On March 20, 2024, at noon, an employee, 34, was pneumatically leak-testing a newly installed 56-inch drainpipe. The pipe extended from one side of the street to the other, roughly 150 feet. They placed a rubber pressure plug on one side and another on the testing site across the street. At about 30 minutes into the air leak testing, they noticed the pressure on the pipe had decreased, so the employee descended to the bottom of the trench and began to apply soapy water around the edges of the plug.
The plug gave way, projecting itself and the employee onto a wall approximately 15 feet from the pipe.
The employee was killed by the force of the pressurized rubber plug.
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Current Violations | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $35,490 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $35,490 |
| Current Penalty | $35,490 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $35,490 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 5A0001 | 08/19/2024 | 10/04/2024 | $16,131 | $16,131 | $0 | 08/29/2024 | C – Contested | |
| 2. | 01002 | Serious | 19260021 B02 | 08/19/2024 | $11,292 | $11,292 | $0 | 08/29/2024 | C – Contested | ||
| 3. | 01003 | Serious | 19260651 H01 | 08/19/2024 | $8,067 | $8,067 | $0 | 08/29/2024 | C – Contested | ||
| 4. | 02001 | Other | 19100134 K06 | 08/19/2024 | 09/23/2024 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 08/29/2024 | C – Contested |
Source: https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=1735905.015