OR-OSHA has fined a Portland environmental and emergency services company $118,800 for violating job safety standards designed to protect workers from the potentially deadly hazards of confined spaces. The division cited the employer following an inspection of an incident reported by Portland Fire & Rescue. Oregon OSHA’s July 14, 2023 incident inspection found that two members of a four-person crew became unconscious due to the atmospheric conditions inside a stormwater sewer system. The crew had been tasked with working on filters inside the system located at a brewing company. The work involved entering a maintenance hole to clean, retrofit, and remove filters used to sift stormwater runoff from a sizeable loading dock operation. The stormwater sewer system contained immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) oxygen levels of 12.5 percent.
For perspective, The typical percentage of oxygen in the air is 20.9 percent, while the minimum allowed for entry into spaces without supplied air or ventilation is 19.5 percent.
The situation left two employees unconscious and in need of emergency medical help. Portland Fire & Rescue responded, deploying a team to help rescue the employees from the confined space.
Oregon OSHA cited the employer for the following serious violations:
