Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for California: An Apprentice Mechanic Died When the Truck Tire He Was Standing Over Exploded.

摘要

A 20-year-old apprentice mechanic died when the military truck tire he was standing over exploded. The victim was instructed to check the air pressure in the tire mounted on a military wheel, mark the findings on the tire with a grease pencil, and then place the mounted tire in the tire storage rack. The lead mechanic, who was the victim's supervisor, and the victim had just observed earlier that day the company owner demonstrate the proper procedure to follow when mounting a tire on a military wheel. The lead mechanic had left the work area just before the incident occurred, and the owner was in his office adjacent to the shop. The victim stood over the mounted tire and used a pneumatic impact wrench to either tighten or loosen the bolts on the wheel flange when the tire exploded. The CA/FACE investigator determined that in order to prevent future occurrences, employers, as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), should: (1) Ensure employees never perform maintenance or repairs on an inflated tire; (2) Ensure new employees are adequately supervised in the performance of their duties; (3) Ensure that after employees receive specific training, their achievement of skills is verified through a testing program and that all training is documented.