Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310986898 - Mill Services Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Savannah Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 operated a "mole line", using a Water Jetting System where hi-pressure water is pumped to unclog a pipe or to pressure clean an area, in order to un-clog a drain, but did not have control over the foot pedal control box or "dead man" switch used to add or remove the high pressure water to the hose line. Employee #1 did not have foot control because the other employees had decided that the foot pedal would not work properly while under the existing two feet of muddy water in the settling basin and that the employees felt that Employee #1 wouldn't be able to see the foot pedal in the muddy water. It was decided that the foot switch could be controlled by another employee standing at the top of the settling basin and that this employee would operate the switch under the hand directions of Employee #1, the hose line operator, down in the settling basin. At the time of the accident, the high-pressure water was going through the hose line when the hose line became loose from the control of the operator and started to whip around the settling basin area where the operator was standing. Before the operator was able to get away from the high pressure water and before the employee at that top of the settling basin, controlling the foot pedal, was able to lift their foot off of the foot pedal and reduce the water pressure, Employee #1 sustained a severe laceration from the high-pressure water along his right upper thigh and right buttock area.

Keywords: BUTTOCKS, CLEANING, CONTROL LEVER, HOSE, LACERATION, HIGH PRESSURE, WATER