Last week, OSHA announced that Plains Trucking, of Ross, North Dakota, has been cited for nine safety violations stemming from the March 27, 2013, death of a 19-year-old employee.
On March 27, Trevor Davis was cleaning the inside of a crude oil tanker. While Davis was inside the tanker, another worker lowered a treble light and the tanker exploded.  Davis was killed.  The other worker, Darin Songer-Bail, suffered a concussion and a head laceration.
An OSHA investigation found that the employees were not properly trained and did not understand the hazards of working conditions in the tanker.
Eric Brooks, OSHA’s area director in Bismarck, said that treble lights are not approved for that use.
“The company failed in its responsibility to train workers and evaluate the working conditions of confined spaces, which carry unique hazards, before allowing workers to enter,” said Brooks. “No job should cost a person’s life because of an employer’s failure to properly protect and train workers.”
OSHA fined Plains Trucking $28,000.