In February 2023, a 20-year-old maintenance worker drowned in a water main vault that flooded during the attempted repair of a leaking valve.
IL OSHA determined multiple contributing factors led to the drowning, including:
➡️ Lack of compliance with several confined space standards.
➡️ Lack of oversight and auditing by management.
➡️ Lack of rescue capability at the worksite.
IL OSHA made several specific recommendations to reduce the risk of a similar occurrence, including:
