Contact with hot objects or substances · Third or fourth degree heat (thermal) burns
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at SOUTHWEST GALVANIZING, INC., 737 ALEEN ST, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77029
on — Third or fourth degree heat (thermal) burns, affecting the multiple body parts, n.e.c..
Final narrative
After the galvanizing cycle, material (product) is no longer in the zinc, but is still inside the kettle, at which point two workers will skim the zinc off the top of the kettle. Two monorail cranes carry this beam in and out of the kettle housing. The cranes have chains connected to a bow that holds the beam. The chain between the lifting block of the crane and bow failed; one end of the beam fell, hit the molten zinc vat, and caused a splash. The injured employee was wearing a Nomex suit, face shield, and eye glasses at the time. The surface of this vat is at about waist level. The densest portion of the splash hit the injured employee in the groin, burned through the Nomex coveralls, and caused third-degree burns. Another portion of the splash hit the employee on the chest/abdomen area and caused second-degree burns. A small splash of molten zinc also hit the employee's face, and the last portion landed on one of the injured employee's feet, causing a burn.
HospitalizedMultiple body parts, n.e.c.Molten or hot metals, slag
More severe injuries at SOUTHWEST GALVANIZING, INC.
An employee was cutting steel channels from a hanging rack that was being supported by a forklift. When they were finished, the forklift started moving the rack out of the area and a piece of material snagged one of the rack legs, causing the rack to tilt backward. The rack slipped off the forklift and struck the employee on his right side/lower back. He sustained a fractured pelvis and was hospitalized.
The injured employee was cutting wire on a galvanized steel piece. Another employee was transporting their piece over the injured employee using two monorail cranes. One crane moved and the other remained stationary, causing the rigging to fail and the fabricated steel frame fell and struck the injured employee in the back/neck area. The employee was hospitalized for four broken ribs and a right shoulder contusion.
An employee was looking for surface imperfections in material before it was galvanized. An I-beam fell over and struck the employee in the left leg, breaking it.
An employee was handling a bundle of steel beams that he needed to be side-by-side. He pushed the top beam and it became unbalanced. It fell on his left hand that was resting on the bottom beam. It lacerated the tips of his fingers, resulting in the amputation of the distal portion of his ring and middle fingers.
An employee was monitoring a dipping operation through an observation window on the closed door of a hot dip galvanizing kettle. Zinc spattered from the kettle, entering the top of the employee's boot and causing a third-degree burn to his left heel. Personal protective equipment was being worn at the time of the incident, but pants were tucked into boots.
An employee connected a steam line to a hose to clean equipment when the fitting broke loose. They were struck by steam in the left inner thigh, resulting in burns that required hospitalization.
An employee was making tea when she noticed tea grinds were collecting on the side and water was no longer dripping through the funnel. The employee was checking the funnel when boiling water and tea grinds spilled onto the left side of her body. The employee sustained burns to her neck, back, and arm.
An employee had turned off the ball valve on a waterpipe system and was removing the plug when the coupling system attached to the strainer came apart. Hot water sprayed on his arm and back, resulting in first- and second-degree burns that required surgery.
An employee was using a shovel to remove waste vermiculite from molten zinc. The metal had been placed in a bin and partially hardened. The employee broke through the partially hardened metal; still-molten metal flowed to the employee's steel-toed right boot and entered through the cloth boot tongue. The employee suffered a third-degree burn to the right foot and was hospitalized.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 332812)
An employee was cutting steel channels from a hanging rack that was being supported by a forklift. When they were finished, the forklift started moving the rack out of the area and a piece of material snagged one of the rack legs, causing the rack to tilt backward. The rack slipped off the forklift and struck the employee on his right side/lower back. He sustained a fractured pelvis and was hospitalized.
An employee was working to remove waste wire between two boat rack/spreader bars (10 feet in length, 8 inches wide, and 16 inches tall, with a center lifting point for a crane hook) in the hanging department. One boat rack was leaning on another boat rack. The employee reached between the boat racks to move the leaning boat rack and remove the waste wire. The leaning boat rack shifted and the employee's left index finger was pinched between the two racks (weighing approximately 600 pounds each). The employee sustained an abrasive amputation of the left index fingertip from the nailbed up.
An employee was performing maintenance on a coating machine and the belt cover guard was removed to repair the belt. The moving belt caught the employee's fingers and pulled them between the belts, injuring three fingers on the employee's left hand. The fingernails were removed from their little and middle fingers. The ring finger was amputated at the first knuckle.
An employee was stacking steel grating. The grating moved and their right ring finger got caught between grating. The last digit of the ring finger was amputated.
After cutting a slab of beef short ribs, an employee turned to grab the pieces he had cut and his right hand contacted the saw blade. The employee sustained an amputation to his right index finger.
An employee was unloading a carpet pad from a truck when they fell from the truck dock to the concrete below, resulting in five fractured ribs and an injury to their left lung.
An employee was walking up a walkway to enter a building through the back entrance when she tripped over the lip of the cement ramp. The employee fell and sustained a fractured right hip.