Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305474587 - Pavement Recycling Sytems

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:25 p.m. on October 20, 2003, Employee #1, who worked for a contractor that rented road recycling operators and equipment, was operating a CAT 350B Pulverizer, model no. 1114. The machine is mainly used to break up asphalt and has a grinding cylinder in front to size and mix the asphalt with the top part of the underlying base. Employee #1 was moving north along a street and grinding asphalt approximately 11 in. to 14 in. deep when the machine struck a lateral tap on a 3 in. wide natural gas line, causing an explosion. He sustained second- and third-degree burns to his face, neck, throat, and left arm and hand, along with a possible concussion. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for 10 days. The gas line was unmarked. Street drawings and plans, including USA Ticket Number A7601092, showed that the line was 34 in. deep, but did not show taps, valves, or extensions on that part of the street. The section of the line that Employee #1 struck was approximately 12 in. deep.

Keywords: BURN, WORK RULES, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, NATURAL GAS, EXPLOSION, PIPELINE, FACE, HAND, ROAD PAVING