UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312604093 - Metal Recycling Services, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Charlotte

Investigation Summary

Eight employees were exposed to a chemical vapors released after a metal shear cut into an old acetylene cylinder at a metal recycling scrap yard. Employee #1 was using a grapple attachment on a mobile crane to pick up and separate scrap metal longer than three feet so that Employee #2 could then use a hydraulic metal shear attached to the end of an excavator to shear the longer pieces into pieces of three feet or less. Employee #1 separated out three compressed gas cylinders which Employee #2 proceeded to shear into shorter pieces. As Employee #2 was shearing one cylinder, it released a vapor into the air. Breathing the substance (probably a mixture of acetylene and acetone) resulted in some upper respiratory irritation as well as burning and watery eyes. Eight workers were decontaminated by the hazmat team and were transported to the local hospital where they were evaluated, treated, and released. All eight workers returned to the workplace the same day.

Keywords:eye, shear, vapor, cylinder, mobile crane, acetone, respiratory tract, chemical vapor, overexposure