Date of incident: February 2016
Notice of incident number: 2016166950006
Employer: Metal product manufacturer

Incident summary
At a facility that manufactures steel grinding balls for the mining industry, a worker lay on his side to check the infeed of the furnace to ensure steel bars were moving through the furnace properly. While getting up from the floor, the worker’s clothing became engulfed in flames on the stomach and chest area. The worker sustained serious injuries.

Investigation conclusions

Cause

• Flammable materials on clothing exposed to high heat. The worker had several flammable substances on his coveralls and in his pockets, including an isobutane lighter and a welder’s striker. Some of these materials were highly flammable and were exposed to a heat source above recommended safe temperatures. The worker’s clothing became engulfed in flames as a result of an ignition of flammable materials.

Contributing factors

• Multiple ignition sources present. Multiple ignition sources may have been present when the worker’s clothing ignited, including a spark generated by the isobutane lighter, a spark from the welder’s striker, a spark from the furnace, or thermal heat from the furnace.

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