Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312669344 - Valley Metal Treating Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

On January 21, 2012, at approximately 12:30 p.m. Employee #1 was checking a furnace at Valley Metal Treating Inc, a company engaged in heat treating of metal parts. The employee went around and checked five furnaces to verify when everything needed to come out. Employee #1 put steel bars that were 0.5 in. in diameter and 10 in. long in a D2 furnace for heat treating. After a few hours of heat treating, Employee #1 checked on the parts and noticed the basket had tipped over and the parts had fallen out of the basket and into the furnace. The employee let the furnace cool down for 20-30 minutes, because he planned to use a magnet to get the parts out. After approximately 30 minutes, Employee #1 went to Employee #2, his supervisor, to let him know of the problem that he was having with the D2 furnace. Employee #2 went over and saw the problem and told Employee #1 to wait until he could go and get a bigger magnet. After retrieving a bigger magnet, Employee #2 started back to the D2 furnace and noticed Employee #1 had fallen into the furnace. Employee #2 and three other workers pulled the employee from the furnace. The employee was transported to an area hospital suffering second and third degree burns to his face and back. Employee #1 remained hospitalized after two surgeries.

Keywords: BURN, FURNACE, MAGNET, METAL BAR, STEEL-MELTING FURN, STEEL, BACK, FALL, FACE