MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC WORKS AND STREET DIVISION

EMPLOYEE STRUCK BY BY MOVING VEHICLE; FELL AND STRUCK HEAD

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WALKING INTO A PARKING LOT, TOWARD A BANK OF GARAGES, WHEN HE WA S STRUCK BY A PICK-UP TRUCK OWNED AND DRIVEN BY A FELLOW EMPLOYEE. HE WAS STRUCK WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BE EITHER KNOCKED OVER OR KNOCKED OFF BALANCE AND CAUSED T O FALL. HE WAS KILLED WHEN HE STRUCK HIS HEAD ON THE ASPHALT PAVEMENT.

MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES BURNED WHEN FLAMMABLE VAPORS IGNITED

EMPLOYEE #1 (A MAINTENANCE WORKER) AND EMPLOYEE #2 (A MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR) WE RE WORKING IN A ROOM, APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET BY 19 FEET BY 12 FEET, WHICH HOUSED A 55 GALLON CAPACITY LACQUER THINNER RECLAIM SYSTEM. THE MODEL LS-55 LITTLE STIL L SOLVENT RECLAIMER HAD BEEN TURNED ON AT THE START OF THE SHIFT, ABOUT 4 HOURS EARLIER. THE SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF PROCESSING 55 GALLONS OF SOLVENT IN 8-10 HOURS . WHEN EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 ENTERED THE ROOM (FOR PURPOSES UNKNOWN) THE ENTRANCE DOOR WAS LEFT OPEN APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET, SO THAT MOLTEN METAL FROM AN OXY-ACETYL ENE CUTTING TORCH PROJECT TAKING PLACE ABOUT 16 FEET AWAY IN THE ADJACENT SHOP M AINTENANCE AREA IGNITED A VAPOR CLOUD WHICH HAD LEAKED THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR INT O THE SHOP AREA. THE FIRE FLASHED BACK INTO THE RECLAIM SYSTEM ROOM, BURNING BOT H EMPLOYEES. EMPLOYEE #1 SUSTAINED 2ND AND 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO 75% OF HIS BODY ( 40-45% 3RD DEGREE) AND EMPLOYEE #2 SUSTAINED 1ST AND 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO MOST OF HIS BODY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE VENTILATION SYSTEM WAS NOT IN OPER ATION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ALSO, THERE WERE NUMEROUS IGNITION SOURCES PR ESENT AS WELL AS NUMEROUS INADEQUACIES RELATED TO THE SAFE USE AND HANDLING OF F LAMMABLE LIQUIDS.