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  The quarterly newsletter for Safety Professionals

Q2, 2008

Issue 10
   

In The News

 

Lack of Confined Space Training Results in Death.

Barrie, Ontario: Sure Fresh Foods was fined $150,000 for a Confined Space Incident which resulted in the death of one worker.

 


In January 2008, Sure Fresh Foods Inc. pleaded guilty for failure to provide information, instructions, and supervision to employees about confined space procedures. This resulted in the death of a worker in April 2006 and a $150,000 fine to the employer in 2008.

The Confined Space was a Water Storage Tank
The employee was sent into a large water storage tank which is usually filled with water drawn from a well to weld a crack. Due to the fact that Sure Fresh Foods had no Confined Space Program and no prepared Entry Plan; no atmospheric testing was performed. The tank contained naturally occurring methane gas which was entering from the well. Since the gas was in the explosive range, this resulted in a blast that severely burned the worker. He then later died in the hospital. Since methane is colorless and odorless, only testing would have revealed its presence.

What Could Have Prevented This?
A Confined Space Entry Plan could have saved this worker. It requires proper atmospheric testing of water tanks before entry which would have detected the methane gas concentration. A Confined Space Entry Plan also includes a ventilation plan which would have rendered the tank safe by evacuating the dangerous concentration of methane, as well as removing the fumes that the welding would have produced. Because the confined space contained an innocuous substance, water in this case, the space was essentially safe. Please keep in mind that only proper testing of a space can ensure safety.

Unfortunately, the incident at Sure Fresh Foods is a classic example of a confined space incident where a possible hazard is overlooked because no testing is done. Please ensure the safety of your workers and provide Confined Space training when needed.
 


 
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