Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312691520 - Sf-Dept. Of Public Works

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

On June 3, 2011, Employee #1 was working for the City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Works - Bureau of Street & Sewer Repair, as an asphalt worker in San Francisco, CA. Under his supervisor's direction, the employee lit both a kettle burner and an iron oven burner before leaving to go to a jobsite. Once the employee arrived at the jobsite, he noticed, when he got out of the truck, that he could not hear the kettle burner's flame. He immediately turned the gas valve for the kettle burner to the 'off' position, and then he took a rolled up newspaper and lit the newspaper from the iron oven burner, which was still on. The employee then took the lighted newspaper and started reaching over to relight the kettle burner, not knowing that propane gas had built up inside the kettle box. An explosion occurred, and flames came right toward the employee, causing him to fall to the ground. The injured employee was transported to the Saint Francis Memorial Hospital emergency room, where he was treated for first- and second-degree burns to both his face and neck. The employee was later released from the emergency room, and he went home. Violations were noted and the employer was cited accordingly.

Keywords: BURN, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, HEATER, EXPLOSION, NECK, PROPANE, FACE, ASPHALT