A stationary engineer died when the multi-piece tire and wheel he was disassembling exploded, California

SUMMARY

A stationary engineer working at an airport died when the tire and wheel he was disassembling exploded. The tire and wheel had been removed from an airport passenger boarding bridge and placed in the airport maintenance shop by the employees on the previous shift. The victim and a co-worker were removing the nuts and bolts that held the wheel together when the tire and wheel assembly exploded, striking the victim in the head and neck. The valve stem was not removed from the tube within the tire to release the air pressure. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent similar future incidents, employers with workers who change multi-piece tires should:

• Implement policies and procedures as part of a safety program to ensure that tires are deflated prior to wheel disassembly.
• Remove all pneumatic tires and replace with solid rubber tires.
• Consider providing employees with certified training in commercial tire service (CTS), or hire companies with CTS technicians.

A stationary engineer died when the multi-piece tire and wheel he was disassembling exploded – California [PDF 746 KB]