A factory and hiring contractor were fined NT$300,000 after two contract workers died on Sunday from suspected sewer gas poisoning while maintaining the food factory’s rainwater recycling system in Yunlin County, authorities said.
A criminal investigation into potential involuntary manslaughter charges has also been opened, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said yesterday.
The two workers, brothers surnamed Huang (黃), who were in their 40s, went to the food factory on Sunday afternoon to pump out water and get rid of gases from the factory’s rainwater recycling pool, OSHA Director Lin Tsung-wei (林聰偉) said yesterday.
Photo: Lee Wen-te, Taipei Times
After the younger brother opened the maintenance hole cover and put a water pump into the pool, the water was stirred, which released a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide, Lin said.
The younger brother is believed to have lost consciousness from inhaling too much of the gas and fell into the 2.65m high, 1.2m deep water pool, he said.
The older brother immediately entered the pool using a ladder, to rescue his brother, but he also passed out after inhaling a large amount of gas, Lin said.
The Yunlin County Fire Department on Sunday said that the brothers had out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and were pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Lin said the factory had many deficiencies, including failing to measure hazardous substances before operations and failing to install ventilation equipment, and had no safety measures such as guardrails or belts on the site.
OSHA said it determined that the food company did not fulfill its management responsibilities and issued a fine of NT$300,000 each to the food company and the contractor, in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法).
Water pumping operations have been ordered to halt and the two companies have been asked to submit improvement plans, which would have to be approved before work can resume, the administration said.
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