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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 120218706 - Fashion Blacksmith
Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office
Site Address:
Fashion Blacksmith
121 Star Fish Way
Crescent City, CA 95531
Mailing Address:
, , 00000
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:3731
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 07/28/1994
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 05/16/2000
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 362111254 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| Current Violations | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $3,000 | $0 | $0 | $100 | $0 | $3,100 |
| Current Penalty | $3,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,000 |
| 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 | 3203 B01 | 08/02/1994 | 08/11/1994 | $0 | $50 | $0 | 09/21/1994 | W - Empr Withdrew | |
| 2. | 01002 | Other | 3203 B02 | 08/02/1994 | 08/11/1994 | $0 | $50 | $0 | 09/21/1994 | W - Empr Withdrew | |
| 3. | 02001 | Serious | 5420 A02 | 08/02/1994 | 08/11/1994 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $0 | 09/21/1994 | W - Empr Withdrew |
Investigation Summary
The employer operates a marine construction and repair facility. Two to three years prior to the accident, the employer fabricated two approximately 600 gallon diesel fuel tanks for an Alaska fishing boat. In the interim, the tanks had been used to off load diesel fuel from another boat. Once the tanks were emptied and steam cleaned, Employee #1 and a coworker installed them on the rear deck of the fishing boat and hooked the exhaust from the diesel welder to the fill pipe at the top of a tank. This was the normal procedure to inert the tank to prevent an explosion. While Employee #1 welded a doubler (a rectangular piece of metal) onto the tank, the coworker went to the shop to make a bracket. The coworker said that the welder had been running less than five minutes when he heard an explosion. Employee #1 lost an eye and suffered severe head injuries, a shattered arm, and a broken leg in the explosion. According to the employer, the normal procedure is to run the welder for 15 minutes to inert the tank prior to welding. No testing for the flammability of the vapors in the tank was done. Also, there was a baffle in the tank with the exhaust entering on one side and the work being done on the other side of the baffle. Diesel fuel, when heated, will give off flammable vapors which, when combined with a source of ignition and oxygen, can cause an explosion. The employer was cited for a serious violation of 5420(a)(2) for not testing for the flammability of vapors in the tank.
Keywords: EYE, FRACTURE, HEAD, DIESEL FUEL TANK, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, WELDING, EXPLOSION, ARM, LEG
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120218706 | Hospitalized injury | Concussion | Welders and cutters |