As is evident by several Permit-Required Confined Space incidents over the years, workers MUST FULLY understand the limitations of the respirators they are using. This latest incident involved a worker who was vacuuming, and the nozzle became stuck inside the tank. To free the nozzle, the worker—wearing a respirator with organic filters used explicitly for working outside the tank—fully entered the tank, where he went unconscious. Coworkers found the worker inside the tank lying under the fluid. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) was administered to revive the worker.
A comprehensive investigation revealed: