Another Fatality OSHA Case file involving a Water Valve Pit (Hazard Information Bulletin regarding Asphyxiation Hazard in Pits: Potential Confined Space Problem) – a SINGLE entrant (the job foreman), a would-be-rescuer, and potentially another would-be-rescuer. The water valve pit was 7 ft in diameter and 16 ft deep. The vault contained a 12″ water main and a 4″ water main that was equipped with a water meter.
The vault had been constructed ten (10) days earlier and had sat undisturbed until the day of the accident when the employees were scheduled to conduct a “pressure test” (HINT HINT) of the system. With 9.2% Oxygen atmosphere, they never stood a chance – a third entered the vault to help his co-workers, but noticed an overpowering musty odor and abruptly stopped and exited; he called 911. The two entrants died and the coworker was not injured (physically). So what happened?
The foreman went down into the vault to read the meter. When he did not return, a laborer looked down through the manhole cover and saw him laying on the ground. The laborer called out to his coworker that the foreman was down and then entered the vault through the manhole and climbed down the ladder. The coworker came over to the manhole and saw the foreman on the ground and the laborer hanging upside down, with his leg caught between the ladder rungs. Neither employee responded to his calls.
OSHA Case File:
