Woolwine accident under investigation by OSHA
Brian Carlton | Martinsville Bulletin
Jul 27, 2018
WOOLWINE, VA—
It could be several months before anyone knows what caused Wednesday’s explosion at the Thomas Industrial Fabrication plant in Woolwine.
The Roanoke office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed on Thursday that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
“We are evaluating the scene, gathering information through evidence, through pictures and employee interviews,” said Paul Saunier, Regional Health Director for the OSHA Roanoke office. “
Typically, Saunier said, these type of investigations take a couple of months to complete. The longest investigation he’s taken part in lasted six months, but he didn’t expect this one to take as long. While someone from the Roanoke office was at the facility Wednesday and Thursday, Saunier said they can’t say yet what triggered the explosion.
In the meantime, repair work is taking place at the facility, located at 10797 Woolwine Highway. Production has been shut down at the custom-made machinery plant, as work crews both clean up and repair damage done.
A spokesman for the company said while they’re not up to full capacity, the first day of repair work was going a lot faster than expected. Officials don’t have a timetable for when the plant will be operational again, but Saunier said when that happens, it will be a decision made by the company, not OSHA.
“It’s their decision when they can get production up and running,” Saunier said, adding that despite the investigation, the company will be allowed to reopen. “We have not closed or shut down the building.”
Three employees were injured in Wednesday’s explosion, which also caused internal and external damage to the building. That includes damage to the exterior wall, a portion of which caved in.
Local residents called the sheriff’s office at the time. Some told officials that they heard a noise like an explosion, while others described it as being similar to very loud gunshots.
Two of the three injured employees were released on Wednesday. The third was still being treated as of presstime.
In each case, the injured employees had to be taken out ofPatrick County, as there is no longer a working hospital in the area.
Pioneer Hospital closed in the fall of 2017 and remains shut, despite efforts to re-open the facility. It took a special vote of the General Assembly earlier this year for the hospital to keep its acute care license for another year. Otherwise, even if it does reopen, the facility would have to reapply for a license.
For major injuries, Patrick County residents now are taken to either Rocky Mount or Martinsville.
==================
Thomas Industrial Fabrication:
Thomas Industrial Fabrication specializes in the fabrication of custom-made machinery and build-to-print products. In addition, we provide material handling systems that vary from vacuum and pressure systems to belt and drag conveyor systems.
Our fabrications help companies improve their productivity and safety. By assisting in the entire systems layout and integration process, including procuring third-party prefabricated machinery, we are able to use our expertise to form a solution that meets our clients needs. We have contributed to the success of companies in a variety of industries, including: Beverage, Carpet, Energy and Power, Furniture, Flooring, Recycling, and Textile.
In addition, we form a collaborative team with engineers and manufacturing personnel to yield results that meet our customers needs. By providing design, fabrication, installation, field service, and troubleshooting assistance, we are able to assist our clients both with the initial layout and the continued use of their machinery.
We pride ourselves in our ability to work with our customers to provide a practical customized solution to meet their needs. Our use of 3-D drafting assists us in providing our customers with a solution that they can conceptualize, and aids us in creating a higher quality product.