On May 14, 2010, a 35 year-old mechanic/welder with 4 years of experience was fatally injured at a cement operation. The victim was using an oxy- acetylene torch to cut a damaged drill steel to salvage the drill bit. The drill steel exploded causing metal fragments to strike the victim.
Best Practices
- Always examine materials before applying heat, cutting or welding.
- Never apply heat to materials without ensuring that flammables/combustibles/explosive materials are not present.
- Always examine materials with hollow spaces or cavities to ensure gases can vent before applying heat.
- Never apply heat to materials where pressure build up is possible.
Click here for: MSHA Investigation Report(pdf), Overview(powerpoint), Overview(pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)