Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125624403 - Randal Nutritional Products

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

On February 25, 2003 Employees #1 and #2 were loading drying racks of super complex formulation into a drying oven. Each rack contained up to 25 pans of the formulation. The walk-in drying oven was constructed of plywood, approximately 14 feet long by 7 feet high and 4 feet wide. Electrically-heated air was introduced into the oven and was exhausted at the opposite side through a suction duct system ending at rooftop of the building. A thermostat was installed inside the oven that controlled the amount of heat entering the oven. The super complex vitamin formulation was saturated with isopropyl alcohol. The maintenance supervisor checked the formulation and found it to still be wet, so he turned up the thermostat to its maximum. He measured temperature in oven at 110 degrees Farenheit. Employee #1 was approximately 5 to 6 feet away from the oven, while Employee #2 was approximately 3 feet farther away, preparing a tablet machine, when the drying oven exploded. The door of the oven was blown towards Employee #1 and hit him in the back, knocking him to the floor. Employee #2 was pushed against a wall and fell to the floor. Both employees suffered bruises on their neck and back and were transported by emergency services to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital by Fire Department Ambulance for treatment.

Keywords: OVEN, BACK, EXPLOSION, NECK, STRUCK BY, CONTUSION