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U-Md. Cited for Safety Violations
Investigation of Deadly Explosion Prompts Improvements
Amy Argetsinger Washington Post Staff Writer
February 6, 2003; Page B2
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State inspectors have cited the University of Maryland for five alleged violations of state safety and health regulations --
four of them deemed serious -- in connection with an electrical explosion that killed a campus employee in the fall.
Inspectors found that workers had worn flammable clothing and no eye protection around high-voltage equipment in a
room with inadequate exits and poor lighting, according to documents from the office of Maryland Occupational Safety
and Health.
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Because the university is a government entity, it will not face fines but will be ordered to correct any problems. College
officials said they are inspecting all campus electrical facilities and fixing any deficiencies, some likely at significant expense.
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"What we do is not based on whether we're fined or not but whether it's the right thing to do," said university spokesman
George Cathcart.
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Kurt Gordon Tassche, a master electrician, died from lung damage six days after the Oct. 27 explosion and fire in the
John S. Toll Physics Building.
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The explosion happened on a Sunday morning as Tassche, 41, and four other workers were installing a line in an
electrical panel in a utility room. The others managed to flee, but Tassche was trapped in the fire for several minutes.
Three firefighters and a campus police officer suffered smoke inhalation during their attempts to rescue him.
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At the time, campus officials estimated the fire caused $250,000 in damage to the 50-year-old building.
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Among the violations found by state inspectors:
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The electrical room had been used for storage, with boxes, chairs and other items blocking some aisles leading to the exits.
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Employees used insulated gloves that had not been tested or inspected before handling the electrical equipment, wore
clothing that was not fire-retardant and failed to wear facial protection around equipment with the potential to shoot sparks.
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The room did not have adequate lighting, prompting the workers to use hand-held flashlights.
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University officials said that they have cleared exits, improved lighting, moved the physics building electrical equipment to
the roof, and have ordered employees to wear safety glasses and cotton clothing when working with electrical hazards.
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They said they have also scheduled refresher courses for electrical safety procedures and are working to correct problems
in the 1,500 other utility rooms on the College Park campus.
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