Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for California: A Hispanic Welder Dies When the Diesel Fuel Tank He was Welding Explodes

摘要

A 25-year-old Hispanic welder died from injuries received from an explosion of a diesel fuel tank he was welding. The victim had just struck an arc with the welding torch when the explosion occurred. He was making a repair to a diesel tank mounted on the bed of a pick-up truck. The diesel tank still had fuel in it. The victim did not correctly purge or ventilate the fuel tank before beginning to weld. The company had no documented safety or training programs available for the employees to follow. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future occurrences, an employer should: (1) Develop, implement, and enforce procedures for welding on fuel tanks. (2) Establish and maintain an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) in language(s) employees can comprehend. (3) Establish and maintain training and testing programs that verify and document an employees achievement of skills.