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Accident: 202453338 - Employee Suffers Partial Paralysis While Installing Air Comp

Accident: 202453338 -- Report ID: 0950642 -- Event Date: 12/18/2006
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
31048617012/22/20062752Melcast Litho
On December 18, 2006, Employee #1 was installing an air compressor system when the supporting piping system failed. Employee #1 had fashioned a connection point through a reinforced rubber hose from the ultrafilter to the drying tank. The compressor and ultrafilter had been positioned on a mezzanine structure above the drying tank and the air tank. When Employee #1 energized the compressor system, he saw that the pressure gauge on the air tank registered 200 psi. Employee #1 stated he believed the maximum pressure was 125 psi but the compressor plate reflected a maximum operating pressure of 150 psi. He turned to shut the system down when the piping failed. None of the metal piping struck Employee #1 but the injuries which included partial paralysis due to fracture of vertebrae sections C5, C6, C7 and T9, were caused by the air pressure that he had been close to. Employee #1 was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center after the accident and has remained hospitalized with physical therapy through April, 2007. The employer had purchased a used air compressor, manufactured by Ingersoll Rand, Serial Number PG0021 U 03127 (Model Number HP50-PE) rated at 150 psi maximum operating pressure. The compressor line went to an ultrafilter, then to a drying tank and finally to an air tank measured at 14.4 cubic feet in capacity. Employee #1 was a maintenance worker employed by a print shop. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) was informed of the accident on the day of the incident by Los Angeles County Fire Department and by the employer.
Keywords: compressor, paralysis, compressed air, hose, back, struck by, vertebra
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 310486170 Hospitalized injury Other Machinery maintenance occupations

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