MIFACE INVESTIGATION REPORT #10MI032 

SUBJECT: Sewer Administrator Died When Chop Saw Spark Caused a 55-

Gallon Drum to Explode 

Summary 

In the Spring of 2010, a male township sewer 

administrator in his 50s died when a spark from a 

14-inch chop saw entered a funnel that was used 

pour waste oil and other liquids into a 55-gallon 

drum, causing the vapors in the drum to ignite 

and the drum to explode. The chop saw the 

decedent was using to cut re-rod was located 

approximately two feet from the 55-gallon drum 

and was within 10 feet of a parts washer that 

contained lacquer thinner. The waste drum and 

another 55-gallon drum containing new motor oil 

were on a rack adjacent to the chop saw. Both 

barrels were lying horizontally on the rack, 

approximately 2-1/2 feet above the floor. The 

waste oil drum had a facet in one bung hole and 

the other larger hole had a firm-made 2-inch diameter spout, which extended approximately 2 

inches and then turned upward at a 90-degree angle for approximately 8 inches. At the end of the 

spout there was an open funnel used for pouring liquids into the drum. The funnel height was 

approximately at the same level as the saw. The decedent had cut a piece of re-bar and had 

placed it on the ground against the building’s overhead door rail track when the explosion 

occurred. Another employee had just arrived and was burned as a result of the explosion. Nearby 

businesses heard the explosion and saw the fire and called for emergency response. Emergency 

response arrived and transported the decedent to a nearby hospital where he died later that day. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

• A competent employee should survey work areas to ensure flammables and combustibles 

are stored appropriately and are not located in the area where spark-producing equipment 

is used. 

• Townships should utilize both in-house and external resources, such as building 

inspectors, fire departments, county departments, insurance risk managers, and MIOSHA 

Consultation, Education and Training (CET), to assist in identifying health and safety 

issues, such as flammable/combustible material storage and then develop and enforce 

control measures for these issues. 

• The township should develop and implement a health and safety management system 

which includes a written health and safety plan, hazard analysis, and employee training 

for each township department. 

• Employers should ensure drums containing flammable or combustible products are 

properly grounded when pouring flammable/combustible liquids into them and that the 

pouring containers are appropriately bonded to minimize static electricity buildup. If a 

Waste Drum Chop saw location 

Figure 1. Position of chop saw table and 

drum rack with waste and motor oil drums. 

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funnel is used to pour flammable/combustible materials into another container, the funnel 

should be equipped with a flame arrestor and properly bonded. 

• The water and sewer district should develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) for 

emptying the waste drum. 

• Fire Departments should review business/government agency-supplied hazardous 

materials data, prioritize this information, and conduct proactive site visits to assist in 

preventing a fire incident. 

INTRODUCTION 

MIFACE investigators were informed of this work-related fatality by the Michigan Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) personnel, who had received a report on their 24-

hour-a-day hotline. The township clerk and a sewer district supervisor agreed to be interviewed 

by the MIFACE investigator in June 2010. Following the interview, the sewer district supervisor 

escorted the MIFACE investigator to the incident scene and permitted MIFACE to take incident 

scene pictures. During the writing of this report, the police and medical examiner reports, the 

death certificate and the MIOSHA investigation file were reviewed. Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5 are 

courtesy of the MIOSHA compliance officer incident file. Figure 3 was taken by the MIFACE 

investigator at the time of the site visit. 

The sanitary sewer district was organized under the Drain Code and has been under the 

administration and operation of the township for 32 years. The sewer district was a separate 

entity from the township and was a designated county drain, under the control of the County 

Drain Board. The decedent was the only sewer district employee. He had 26 years of experience 

as the administrator and operator of the sewer district. He was state certified as a Class I operator 

to run the water and sewer department and had received the appropriate permit from the 

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 

Recently, the decedent had been re-hired to serve as sewer administrator. The decedent worked 

full time. His 8-hour work shift began at 7:00 a.m. and concluded between 3:00-3:30 p.m., but 

would work longer than eight hours if the work required it. The decedent reported to the 

township board. 

Neither the township nor the sewer district had a written health and safety plan. Safety meetings 

were not held either by the decedent or the township. The sewer district did not have a 

Procedure Manual as required. The township had an employee handbook with limited safety 

references. The township was in the process of developing an employee handbook with position 

descriptions and position responsibilities; the position of sewer administrator was included in this 

effort. 

At the time of the incident, the building where the incident occurred was owned by the county 

but insured by the township. The township relied upon its insurance risk management 

representatives to perform site evaluations to identify health and safety concerns. MIFACE was 

informed that the insurance representative did not identify the barrel storage location next to the 

chop saw as a “hazardous” location and one that should be corrected. 

Tax assessments for the sewer district were made at a local level and paid for the decedent’s 

wages and the sewage system’s equipment, maintenance and repairs. The township clerk 

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indicated that the assessments were the lowest in the state, and were not enough to cover the 

costs of operating the sewer district. The decedent, in an effort to keep costs down and to 

perform the necessary maintenance and repairs, developed his own tools, made his own 

equipment modifications, etc. He was described as a “cobbler”; he helped to keep rates low by 

his ingenuity, experience, and equipment knowledge to avoid the costs of new equipment. 

Township Remediation 

The township has developed and approved position descriptions as part of their employee 

handbook. 

MIOSHA Citations 

The MIOSHA General Industry Safety and Health Division issued the following Serious 

citations at the conclusion of its investigation. 

FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS, PART 75 

• RULE 1910.106(e)(2)(ii): 

In an industrial plant, flammable or combustible liquids were not stored in tanks or closed 

containers: 

(Funnel inserted into 55-gallon open container of flammable/combustible liquids) 

• RULE 1910.106(e)(6)(i): 

Ensure that adequate precautions shall be taken to prevent the ignition of flammable 

vapors. Sources of ignition include but are not limited to open flames; lightning; 

smoking; cutting and welding; hot surfaces; frictional heat; static, electrical and 

mechanical sparks; spontaneous ignition, including heat producing chemical reaction; and 

radiant heat. 

(Employee cutting metal rod with a 

spark producing saw within 2 feet of 

drum and 10 feet of parts washer) 

INVESTIGATION 

The decedent performed some other work-related 

tasks that morning prior to arriving at the water and 

sewer facility’s shop building (incident site). The 

building was approximately 2,700 square feet in size. 

The day before the incident, a rototiller broke down 

and he had performed welding to repair the rototiller. 

When the incident occurred, he was in the process of 

cutting re-rod for the rototiller with a 14-inch chop 

saw mounted on a wooden bench on the north side of 

the building. The chop saw was located 

approximately seven feet from the shop’s overhead 

Drum Rack area 

Parts washer 

Figure 2. Looking into shop building 

through overhead door 

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door and had been in that location since the mid 1980s. A window located north of the chop saw 

was extensively pitted from the sparks generated by the saw. 

Against the east wall of the building, approximately 10 feet away from the chop saw, was an 

open-lidded parts cleaner that allegedly contained waste thinner along with mineral spirits. 

On either side of the wooden bench/chop saw 

were two metal frames with two tiers. A 

frame holding scrap metal was located on the 

east side of the saw and the west frame stored 

55-gallon drums and other chemicals. The

west frame was approximately 45 inches high

by 37 inches wide by 72 inches long. The

second tier of the frame was located

approximately two feet above the ground.

A 10-foot plywood board that functioned as a 

shelf was the top tier of the west rack. The 

plywood stored various chemicals such as 

anti-fog, washer fluid, de-icer, brake fluid, dry 

gas bottles and numerous other general 

maintenance products. The plywood shelf was approximately one foot higher than the wood 

bench on which the chop saw was mounted and located within two feet of the mounted chop 

saw. 

On the bottom tier were two standard, welded-top 55-gallon drums lying horizontally on the 

rack. Each drum had one 2-inch and one 3/4-inch threaded bunghole on opposite sides of the top 

head. One drum held new motor oil and the second drum held approximately five gallons of 

waste oil and other liquids, such as transmission fluid, gear oil, and hydraulic fluid. The decedent 

had previously added lacquer thinner to the 

parts cleaner. It is unknown if the decedent 

placed any waste thinner into the waste barrel. 

The waste oil drum, which was positioned 

closest to the chop saw bench, had a faucet in 

the 3/4-inch bung hole and the 2-inch 

bunghole had a 2-inch diameter spout made 

by the decedent. The spout extended out from 

the barrel approximately 2 inches, then 

elbowed upward at a 90 degree angle for 

approximately 8 inches. Inside of the 2-inch 

pipe was a 11⁄2-inch diameter pipe into which 

a funnel was set to permit liquids to be easily 

poured into the drum. The height of the spout 

and funnel was approximately the same height 

at the saw table. The funnel was not covered. 

The drum had been emptied in November by 

Figure 3. Frame holding waste and motor oil 

drums. 

Figure 4. Re-enactment of drum storage and 

waste drum funnel configuration. 

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pumping its contents into another drum. 

Conflicting reports were received about the sequence of events. It is unclear who opened the 

shop’s overhead door. One report indicated it was an arriving township Department of Public 

Works (DPW) employee and one report indicated it was the decedent. A slight breeze was 

entering the open door; the southeast wind was approximately 2-5 mph. The DPW worker 

arrived and parked in front of the open garage door in his pickup truck. One report indicated that 

the explosion occurred as the DPW employee was walking toward the decedent. Another report 

indicated that the explosion occurred as the decedent was placing several pieces of rebar he had 

just cut against the garage door rail track. MIFACE was informed during the site visit that that 

the arriving DPW employee had taken a piece of cut re-bar from the decedent and placed it by 

the door track, and as he turned around, the explosion occurred. 

As a result of the explosion, both ends of the 

waste drum were deformed. A possible event 

scenario was developed. This type of saw throws 

extensive sparks. Because there were only five 

gallons of waste material in the drum, and the 

funnel was uncovered, there was ample space for 

vapors to collect and ignite if a spark had entered 

through the funnel. Both ends of the waste drum 

were ruptured. 

The resulting explosion sprayed the decedent 

with the contents of the drum and he was 

severely burned from the products and the heat 

caused by the explosion. The DPW worker also 

received burn injuries. The shop as a whole 

suffered extensive burning and most of the 

equipment was reduced to ashes. The heat 

generated melted the tail light of the DPW pickup truck. 

Nearby businesses heard the explosion and saw the fire and called for emergency response. 

Emergency response arrived and transported the decedent to a nearby hospital where he died 

later that day. 

CAUSE OF DEATH 

The death certificate indicated that the cause of death was medical complications of post 

explosive and thermal injuries. Toxicology results were consistent with medical treatment. 

Figure 5. Waste drum after explosion. 

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RECOMMENDATIONS/DISCISSION 

• A competent employee should survey work areas to ensure flammables and combustibles 

are stored appropriately and are not located in the area where spark-producing equipment 

is used. 

Routine hazard assessments of the work site should be performed to identify new or existing as 

well as continuing hazards. Scheduled and unscheduled inspections should be conducted and 

include a review of the work area, materials, and equipment to identify hazardous conditions. 

One of the areas to assess at a work site is the location and storage of flammable and combustible 

materials and waste products and the types of operations nearby, such as operations that may 

produce an ignition source. 

MIFACE reviewed the MSDS for No. 2 Fuel Oil which was in the drum. OSHA/NFPA had 

classified No. 2 Fuel Oil as a Class II Combustible liquid. OSHA defines a Class II Combustible 

Liquid as including those with flashpoints at or above 100 deg. F. (37.8 deg. C.) and below 140 

deg. F. (60 deg. C.), except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 200 deg. F. (93.3 

deg. C.) or higher, the volume of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the 

mixture. 

The No. 2 Fuel Oil MSDS stated: “Vapors may be ignited rapidly when exposed to heat, spark, 

open flame, or other source of ignition. When mixed with air and exposed to an ignition source, 

flammable vapors can burn in the open or explode in confined spaces. Being heavier than air, 

vapors may travel long distances to an ignition source and flash back”. Additionally, the MSDS 

Handling Precautions as: “Handle as a combustible liquid. Keep away from heat, sparks, and 

excessive temperatures and open flame! No smoking or open flame in storage, use or handling 

areas. Bond and ground containers during product transfer to reduce the possibility of staticinitiated fire or explosion. The No. 2 Fuel Oil Storage Precautions were: Keep containers closed 

and clearly labeled. Use approved vented storage containers. Empty product containers or vessels 

may contain explosive vapors. Do not pressurize, cut, heat, weld or expose such containers to 

sources of ignition. Store in a well-ventilated area. This storage area should comply with NFPA 

Flammable and Combustible Liquid Code.” 

Employers should prohibit all ignition sources, such as smoking, matches, lighters, or flame- or 

spark-producing equipment in any area where flammable liquids are used, handled or stored. The 

drum storage area did not have a NO SMOKING sign or other signage indicative of a flammable 

storage area. 

The drum storage area did not have a spill pallet, and in the event of a spill, contents could not be 

contained. A high density polyethylene spill pallet containment system should be selected. It is 

important to consider the load capacity (number of pounds placed on it) and its spill capacity 

when selecting a spill containment system to ensure it fits the facility’s needs. 

Employers should include employees to participate in the worksite hazard analysis. Employee 

participation will help provide the means, through which workers identify hazards, recommend 

and monitor abatement, and otherwise participate in their own protection. In addition, employees 

may recognize or may know of potential hazards that the employers might overlook. Regular 

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inspections of the work site by a competent person will ensure that safety procedures are being 

followed, and demonstrate that the employer is committed to the safety program and prevention 

of injuries. 

• Townships should utilize both in-house and external resources, such as building 

inspectors, fire departments, county departments, insurance risk managers, and MIOSHA 

Consultation, Education and Training (CET), to assist in identifying health and safety 

issues, such as flammable/combustible material storage and then develop and enforce 

control measures for these issues. 

Townships, although a part of a county system, may not know of or have the resources available 

to implement necessary health and safety programs. The township sewer district operation was 

funded solely by water and sewer rates charged to consumers. Health and safety issues and 

remediation costs had a lower priority to procuring and maintaining equipment necessary to run 

the sewer operation. 

MIFACE recommends townships utilize in-house resources to assist them in developing and 

implementing a health and safety management system and to identify health and safety issues 

within the many township departments, such as parks and recreation, public works, sewer, etc. 

Resources available in the township could include the fire chief, building inspector, or their 

insurance carrier. County resources could include the drain commissioner office, human 

resources, risk management, or the health department. MIOSHA Consultation, Education and 

Training (CET) division conducts free, non-enforcement hazard surveys as a training tool that 

provides the employer and employees an opportunity to learn how to identify unsafe or 

unhealthy acts or conditions, and MIOSHA violations. 

• Employers should ensure drums containing flammable or combustible products are 

properly grounded. When pouring flammable/combustible liquids into the drum, ensure 

the pouring container and the drum are bonded to minimize static electricity buildup. If a 

funnel is used to pour flammable/combustible materials into another container, the funnel 

should be equipped with a flame arrestor and properly bonded. 

Grounding connects a piece of conductive equipment to an earth 

electrode (such as a driven rod (copper clad), buried plate, or 

underground metal water pipe) or to a building grounding 

system to prevent static sparking. Bonding connects pieces of 

conductive equipment together to keep them at the same 

potential so that static sparking cannot occur. Durable, lowresistance bonding and grounding cables should be used. Clamps 

should be single-point to ensure contact with the metal surface, 

even those surfaces that are painted or rusted. Alligator-type 

clamps do not provide the assurance of contact compared to 

single-point clamps. 

Both in the MIOSHA file and during the MIFACE site visit, 

mention was made of pouring flammable/combustible liquids 

into the waste drum. The drum was not grounded and the 

Figure 6. Example of flame 

arrestor-equipped funnel for 

55-gallon drum. 

Photo courtesy of Justrite. 

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pouring container was not bonded to the drum. To reduce the likelihood of an ignition from static 

electricity, proper bonding and grounding is necessary. 

Funnels used to pour flammable/combustibles materials from one container to a drum should be 

equipped with a flame arrester. A flame arrestor prevents an ignition source from reaching the 

drum’s flammable contents and works by providing rapid dissipation of heat from an ignition 

source so that the vapor temperature on the inside of the drum remains below the ignition point. 

An example of a flame arrestor for a 55-gallong drum is shown in Figure 6. 

• The township should develop and implement a health and safety management system 

which includes a written health and safety plan, hazard analysis, and employee training 

for each township department. 

The township is comprised of many departments with different functions and different safety and 

health issues. The township should develop and implement a general, written health and safety 

plan and, in addition, a specific health and safety plan for each department. 

The implementation and enforcement of a comprehensive safety program is designed to prevent 

worker injury. The safety program should include task-specific safety procedures and employee 

training. Training is a critical element in a safety program and should include the communication 

of task-specific safety procedures. 

New safety training topics can be based on the findings of hazard assessments as discussed in the 

second listed recommendation of this report. In addition, training should be conducted when new 

hazards are introduced into the work environment, such as new chemicals and equipment. It is 

the employers' responsibility to routinely assess their employees work practices and to ensure 

that they are following the safe work procedures in which they were instructed. 

• The water and sewer district should develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) for 

emptying the waste drum. 

A worker described the existing waste barrel emptying procedure. The procedure involved the 

use of compressed air. The spigot placed at the bottom of the barrel was opened. Approximately 

1/2-1 pound of compressed air was applied to the top of the barrel. Barrel contents were forced 

out the spigot. The individual MIFACE spoke with indicated the air would be applied until the 

barrel ran dry. During this procedure, both ends of the barrel would “pop out” and the decedent 

would use a rubber mallet to “push” the barrel ends back into position. 

By law, transferring liquids by means of air pressure on the storage container is prohibited. 

Using air pressure to empty (transfer) the 55-gallon barrel can result in an overpressure that 

could exceed what the container or tank is designed to withstand. Additionally, a flammable 

atmosphere could be created within the container and would be particularly sensitive to ignition 

because of the increased pressure. 

The township should develop a standard operating procedure to safely empty the waste drum. If 

the waste drum is to be stored vertically, a drum pump system (drum pump, pump tube 

construction, motor type, other accessories as needed) should be selected and utilized. Finish 

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Thompson Inc (http://www.finishthompson.com/) has information on their website that can assist 

drum pump system purchasers with selecting a system to meet their needs. If the drum is to be 

stored horizontally, a drum siphon adaptor should be used to empty the container. Justrite 

Manufacturing (http://www.justritemfg.com/), in their drum handling equipment section, offers 

many products to safety utilize 55-gallon drums for flammable/combustible liquid storage, 

including dispensing and draining. 

• Fire Departments should review business/government agency-supplied hazardous 

materials data, prioritize this information, and conduct proactive site visits to assist in 

preventing a fire incident. 

Fire departments under Section 14(i) of the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act 

(MIOSHA), Public Act 154 of 1974, as amended (Act 154) requires the Fire Chief of an 

organized fire department to prepare and disseminate to each firefighter information on facilities 

within their jurisdiction that use or produce hazardous chemicals. 

The Michigan's Firefighter Right to Know Law and Section 5(p) of the Michigan Fire Prevention 

Code, Public Act 207 of 1941, as amended provides the fire chief the right to request and receive 

a list of chemicals and the Material Safety Data Sheets used at a specified location. Under the 

law, if the fire chief requests it, the following information must be provided within ten working 

days of the query: 

• A listing of all hazardous chemicals at the location, 

• MSDSs for all hazardous chemicals at the location and, 

• Information pertaining to the quantity and location of the chemicals. 

• An employer must provide the fire chief with a written update "when there is a significant 

change relating to fire hazards and the quantity, location or presence of hazardous 

chemicals in the workplace." 

With this information in hand and with the permission of the site owner(s), fire departments 

could visit the facility and determine if the hazardous materials are stored in a manner that would 

minimize the potential of a fire. A fire department visit most likely would have identified the 

close proximity of the drums containing the flammable/combustible materials and the parts 

washer to the spark-producing saw. 

REFERENCES 

MIOSHA standards cited in this report may be found at and downloaded from the MIOSHA, 

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (MDLARA) website at: 

www.michigan.gov/mioshastandards. MIOSHA standards are available for a fee by writing to: 

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, MIOSHA Standards Section, P.O. 

Box 30643, Lansing, Michigan 48909-8143 or calling (517) 322-1845. 

• MIOSHA General Industry Safety Standard, Flammable and Combustible Liquids, Part 

75 

• Arc Welder Dies in Explosion While Using an Old Barrel as a Worktable. Iowa FACE 

Report http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/face/Reports/REPORT-033.html 

9 
 

 

 

• Bonding and Grounding of Flammable Liquid Containers. Harleysville’s Risk Control 

Department. http://www.harleysvillegroup.com/losc/PDFs/LCT1025.pdf 

• Massachusetts Mechanic Killed When a 55-Gallon Drum Exploded. 

Massachusetts FACE Investigation #00-MA-042-01. 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/ma/00ma042.html 

• Grounding and Bonding Applications for Control of Static Electricity. Stewart R. Brown 

Manufacturing Company, 1165 Hightower Trail, Atlanta, Georgia 30350. 

http://www.srbrowne.com/booklet/index.html 

• Checklist for Dangerous Liquids. National Safety Council. 

http://www.nsc.org/safetyhealth/Pages/checklist_for_dangerous_liquids.aspx 

• Finnish Thompson Inc. 921 Greengarden Road, Erie, PA 16501-1591 

http://www.finishthompson.com/ 

• Red Book – Your Guide to Handling Flammable Liquids Safely. Justrite Manufacturing, 

2454 Dempster St., Des Plaines, IL 60016 

http://www.justritemfg.com/RedBook/Redbook%20All%20Pages_2%20files/RedBkpgs1 

-20_LO_RES.pdf 

Key Words: 55-gallon drum explosion, chop saw spark, township water and sewage department, 

flammable and combustible liquids storage 

MIFACE (Michigan Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation), Michigan State University 

(MSU) Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 117 West Fee Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 

48824-1315; http://www.oem.msu.edu. This information is for educational purposes only. This 

MIFACE report becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with 

credit to MSU. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or 

company. All rights reserved. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal opportunity institution. 

 10/27/2011 

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