Inspection Detail

Inspection: 306800905 - American Wood Fibers

Inspection Information - Office: Appleton Area Office

Inspection Nr: 306800905

Report ID: 0521100

Date Opened: 10/14/2005

Site Address:
American Wood Fibers
100 Alderson St.
Schofield, WI 54476

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 468, Schofield, WI 54476

Union Status: NonUnion

SIC:2421

NAICS: 321999/All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Health

Close Conference: 03/16/2006

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 03/19/2009

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	100650704

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	2					2
Current Violations	2					2
Initial Penalty	$14,000	$0	$0	$0	$0	$14,000
Current Penalty	$8,000	$0	$0	$0	$0	$8,000
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	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	5A0001	04/06/2006	05/01/2008	$7,000	$7,000	$0	05/02/2006	P - Petition to Mod Abatement
2.	01002	Serious	19100307 B	04/06/2006	05/01/2008	$1,000	$7,000	$0	05/02/2006	P - Petition to Mod Abatement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 200651115

Event: 10/14/2005

Employee Is Killed in Wood Dust Explosion

At approximately 5:20 a.m. on October 14, 2005, a fire and explosion occurred at a wood fibers plant at the American Wood Fibers. Several third shift employees in a blast protected the supervisor's office witnessed the fire and the second blast, a wood dust explosion, which originated in the wood flour milling area. No employees were working in the immediate area of the blast, but the explosive force of the blast blew out the garage door separator into adjoining sections of the plant. An employee, who was working in the adjacent to the blast area was burned over 21 percent of his body. He was hospitalized. Another employee, who was in a further distance from the blast area, was thrown against equipment and sustained severe contusions. The main blast also blew out the garage door separating the milling area from a bulk wood shavings warehouse. The thermal pressure wave struck Employee #1, a sole warehouse employee, operating a front end loader and killed him instantly.

Keywords: BURN, DUST, FIRE, EXPLOSION, SMOKE, STRUCK BY, MILL--PLANT, CONTUSION

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	306800905			Fatality	Burn/Scald(Heat)	Occupation not reported

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