105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #884445

CONFINED SPACE,PPE,HEADACHE,CLEANING,NAUSEA,TOXIC FUMES,MANHOLE,OVEREXPOSURE,UNTRAINED

Event
CONFINED SPACE,PPE,HEADACHE,CLEANING,NAUSEA,TOXIC FUMES,MANHOLE,OVEREXPOSURE,UNTRAINED
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
884445
Report ID
953210

Event description

Four employees overexposed to chemical fumes and gases

Investigation abstract

Employees #1, #2, #3, and #4 were exposed to chemical fumes and gases while clea ning a manhole after repair of a collapsed sewer line. The manhole was approxima tely 8 to 10 ft deep and about 3 ft in diameter. The employees were using hand t ools such as shovels and buckets. Employees #1 through #4 suffered dizziness, na usea, headaches, bleeding stomachs, and diarrhea. Employee #1 was hospitalized. No respirators, gas monitors, or evacuation procedures were in place; however, t hey did have raincoats, safety glasses, gloves, and rubber boots. The employer h ad supplied respirators, gas monitors, and harnesses for escape, but the evidenc e indicated that no training had been given to the employees.

Victims (4)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 25 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    4
    Event type
    8
    Source
    9
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    1480
    Task assigned
    1
  2. #2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 33 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    4
    Event type
    8
    Source
    9
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    1480
    Task assigned
    1
  3. #3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 59 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    4
    Event type
    8
    Source
    9
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    1480
    Task assigned
    1
  4. #4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 43 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    4
    Event type
    8
    Source
    9
    Occupation code
    599
    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.