Waste bi-product of methane gas....causes deaths in VA

[ChuckNJ]

Very rarely do you hear about plumbers who've died doing their jobs. I guess from time to time it happens, but for the most part I never really considered being a plumber as an extremely dangerous occupation. I've been on new construction job sites where people were killed, but that was usually by a fall or machinery mishap. I've never experienced any situation where friends / co-workers were overcome by methane.

We've all heard that old saying "Electricity Kills" and its pretty much well known that people who have no experience with electricity should either educate themselves prior to doing any repairs, or hire a licensed electrician to do the job.

Do you feel the same about plumbing? Do you feel that working on plumbing is as hazardous as working with electricity (repairs and such)? Have you had any personal "near death" experiences that have changed your outlook on your work procedures and made you take more precautions while working?

This article stemmed this thought.

http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707040315

I was unaware that methane gas could overpower someone so quickly and with such devastating results. I knew the gas was dangerous to work near or in, but I was under the assumption that a person would have the available time to escape the gas, by either holding their breath (if they smelled the gas), or by moving out of the immediate area. Methane gas is odorless, and I guess without a detection meter, you wouldn't be aware it was around you as you worked.

You would hope that this tragedy would enforce the idea of taking precautions in such instances.

[Dunbar Plumbing]

Confined Air Spaces. It's part of our training to know and educate others in regards to the dangers involved.

I believe there has to be at least 18.5 or 19% oxygen level in order for humans to breathe without complications. When that number drops only slightly, a vast array of complications follow.

The first death was predictable/guaranteed but the following deaths proved the lack of education regarding safety.

As a backflow tester they went into great detail about confined air spaces when backflow assemblies are installed in low level pits/compartments.


Without a doubt, that establishment will have detection devices to prevent the occurrence from happening again. The same exact situation can play out when someone cleans a small cistern and uses either too much cleaning product or doesn't have a fan setup outside moving air into the cistern.


Do you feel that working on plumbing is as hazardous

If it wasn't for plumbers, there would be no need for doctors. People would continually get sick and die and not enough doctors to cover the masses of sick. Reference back to the days of the romans where there was open trenches in alley ways, people throwing their buckets of urine and feces out the window into the trenches.

All in the open air, heat and humidity, rains that would carry that out of the trenches often. I believe back then the average life span was 23? I can see why.

[ChuckNJ]

Confined Air Spaces. It's part of our training to know and educate others in regards to the dangers involved.

I believe there has to be at least 18.5 or 19% oxygen level in order for humans to breathe without complications. When that number drops only slightly, a vast array of complications follow.

The first death was predictable/guaranteed but the following deaths proved the lack of education regarding safety.

As a backflow tester they went into great detail about confined air spaces when backflow assemblies are installed in low level pits/compartments.


Without a doubt, that establishment will have detection devices to prevent the occurrence from happening again. The same exact situation can play out when someone cleans a small cistern and uses either too much cleaning product or doesn't have a fan setup outside moving air into the cistern.



If it wasn't for plumbers, there would be no need for doctors. People would continually get sick and die and not enough doctors to cover the masses of sick. Reference back to the days of the romans where there was open trenches in alley ways, people throwing their buckets of urine and feces out the window into the trenches.

All in the open air, heat and humidity, rains that would carry that out of the trenches often. I believe back then the average life span was 23? I can see why.

Rugged,

I agree. Plumbing (the development of it) has saved countless lives. I believe that the bucket throwing / trench filling was even more recent than roman times, but either way, plumbers do great service for the world's population on a daily basis. No argument there.

I thank a plumber every time I sit down and nothing happens....other than what's supposed to.....that is. :-)


BTW, Any links to procedures for working in tanks as such? Would be interesting to see what the regs are.

[GrumpyPlumber]

I read the story, horrific...the family all ran in to save them and didn't make it.

[Rancher]

"Deadly methane gas emanating from a dairy farm's manure pit killed five people "

I always take my canary with me when plumbing in manure pits...

Rancher

Sad story, makes you realize how we could go tomorrow... I'm still looking over my shoulder for that bus, don't laugh, I worked with a guy that was hit by a bus, in London, yep he was looking the wrong way.

[leejosepho]

Any links to procedures for working in tanks as such? Would be interesting to see what the regs are.

Tanks and hoses to feed clean-air respirators that completely cover the face and continuous ventilation of the enclosed space were the major requirements I once had to maintain for a crew that was cleaning and re-coating the interior of a large test-water cistern under the floor of one facility. Everyone inside also had to wear a harness with a large ring so they could be lifted out, if necessary, by the winch constantly positioned over an access hole ... and the attendant could not leave that spot while anyone was inside.

[Dunbar Plumbing]

bucket throwing / trench filling was even more recent than roman times,


There was a customer of mine years ago about 7 miles from the shop that was furious she had to put a bathroom in her home...as required by the state health department.


She was in her 70's and lived almost her entire life using outhouses. There's more to this story but not worth repeating; she was still living very unhealthy due to improper plumbing.

[ChuckNJ]

Tanks and hoses to feed clean-air respirators that completely cover the face and continuous ventilation of the enclosed space were the major requirements I once had to maintain for a crew that was cleaning and re-coating the interior of a large test-water cistern under the floor of one facility. Everyone inside also had to wear a harness with a large ring so they could be lifted out, if necessary, by the winch constantly positioned over an access hole ... and the attendant could not leave that spot while anyone was inside.


I have a friend who worked for a company here who did septic cleanings (he's since moved his family to TN). His former employer (septic service) had also experienced a homeowner who also fell into a septic tank and died. Apparently, he opened the hatch cover, stuck his head in and passed out and into the tank. Drowned, gassed.... Don't know, but he never knew what hit him.

I never knew about this until I sent him a copy of that link in the OP and he told me about it. I guess any occupation is dangerous to the untrained even "honeydippers"

[geniescience]

....Do you feel the same about plumbing? Do you feel that working on plumbing is as hazardous as working with electricity (repairs and such)? Have you had any personal "near death" experiences that have changed your outlook on your work procedures and made you take more precautions while working? ...more dangerous to more people. In general. Not to an individual in a repair situation.

Plumbing when gone wrong can do big harm. Two examples among many :
1. Sewer gases can be odorless, can kill you in your sleep, and can then disappear so no-one can diagnose your house's problem. Imagine buying that house next. Luckily sewer gases are often stinky.
2. Plumbing can let disease spread which can kill half a community before the problem is fixed. And the survivors all get seriously sick too, and the world around them get scared to death.

david

[Backglass]

I believe that the bucket throwing / trench filling was even more recent than roman times

I saw it still happening last year in the barrios of Venezuela. It really makes you think about what you have when you see people living like that.