January 16, 2025
Southeast Services of the Treasure Coast failed to identify pressurized plug as hazard
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found that a drainpipe cleaning and maintenance company could have prevented an explosion at a Port Saint Lucie worksite in June 2024 that claimed a 24-year-old worker's life, by implementing proper safety measures to address the hazards of inflatable pipe plugs.
An investigation by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration revealed that on June 8, 2024, two employees of Southeast Services of the Treasure Coast Inc. were cleaning a drainpipe at the intersection of Southwest Becker Road and Southwest Village Parkway. During the process, the pipe's pressurized plug became over-inflated, causing an explosion so powerful that it ejected one worker 15 feet from the storm drain, resulting in fatal injuries.
OSHA cited the Vero Beach-based employer for a serious violation for failing to develop and implement procedures and train workers on how to install and remove pneumatic pipe plugs safely. This failure put workers at risk of being struck by dangerous equipment.
"Pressurized equipment poses significant danger, and employers must put safeguards in place and take all necessary precautions to protect workers from these hazards," said OSHA Area Director Condell Eastmond in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "If employers ignore critical safety measures, the consequences can be devastating, leaving an unfillable void in the lives of the families impacted by such tragedies."
OSHA has assessed the employer $16,131 in proposed penalties.
Southeast Services of the Treasure Coast Inc. is an underground utility company that specializes in the maintenance of sanitary sewer and storm water. The company employs approximately 30 workers and serves the east coast of Florida, including Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
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