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901 Oil and Gas Hazard Awareness
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Real-World Accident

Confined Space Rescue and Recovery: Oil Field Worker Dies on the Job in California

According to KBAK-KBFX TV station in Bakersfield, California, a supervisor and a welder were in a 15-foot tall tank. They apparently were testing for leaks by adding air pressure inside the tank. This process required having a "false bottom" in the tank. It wasn't clear if the air pressure had built up under the false bottom. Investigators at the scene said there weren't any harmful fumes inside the tank at the time of the accident. Eyewitnesses told reporters they heard a "loud sound, like an explosion."

Crews at the scene used a tripod with a rope, and sent a firefighter into the tank. However, the rescue team found the deceased worker inside the tank. He died from a severe head injury. The other worker at the site suffered a broken ankle.

Source: KBAK-KBFX TV-Eyewitness News- October 3, 2012