Paint thinner and open flame heater

At 1:30 p.m. on December 27, 2021, two employees worked in spray painting operations on a ship. At some point, the hose line was clogged with debris and paint material. The employees poured paint thinner into the hose to attempt to clear the clog. Employee #1 held the hose line while Employee #2 regulated the air pressure in the line. The pressure became great enough in the line that it jerked out of Employee #1’s hands and released the paint and paint thinner mixture in the line out onto an operating kerosene-powered heater (portable torpedo heater). The paint and thinner mixture caught fire, and both employees received burns to their hands, legs, and abdomens. Both employees were hospitalized for treatment.

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