Case 1. Painter Dies from Burns Received from Explosion Inside Tank INTRODUCTION On May 19, 1989, a 41-year-old male painter (the victim) suffered burn injuries from an explosion which occurred while he was painting the inside of a 1,300-gallon tank. He died 5 days later. A 32-year-old male painter (co-worker) stationed outside the tank suffered burns and a broken arm. OVERVIEW OF EMPLOYER'S SAFETY PROGRAM The employer is a sheet metal fabrication company with 30 employees. The company manufactures steel tanks and has been in business for 20 years. Most of the employees are sheet metal workers, welders and painters. The victim had been with the company as a painter for 3 1/2 years. The co-worker had been a painter with the company for 4 years. The company has a management level employee who serves as the safety officer on a collateral-duty basis. The safety officer conducts safety meetings once a month. New employees receive a safety orientation which consists of a brief discussion of company requirements for workers to wear steel toe boots, hearing and eye protection. New employees are given handouts which they are expected to read covering safety requirements. The company has no written safety program and does not have any written confined space entry procedures. Confined space entry procedures regarding ventilation of tanks during welding is discussed at monthly safety meetings. SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS The victim and co-worker had been assigned to paint the inside of a recently fabricated 1,300-gallon steel tank. The tank measured 68 inches high, 75 inches in diameter, and stood vertically with a 22-inch diameter manway opening on the top. The victim entered the tank by stepping on the mixing blades that had been built into the inside of the tank. He was wearing a supplied air respirator (without an auxiliary escapte Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)), welder's cap, coveralls, rubber gloves, and steel toe boots. To provide lighting for the victim, the co-worker positioned a 500-watt, non-explosion-proof halogen lamp over the manway opening. The co-worker then st on top of the tank next to the manway to observe the victim. He (the co-worker) was wearing a dust/mist respirator. Using an airless spray gun, the victim began spray painting the inside of the tank with an epoxy-base paint. The victim had completed painting the bottom and sides of the tank, and he was painting the top when the spray gun nozzel hit the lamp, breaking the sealed beam. This ignited the epoxy vapor which caused a flash fire explosion. The victim was able to climb out of the tank unassisted. He then rmoved the respirator mask and both the victim and co-worker walked approximately 300 feet to the office. There they explained to office personnel what had happened. Office personnel notified the local Emergency Medical Service (EMS). Police officers who were in the area heard an emergency call concerning the explosion and arrived at the scene in 3 minutes. A rescue squad ambulance arrived 10 minutes after being notified and transported the victim to a local hospital emergency room. The co-worker was taken to the same hospital in another worker's car. Both workers were fully conscious and able to converse while being transported to the hospital and while medical care was being administered in the emergency room. The victim suffered second and third degree burns on 40 percent of his body (thighs, hands, arms and chest). The co-worker suffered first and second degreee burns on 12 percent of his body (face and neck), and suffered a broken arm from falling off the top of the tank after the explosion. The two workers were transported the same day to a nearby burn center where they were hospitalized. The co-worker recovered sufficiently to be released from the hospital 8 days after the incident. The victim died from burn complications 5 days after the incident. CAUSE OF DEATH The attending physician listed the immediate cause of death as respiratory failure. This was due to respiratory complications as a consequence of thermal burns affecting 40 percent of the victim's body. THE QUESTION IS 1.) If you are the safety engineer, what should have been done to prevent the fatality? 2.) Prepare a detailed confined space entry procedure.
Case 1. Painter Dies from Burns Received from Explosion Inside Tank
INTRODUCTION
On May 19, 1989, a 41-year-old male painter (the victim) suffered burn injuries from an explosion which occurred while he was painting the inside of a 1,300-gallon tank. He died 5 days later. A 32-year-old male painter (co-worker) stationed outside the tank suffered burns and a broken arm.
OVERVIEW OF EMPLOYER'S SAFETY PROGRAM
The employer is a sheet metal fabrication company with 30 employees. The company manufactures steel tanks and has been in business for 20 years. Most of the employees are sheet metal workers, welders and painters. The victim had been with the company as a painter for 3 1/2 years. The co-worker had been a painter with the company for 4 years. The company has a management level employee who serves as the safety officer on a collateral-duty basis. The safety officer conducts safety meetings once a month. New employees receive a safety orientation which consists of a brief discussion of company requirements for workers to wear steel toe boots, hearing and eye protection. New employees are given handouts which they are expected to read covering safety requirements. The company has no written safety program and does not have any written confined space entry procedures. Confined space entry procedures regarding ventilation of tanks during welding is discussed at monthly safety meetings.
SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS
The victim and co-worker had been assigned to paint the inside of a recently fabricated 1,300-gallon steel tank. The tank measured 68 inches high, 75 inches in diameter, and stood vertically with a 22-inch diameter manway opening on the top.
The victim entered the tank by stepping on the mixing blades that had been built into the inside of the tank. He was wearing a supplied air respirator (without an auxiliary escapte Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)), welder's cap, coveralls, rubber gloves, and steel toe boots. To provide lighting for the victim, the co-worker positioned a 500-watt, non-explosion-proof halogen lamp over the manway opening. The co-worker then st on top of the tank next to the manway to observe the victim. He (the co-worker) was wearing a dust/mist respirator. Using an airless spray gun, the victim began spray painting the inside of the tank with an epoxy-base paint. The victim had completed painting the bottom and sides of the tank, and he was painting the top when the spray gun nozzel hit the lamp, breaking the sealed beam. This ignited the epoxy vapor which caused a flash fire explosion. The victim was able to climb out of the tank unassisted. He then rmoved the respirator mask and both the victim and co-worker walked approximately 300 feet to the office. There they explained to office personnel what had happened. Office personnel notified the local Emergency Medical Service (EMS). Police officers who were in the area heard an emergency call concerning the explosion and arrived at the scene in 3 minutes. A rescue squad ambulance arrived 10 minutes after being notified and transported the victim to a local hospital emergency room. The co-worker was taken to the same hospital in another worker's car. Both workers were fully conscious and able to converse while being transported to the hospital and while medical care was being administered in the emergency room. The victim suffered second and third degree burns on 40 percent of his body (thighs, hands, arms and chest). The co-worker suffered first and second degreee burns on 12 percent of his body (face and neck), and suffered a broken arm from falling off the top of the tank after the explosion. The two workers were transported the same day to a nearby burn center where they were hospitalized. The co-worker recovered sufficiently to be released from the hospital 8 days after the incident. The victim died from burn complications 5 days after the incident.
CAUSE OF DEATH
The attending physician listed the immediate cause of death as respiratory failure. This was due to respiratory complications as a consequence of thermal burns affecting 40 percent of the victim's body.
THE QUESTION IS
1.) If you are the safety engineer, what should have been done to prevent the fatality?
2.) Prepare a detailed confined space entry procedure.
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