Washington Man Killed After Falling Into Vat Of Corrosive Liquid
February 22, 2012
A 57-year-old Washington man died Sunday after falling into a tank of corrosive liquid on a barge where he worked. According to reports from NWCN News, crews were called to the barge, which was docked at the Swan Island Basin, around 10:00 a.m.
A co-worker of the victim told investigators that the two men were walking on the deck of the barge next to a vat of Lignin, a corrosive and combustible byproduct of manufacturing lumber, when he looked back and noticed his co-worker was gone. Upon further investigation, he noticed that the man’s emergency safety line led to the bottom of the tank. About two hours later, rescue crews found and recovered the body of the victim.
Investigators say he was probably unconscious within seconds of falling, as oxygen level readings at the top of the tank were at less than 1%.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on the job falls were responsible for killing 635 employees in the United States in 2010. Of those fall victims, 226 were employed in the natural resources extraction industry, a number that has grown in recent years. Another 58 employees were killed after being exposed to harmful substances or environments, making jobs in the natural resources industry among the deadliest in the nation.
The Washington Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys with the Defoe Pickett Law Firm hope that the family of the victim can find closure after this tragic accident.
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