OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #602458
SEWER,LUNG,ASPHYXIATED,XYLENE,WELL,CHEMICAL VAPOR
Event description
TWO KILLED AND ONE INJURED WHEN OVERCOME IN CONFINED SPACE
Investigation abstract
This event occurred at a sealed confined space which contained pipe which had be loyees #2 and #3 were also overcome by the vapors and fell into the water. Emplo yees #1 and #2 died at the scene. Employee #3 was rescued by paramedics and reco vered en painted the previous day. This space was a twelve foot diameter, thirty foot deep wet well, which was part of a new, unused sewer lift station. The well cont ained approximately five feet of accumulated water. The paint contained xylene. The well was not ventilated prior to entrance. The air was not tested for oxygen content, air contaminants, or flammable explosive vapors. Employee #1 started a descent to install a valve on a stubble pipe when he was overcome by the xylene vapors and fell from the ladder into the accumulated water. Employees #2 and #3 radioed for help and then descended into the well to attempt a rescue. Both Emp
Victims (3)
-
#1 Fatality Age 26 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 18
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2590
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Fatality Age 43 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 18
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2590
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 46 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 18
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2590
- Task assigned
- 2
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.