Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110310869 - Force Corp.

Inspection Information - Office: Houston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was instructed to enter an LPG tank of a tractor-trailer truck. The tank had been purged with nitrogen approximate thirty minutes prior to Employee #1 entering it. Employee #1 was not warned of a hazardous situation, no atmosphere monitoring was done, and he was not equipped with respiratory protection equipment. He was overcome in the tank by inhaling residual nitrogen. The tank was probably oxygen deficient. Employee #2 entered the LPG tank to rescue Employee #1 and was asphyxiated. Employee #2, was apparently not trained in, or familiar with, the safe use of respirators, and entered the tank without the Scott Air-Pac 2 being properly worn. Employee #1 died and Employee #2 was hospitalized.

Keywords: OXYGEN DEFICIENCY, TANK TRUCK, ASPHYXIATED, RESPIRATOR, CONFINED SPACE, NITROGEN, LPG CONTAINER