NOT only was this worker welding, but he/she had also used a flammable liquid to clean the spot they wanted to weld and then kept the OPEN bucket of flammable liquid right at the point of work. When they struck the arc, the vapors in the bucket ignited and the worker kicked the bucket of flammable liquid, which was on fire, away from him. This was not the right choice…
At 11:00 a.m. on March 22, 2019, an employee was using a MIG welder to tack weld a bracket onto a truck axle housing. The employee had cleaned the axle housing using a brake cleaner/degreaser and a bucket to catch the residue as well as any excess brake cleaning fluid. The employee struck an arc with the welder and the bucket of brake cleaner ignited. The employee kicked the bucket away and the fluid splashed and the vapor in the air flashed, melting the employee’s polyester uniform to his body. The employee was hospitalized.