Incident date: 2024-08-05
NAICS industry code: 324110

An employee was installing a gasket between flanges on a heat exchanger. The straight wedge that was used to separate the flanges became stuck between the flanges. The employee used a banana wedge to spread the flanges and remove the stuck straight wedge. When the employee struck the banana wedge with a hammer, the banana wedge dislodged from the flange and struck their face. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured jaw and required surgery.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Struck by other propelled object or substance  n.e.c.
code_source: title: Striking and nailing handtools  n.e.c.
code_nature: title: Fractures
code_body: title: Jaw, chin
severity: moderate