Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310817374 - West Coast Iron

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2008, an employee was working as a laborer for a structural steel manufacturing company in Spring Valley, CA. The worksite where the accident occurred was an open yard where steel I-beams and other structural steel beams were stored and cut, welded, or burned. The business included a large enclosed shop, a storage yard, and an office building. The injured employee's job that day included burning a steel beam to straighten it using a rosebud torch and a propane and oxygen mixture. The employee had been burning the beam, when he set down the torch near some hollow beams. He removed his shade glasses to check the straightness of the beam. When he reached for the torch to relight it, he did not put his safety glasses back on. He used a striker to light the torch, and when he did, there was a large flashback or explosion when the rosebud torch he was lighting flashed or exploded and burned his face. He sustained burns to his face and to his upper thighs. Also, debris was blown into his eyes. The employee was transported to UCSD Medical Center, where he underwent treatment for burns to his face, thighs, and eyes. He was hospitalized for more than 24 hours.

Keywords: BURN, EYE, HEAT, STEEL BEAM, STEEL, PROPANE TORCH, TORCH, FLASHBACK, PROPANE, FACE