EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER CAN KILL

Employee #1 and a helper entered a lift station to unclog the system. Employee #1 called out to the helper that he was having trouble breathing and needed help exiting the lift station. The helper inserted the
ladder into the lift station and attempted to help Employee #1 climb up but could not hold on to him because his hand was slippery. Employee #1 slumped into the bottom of the lift station and his mouth and nose were partially submerged in the water. He was transported by emergency services to the hospital where he died of respiratory failure resulting from sewage water in his lungs

Emergency Isolation for Hazardous Material Fluid Transfer Systems – Applications and Limitations of Excess Flow Valve

 https://archive.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/chem/web/pdf/efv_alert.pdf

ARE YOU IDENTIFYING ALL SOURCES OF ENERGY FOR LOTOTO?

On October xx, 2009, an employee was working for the XXX Public Utilities Commission-Wastewater Enterprise as a trainee. There were four people to perform preventive maintenance for the fans at the wastewater treatment plant that day. The employee and a Coworker #1 were servicing the fans in Room Number 201 while the foreman and Coworker #2 were in an adjacent room. There were four supply fans. The employee was working onXX1-1 while Coworker #1 was working on an adjacent fan.
The fans were shut down, tagged-out, and locked-out. The employee proceeded to remove the enclosure metal guard to expose the belt and pulley drive for the inspection. Although the fan was tagged and locked- out, it was not blocked-out. The exhaust fans in a room below were not stopped. Their operation created an airflow which traveled through the same duct system as for the supply fans upstairs. The air flow through the duct caused the supply fan blades to spin freely. The fan blades were not blocked before servicing. At approximately 8:30 a.m., when the employee was removing the enclosure guard for the V-belt and pulley drive of the spinning fan, the in-running nip point amputated his left middle finger. He
screamed as Coworker #1 came to his aid. He was taken to XXX Hospital by Coworker #1. He was treated and released the same day.

3 Employees Killed, 2 Injured By Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure

 Employee #1 was inside a frac tank shoveling residue (called BS) to one end of the tank for subsequent vacuuming and removal. As he completed the task, the tank was washed down with waste water containing hydrogen sulfide. Approximately 8 minutes following the waste water entrance, Employee #1 collapsed from exposure to the chemical. Employee #2 entered the tank and attempted to rescue Employee #1, but he too collapsed. Apparently Employees #3 and #4 entered the tank and attempted a rescue and but succumbed also. Employee #5 attempted to revive Employee #1 through an opening at the end of the frac tank. He was affected by the hydrogen sulfide gas but was able to call the city's first responders. Employees #1, #3, and #4 died of hydrogen sulfide exposure. Employees #2 and #5 were hospitalized. 

Source:Osha.gov

EXPLOSION IN SALT WATER TANK

At approximately 2:30 a.m. on July 30, 2011, Employee #1 was working the night shift at a saltwater disposal facility. Specifically, the facility specializes in the disposal of salt water that is contaminated with field oil waste. The water would usually be separated from the oil and petroleum based materials in a settling tank. The water would then pumped back into the ground through an injection well, while the oil based material is gravity drained into a series of collection tanks. The oil would then sold to oil recyclers. During Employee #1's shift, he was monitoring two oil collection tanks that were connected to a separation drum tank. 

The first of the two tanks was also connected to the second tank to allow for spillover as the amount of liquid rose. Under normal operation, the tanks would take several days to become full; however, facility operators would frequent the catwalk area that was accessed by way of a ladder to gauge the tanks levels. After receiving a water delivery from a full tanker-truck, Employee #1 accessed the catwalk to gauge the water level. Soon after reaching the tank area, an explosion occurred. The truck driver, who was leaving the facility, observed the explosion and following fireball in his rear view mirror. The driver immediately stopped his truck and contacted emergency services. Despite the fire spreading to both tanks, Employee #1 was able to escape the fire crazed area; however, his clothes were completely burned off and over ninety percent of his body was burned. Employee #1 collapsed on the front porch area of the facility office, where emergency personnel, a short time later, began treatment. Employee #1 was taken by helicopter to Ardmore Hospital, where he died. The accident investigation revealed that Employee #1 had a history of smoking near the storage tanks and had been warned by the employer to stop several times. 

Source:Osha.gov

"Sewage systems on vessels are known as Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs) or Collection, Holding and Transfer Tanks (CHTs). Cleaning these systems is required for operations such as routine surveys and surface preservation, equipment modification, repairs and maintenance. Entering and cleaning
sewage tanks, piping and components present specific hazards to workers that put them at risk for injuries and illnesses if they are not properly protected (29 CFR 1915.13).
Workers are often exposed to dangerous atmospheres during tank opening and venting; manual pumping and stripping; breaking or dismantling components and piping; and pressure
washing, mucking, and scaling (29 CFR 1915.11(b); 1915.12). A dangerous atmosphere may expose workers to the risk of death, incapacitation, injury, chronic or acute illness, or impaired ability
to escape unaided from a confined or enclosed space (29 CFR 1915.11(b)). When working on CHTs/MSDs, special attention should be given to good hygiene practices, proper use of personal
protective equipment and safe confined space entry procedures (29 CFR 1915.88; 1915 Subparts B & I).
The information in this document can help prevent exposing workers to the known and unknown dangers of handling treated or untreated sewage and gray water tanks during tank opening, entry,
cleaning and related operations. Related components/operations include: piping, aeration, vacuuming, settling, and treatment tanks and apparatus; sewage-contaminated water tanks or waste oil
tanks, bilges, or sumps; and valves, pumps, grinders, macerators and other contaminated equipment".

https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA_FS_3587.pdf

Source:Osha.gov

CHLORINE EXPOSURE INCIDENT

 On April 2, 2002, Employee #1 and a coworker, employees of a water treatment plant as waste water treatment operators, were changing out five 1-Ton cylinders, located in a chlorine cylinder room. Employee #1 attempted to disconnect the yoke number two of the five 1-Ton cylinders, but a high pressure leak of chlorine gas escaped from the cylinder into his breathing zone. Employee #1 was able to immediately tighten the yoke connection, stopping the leak, but required the coworker to finish the task. With Employee #1 sitting to the side, the coworker, after a couple of attempts, was able to disconnect the yoke connection without any further chlorine gas escaping. After notifying management of the incident, the coworker drove Employee #1 to Hospital Emergency Room. Once admitted, Employee #1 was treated for chlorine gas exposure and diagnosed with bilateral lower lobe pneumonia.

 A 42-year-old laborer leak testing joints inside a 54-inch round pipe suffered fatal blunt force injuries in October 2015, when an inflatable ¿bladder¿ ruptured at a waste-water treatment plant. Inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor¿s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found his employer failed to train him properly on the testing procedure.

Workers can be killed when employers fail to protect construction workers from the many dangers in confined spaces, said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. These are among the first citations under OSH¿s new Confined Space Standard. Employers can prevent more tragedies like this one if they ensure proper training of workers and communication among multiple employers whose workers are on the same site.

In August 2015, OSHA implemented its confined space in construction standard after research showed proper safety procedures would protect hundreds of workers each year from life-threatening hazards. Hazards include the risks of toxic exposure, electrocution, explosion and asphyxiation present for workers in confined spaces such as pipes, manholes, crawl spaces and tanks. In an emergency, it can be difficult to exit these spaces quickly or for rescuers to enter safely.

The agencys investigation also found the four companies failed to continuously monitor confined spaces for atmospheric and other hazards and train workers in hazards. 

Source:Osha.gov