Friday, June 18, 2010

Lessons Learnt Case Report (LLCR) – Suffocation from Air-Fed Helmet - WSH Bulletin & WSH Cou

17 Jun 2010

Incident

In this incident, a technician was deployed to carry out surface preparation work, including bead-blasting, for aircraft components. Less than an hour after he had started work in a bead-blasting chamber, he was found lying unconscious on the floor. He was in his usual protective clothing, and was wearing his air-fed helmet with the air supply still turned on. He was sent to hospital but died due to suffocation from oxygen deficiency.

Summary of Findings

Investigations revealed that some workers from another unit did not follow their operating instructions. Instead of using nitrogen gas for the control system of an autoclave for their work, they used the common compressed air supply. This caused a back-flow of higher pressured nitrogen gas into the air supply for the technician, reducing the supply of oxygen and leading to his suffocation.

For more details on safety lapses in the incident and recommendations to prevent similar accidents from happening, click Here for the Lessons Learnt Case Report.

Please visit https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/bulletinview?action=viewBulletin&bulletinID=BU2010060114956 for more info.

1 comment:

  1. wWaoh! this is sad, was there no risk assessment in place or job safety analysis? check out : www.content.workplacesafetyguide.info

    ReplyDelete