Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1767149.015 - California Department Of Conservation

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

On August 2, 2024, an employee was working as a Senior Oil and Gas Engineer for a state agency that promotes energy, land, and mineral resource sustainability and management. The employer is responsible for approximately 600 staff, including inspectors that routinely work outdoors. The employee had been working for the employer for approximately 20 years. Coworker #1, the senior engineer (supervisor) assigned the employee to check on a reported oil leak in a remote area (open space) that the agency manages. At approximately 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 2, 2024, the employee checked in with his supervisor. To Coworker #1's knowledge, that was the last contact the employee had with anyone in the department. Coworker #2, the employee's roommate, who also works in the same department, reported to Coworker #1 that he had not seen the employee over the weekend and was concerned. On 08/05/24, Coworker #1 reported to County Sheriff that he had not heard from the employee since August 2, 2024. The Sheriff investigated and found the employee's vehicle parked on a street near where had been working. They also flew over the area, but did not locate the employee. At 8:06 a.m. on August 6, 2024, search and rescue personnel returned to the area and found the employee about an hour later off a hiking trail where he had been working. During the days that the employee was unaccounted for from August 2, 2024, to August 6, 2024, the ambient temperatures ranged from 65° Fahrenheit to 106° Fahrenheit. The lowest high temperature during those days was on August 2, 2024, at 99° Fahrenheit. According to the medical examiner, the employee had died due to heat illness. The specific cause of death was focal atherosclerotic coronary artery disease with contributing causes of hypertension and probable environmental exposure (hyperthermia).

Keywords: Artery, Coronary artery disease, Dehydration, Engineer, Heat, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Injury Prevention Program, Heat Stroke, Heat index, Heat-related illness , High Temperature, Hypertension, Hyperthermia , Medical Condition, Medical History, Overheated, Underlying Medical Condition, Water, Working Alone