At 11:30 a.m. on July 9, 2020, Employees #1 and #2 and their foreman, employed by a waste management company, were installing a closed-circuit television (CCTV) into an 8-inch sewer line to enable inspections in the manhole. They did NOT test the atmosphere before attempting to enter the manhole, which met the definition of permit-required confined space, and ventilation equipment was NOT available. Employee #1 entered the 12-foot deep manhole to remove a plug that controlled the flow of water and was overcome by the release of water and sewer gases that included toxic hydrogen sulfide.
Employee #2 entered the manhole to provide assistance…
