Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308590074 - Northwest Pipe Company

Inspection Information - Office: Houston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

On January 23, 2006, a welder at pipe mill Number 3 notified the maintenance department of a hydraulic leak on a pinch roll flattener. This equipment flattened the ends and edges of steel strips that came from a coil prior to its entry into the pipe mill. A maintenance employee, who had gone to repair the leak during the lunch break, was found kneeling at the flattener and unresponsive when workers returned from lunch. The welder and another worker found that the pinch roll flattener had descended onto the chin and neck of the mechanic. Workers wrapped a chain around the equipment to lift it and disconnected the machine's hydraulic lines in an effort to rescue the mechanic. Emergency medical service, and the Harris County Medical Examiner, and Houston Police Department also responded to the accident. The maintenance worker was declared dead at the scene. An accident investigation revealed that the company did not have a lockout procedure, which would have prevented the release of stored energy. The cause of death was blunt force injuries to the mechanic's face and neck, which resulted in mechanical asphyxiation.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, ASPHYXIATED, REPAIR, WORK RULES, MECHANIC, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, LOCKOUT, NECK, STRUCK BY, FACE