Automotive Mechanic Fatally Burned While Using Welder When Washer Fluid Drum Explodes —Massachusetts

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Project (Massachusetts FACE) ; Massachusetts. Department of Public Health
• Description:
  An automotive mechanic working for a gas station and service garage was severely burned when a drum of flammable window washer fluid exploded as he was using the drum as a workbench for welding. The Massachusetts FACE Program learned of the incident from the local news media on the day of the incident, September 25, 2019. The Massachusetts FACE Program received notification from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services that the worker had sustained burns to an estimated 75% of his body and was being treated at a regional trauma center on September 26, 2019. On November 6, 2019, a representative from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner notified FACE that the worker had died from his injuries on November 5, 2019. On December 10, 2019, a representative from the Massachusetts FACE Program spoke with the owner of the gas station to discuss the incident. Several records were reviewed during the investigation. The records reviewed included local and state police reports
  
  the reports from the state police unit assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal to investigate fires, explosions, and arson
  
  the electronic death registration system
  
  OSHA records
  
  and information from the welder and window washer fluid manufacturers. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include: Worksite lacked a proper welding station
  
  Welding in the vicinity of a drum containing flammable materials
  
  and Lack of a safety and health program and overall safety training. RECOMMENDATIONS: The Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should: 1) Provide an appropriate location to perform welding work. All hot work should be a safe distance away from flammable and combustible liquids. Ensure workers using welding equipment are trained in the safe operation of their equipment. 2) Ensure that all workers are properly trained about hazardous materials in the workplace. 3) Develop and implement a comprehensive safety and health program that addresses hazard recognition, avoidance of unsafe conditions, and proper use of equipment.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Burns Hazardous Substances Mortality Occupational Health Safety Welding
• Keywords:
  Accident Analysis Accidents Combustible Materials Explosive Hazards Fatalities Flammable Liquids Hazard Recognition Mechanics OSHA Region 1 Safety Practices Welders

  More +
• FACE - NIOSH and State:
  FACE ; Machine (All) ; Machine - General ; Other
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Subseries:
  State
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHSFACE19MA058
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-13
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066096
• Citation:
  Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 19MA058, 2022 Jul ; :1-13
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Performing Organization:
  Massachusetts State Department of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  44-45 - Retail Trade - (NAICS) ; 457120 - Other Gasoline Stations - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  2005/07/01
• End Date:
  2026/06/30
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1a11c0bfe891aa438436316bc066aa8802b75fbab33ba3d9a3f44ca903d6b59dadefcc0035f6e77dea3b71932b58dc8f765a3891e96dc6cae154b2b975cfad03
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/164859/cdc_164859_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.31 MB ]