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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 111987392 - N V Heathorn, Inc
Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office
Site Address:
N V Heathorn, Inc
5757 Haggin Oaks
Livermore, CA 94550
Mailing Address:
2846 Chapman St., Oakland, CA 94601
Union Status: Union
SIC:1711
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 09/25/1991
Planning Guide: Safety-Construction
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 10/25/1991
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 361288301 | ||
| Accident | 361332786 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Current Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Current Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Other | 14301 A01 | 09/25/1991 | 07/19/1991 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 2. | 01002 | Other | 560 D01 | 09/25/1991 | 10/18/1991 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - |
Investigation Summary
Employee #1, a 33-year-old apprentice steamfitter employed by N.V. Heathorn, Inc., was a member of a 2-man crew installing a 6 in. diameter PVC heating pipeline linked with a school gymnasium under construction. Pressure testing the integrity of the line, including coupling connections, had begun at the specified air pressure of 150 psi. Shortly before 1:30 p.m. on August 29, 1991, Employee #1 was allegedly working on the adjacent but unpressurized side of the line at a coupling joint located about 22 ft from the gymnasium concrete foundation. Without warning, the pipe slipped out at the coupling joint but did not explode. Employee #1 was in the 3 1/2 ft deep trench, near the coupling joint but on the gym concrete foundation side of the coupling, when the pressurized coupling joint suddenly came apart. The on-rushing and dry grade nitrogen shot at Employee #1, propelling him against the foundation. He sustained serious head and neck injuries, including blood clots on the brain, severe fractures of the neck and spine, and head and facial punctures. Employee #1 is a non-conversant quadriplegic. He has been transferred from Eden Hospital Trauma Center to a rehabilitation facility at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. He has had setbacks in his recovery and could die.
Keywords: HEAD, PARALYSIS, INSTALLING, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, NITROGEN, HIGH PRESSURE, PIPELINE, NECK, STRUCK BY
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 111987392 | Hospitalized injury | Dislocation | Heating, air conditioning, and refrig. mechanics |