OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14538904
SANITATION DISTRICT #L, OF CAMPBELL & KENTON COS.
LUDLOW,, KY—
Event description
OVERCOME BY HYDROGEN SULFIDE IN SLUDGE CHAMBER
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 OBTAINED A SAMPLE FROM THE SLUDGE DISTRIBUTION CHAMBER. AS HE WAS RE PLACING THE LID, IT CRACKED AND FELL INTO THE CHAMBER. HE TOLD ANOTHER WORKER AN D HIS SUPERVISOR (EMPLOYEE #2). THEY DECIDED TO RETRIEVE THE LID AND LOWERED A L ADDER INTO THE CHAMBER. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS LAST OBSERVED ON THE LADDER, READY TO EN TER THE CHAMBER,AND EMPLOYEE #2 WAS LAST SEEN WATCHING EMPLOYEE #1. THE NEXT TIM E A WORKER PASSED THE CHAMBER, HE FOUND THE TWO EMPLOYEES LYING FACE DOWN IN THE SLUDGE. THEY WERE BOTH DEAD. HYDROGEN SULFIDE WAS PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER. THE A CCIDENT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 24, 1985, BETWEEN 4 AND 4:35 PM. THE CHAMBER WAS 8 BY 9 BY 10 FEET AND CONTAINED A FOOT OF SLUDGE IN THE BOTTOM.
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 32 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 40
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 1480
- Task assigned
- 2
-
#2 Fatality Age 25 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 40
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 1480
- Task assigned
- 1
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