Tire Explosion that Injured Woburn Employee was Preventable: OSHA

WOBURN, MA — After investigating a tire explosion which caused serious injuries to an employee of a Woburn-based company, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that the incident was 'preventable.'

OSHA announced Thursday that while he was servicing a tire at Crown Equipment Corp. in Woburn on July 13, the rim of the tire struck the employee causing serious head injuries. OSHA's findings allege that the company failed to provide adequate training and safeguards to protect its employees while they serviced rim wheels, and cited the company for five serious violations of workplace safety standards.

Additionally, OSHA proposed fines of $62,355.

"This worker's injury was preventable. Servicing rims such as these is dangerous. The employer must train workers properly and equip them to do this kind of work safely before they do the job. I urge all employers performing this type of work to review their operations and take the required corrective action, so this does not happen again," said Anthony Covello, OSHA's area director for Middlesex and Essex counties in a statement.

OSHA's investigation alleges that the company failed to take the following safety precautions:

• Develop and implement a training program for employees who service rim wheels to inform them of the hazards associated with the wheels, and safety procedures necessary for this task.
• Evaluate each employee's ability to service rim wheels safely.
• Ensure that each employee demonstrated the ability to service rim wheels safely.
• Require employees to use or provide an airline assembly with a clip-on chuck and a sufficient length of hose that would allow employees to stand outside the rim's trajectory should it explode.
• Have manuals with instructions for servicing wheel rims available in the service area.

According to the announcement, Crown Equipment Corp. has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations to comply, meet with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Representative from Crown Equipment Corp. or OSHA were not immediately available for further comment. Check back with Patch for comments from the company.

>>>>Image Credit: U.S. Department of Labor