Depletion of oxygen · Asphyxiations, strangulations, suffocations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at National Cemetery Administration, 1825 Davis Street, ELMIRA, NEW YORK 14901
on — Asphyxiations, strangulations, suffocations, affecting the bODY SYSTEMS.
Final narrative
While in a manhole, investigating water complaints from cemetery visitors, an employee lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen.
An employee was operating a drill press when their gloved hand got caught in the drill, resulting in an amputation of the top portion of his right index finger.
An employee was acting as a fire watch within the engine compartment of a vessel observing the cutting of the hull on the outside. The fire suppression system activated and the employee was trapped inside of the compartment. The employee suffered oxygen deprivation and was hospitalized.
An employee was performing maintenance inside a furnace when they lost consciousness due to the oxygen-deficient atmosphere. The employee was hoisted from the space and also sustained a leg fracture.
At about 2:00 p.m. on July 18, 2018, an employee had opened the top hatch of a heat exchanger hopper and was changing an air filter. The employee became unresponsive due to a lack of oxygen, possibly because nitrogen gas had displaced the oxygen.
On May 30, 2017, an employee was diving to a depth of 82-84 feet with a team in the Gulf of Mexico. He was using an oxygen tank, got tangled in the line and the air shut off. He was found unconscious by other divers and was brought to the surface were he was resuscitated.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 812220)
An employee was driving a 4-seat ATV from one field to the next field on the site. They went around a corner and glare from the sun blocked the employee's sight. The ATV struck a parked car. The employee sustained a broken hip and a laceration to the head.
An employee was repairing the hydronic heating system for the building. The employee was standing on a 6-foot ladder to remove a three-way mixing valve from the ceiling pipes and change the valve stem. As the mixing valve was loosened, hot hydronic fluid (water/steam) poured out through the valve stem and splashed onto the employee's skin and clothing. The employee sustained second- and third-degree burns to their chest and stomach. They also sustained first- and second-degree burns on their left hand, arms, and thigh.
An employee was operating a drill press when their gloved hand got caught in the drill, resulting in an amputation of the top portion of his right index finger.
An employee was operating a battery-powered broom to clean demolition debris off the top of the outermost bridge girder. The girder was approximately 11 feet above the demolition scaffold below. The employee fell approximately 8 feet to wind bracing below. The employee was hospitalized with a pelvis/tailbone fracture. Fall protection was in place at the time.
An employee slipped while descending in a stairwell, fell, and suffered multiple contusions/bruises to the head, neck, shoulders, knees, and back. She was hospitalized.
An employee was directing trucks as they entered and left a highway work zone. A vehicle struck them, resulting in multiple fractures and other injuries. The employee was hospitalized.