Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316967454 - Short Septic Service & Contrac

Inspection Information - Office: Dosh Spokane Service Location, Spokane, Wa

Investigation Summary

On January 23, 2014, Employee #1, hired by a septic service contractor, and Coworkers #1, #2, and #3, also working for the contractor, were assigned to clean out a building's septic tank. They were suctioning out the septic tank. Employee #1 entered the tank to shovel the excess waste to the suction hose. He worked inside the tank for approximately 30 minutes. Employee #1 then called for the ladder to exit the tank. When he did not exit, Coworker #1, who was working outside the tank, looked into the tank and saw Employee #1 lying on the tank floor. Coworker #1 entered the tank, wrapped a water hose around Employee #1, and with the help of Coworkers #2 and #3 pulled Employee #1 out of the tank. Emergency services were called, and emergency responders pronounced Employee #1 dead at 2:58 p.m. on January 23, 2014. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Davenport, WA, reported this fatality to Washington State OSHA on January 28, 2014. The employer did not report this fatality to Washington State OSHA. Washington State OSHA investigated and determined that Employee #1 was not a regular employee of the septic service contractor; he was a temporary worker. The septic tank that he was cleaning was approximately 9 feet deep.

Keywords: RESPIRATORY, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, CONFINED SPACE, CLEANING, TOXIC ATMOSPHERE, CONSTRUCTION, CHEMICAL VAPOR, TOXIC FUMES, OVEREXPOSURE, TANK