Slush Pile: He unpluged the hole

HOME
Darwin Awards
At-Risk Survivors
Slush Pile

2012 June Slush

He unpluged the hole

Quarter-life. FINAL-death

Man shoots self to save dentist bi

Bad Dog?

Credit card Cost him

Stupidity at its best

Older Slush

~ Random Story ~

Email Alert!

NEW! Gift Shop

Rules – Search

Contact Darwin

Submit a Story

Philosophy Forum

Home

2012 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

He unpluged the hole

2012 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

A crew was assigned to finish construction of a basin at a wastewater treatment plant. At the center of the basin was a drainpipe 42 inches in diameter. The pipe dropped straight down 6 feet before reaching an elbow joint where it proceeded horizontally to the pump station. During construction the drainpipe was covered with a plywood plug to prevent workers from falling in. Because the drain was plugged, rainwater and snowmelt had accumulated in the basin. To drain the water so that workers could finish the construction, an employee wearing waders, life vest, harness, and lifeline entered the basin and drilled holes in the plug. The water began to drain, but the basin didn't empty completely.

That's when one worker decided to see what he could do to solve the problem. Wearing waders but no other PPE, he walked into the water, which was still more than 32 inches deep at the drain. He used a long metal bar to thump the plug. When the plug suddenly dislodged, the employee was sucked down the drain and drowned.

Submitted on 06/19/2012

Submitted by: Jody
Reference: http://safetydailyadvisor.blr.com/archive/2012/06/12/training_safety_accident_prevention_common_sens

>> Moderator Scores <<

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
Sounds like a textbook case of Darwinian behavior at work to me, especially if the second worker had seen all the safety gear that the first worker had made use of. Here's a working link since the submitted one got truncated: http://safetydailyadvisor.blr.com/archive/2012/06/12/training_safety_accident_prevention_common_sense.aspx

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
32 inches is nearly three feet of water, and he's opening the plug the water has to go down without safety gear!? Thanks, Jody!

The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom

Keep yourself out of the gene pool!
A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item!
Friends don't let friends reproduce!
$13 for Pack of 4

Slush Pile
Slush Pile Rejects

Home Rules FAQs Awards Slush Site Map
DarwinAward | HonorableMention | PersonalAccount | UrbanLegend

2012 Slush Pile

He unpluged the hole

2012 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

2012 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance