TranslateAccident Report Detail
Accident: 912576 - Employee Dies After Entering Oxygen-Deficient Room
| Inspection | Open Date | SIC | Establishment Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 114553258 | 11/02/1992 | 4221 | Sparta Fruit Storage Inc |
Employee #1 and two coworkers were working at an apple storage facility. At 11:30 a.m., one of the coworkers left for the day to deliver cider. At 2:00 p.m., the other coworker's day ended and she went home. At this point only Employee #1 remained at the plant and was assigned to clean up broken wooden crates. At approximately 6:35 p.m. the coworker delivering cider returned to the facility and noticed that the lights and a radio were on in the building. As he went to turn off the lights and radio, he noticed that the 2 ft by 2 ft plexiglass window installed in apple storage room #4 was missing. He found Employee #1 unconscious inside the room. The room is a controlled atmosphere room where apples are stored in an atmosphere of less than 3 percent oxygen, 3 percent carbon dioxide, and more than 94 percent nitrogen. Employee #1 died due to exposure to the oxygen-deficient atmosphere. He was not to enter the room. It is not known why he entered the room.
| Employee # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree | Nature | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 114553258 | Fatality | Asphyxia | Laborers, except construction |