Translate
Inspection Detail
Inspection: 313489536 - Sterling Transport
Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation
Site Address:
Sterling Transport
325 Deming Way
Summerville, SC 29483
Mailing Address:
2800 William Tully Drive, Columbia, SC 29205
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:4213
NAICS: 484121/ General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 03/23/2010
Planning Guide: Safety-Manufacturing
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 04/15/2010
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 100379114 |
Investigation Summary
On January 9, 2010, Employee #1, a Truck Driver of Sterling Transport, was delivering a load of propane to the Raisio plant. Employee #1 had parked his truck next to the header in the rear parking lot. While Employee #1 was hooking up the delivery hose to the header, the Raisio plant manager went to the tank to open the valve. After grounding the system, the Employee #1 started pumping the gas from the transport trailer. Employee #1 went around toward the front of the truck to check a gauge. After about a minute or two Employee #1 told the plant manager that there was a leak. Employee #1 went to shut of the valve at the truck, and the plant manager went to shut off valves at the tank. After shutting off the tank valves, the manager turned toward the truck and saw a fire and heard a "whoosh" sound in the direction of Employee #1. The manager saw an expanding fireball and yelled at the driver to run, which he did. The manager started the fire monitor system and heard two bangs. The fire subsided, and he then saw Employee #1 on the ground about thirty-feet away. Employee #1 got up and walked over to the manager, and they went to the locker room to wait for Emergency Medical Services to arrive. Employee #1 died from his burn injuries seven days later. After Fire Marshal's investigation, it was determined that the contractor who had been hired to build the plant had hired a subcontractor who was not licensed to install this type of gas line. The subcontractor had used the wrong kind of pipe, had screwed it together in some places instead of welding it, sections of pipe that was coated had the coating abraded and cut and had used construction debris as trench fill around the pipe. The underground pipe had deteriorated and allowed propane to leak out into the ground. This gas came out of the ground and ignited, causing the burn injuries to Employee #1.
Keywords: BURN, FIRE, GAS, GAS LEAK
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 313489536 | Fatality | Burn(Chemical) | Truck drivers, heavy |