Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305464562 - Fini Enterprises, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Dallas Area Office

Investigation Summary

On January 31, 2003, Employee #1 was working on a valve at the cooling water tower. A coworker walking past the site noticed that Employee #1 was slumped over the valve. The coworker removed Employee #1 with the assistance of others, from the work area, laid him down, and summoned Emergency medical services. Employee #1 was unresponsive. The area where the fatality occurred was subsequently reviewed by company personnel, and it was determined that there were no hazardous chemicals in the area, and nothing had fallen onto the victim. Later that afternoon, a coworker received an electrical shock when he started to work on the same valve as Employee #1. Based on this second shock, electrocution became a suspected cause of death for Employee #1. The employer closed down operations at the facility and hired electrical engineering consultants to diagnose and correct the source of the electrical shocks. A burned out wire wrap in an electrical box and ungrounded electrical motors in a wet environment were identified and corrected on the days following the incident. Gross examination of Employee #1 by the medical examiner did not indicate electrocution. The medical examiner found no evidence of electrical contact on feet, legs, arms, hands or any other part of the skin. No natural causes of death were detected. Based on the subsequent electrical shocks received by the coworker, the medical examiner concluded that Employee #1 died as a result of electrocution. .

Keywords: ELECTRIC MOTOR, ELEC INSULATION, COOLING TOWER, VALVE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, ELECTRICAL BOX