A company was fined $220,000 by the State Courts today under section 12(1) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act (“WSHA”) for failing to take adequate safety measures for its work in an underground storage tank. On 25 July 2016, four workers were instructed by their supervisor to clean an underground storage tank, a permit-required confined space 3.2m (10.5′) deep, that was accessible only via a ladder at the only manhole open at the time (See Annex A).
After the first entrant entered the PRCS, another worker passed him a floodlight and electrical socket and then joined him underground. One worker, it was his first day on the job, so he stayed above ground to observe and familiarise himself with the job. As the last worker was entering the PRCS, the new worker switched on the socket extension to activate the floodlight. This sparked off an explosion which was strong enough to propel the worker who was climbing down the ladder, out of the space’s entrance. Burnt, he ran and dived into a nearby pool to ease the burning sensations on his body, while other workers assisted the two other entrants to climb out of the confined space. All were all conveyed to the hospital to treat their injuries.
