Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2812253 - Ingold'S Hico Inc.

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

Investigation Summary

On May 8, 1986, Employee #1 was cleaning up the storage yard of a facility that manufactures and repairs trash dumpsters, trash compactors, and bodies for trash trucks. He wheeled out an oxygen/acetylene cutting drum and started to cut a 55-gallon drum that had originally been used to hold toluene. The drum ruptured, causing Employee #1 to sprain his thumb. According to the foreman and coworkers, the 18-year-old employee, who had been trained at a private sector training school, had been instructed on May 7, 1986, not to use a torch to cut barrels but to use a hammer or cold chisel. No one saw him remove the torch from the shop. There were no apparent violations; rather, this was an apparent case of misconduct on the part of the employee.

Keywords: ACETYLENE TORCH, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, CLEANING, DRUM, THUMB, TOLUENE, EXPLOSION, SPRAIN, CUTTING AND BURNING