Summary Statement
A presentation on the causes of fatal fires and explosions in construction including the trades involved and the trend.
June 6, 2007
Presented at AIHce 2007, June 6, Philadelphia, PA
Background- NIOSH’s National Traumatic Occupational Fatality (NTOF) database reported 220 deaths due to fire and 354 deaths due to explosion from 1980-1995 in construction, an average of 36 fire and explosion deaths per year.
- The rates were 0.2 fire deaths and 0.3 explosion deaths per 100,000 construction workers.
- For all construction, there was an average of 1,071 deaths annually, with an average annual rate of 15.3 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Methods
- Used Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) from Bureau of Labor Statistics for 1992-2003
- Fire and explosion deaths identified by selecting records with:
- event code 5* (fires and explosions)
- Keywords ”fire”, “explode” or “explosion” in narrative
- Deaths were classified into the following categories:
- Chemical explosions
- Fires
- Pressurized container explosions
- Arc flashes/blasts.
Results
- A total of 361 fire or explosion deaths involving 313 incidents were identified in the construction industry from 1992 to 2003, an average of 30 per year
- 32 multiple-death incidents involved 80 deaths (22% of total)
Fire and Explosion Deaths and Incidents in Construction, 1992-2003.
| Type of incident | # deaths * (%) | # incidents (%) |
| Chemical explosions | 161 (45%) | 132 (42%) |
| Fires | 97 (27%) | 84 (27%) |
| Pressurized container explosions | 60 (17%) | 57 (18%) |
| Arc flashes/blasts | 40 (11%) | 40 (13%) |
| Total | 358 (100%) | 313(100%) |
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Location of Incidents
- 167 incidents (53%) occurred in industrial places, including:
- 59% of chemical explosions
- 66% of pressurized container explosions
- 53 incidents (17%) occurred in homes
- 28 incidents (9%) occurred in public buildings
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Occupation of Workers Killed
| Trade | # Deaths *(%) |
| Construction laborers | 51 (14%) |
| Welders, cutters | 44 (12%) |
| Electrical workers | 34 (9%) |
| Heavy equipment operators | 25 (7%) |
| Carpenters | 24 (7%) |
| Supervisors | 24 (7%) |
| Mechanics | 22 (6%) |
| Painters/finishers | 22 (6%) |
| Managers/administrators | 21 (6%) |
| Plumbers/pipefitters/steamfitters | 20 (6%) |
| Other trades | 69 (19%) |
| Total | 358 ** |
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
** Doesn’t add to 100% due to rounding
Worker Activity at Time of Death
- Repair and maintenance activities accounted for 48% of pressurized container explosion deaths and 23% of all deaths.
- Welding accounted for 24% of chemical explosion deaths and 15% of all deaths.
- Other activities resulting in deaths included:
- Driving/operating/riding on vehicles (10%)
- Constructing/installing (10%)
- Painting/ finishing (7%)
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Causes of Fatal Chemical Explosion Incidents
Cause |
# Incidents* (%) |
| Welding | 48 (36%) |
| Electrical sparks | 13 (10%) |
| Heavy equipment struck underground pipelines | 12 (9%) |
| Cutting/drilling | 9 (7%) |
| Other | 50 (38%) |
| Total | 132 (100%) |
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Causes of Fatal Fire Incidents
Cause |
# Incidents* (%) |
| Welding | 15 (18%) |
| Electrical sparks | 14 (17%) |
| Open flames/pilot lights | 12 (14%) |
| Motor vehicle accidents | 10 (12%) |
| Other | 32 (39%) |
| Total | 83 (100%) |
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Causes of Fatal Pressurized Container Explosion Incidents
Cause |
# Incidents* (%) |
| Overpressurization | 14 (25%) |
| Cutting, drilling or welding | 8 (14%) |
| Other | 35 (61%) |
| Total | 57 (100%) |
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Causes of Fatal Arc Flash/Blast Incidents
Cause |
# Incidents* (%) |
| Electrical malfunctions/shorts | 7 (18%) |
| Contact with overhead power lines | 6 (15%) |
| Contact with other energized wires | 6 (15%) |
| Other | 21 (53%) |
| Total | 40 ** |
**Does not add to 100% due to rounding.
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Sources of Fatal Fire and Explosion Incidents *
| Source | # Incidents* (%) |
|
|
| 24 (18%) | |
| 22 (17%) | |
| 20 (15%) | |
|
|
| 25 (30%) | |
| 13 (16%) | |
|
|
| 17 (30%) | |
| 13 (23%) | |
| 8 (14%) | |
|
|
| 15 (38%) | |
| 6 (15%) | |
| 7 (18%) |
* Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI Research File.
Discussion
- High number of multiple death incidents
- Need for more attention to causes of these incidents
- Need for more attention to causes of these incidents
- Over half the deaths occurred in industrial plants with contract employees
- Need for site-specific training
- Need for site-specific training
- Welding accounted for 15% of fire and explosion deaths, especially chemical explosions. Many involved welding on “empty” tanks or pipelines.
- Need to ensure flushing of tanks has been done
- Need to ensure flushing of tanks has been done
- 30% of the pressurized container explosion incidents involved exploding tires, with10/17 incidents involving flying tire rims.
- Need for training and better procedures
- Need for training and better procedures
- The major cause of arc flashes and blasts was working on or near energized wiring, power lines or electrical equipment.
- Need for job hazard analysis to identify electric shock or arc-flash hazards
Conclusions and Recommendations
- Need for adequate training of contract employees in industrial plants
- Institution of a hot work permit system to reduce the number of explosions from welding on “empty” tanks and fires from welding around solvents.
- Maintaining rim wheel tires according to OSHA 1910.177 (Servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels) to reduce number of explosions of over-pressurized tires.
- De-energizing live equipment or isolating or insulating live parts could decrease the number of arc flashes and explosions.
- Institution of a live-work permit and following NFPA 70E could ensure that only qualified electricians work live safely, and only when necessary.
For Further Information
- Electronic Library of Construction Safety and Health (eLCOSH): http://www.elcosh.org
- This research was funded as part of a grant with the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights (CPWR) from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH (NIOSH Grant 1 U54OH008307). The research is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH. CPWR is the research, training and service arm of the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO.
