Burns

You've finished spray painting inside the hold of a motor launch. There's a strong smell of paint fumes and you badly need some fresh air. As you're packing up your gear, you knock over a portable electric light.
The last thing you remember is the flash and the feeling of your lungs filling with fire. When you regain consciousness, you're in the hospital's burns unit. Lucky to be alive, they tell you. But in the months to come, as the plastic surgeons take skin from your back to rebuild your face, you may wonder whether you were lucky to survive.

Flammable liquids (e.g. methylated spirits, kerosene) or substances that create flammable vapours (e.g. paints, glues) should never be used without adequate ventilation - and especially not in a confined space such as a tank, silo or vat. Electrical equipment used in flammable atmospheres must be 'intrinsically safe' - i.e. non-sparking. Anything else that could could ignite the vapours (even cigarette lighters) should be excluded from the place where you are working. Fire fighting and rescue procedures should be in place.

Any kind of work in a confined space is hazardous and should not be attempted unless you have the necessary training and back-up.