Univ. of Utah Blamed in Pipe Blast That Hurt 12

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the University of Utah in a Nov. 1 steam blast that sent 12 workers to the hospital, some in critical condition.

OSHA’s citation faults the university for failing to inspect or designate a competent worker to frequently inspect”for the unsafe condition of an open-ended, high-temperature water pipe” in a tunnel, the Deseret News of Salt Lake City reported.

The citation classifies the violation as serious, but does not call for any penalty other than requiring the university to fix the problem.

Twelve employees for two subcontractors were sprayed by 400-degree steam that erupted from the end of a pipe opened during upgrade work. At least three initially were in critical condition.

William Adams, operations manager for OSHA in Utah, said the citation was the only action that will come out of its investigation. No citations will be issued to subcontractors Thermal West Industrial Inc. and KK Mechanical, he said.

“We looked at them, we talked to them … but they didn’t do anything to violate OSHA standards,” Adams told the Deseret News.

Because the university is a public entity, there will be no monetary penalty, Adams added.

The university has 30 days to contest the citation. If it doesn’t do so, the university is required to notify OSHA that it has taken steps to correct the problem.

University spokeswoman Kate Ferebee said it’s reviewing the citation. “It’s a high priority for us,” she said.

The OSHA investigation found that the open-ended pipe had not been capped and was still connected to a valve system that was set to automatically open in the event of a power failure.

Such a failure caused the valve to open Nov. 1, releasing water into the pipe at a force of 400 pounds per inch. The water vaporized into steam and traveled into the tunnel where the 12 men were working, resulting in severe burns, the citation states.

According to the citation, the pipe was actually inactive and still attached to the greater valve system.