UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

ON FEBRUARUY 5, 1985, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ASSIGNED TO PERFORM AN OPERATION INVOLVING REINTRODUCTION OF TONER IN A BLENDER ROOM OF THE TOWER MANUFACTURING DEPARTMENT. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS LAST SEEN ALIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 PM. AT APPROXIMATELY 8:35 PM, TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES ENTERED THE BLENDER ROOM AND FOUND EMPLOYEE #1 UNCONSCIOUS ON THE FLOOR. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WEARING A YELLOW, FULL-BODY COVERALL WITH ATTACHED HOOD AND FACESHIELD. THE COVERALL WAS MANUFACTURED BY DURAFAB, INC., STYLE 2130Z. IT WAS THE "BESTOSHIELD SUIT," DESCRIBED AS A RESPIRATOR HOODED COVERALL. AN AIR HOSE WAS TAPED INTO THE RESPIRATOR, AND THE OTHER END WAS CONNECTED TO A NITROGEN GAS LINE WITH A QUICK-CONNECT FITTING. THE COUNTY CORONER DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF DEATH TO BE ASPHYXIATION BY THE INHALATION OF NITROGEN GAS. THE QUICK-CONNECT FITTINGS IN THE BLENDER ROOM WERE THE SAME SIZE AND TYPE FOR THE NITROGEN GAS LINES AS THEY WERE FOR THE COMPRESSED AIR GAS LINES. IN ADDITION, THE NITROGEN AND COMPRESSED AIR GAS LINES WERE OF THE SAME COLOR AND, EXCLUDING THE IDENTIFYING NAME, OF SIMILAR LABELING.