Inspection Detail

Inspection: 306843897 - Constellation Power Source Generation, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:05 p.m. on July 29, 2003, Employee #1 entered the housing for an economizer hopper to unclog ash from its throat. He had to climb over the guardrail of the catwalk within the housing of the hopper and walk along a 6WF-20 I-beam, approximately 3 meters, to retrieve a 3-meter-long air lance. The confined space attendant, standing outside the hopper, handed the lance to him through the inspection port. Employee #1 was not wearing a full body harness connected to a lifeline, and no written procedure was in place for unclogging and cleaning the hopper. The throat of the hopper was positioned approximately 1.8 meters away horizontally from the outside edge of the guardrail along the catwalk, and 3.7 meters below the I-beam. This required Employee #1 to stand on the I-beam, which was approximately 1 to 1.5 meters above the hot ash in the hopper. At approximately 1:40 p.m., Employee #1 fell into the hopper feet first. He was hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns to his hands, arms, legs, back, and torso.

Keywords: BEAM, BURN, CONFINED SPACE, PPE, WORK RULES, ASH, CATWALK, ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, HIGH TEMPERATURE