OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14332191
OXYGEN DEFICIENCY,UNCONSCIOUSNESS,HYDROGEN SULFIDE,PIT
Event description
EMPLOYEE DIED OF OXYGEN DEFICIENCY IN EFFLUENT PIT
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 APPARENTLY WENT TO THE SOUTH POND ANNEX TO RAISE THE WEIR BOARD IN A 4 FOOT BY 4 FOOT BY 5 FOOT DEEP PIT. HIS PURPOSE WAS TO LOWER THE EFFLUENT LEVE L OF THE POND. HE WAS LATER FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PIT. HE REMAI NED COMATOSE UNTIL HE DIED APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS LATER. NO EVIDENCE OF A FALL WA S FOUND. ACCORDING TO THE AUTOPSY REPORT HE DIED OF OXYGEN DEFICIENCY. MEASUREME NTS TAKEN IN THE PIT UNDER SIMILIAR CONDITIONS SHOWED HYDROGEN SULFIDE LEVELS GR EATER THAN 500 PARTS PER MILLION. THE HYDROGEN SULFIDE WAS APPARENTLY GENERATED FROM THE DECAY OF ORGANIC MATERIAL (WOOD CHIPS/FIBERS) IN THE PIT AND IS RELEASE D WHEN THE EFFLUENT IS AGITATED AS IT FLOWS OVER THE WEIR BOARD.
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 24 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 19
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 19
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 1480
- Task assigned
- 1
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