Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201792520 - Employee Suffers Asphyxia Due To Fume Inhalation

Accident Summary Nr: 201792520 -- Report ID: 0950644 -- Event Date: 08/04/1999
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
126078880	08/04/1999	1711	0	E & R Construction

Abstract: At about 10:30 a.m. on August 4, 1999, Employee #1 went into a sewer main to drill a 10-in.-diameter hole to install a new 8-in.-diameter sewer line for housing tracts being constructed. The sewer manhole which had an opening 2 ft in diameter, was 4 ft wide and approximately 8 ft deep. Inside the manhole Employee #1 noticed a sewage odor and water running about 5 in. deep. After drilling for a while with a chipping gun connected to a compressor up on the street, Employee #1 had difficulty moving his legs and arms, had difficulty breathing, chest tightness and could hardly see anything but black spots before his eyes. Employee #1 climbed up the ladder about two steps but could not go up any further because he was feeling weak. Employee #1 called for help. Coworkers heard the calls for help and saw Employee #1 in trouble. The coworkers pulled Employee #1 out of the manhole and put him on oxygen. Emergency services were summoned, and Employee #1 was taken to the hospital. Employee #1 was treated for carbon monoxide intoxication (Employee #1's carboxy-hemoglobin level was 23) and was released from the hospital the following day.

Keywords: SEWER, ASPHYXIATED, CONFINED SPACE, LADDER, CONSTRUCTION, INHALATION, MANHOLE, CARBON MONOXIDE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Sewer/water treatment plant		New project or new addition		Under $50,000

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	126078880			Hospitalized injury	Asphyxia	Construction laborers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Trenching, installing pipe Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor

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