Diver dies in Richmond, TX while cleaning water tank

[Cave Diver]

I agree with what you say above... but it's still considered a "confined entry space" by OHSA, etc.

At work when we have people enter storage tanks, they have to follow "confined entry rules" with safety tethers, etc. It's a big deal.

The fact that they didn't pay attention to this guy in a confined space (regardless if he was diving), is a big deal.

I agree that it would be probably be considered confined entry and that those rules would apply. I also agree that it appears to be negligence on the part of the company that put the guy in there.

I only pointed those issues out to make sure it was understood that it wasn't like this was a totally blind dive with a hard overhead keeping him from coming to the surface. If he didn't manage to get to the surface and yell to his tender (and who is to say he didnt?) it was because of other issues and not the environment.

 

[mike_s]

I'm not sure if the air is perfectly breathable either. Yes the tank is vented, which is required to change the water level.

but does chlorinated water in mass amounts (heated in the sun) "vent" off chlorine gases? (I don't know....)

it might be possible that chlorine gas amounts might be higher than regular outside normal breathing air and he asphyxiated based on that when/if he surfaced. TOTAL SPECULATION at this point. but plausible.

 

[Cave Diver]

I'm not sure if the air is perfectly breathable either. Yes the tank is vented, which is required to change the water level.

but does chlorinated water in mass amounts (heated in the sun) "vent" off chlorine gases? (I don't know....)

it might be possible that chlorine gas amounts might be higher than regular outside normal breathing air and he asphyxiated based on that when/if he surfaced. TOTAL SPECULATION at this point. but plausible.

Good thought. Yes it does. Not sure how two empty tanks would fit into that theory though. If he had asphyxiated and passed out, he wouldnt have a reg in his mouth, and the tank wouldnt have been empty, unless it free flowed.

Heres a link that mentions chlorine gas and confined entry. Do your own Potable Water Tank inspection The Tank Diver

Interestingly enough, that link appears to be associated with the company involved in this incident.

 

[mike_s]

Good thought. Yes it does. Not sure how two empty tanks would fit into that theory though. If he had asphyxiated and passed out, he wouldnt have a reg in his mouth, and the tank wouldnt have been empty, unless it free flowed.

Heres a link that mentions chlorine gas and confined entry. Do your own Potable Water Tank inspection The Tank Diver

Interestingly enough, that link appears to be associated with the company involved in this incident.

didn't read back to see how he was found (reg in mouth, etc).

But that article does talk about Confined Space Entry and chlorine gas in the air above the waterline depleting o2 levels.

 

[dadediver]

Sigh, there's a hatch in the top, this really bright orange ball of fire called the SUN provides enough light.

I'm done here guys. Enjoy your thread.

no dejes que la puerta te golpee en el culo mientras sales

 

[SC_Hoaty]

no dejes que la puerta te golpee en el culo mientras sales

Superlyte was the best source of inside information on this incident.

 

[tracydr]

Cave diver- would you consider tis to be a "Cavern" type environment? Overhead but a little light a perhaps an airspace but certainly some special skills needed?besides, of course, experience with drysuit and practice with the cleaning equipment to prevent task overload.

 

[cruiser]

Sigh, there's a hatch in the top, this really bright orange ball of fire called the SUN provides enough light.

I'm done here guys. Enjoy your thread.

I saw the hatch on top of the tank that they showed on the news, and it's not big enough (or positioned) to illuminate the whole tank.

 

[cruiser]

IIn another question... so they put a guy diving in potable drinking water?

and then they leave the water in the tank and allow it to be delivered to households/businesses for drinking? sure their is some rule against this?

I mean do you want some guy who might not have showered swimming in your drinking water? what if he pee's in his wetsuit? cause you know somewhere they have!

serious question.....

Tommykib posted this above:

These are commercial divers in dry suits full head gear, etc no contact with the water supply.

Our cleaning system uses Commercially certified divers sealed in a Dry Suit so there is no contact with the water supply. The diver is then washed down with a chlorine solution recommended by the American Water Works Assn.

 

[Jax]

Tommykib posted this above:

These are commercial divers in dry suits full head gear, etc no contact with the water supply.

Our cleaning system uses Commercially certified divers sealed in a Dry Suit so there is no contact with the water supply. The diver is then washed down with a chlorine solution recommended by the American Water Works Assn.

Yes, but wasn't it Tommykib that said there was zero vis? And apparently, as Cave Diver observed, he wasn't in a hat, he was on SCUBA.

However, there is no reason to believe he did not go through the wash-down as would a hard-hat diver.