Confined space tragedy: Failure to use safety procedures
Jan. 16, 2017 was an ordinary day for Florida workers doing service work in a manhole.
But the day quickly turned deadly as one utility-contractor worker entered a manhole and rapidly became unresponsive.
Seeing the problem, a second worker entered the manhole for rescue. He became unresponsive.
A third worker attempted a rescue.
All three men died, according to ehstoday.com.
The tragedy highlights the failure to follow safety procedures at every level. The atmosphere in the manhole was not tested. Had it been, the company would have discovered lethal levels of hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide. No procedures were in place for non-entry rescue of the worker. In fact, with three men dying in the hole, two other workers and a volunteer firefighter were exposed to toxic gases in the rescue attempt.
Workers who regularly do service work in manholes or other confined spaces may be acutely aware of the well-documented hazards of such work. Or, since they have easily entered such spaces many times before, they might think the safety issue is exaggerated.
That's where safety consciousness is crucial for employers. For ignoring safety procedures, OSHA cited the company in this story with 10 safety violations and a hefty fine. But three men are still dead.
The requirements for safely working in confined spaces are relatively simple. The company must test the environment in a space; have a safe way in and out; and have an effective rescue plan.
Safety consciousness is also crucial for employees. Even if safety procedures are followed, an unexpected accident could occur. But one thing is essential to remember: If a confined space renders one worker unconscious, it will do the same for a rescuer. According to Cal/OSHA, two-thirds of confined space deaths involve would-be rescuers.
The fact is that it takes about 4 minutes for an oxygen-poor atmosphere to take out a rescuer; not nearly enough time to do the rescue.
That's why plans have to be made in advance. First, a non-entry plan and, second, an entry plan in which rescuers have safety harnesses and self-contained breathing equipment, if necessary.
