Safety Integrity Teamwork Excellence Background July 12, 2012 Foot Injury in Building 1265 IRIS # :S Classification: OSHA Recordable (1 Day Work Restriction)

Safety Integrity Teamwork Excellence Investigation An employee was performing a task involving the routing of stainless steel flex hose underneath the 8-foot High Temperature Tunnel (HTT), located in building The employee was kneeling while routing hose. Upon standing up, the employee experienced significant pain in the right great toe. The employee immediately went to the NASA LaRC Clinic for an evaluation and treatment. The diagnosis from the clinic was listed as Sprain or Strain, Toe Great Right. Medication for pain and swelling was prescribed to the employee. After further investigation, it was found that the employee had been stung by a bee in the same region of the right foot in the days prior to the incident on July 12 th. This bee sting occurred while the employee was at home.

Safety Integrity Teamwork Excellence Investigation It is suspected that the pain the employee experienced while kneeling down in the 8-ft HTT lower test section was actually from the bee sting. The residual trauma from the bee sting was probably aggravated while the employee was repetitively kneeling down and standing upright. The employee was wearing composite toe safety shoes at time of incident. The shoes are not suspected to be a factor in causing the injury. There were three other employees present to help route the hoses when the injured employee experienced pain.

Safety Integrity Teamwork Excellence Investigation The employee demonstrates body position at the time that pain was experienced:

Safety Integrity Teamwork Excellence Proximate & Root Causes Proximate Causes – The employees body positioning and movements while routing hose in the lower test section aggravated a pre-existing condition (i.e., the bee sting). – The employee had been stung by a bee in the same area of the foot in the days prior to the reported incident. This is the root cause of the pain experienced by the employee. Root Cause – There was no clear root cause in this case.

Safety Integrity Teamwork Excellence Lessons to Share When planning work, employees may need to consider preexisting conditions or injuries to prevent aggravating or worsening the injury. Some examples of preexisting conditions/injuries that employees need to be mindful of are: – A sore back from weekend yard work – A knee injury from sports – Insect bites – Arthritis – Asthma Employees are encouraged to use mechanical aids (stools when squatting, carts when transporting materials, lifts when lifting, etc.) or ask for help when needed.