Employer Fined $175,000 for Worker’s Confined Space Asphyxiation Death

Two cleaning workers entered a tank trailer used to transport fresh produce but only one came out alive. The survivor can thank the co-worker who noticed that the workers had passed out and immediately alerted First Responders. Sadly, the worker who didn’t survive died from asphyxiation caused by the residual nitrogen the tank contained to keep the produce fresh. The employer was fined $175,000 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure that workers followed safe entry procedures for confined space work [1040135 Ontario Inc., dba Toronto Tank Lines, Govt. Announcement, April 13, 2021].