Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308057678 - W. Pol Contracting, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Cleveland Area Office

Investigation Summary

On August 17, 2004, an employee was working on the replacement of a section of gas pipe line on a well. The main gas was shut off prior to work beginning on the well. The employee used the back hoe on-site to dig and expose the leaking gas pipe line, and the other two coworkers used shovels to dig until they exposed the pipe line that needed to be replaced and were in the process of bleeding off any excess gas pressure in the lines. The coworker was inside the hole break and began bleeding the line. The coworkers stated that the line only bled for about 3 to 4 minutes and stopped. The valve was left open to allow for any additional gas to bleed off. The second coworker got a pipe wrench and attempted to remove the hammer union. When it began leaking gas, the coworker stopped. The employee at this point decided the lines may be plugged and proceeded to pick up a pipe wrench and walked over to the separator tank. It has not been determined if the employee intended to either try to remove brine oil from the separator or attempt to bleed additional gas from another relief valve point within that area. The house meter for the well read 50 psi in the lines. The two coworkers in the area of the hole heard a loud bang and saw the top section of the 2-inch iron piping between 15-20 section had came off the top of one of the 220 barrel tanks and struck the employee in the head. The employees exited the area at this time and immediately contacted the home owner to contact emergency medical services. The employee was pronounced dead at the scene by the life flight doctor and was removed from the scene by the Cuyahoga County Coroner office.

Keywords: GAS, EXPLOSION, GAS LEAK, PIPE, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT