ACCIDENT SUMMARY No. 3
| Accident Type: |
Explosion |
 |
| Weather Conditions: |
Clear |
| Type of Company: |
Removal/Installation/Junking of Gasoline Pumps and Underground Tanks |
| Size of Work Crew: |
2 |
| Union or Non-union: |
Non-union |
| Worksite Inspection Conducted (1926.20(b)(2)): |
No |
| Designated Competent Person on Site (1926.20(b)(2)): |
No |
| Employer Safety Health Program: |
No |
| Training and Education for Employees Designated (1926.21(b)): |
No |
| Craft of Deceased Employee(s): |
Laborer |
| Age;Sex |
27; Male |
| Time on the Job: |
2 years |
| Time on Task: |
1 hour |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT
A laborer was killed when a gasoline storage tank he was cutting with a portable power saw exploded. The worker's company was involved in installing, removing and junking gasoline pumps and underground tanks.
Although he had experienced working with the saw and scrap materials, the worker did not adequately purge the tank and test for vapors before beginning to cut. The 18 x 6 foot, 3000 gallon tank had been used recently for underground storage at a service station. At the time of the explosion, the mechanic was cutting on the tank with a gasoline powered portable saw equipped with an abrasive epoxy disk for cutting metal. The explosion propelled the worker 10 to 15 feet from the tank into another tank.
ACCIDENT PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
- Train employees to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions when working with tanks that have previously contained flammable liquids (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)).
- Follow recommended procedures set forth in American Petroleum Institute (API) Bulletin 1604, "Recommended Practice for Abandonment or Removal of Used Underground Service Station Tanks".
- Test atmosphere in tank prior to work or cutting.
- Establish guidelines for gas-freeing.
NOTE: The case here described was selected as being representative of fatalities caused by improper work practices. No special emphasis or priority is implied nor is the case necessarily a recent occurrence. The legal aspects of the incident have been resolved, and the case is now closed.
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