OSHA Investigates Sewer Deaths

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OSHA Investigates Sewer Deaths

By KSFY News

Story Created: Jul 24, 2008 at 10:58 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 24, 2008 at 6:13 PM CDT

Officials from OSHA are in Aberdeen today to look into the deaths of two workers who died in a sewer lift station on Monday.

Brown County authorities say the two men perished when they were overcome by sewer fumes near Richmond Lake.  They were working at a sewer lift station Monday afternoon.  They are identified as Tim Lightfield, 49, of Watertown, and Ryan Kolden, 19, of Clark.  A deputy sheriff says Lightfield and Kolden went into the sewage hole without protective equipment and were suffocated.

Sewer lift stations use pits to collect sewage from toilets and drains. Pumps then move the waste to treatment plants or higher places where it can flow by gravity.

Monday, Jul 28 at 3:13 PM OSHA Fines wrote ...

Regardless, the site safety officer and attendant should not have allowed the men to enter the lift station without the proper PPE. I don't understand how safety equipment can be excluded.

Monday, Jul 28 at 1:10 PM Scott G. wrote ...

As a safety consultant I am bothered by patty potters statement that the men "were not supposed to be" wearing safety equipment... that there was supposed to be a fresh air machine. More importantly would be the testing and continous monitoring of the enviroment.

Monday, Jul 28 at 9:56 AM Tom wrote ...

To say that they were not supposed to be wearing personal protective equipment is lame at best. That is the type of attitude that gets people killed. Was the air tested for O2, Toxics and combustables prior to entering? if it had been, then these guys would have known if the space was safe or not. It sounds like this type of space is IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health)and was probably a permit required confined space. No excuse is worth this tragic loss!

Sunday, Jul 27 at 7:55 PM patty potter wrote ...

the workers were not supposed to be wearing safety equipment, there was supposed to be a fresh air machine that blows the gas out and leaves fresh air for the workers to breathe. There are many unanswered questions as to why this happened but at the very least the men were not wearing safety equipment because they were not supposed to be.

Friday, Jul 25 at 9:13 AM OSHA Fines wrote ...

OSHA fines will be a nasty deal. Too bad they didn't have the saftey gear on. They would still be alive.

Friday, Jul 25 at 1:11 AM Lar wrote ...

What a terrible way to go.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 7:46 PM Lasey wrote ...

I Know Ryan Personally He was a very beautiful bright young man! He will truely be missed. My thoughts go out to the Kolden and Lightfield Family! RIP

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