Flammable Liquid Spills On Welder

A welder was standing on a ladder which ran between two walkways. He was welding on a large piece of equipment which was going to be used in a mining area. A five gallon “unapproved” container which was nearly full of the flammable liquid toluene spilled on him. Investigators said one of two things then happened: Either he was striking an arc at the time of the spill, or his reaction to the spill caused him to ground the welding electrode against equipment he was working on. Either way, the result was a fire which killed him.

Having a container of flammable liquid in a place where it could spill on someone is an extreme example of a hazardous work area arrangement. But there is potential for deadly fires and explosions anytime you allow flammable liquids and heat-producing work to be in the same area. Take the time to check your workplace for such hazards before a fatality occurs.