The death of one worker and major injuries to another recently led California officials to site the employer of the pair.
Cal/OSHA cited fuel distribution company National Distribution Services Inc. (NDS) $99,345 following an investigation into an explosion at the company’s Corona facility that killed one employee and left another with severe burns.
The owner of the company has been previously cited for similar incidents.
On May 6, 2014, two employees attempted welding operations on a 9,000-gallon tanker truck containing an unknown amount of crude oil. The tank had not been purged or tested for flammable vapors, resulting in the explosion.
Samuel Enciso, 52, was a welder who had been with NDS for four years. He was found dead on the floor of the facility with his right hand and lower arm completely severed.
A second employee with five years of experience suffered burns to more than 50 percent of his body.
Safety Procedures Were Lacking
Investigators from the San Bernardino Cal/OSHA District Office determined that NDS contributed to this incident by failing to have required safety procedures in place for working with flammable vapors.
Additionally, investigators found that NDS failed to train employees on the dangers of welding near combustible materials.
“California requires employers to have and adhere to an Injury and Illness Prevention Program” said Christine Baker, director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
Cal/OSHA, formally known as the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, is a division of DIR. “This preventable death is a reminder of what can happen when that requirement is ignored,” said Baker.
Previous Explosion at Facility
While investigating the May 6 event, investigators learned about a previous explosion at the Corona facility that occurred under similar circumstances, and involved the same two NDS employees.
On Sept. 25, 2012, the lid of a fuel tanker blew through the ceiling of the repair facility after the employees commenced welding on a truck filled with flammable vapors. No injuries occurred on that date.
“Enforcement of California safety laws sends a message to non-compliant employers,” said Juliann Sum, acting chief of Cal/OSHA. “You cannot cut corners when it comes to worker safety.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration served NDS with an emergency restriction order on August 14, prohibiting the company from using cargo tank motor vehicles. The company appealed the order in September.
The owner of NDS, Carl Bradley Johansson, served prison time following a previous similar incident.
In the 1990s, Johansson operated a business in Montebello known as Atlas Bulk Carriers. On Sept. 27, 1993 there was an explosion involving welding operations on a fuel tanker that had also not been purged or tested.
This incident also took the life of a welder employed by the company. Atlas Bulk Carriers was cited by Cal/OSHA for this incident.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: kstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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