The Illinois Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA) of the state’s Department of Labor (DOL) released a report of its investigation into the drowning of a public works employee in Springfield, the agency announced March 14.
In February 2023, a 20-year-old maintenance worker drowned in a 12-inch water main vault that flooded during the attempted repair of a leaking valve. The maintenance worker was engulfed in the flooded water main vault when his right hand became trapped during the valve’s repair.
The victim, who attended a local high school as a student-athlete, graduating in 2020, was hired by the village as a seasonal employee from 2019 to 2021 before becoming a part-time water maintenance worker in 2021.
State investigators concluded that key factors contributing to the worker fatality included the following:
- Lack of compliance with several confined space standards,
- Lack of oversight and auditing by management,
- Insufficient training on operating in confined spaces,
- A charged 12-inch water main that wasn’t isolated and drained,
- Lack of hazard assessment and reassessment,
- Lack of rescue capability at the worksite,
- Lack of tools to isolate water valves at the worksite, and
- Inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE).
To prevent similar occurrences, the state agency recommended implementing a compliant, specific, written confined space entry program and ensuring strict compliance with confined space standards with initial and refresher training and supervision. The agency also called for providing rapid and effective rescue capabilities on-site and requiring management oversight and auditing of operations.
“This incident highlights the importance of compliance with Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Act standards, proper risk assessment, and a rapid and effective rescue plan for confined space operations,” IL OSHA Chief Erik Kambarian said in a statement.
DOL unveils additional appointees
On March 13, the DOL unveiled a list of additional appointees to lead federal OSHA and other DOL offices.
Amanda Wood Laihow, who served as a commissioner on the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission during the first Trump administration, will serve as the deputy assistant secretary for OSHA.
Laihow also was the director of labor and employment policy for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and served as deputy general counsel on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and as an assistant general counsel at the General Services Administration (GSA).
Michael Asplen will serve as OSHA’s senior policy advisor. He previously served as chief counsel to Laihow at the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and was a counsel at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who represented Oregon’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, was sworn in March 11 as the U.S. secretary of labor after her confirmation in the U.S. Senate on a 67-to-32 vote.
To head OSHA, President Donald J. Trump nominated David Keeling, who was vice president of global health and safety for UPS and director of global road and transportation safety for Amazon, according to his LinkedIn profile.