Inspection Detail

Inspection: 116499443 - Service Pump & Supply, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 12, 2003, Employee #1 and #2, a two man crew from a pump service company had worked most of the day to repair a pump located near the bottom of 21-ft deep domestic sewage lift station. They had been supported by a two to three man crew from the Public Service District that owned the lift station and the sewage collection system. The atmosphere in lift station had been continuously monitored with a multi- meter for explosive gasses, oxygen content and hydrogen sulfide. They had completed the work, tested the pump and unblocked inlet pipes to permit sewage to flow into the lift station. They packed the multi-meter, tools and equipment on to the service truck in preparation of leaving the site. Employee #1 was retrieving the last piece of equipment, a two part extension ladder used to access the bottom of the lift station. He was observed reentering the lift station and, while climbing back up, collapsed and fell from the ladder into the accumulation of sewage in the bottom of the station. Employee # 2, seeing Employee#1 collapsed, climbed down the ladder and got dizzy. While climbing back up the ladder he lost consciousness near the top. Employee #2 regained consciousness lying on top of the lift station. He observed Employee #3, an employee of the Public Service district, put on a body harness without a retrieval line and enter the lift station. Employee #3 collapsed and fell from the ladder. Employee #3 was retrieved from the bottom of the station by hooking the body harness with the hook of truck mounted hoist that was on the site. Employee #3 was transported to a hospital where he died the next day from hydrogen sulfide intoxication. Employee #2 was transported to a hospital, held for observation and released. Employee #1 was retrieved by a local emergency medical rescue squad. He was pronounced dead on the scene. The cause of death was hydrogen sulfide intoxication with drowning.

Keywords: CARDIOVASC SYSTEM, RESPIRATORY, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, HYDROGEN SULFIDE, LADDER, INHALATION, GAS, FALL