Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102016979 - Owensboro City Of

Inspection Information - Office: Ky Labor Cabinet Division Of Osh Compliance

Investigation Summary

THE CITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, IN THE MIDST OF A SEWER FLOW LINE SURVEY, REQUESTED THAT THE SEWER DEPARTMENT CLEAN ABOUT TWO FEET OF CRUSTED SEWAGE FROM THE BOTTOM OF A SEWER MANHOLE. THE MANHOLE WAS ABOUT 15 FEET, 3 INCHES DEEP. EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 ARRIVED AT THE SITE WITH A TET-RODDER MACHINE TO CLEAN THE MANHOLE. THERE WERE TWO BOARDS FLOATING ON THE SEWAGE THAT THE TET-RODDER WOULD NOT PICK UP, SO EMPLOYEE #1 ENTERED THE MANHOLE TO RETRIEVE THEM. HE WAS QUICKLY OVERCOME BY SEWER GASES. EMPLOYEE #2 CALLED FOR HELP AND THEN ENTERED THE MANHOLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESCUE EMPLOYEE #1. HE WAS ALSO QUICKLY OVERCOME. EMPLOYEE #3 THEN ARRIVED AT THE SITE AND LEANED INTO THE MANHOLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO TALK TO EMPLOYE #2 (WHO WAS BY THEN UNCONSCIOUS). EMPLOYEE #3 WAS ALSO OVERCOME BY THE SEWER GASES AND BECAME ILL. EMPLOYEES #4 AND #5 (FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT) THEN ARRIVED AND ENTERED THE MANHOLE WEARING SCBA GEAR. HOWEVER, THE SCBA FACE PIECES WERE DISLODGED DURING THE RESCUE, RESULTING IN EMPLOYEE #4 AND #5'S EXPOSURE TO THE SEWER GASES. THEY ALSO BECAME ILL AFTER THEY LEFT THE MANHOLE. EMPLOYEE #1 DIED FROM HIS EXPOSURE. THE OTHER 4 EMPLOYEES WERE HOSPITALIZED.

Keywords: RESPIRATORY, SEWER, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, CONFINED SPACE, WORK RULES, CLEANING, INHALATION, TOXIC FUMES