Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1493781.015 - Ardagh Group

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At 3:30 p.m. on August 21, 2020, an employee was working as a maintenance technician for a glass bottle manufacturing plant. The employee was an upkeep employee who had relieved Coworker #1 (hot end operator) for his short break. Part of the job required keeping an eye on the bottles to make sure they were moving along the conveyor line to a final product. The bottle manufacturing machine consisted of different functional areas. The employee was working at the hot end (13 shop) where the product was going through the final stage. The employee was sweeping up broken bottles below the conveyor when he saw a small fire. He grabbed a fire extinguisher to spray the fire and suppress it. The fire was caused by the hot bottles jamming up on the conveyor before they fell to the side of the conveyor. Oil fittings and hoses lay next to the conveyor on the inner side. The fire originated from the middle and travelled outward and underneath the conveyor line. The employee then saw another fire over the conveyor, so he sprayed that fire as well, but the oil hit his lower pant legs just as the fire shot underneath the conveyor and scorched his legs. Coworker #2 (tank manager) who was at 12 shop saw the incident and came to assist. Coworker #3 also came to assist and put out the fire that was burning the employee's pants. The employee was hospitalized to treat 3rd degree burns to his lower shins.

Keywords: Burn, Fire, Fitting, Fuel Oil, Hose, Jammed, Leg, Machine operator, Maintenance, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Protective Clothing, Struck By