Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314035031 - C & F Forge Company

Inspection Information - Office: Naperville Area Office

Investigation Summary

On April 15, 2010, Employee #1, a 39-year-old Hispanic male who was fluent in English, was working on a crew of three employees, at the Hammer Number 2 location of a forge shop. The three crew positions included Heater, Hammerer, and Press Operator. As the Heater, Employee #1 was heating steel bars in a furnace. At approximately 1:00 p.m., after he had worked a few hours, Employee #1 developed symptoms such as disorientation and shaking. According to an apparent witness, "his face looked cramped-up (stroke-like)." Employee #1's coworkers took him outside and gave him some water. Several minutes later, Employee #1 became unconscious. Someone (not specified) had already summoned emergency medical services. The ambulance came and took Employee #1 to the hospital. Initially, Employee #1's core body temperature was 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Employee #1 was hospitalized and remained unconscious for approximately two weeks. He died in the hospital, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 2010. No autopsy was conducted because of the extensive medical treatment that Employee #1 received at the hospital. On the day of the incident, it was approximately 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Employee #1 had been wearing his regular personal protective equipment: safety glasses, hard hat, long sleeved shirt, and pants. Four large floor fans had been operating at their position, and the doors were opened. Employee #1 was never provided with adequate heat stress training.

Keywords: HEAT, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, PPE, FORGE, HEAT STROKE, FAINTED, HEAT EXHAUSTION, UNTRAINED, HIGH TEMPERATURE