Abstract: On October 10, 1988, Employee #1, a sewage treatment plant operator, was assigned to dump drums of a defoaming agent into the secondary treatment pump pit, which contained approximately 10 to 12 ft of hot water. Several hours later, a search was conducted to find Employee #1. At the pit, there were twelve grate sections found to be missing over the tank. Employee #1's body was found in the pit after the water level was lowered. A subsequent investigation revealed that the 8 in. steel beam supporting the cover had collapsed due to severe corrosion. The beam was approximately 21 years old and had been subjected to high humidity and potentially corrosive atmospheres.