Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311945646 - Texas Recreation Ltd. Partnership

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Worth Area Office

Investigation Summary

On July 15, 2008, a crew of employees was assigned to work in a paint booth to apply a latex polymer coating onto foam chairs in a flow coating process. Chairs hung and traveled via a chain conveyor line through the booth. The coating flowed from spigots as a liquid form over the top and sides of the parts, and shot upwards from spigots on the bottom of a trough to wash the underside with coating. Employees #1 and #2 were stationed inside the booth, opposite each other on the exterior of the trough, to hand paint areas of the chairs with a hand held wand that the mechanical paint system missed. Employee #3 was stationed farther down the line and had the responsibility of wiping excess paint coating that dripped from the bottom of the chair. All three employees wore supplied air respirators and coveralls. Shortly after the start-up of the line, Employee #4 checked the viscosity of the coating and thinned it with solvent. Employee #4 then began walking west towards the booth at the same time Employee #5 was walking north towards the booth. Employees #4 and #5 both heard a popping sound then observed flames rolling towards them from the booth area. Both Employees #4 and #5 then saw and heard fire and an explosion coming from the booth.

Keywords: FIRE, PAINT, EXPLOSION