Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126090299 - Spartech Plastics

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At 8:15 a.m. on April 26, 2003, Employee #1, a consultant, was severely injured when a 55-gallon metal drum exploded while he was cutting it with a hand-held Metabo angle grinder at the employer's plant in Building Number 2. The employer manufactures plastic sheets. Employee #1 was going to cut three metal drums along the long side of the drums to make barbecue grills for a salesperson working for the employer. The salesperson planned to take them to his church event. Three drums were obtained from the Los Angeles Drum Company, which refurbishes and reconditions metal drums. Employee #1 started to cut the first drum with a hand-held angle grinder. He had cut approximately 5 inches when the drum exploded with enough force to throw him several feet from where he was standing. The flying drum hit a sprinkler head located approximately 10 feet high on the ceiling. The sampling results of the chemicals in the other two drums showed denatured ethanol. It is speculated this chemical caused the explosion. Employee #1 was taken to UCI Medical Center where he was pronounced dead hours later.

Keywords: GRINDER, ALCOHOL, DRUM, TORSO, EXPLOSION, CONTUSION