OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14549760
WINCHESTER UTILITY-ADMINISTRATION
WINCHESTER, TN·
Event description
INHALATION OF TOXIC GAS IN A MANHOLE
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 ENTERED A 12 FOOT DEEP MANHOLE TO CLEAR A 12 INCH PLUGGED SEWER MAIN . THE MANHOLE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 450 FEET BEHIND A PRIVATE RESIDENCE ON 811 HIGH STREET. EMPLOYEE #2 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE REMAINED OUTSIDE THE MANHOLE TO WATCH E MPLOYEE #1. EMPLOYEE #1 SUDDENLY SAID HE COULDN'T BREATHE AND TRIED TO CLIMB OUT OF THE MANHOLE. HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OUT AND FELL TO THE CONCRETE FLOOR AT TH E BOTTOM OF THE MANHOLE. EMPLOYEE #2 TRIED TO TALK TO EMPLOYEE #1 WITH HIS HEAD NEAR THE TOP OF THE MANHOLE. HE ALSO WAS EXPOSED TO THE TOXIC GAS IN THE MANHOLE AND WAS HOSPITALIZED OVERNIGHT. EMPLOYEE #1, WHO WAS KILLED, WAS EXPOSED TO THE TOXIC GAS 10 TO 15 SECONDS BEFORE EXPERIENCING BREATHING DIFFICULTIES.
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 30 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 19
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 1480
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 20 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 19
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 1480
- Task assigned
- 1
Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.