Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125945626 - Kaiser Permanente

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

On August 3, 2005, an employee, who was a steam engineer, went near the sight glass to replace the seals near the two valves at the two ends of the sight glass in the boiler room. In the boiler room, there were three steam generators. The accident happened in Steam Generator Number 2. The exact location of the accident was in front of the 0.5-in. diameter, 2.5 ft long sight, glass which indicates the level of water and steam. The sight glass steam pressure and temperature were 60 psi and 350 degree F, respectively. In order to inspect the sight glass, one has to go up the ladder and stand on a platform at a height of about 6 ft from the ground level. The sight glass and some other valves of the system of Generator Number 2 could only be accessed while standing on the platform. While repairing the steam end of the valve, the employee was facing the sight glass. As the employee once turned back, his backside faced the sight glass and the valves on the platform. Suddenly, the sight glass steam end valve, on the steam piping, ruptured, resulting in hot steam jet from the spot of the pipe and valve leakage. The employee was standing at the moment, approximately 1 ft in front of the leaked valve, and there was not much free space in front of him, due to the existing layout. However, to avoid the jet of steam, the employee quickly bent down and then crawled out of hand railing in front of him in order to land on the ground level. The employee suffered second degree burns on his back. The employee was hospitalized and treated for burns.

Keywords: BURN, VAPOR, GAS, STEAM, BACK