Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307430314 - Rogers Iron & Metal

Inspection Information - Office: Little Rock Area Office

Investigation Summary

On March 29, 2004, Employee #1 was torch cutting steel wire with an approximate 0.5-in. diameter within a scrap metal yard located south of the north warehouse. Employee #1 was carrying a butane lighter in his left front shirt pocket. While he was cutting the steel wire, the wire rope possibly recoiled, striking the lighter in his shirt pocket or thrown melted metal onto the lighter in his shirt, igniting its flammable liquid. He was found with his shirt on fire approximately 6-ft away from the cutting torch and with a pool of plastic near his left front of his shirt. The cutting torch was turned off (manual valves were turned off, employees were known to first cut off the torch before addressing splatters of hot metal on themselves). Employee #1 was transported to a medical center for burn treatment, but later died due to infections of the burns.

Keywords: BURN, METAL WIRE, FLAMMABLE LIQUID, PROPANE TORCH