Burns due to flammable solvents ignited with floor buffers

Three patients, employed by janitorial service agencies, were burned severely while buffing floors. A solvent to remove floor lacquer was used in one case, and a solvent to remove glue that held carpet to the floor was used in the other two cases. The solvent used in each case is flammable and was ignited when a floor buffer was used near it. The floor buffers are specifically labeled as unsafe to operate near flammable liquids. The patients' injuries were severe. All three patients survived. This represents a rather unusual and unsafe industrial practice that should be avoided.