE

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	18871947			Fatality	Burn/Scald(Heat)	Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters

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