Emory University
Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids - Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified - ATLANTA, Georgia
| Employer | Emory University |
| Address | 1762 Clifton Road |
| City, State ZIP | ATLANTA, Georgia 30322 |
| Report ID | 2017010742 |
| Event Date | January 24, 2017 |
| Outcome | Hospitalized |
| Nature of Injury | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified |
| Body Part | Multiple body parts, n.e.c. |
| Event Type | Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids |
| Source of Injury | Solvents, degreasers, n.e.c. |
| Industry (NAICS) | 611310 |
| GPS Coordinates | 33.80024, -84.33048 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
A graduate assistant teacher was preparing to run a column chromatograph7 purification wearing a flame retardant lab coat and safety glasses, as well as gloves, long pants and closed toed shoes. A second graduate assistant teacher was sitting at his desk in the same lab at the time. The first teacher struck the bottom of a 4L glass bottle of hexanes on the edge of the bench, while attempting to put the bottle down. The bottom of the bottle sheared off on contact with the bench and the contents spilled onto the ground. Some of the hexane spilled onto the teacher's lab coat, long pants (left leg) and shoe (left foot). After an initial assessment of the spill, the teacher collected absorbent towels and paper towels to begin to contain and clean up the spill. He was assisted by the second teacher who heard the breakage while sitting at his desk. Shortly after the teachers began to contain the spill, it ignited explosively causing a flash fire. Both teachers were burned and admitted to the hospital.
Incident Summary
On January 24, 2017, a worker at Emory University in ATLANTA, Georgia suffered heat (thermal) burns, unspecified to the multiple body parts, n.e.c.. The incident was classified as ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids, with solvents, degreasers, n.e.c. identified as the source of injury. The worker was hospitalized.
Context
OSHA has recorded 502 severe injury reports involving "Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids" incidents in our database. Browse all Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids injuries.
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| May 17, 2021 | Waterfront Property Services, LLC | CLEARWATER, Florida | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified | Hosp. |
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| Sep 3, 2015 | Bosselman Energy, Inc. | GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska | Second degree heat (thermal) burns | Hosp. |
| Jul 28, 2018 | Wood Group PSN, Inc. | YORKTOWN, Texas | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified | Hosp. |
| Nov 14, 2018 | Advantek Waste Management Services LLC | KENEDY, Texas | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified | Hosp. |
| Oct 7, 2017 | Bon Me Foods, LLC | CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified | Hosp. |
| Feb 8, 2022 | Long's Propane Service Inc. | YANKTON, South Dakota | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified | Hosp. |
| May 21, 2020 | Trillium Construction Services | MIDDLETON, Wisconsin | Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified | Hosp. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Workers injured on the job have the right to medical treatment covered by workers' compensation, wage replacement benefits during recovery, and protection against retaliation for reporting the injury. You have the right to file a complaint with OSHA if you believe your workplace is unsafe, and OSHA cannot reveal your identity to your employer without your consent. You also have the right to see your OSHA 300 injury log. If your employer denies a workers' comp claim, you can appeal through your state's workers' compensation board. An occupational health attorney can advise on complex cases involving denied claims or third-party liability.
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About This OSHA Report
This is a severe injury report filed with OSHA. Employers are required to report all work-related fatalities and severe injuries within 8 to 24 hours. Browse more reports by employer, state, or industry below.