Safety Alert for Supervisors: 8/31/2026

Incident summary Two crew members who didn’t know the hazards posed by confined spaces were overcome by toxic fumes while laboring inside a 14-foot-deep pit. What happened A two-person work crew was assigned to apply waterproofing primer to the walls of a 14-foot-deep pit. Before starting the job, the men weren’t provided with the safety data sheet for the primer they were using. As a result, they didn’t know the substance was highly toxic. One of the crew members climbed down a ladder to access the pit and begin applying the primer. No mechanical ventilation had been set up prior to the task, and there wasn’t much airflow inside the pit due to its narrowness and depth. Shortly after starting the job, the worker applying the primer was overcome by toxic fumes and fell off the ladder to the bottom of the pit. When his crewmate noticed him in distress, he too descended into the confined space. Because he hadn’t been trained in confined space rescues, the man was also overcome by the toxin and fell to the bottom of the space. Firefighters arrived a short time later. They donned protective equipment and descended into the confined space. They were able to pull both men out of the pit. The staffers were badly hurt, but they survived the incident. Findings The company that employed the two victims hadn’t identified the pit as a permit-required confined space. It also failed to train the employees on confined space safety procedures. Had the men been aware of the danger, they would’ve ventilated the space before starting the job and put on self-contained breathing apparatuses prior to entering the danger zone. Unaware of the danger, two men felled by airborne toxin Crew failed to adequately ventilate hazardous confined space You make the call: Staffer expands her job duties, has three fingers sliced off “ I was disappointed to learn that you had a bunch of workers standing next to a hazardous piece of equipment even though the safety guard for the device had been disabled,” said Tammy, the compliance officer. “I’m citing you for failing to adequately guard a dangerous machine.” “We had a legitimate reason for letting those crew members stand next to the unguarded equipment,” said George, the supervisor. “What reason?” asked Tammy. “The crew was analyzing the equipment to determine whether we could increase its efficiency,” said George. “For that task, the guard had to be raised.” Reached into machine “I suppose that explains why the guard had been disabled,” said Tammy, “but now you have to tell me why one of your crew members reached into the unguarded machine and had three of her fingers sliced off.” “I wish I could explain that,” said George. “The injured crew member had been told days beforehand never to reach into an unguarded hazardous piece of equipment. She’d also been informed that while she was observing the machine, she was supposed to let the operator clear jams. There was absolutely no reason for her to reach into the danger zone of that equipment.” “Well, she did reach into the danger zone, and now she has three fewer fingers,” said Tammy. Couldn’t have foreseen “We couldn’t have foreseen that the injured staffer would expand her job duties in such a reckless manner,” said George. “We’ll challenge your fine.” Did the company win? 2 Safety News New advisory provides tactics to help prevent fatigue-related injuries. 2 Quick Ideas Why staffers shouldn’t point pressure washers at air hoses, coworkers. 3 Legal Developments Man’s life changed after he removed his safety gear for “just a minute. ” 3 Horror Stories Crew member crushed to death while performing seemingly routine task. 4 Safety Meeting Conveyor-related injuries often begin with small, ordinary movements. In this issue ■ Make your call, then go to page 3 for the court’s ruling. August 31, 2026 SafetyAlert FOR SUPERVISORS The No. 1 source of actionable information to help supervisors keep their people safe Including: Supervisor’s Safety Toolbox