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Indiana Department Faces Fine Over Confined Space Close-Call
Firefighter Nation
MUNCIE - Indiana's Star Press reports that two Liberty Township volunteer firefighters injured in a May confined space rescue attempt violated OSHA regulations.
On May 26, firefighters Rick Compton and Brian Buck arrived in their personal vehicles at the scene of plumber and his assistant overcome in the bottom of a 12-foot deep hole. Both Compton and Buck entered the hole without any personal protective equipment and were rendered unconscious due to fumes from a chemical being used to clear a drain.
When properly equipped firefighters from Liberty Township arrived, as well as confined-space trained firefighters from Muncie, all four victims were placed in harnesses and lifted out of the hole.
Both Compton and Buck survived, however the plumber, Eric Dalton and his assistant Justin Benson died.
State officials investigating the incident found the firefighters operated improperly by attempting a rescue that they were not trained for. The Liberty Township fire department faced a fine of $1,500 or take corrective action to prevent a similar tragedy from occuring in the future.
Liberty Township Fire Chief Brett Devine has stated that his department has begun making the necessary changes to prevent members from operating in ways that they have not been trained. Devine also reports that the department has stopped members from responding directly to the scene in their personally owned vehicles as well.
Read more of the Liberty Township well-rescue violations here.
Related
FireEMSBlogs Discussion
Are Today's Demands Too Much For Volunteers?
MUNCIE - Indiana's Star Press reports that two Liberty Township volunteer firefighters injured in a May confined space rescue attempt violated OSHA regulations.
On May 26, firefighters Rick Compton and Brian Buck arrived in their personal vehicles at the scene of plumber and his assistant overcome in the bottom of a 12-foot deep hole. Both Compton and Buck entered the hole without any personal protective equipment and were rendered unconscious due to fumes from a chemical being used to clear a drain.
When properly equipped firefighters from Liberty Township arrived, as well as confined-space trained firefighters from Muncie, all four victims were placed in harnesses and lifted out of the hole.
Both Compton and Buck survived, however the plumber, Eric Dalton and his assistant Justin Benson died.
State officials investigating the incident found the firefighters operated improperly by attempting a rescue that they were not trained for. The Liberty Township fire department faced a fine of $1,500 or take corrective action to prevent a similar tragedy from occuring in the future.
Liberty Township Fire Chief Brett Devine has stated that his department has begun making the necessary changes to prevent members from operating in ways that they have not been trained. Devine also reports that the department has stopped members from responding directly to the scene in their personally owned vehicles as well.
Read more of the Liberty Township well-rescue violations here.
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FireEMSBlogs Discussion
Are Today's Demands Too Much For Volunteers?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clyde Pfisterer on
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Is this another knee jerk reaction without common sense? The volunteers probably had no SOP's in mind that defined this as a confined space issue on their arrival. They volunteered to help. What has become of the good samariton law to cover such a situation?
Now, No response in POV's? What effect will this have thruout the volunteer fire service?.
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Must we add recognition of types of incidents and their ramifications to entry level FF 1 and 2 training?
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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The volunteers probably had no SOP's in mind that defined this as a confined space issue on their arrival
Well, they should have then. The definition of a confined space is not difficult and considering the workers were found overcome by "something" one should have known better to just go in. There have been countless similar incidents that should have been trained on etc to even understand, vs just going in.
They volunteered to help. What has become of the good samariton law to cover such a situation?
I do believe the Good Samaritan Law only addresses helping out in a situation when one does not have the duty to act. I also believe it only covers within a person's scope of training. Meaning if a person helps on a scene of a person down and tries to do something like a chest tube, and has never received training to do so, can be held accountable for their actions.
In this case the responders were responding ahead of the rigs, not just coming upon the scene (as the article implies). They should have recognized this as a confined space and should not have just gone in. Since they didn't have training in confined space rescue, then this is outside their scope of training, as such wouldn't be protected under GSL.
Now, No response in POV's? What effect will this have thruout the volunteer fire service?.
There are already many depts that do not allow for a POV response to the scene.
Must we add recognition of types of incidents and their ramifications to entry level FF 1 and 2 training?
Probably not a bad idea. How many more such incidents does the fire service have to learn from before addressing such issues within their own dept?
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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Clyde, to me the "without common sense" part applies to the firefighters. They couldn't recognise that two unconscious people at the bottom of a 12 foot hole was a confined space rescue? They couldn't think, 'hmm, now what made these people lose consciousness'? I'm not 'confined space' qualified - but I think I would recognise that as such a case, and I think that I have enough common sense to stop me simply putting myself into the same state as the victims down there.
I think those two Ff's were foolish. Yes we take risks in this game, but we must have our eyes open, our bain in gear - otherwise we can too easily become part of the problem.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Only $1500.00? What a farce- should be 10 times that.
With all the information and training available, this is an inexcusable situation. Volunteer or career makes no difference in this situation.
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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It was my belief that confined space training/certification was a part of firefighter/rescue. But, I guess there are certain dept.s that don't have the funds to budget for such training. Either way, like mentioned before, it should have been clearly obvious that something bad was down that hole, and to enter it with no protection or knowledge was just plain wrong.
Ya gotta learn to control the adrenaline, or someone will get hurt, or worse. That's the only reason I can see that would have them make such a bad decision.
Should be fined AND take corrective action to prevent future similar situations.
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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on
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Here in the U.S. Many Vol. Dept. don't have the $$$$, time or firefighters. to have any type of confined space training let alone a team. I have yet to see anything on the level of training these to firefighters had.
I do think that the dept. is using a knee jerk reaction to the situation. The Chief of the dept. should have his people take a Confined space awarness class. Doesn't take long or cost an arm and a leg.
Course we could all be off track here. Perhaps one or both of them had some kind of confined space knowledge. They weighed the risks, time the men had been down with arrival time of dept. Decided to risk there lives to save the men in that hole.
If that is how it went down...Then I won't fault them for that.
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Perhaps, 55Truck, but even if one of them did have some training, and they weighed the risks, they still had no idea what was down that hole. And without that information, the time that the men were in the hole can't be a factor. I don't see it as a viable risk assessment.
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Here's the real kicker....OSHA: You don't have the money to send your Firefighters to the training. Chief: Yes, that is correct. OSHA: In that case we are going to fine you $$.
Fast Forward...OSHA: I see you have yet to send your FF to the confined space training. Chief: Yes, we had to use that $$ to pay the Fine. OSHA: I see, well in that case we are going to fine you again $$$$.
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Fast Forward...OSHA: I see you have yet to send your FF to the confined space training. Chief: Yes, we had to use that $$ to pay the Fine. OSHA: I see, well in that case we are going to fine you again $$$$.
Not really. A simple awareness class is all it can take, one to recognize a confined space and call for resources, two is to not just go in while awaiting those resources. As for funds, many insurance companies like the dept's own insurance carrier should be able to do such a class. An awareness class is nothing more than a day and doesn't get no where near the training involved to be certified in confined space.
Besides perhaps more depts will learn from this example and wake up and look in the mirror before they have a similar incident. Seems many don't learn from NIOSH reports, maybe they will learn when their pocketbooks are affected.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Fines and confined space equipment and training cost less than a firefighter funeral.
If we're going to compare costs, lets compare all of the costs.
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