Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at O'Day Equipment, LLC, 1580 48th Street, GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58201
on — Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified, affecting the nonclassifiable.
Final narrative
An employee was replacing a fitting on a storage tank. The employee was utilizing a tool that created a spark and flash fire, causing the employee to sustain burns. They were hospitalized.
An employee was using propane to heat up a solenoid on a diesel pump when the underground pump turned on, resulting in diesel making contact with the propane heater. The diesel and propane ignited, burning the employee's arms.
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 447110)
An employee was crouched down in the cooler and was restocking a shelf when a stack of water next to him began to crumple. Approximately 4-5 cases of water fell onto his left side, striking his left foot and knee, as well as the left side of his back. The employee was hospitalized with contusions to his abdominal wall, left chest wall, and his left hip and thigh.
An employee was washing drip trays at a sink. She then carried multiple drip trays to the beverage area. She tripped over a box of trash bags and fell against a refrigerator. She sustained a fractured sacrum.
An employee was standing by a condiment rack while getting condiment packets to restock a food service area. Another employee came out of the nearby freezer. As the door opened, it struck the injured employee in the back of the head. The employee was hospitalized for a concussion.
An employee was standing at the register and tripped over a power cord that was hanging down from a shelf. He fell on his ankle and hip. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured ankle.
An employee was on the ground working to close a trailer door. The door was caught by the wind and blew the employee backward. He landed on his back and sustained four fractured ribs, requiring hospitalization.
An employee was walking on top of boiler to close a valve. The employee fell off the boiler and landed on the floor, sustaining fractured ribs. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was exiting a loader and coming down the ladder. His hand slipped off the railing and he fell backward onto sandy ground, landing on his side. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured pelvis and a rotator cuff tear.