Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Silberline Manufacturing Company Inc., 130 Lincoln Drive, TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA 18252
on — Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified, affecting the multiple body parts, n.e.c..
Final narrative
On August 26, 2020, an employee was cleaning an industrial mixer when a flash fire erupted within the mixer and burned the employee's face, neck, and hands. The cleaning process involves manually scraping a mixture of aluminum paste with petroleum distillate carrier. Isopropyl alcohol is then used to wash the mixer.
HospitalizedMultiple body parts, n.e.c.Multiple chemicals or chemical mixtures, n.e.c.
An employee was performing oversight for the welding of a pipeline launcher door on a construction project. Two welders were performing arc welding, one on the interior diameter of the pipeline launcher door, and the other on the outside diameter of the launcher door when a flash fire occurred. The injured employee sustained first- and second-degree burns to the face, neck, back, and hands.
While on a scissor lift, an employee was grinding a steel pipe. Sparks from the grinder ignited some nearby rags that had been used to apply coating treatments to the pipe. This fire subsequently ignited the employee's clothing. The employee sustained burns to approximately 46% of their body and was hospitalized.
An employee was working in an area where another company was also working. The other company's employees were using an electric hydraulic pump to remove the bolts of the frac valve. The wiring of the torque wrench and pump unit were then charred and a flash fire occurred. The employee sustained second-degree burns to their face and neck.
On October 17, 2023, an employee was at a sink while using a solvent to unclog a vacuum trap dip tube that contained solids from pinacolborane distillation. During this process, the sink caught on fire and the solvent bottle containing tert-butyl methyl ether fell into the burning sink. The employee attempted to remove the solvent bottle which also caught on fire and suffered burns to their neck and left hand.
An employee was under a railcar cleaning up dust with a vacuum hose. The hose caused a spark that caused a flash fire that ignited the employee's clothing. The employee sustained second- and third-degree burns over 83% of his body.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 325131)
Employees were investigating the vapor conditions at the purification vent scrubber after a restart. Employees were looking through the sight glass, when the glass ruptured, releasing chemical vapors. Two employees sustained chemical burns to their upper body.
Six employees were removing a 4-inch butterfly valve at a desulfurization unit using an impact wrench. The employees inhaled carbon dioxide vapors. Two of the employees were hospitalized.
On September 24, 2021, an employee was trying to unjam a machine. His left hand was caught in a rotary airlock valve (accessed through an inspection port), which pinched his middle finger. The finger was amputated up to the first knuckle. The machine was running at the time.
An employee was operating the floor scrubber and pinched his right index finger between the steering wheel on the floor scrubber and a crossbeam by the storage racks resulting in a partial fingertip amputation.
On May 14, 2020, at approximately 1:00 p.m., an employee was operating a dispensing machine fed by a moving conveyor belt. As the employee attempted to retrieve material from the conveyor, the employee's right pinky fingertip was amputated by the moving belt and pulley.
An employee was walking into the motor control center (MCC) room when his right ring finger was caught in the hinge of a doorway. He sustained an open phalanx fracture, which resulted in a partial amputation above the first knuckle.
An employee was changing the spacing on a telehandler's forks. A fork slipped, and the employee's left index finger was caught between it and the mast. The fingertip was medically amputated at the first knuckle.
An employee was pulling down a broken skid with a forklift. When the employee backed up the forklift to get the forks out of the skid he pulled down, he contacted the forks of another parked forklift, fracturing both of his legs. He was hospitalized.
An employee was carrying cups back to the kitchen when her foot got caught on a cart and she fell face-first. During the fall, a piece of glass from a cup cut the inside of her mouth, severing an artery. She also sustained a laceration on her lower lip. The employee was hospitalized.