OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14453427
FAIRFIELD ALUMINUM CASTINGS CO
FAIRFIELD, IA—
Event description
Employee killed, another hurt in dust collector explosion
Investigation abstract
A fire started in the dust collector which is connected to the wheelabrator (Gof elabrator had been used for over a week due to repairs. A stone grinder, which i s attached to the dust collector by a duct, was run twice for 8/10 of an hour. A spark from the stone grinder, or heat build-up from newly collected dust, may h ave started the fire. There was no evidence of fire in any of the ducts. f airless shot blast equipment for polishing aluminum). The manufacturer of the machine believes gas from the fire built up in the wheelabrator and caused the t hird and biggest explosion; two smaller explosions took place in the dust collec tor. Employee #1, a maintenance worker on the third shift, was found about 7 ft from where he was standing before the explosion. A witness saw his head hit the furnace. Employee #2 was thrown to the floor about 5 ft from where he was standi ng, sustaining a cut on his upper left arm. The fire marshall officer listed the cause of the fire as static electricity. Neither the dust collector nor the whe
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 24 M
- Nature of injury
- 16
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 6
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 2
-
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 26 M
- Nature of injury
- 7
- Part of body
- 22
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 2
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