Four die after breathing toxic gases from waste treatment system in Songkhla

[webfact]

Four die after breathing toxic gases from waste treatment system in Songkhla

By The Nation

 

 

Three workers and their boss died from hydrogen sulfide poisoning while working on the underground wastewater treatment system of a rubber latex factory in Songkhla’s Sadao district Monday, police said.

 

Police said a worker climbed down into the manhole leading to the system to fix a water pipe but collapsed. Another worker went down to try to rescue him but also collapsed because of the gas.

 

Two others followed suit only to collapse while a fifth was able to pull out one of his four comrades and a team of rescuers brought out the remaining three. All four died before reaching the district hospital.

 

Police said the tragic accident happened at the Thathawin Co Ltd in Moo 5 village in Tambon Phang La.

 

The four victims were identified as Suwit Jomechu, 31, Sathichon Limchaeng, 31, Somkid Tamkliang, 43 and Sanit Sungchoom, 40. Sanit had been subcontracted to fix the water pipe in the system.

 

Nirun Srisuwan, 46, the survivor, said he almost collapsed as he descended into 1.5-metre-wide and 2-metre-deep manhole to try to rescue the four workers who had gone down before him. He said he managed to rescue only Manit, who had already passed out.

 

Officials found that the manhole was lethally filled with accumulated hydrogen sulfide from the wastewater.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374651

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-13

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[mercman24]

sorry to say they still havent learnt anything, about fatal gas build up in these situations, never seen any breathing apparatus, as a trained ex BA op in the plastics industry, (nasty stuff burning plastic) i use to see them going down the drains on Sukhumvit road in Bangkok, and think , kin ell, no BA at all, rip 4 guys, you were not trained, did not know , murder by management

[worgeordie]

It's not the first time,and sadly won't be the last, RIP.

regards Worgeordie

[tracker1]

What is BA to a private contractor in Thailand ? maybe a face mask you don't get a second chance with Hydrogen Sulfide  sits low and no thought to test before going down in an enclosed area SAD !

[ChrisY1]

All they needed was a simple gas detector...inexpensive but life saving.

[hotchilli]

42 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

All they needed was a simple gas detector...inexpensive but life saving.

One of these would have done the job, when it stops singing it's time to get out.

Sheer ignorance kills every time.

 

[Redline]

Safety first!  I saw the sign~RIP, but par for the course

[Classic Ray]

No accountability because no Health and Safety Executive or court system to regulate, investigate or punish the organizations and companies that expose their workers to hazards.

 

Affects the bottom line too much to spend money on safety including equipment.

 

Just glad that my railway industry follows international standards.

[snoop1130]

Three confirmed dead from foul gas in Songkhla

By Santiparp Ramasut
The Nation

 

 

The authorities confirmed that the number of workers who allegedly succumbed on Monday to hydrogen-sulfide poisoning at a rubber-latex factory in Songkhla’s Sadao district stands at three. The officials revealed the results of a test that showed the level of hydrogen sulfide inside the underground waste-water treatment system was more than 200 particles per metre (ppm), enough to knock someone unconscious and prove fatal from prolonged exposure.

 

Contrary to a previous report that all three workers and their boss had died on their way to hospital, police said the sub-contractor Sanit Sungchoom, 40, was resuscitated in time, though he was still not out of danger and is under critical care. The other three workers, Suwit Jomechu, 31, Sathichon Limchaeng, 31, and Somkid Tamkliang, 43, succumbed to the fumes and their relatives will soon collect their bodies for religious rites. 

 

Police said initially one of the workers climbed down the 1.5-metre-wide and 2m-deep manhole leading to the underground wastewater treatment system in order to fix a water pipe, but collapsed. Then another worker went down to rescue him but also collapsed from the gas. The two others followed suit, and also collapsed from the gas, though a fifth worker managed to stay upright and was able to pull out one of his four comrades, while a team of rescuers pulled out the other three. 

 

Police said the tragic accident happened at Tat Win Co Ltd in Tambon Phang La, adding that the case is still being investigated. Locals have complained about foul smell emanating from the factory on five previous occasions and the business was reportedly in the process of improving its wastewater treatment facility when the incident took place. 

 

Songkhla governor Weeranan Pengchan said he has instructed the Songkhla Labour Protection and Welfare Office, the provincial Social Development and Human Security Office as well as the Social Security Office to provide aid to the families of three deceased workers and the wounded sub-contractor.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374702

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-13

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[geoffbezoz]

3 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

All they needed was a simple gas detector...inexpensive but life saving.

Unfortunately its either any cost is a cost to be saved or else it could very simply be they are not aware of the dangers or precautions that should be taken and/or the safety equipment that is available to them. Life is cheap in Thailand, the employer will get away with a 1 million baht donation and everybody will go away waiting for the next accident to happen. RIP to those 4 who lost their lives.

[ExpatOilWorker]

"200 particles per metre (ppm)", wow poor proof reading. 

It is of course 200 parts per million, which is lethal.

Some wells in the Middle East produce gas with 25% or 250,000 ppm H2S.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Maybe they should stop the practice of adding sulphuric acid (H2SO4) to the rubber.

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1075001/tyremakers-bash-thai-rubber

[gk10002000]

Read about similar situations now and then in the news.  Improper safety pre cautions due to ignorance or work pressures.  Improper tank watch procedures to coin a ship yard term. 

[RichardColeman]

I think he may have died from the fumes - quick go down after him.

I think the rescuer may have died from the fumes - quick send down two more.

 

Good job they ran out of workers or they'd have been at it all night until someone brighter turned up.

 

[Happy Grumpy]

16 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I think he may have died from the fumes - quick go down after him.

I think the rescuer may have died from the fumes - quick send down two more.

 

 

Thai airforce helicopters

 

and fog. 

[Yinn]

3 hours ago, geoffbezoz said:

the employer will get away with a 1 million baht donation 

Fact? Or you imagine the price?

 

Real story? Or your story?

 

link?

[Enoon]

2 hours ago, Yinn said:

Fact? Or you imagine the price?

 

Real story? Or your story?

 

link?

 

It's called a "prediction":

 

คำทำนาย

 

Don't worry, Geoffbezoz is an officially accredited member of the Australian Society of Soothsayers, so you can be sure it will be correct. 

 

Thai people are great believers in predictions by properly qualified people aren't they?

 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2019 by Enoon

[paulbrow]

Obviously employer never provided closed space training as required by Thai law.

[FarFlungFalang]

This exact same thing happened in Australia about 35 years ago but with methane,not sure if they blamed anyone but they made sure people knew about the problem at least for a little while.

[FarFlungFalang]

7 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I think he may have died from the fumes - quick go down after him.

I think the rescuer may have died from the fumes - quick send down two more.

 

Good job they ran out of workers or they'd have been at it all night until someone brighter turned up.

 

Mostly people don't see gases of that there is no oxygen and don't know what has happened just because someone is unaware doesn't mean they are not bright the way you assume yourself to be!

Edited August 13, 2019 by FarFlungFalang

[geoffbezoz]

8 hours ago, Yinn said:

Fact? Or you imagine the price?

 

Real story? Or your story?

 

link?

As you claim to be a Thai with a university education ????, well your statements made in previous posts anyway, I have pre-supposed that you have at least read some articles in the Thai newspapers, over the last 10 years.  You would thus be versed into some of the compensation paid out to many poorer members who have lost their lives through an industrial accident and the measly sums in compensation consequently paid out to them.

 

Whilst obviously research into a topic is not your forte, try reading this, it may help you to understand ( well maybe )  exactly what has been paid out to these unfortunate Thais and the associated costs for industrial injuries. Appreciate that it is a lot of reading for you but read, digest and attempt to understand the facts in the real world of Thailand.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4147214/

Edited August 14, 2019 by geoffbezoz

[manchega]

Luckily no one has seen the link between limited water supplies and reduced dilution of the ppm to the old levels

 

the whole country needs to work on its waste treatment just feel bad for those that live near industrial zones

[Yinn]

1 hour ago, geoffbezoz said:

As you claim to be a Thai with a university education ????, well your statements made in previous posts anyway, I have pre-supposed that you have at least read some articles in the Thai newspapers, over the last 10 years.  

You ever read thai newspaper?

You read thai? Which newspaper they have in the issan village you live?

 

The link is english. Talk about dollar, not baht. 

Is one million each dead guy, or one million for everyone?

What happen the boss not have?

[PETERTHEEATER]

This time they can't blame last nights vindaloo.....

[geoffbezoz]

3 hours ago, Yinn said:

You ever read thai newspaper?

You read thai? Which newspaper they have in the issan village you live?

 

The link is english. Talk about dollar, not baht. 

Is one million each dead guy, or one million for everyone?

What happen the boss not have?

It was a US paper on Thailand or can did you not read the title which was

"Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and Associated Costs in Thailand"

Even if you had a modicum of academic nounce you would have read that to start with. When I did a CBA for a korean company potentially investing in Thailand in 2016 this was the only reliable source of information regarding Thai compensation and ancillary costs there was ( and still is not I understand). Clearly all that is way above your understanding yet you attempt to resort to low level retorts. Yes it is in English or perhaps you have not yet grasped Americans , the sponsors of this report, speak English and by the way this is an English language forum. However you should note that the report was authored by 2 Thais Phayong Thepaksom and Sathirakorn Pongpanich. As for your ridiculous comment about the report is stating US $, then again not unusual for an American sponsored report but to prove your ignorance of that particular article, referenced within the report is the statement " All costs in Thai Baht (THB) were converted into US dollar values (US $) ($1 = 31 THB, as of 2013) " . Surely with your claimed university education you could at least understand that couldn't you ?

 

I appreciated that potentially  the understanding  of the report is way beyond your comprehension, and it is a bit heavy in its reading, and  judging by your comments I was right you do not have the slightest understanding what it was referencing and discussing, unless you have not even attempted to read it. So please  don't bring in irrelevances regarding Issan when the OP subject is about people dying in a workplace accident and my subsequent comment, supported not only by historical reports but the paper I attached.

 

We know your social aspirations illustrated via your previous posts indicating your distain for Hilltribes people and even bar staff by many of your earlier disparaging posts but these people who died may only have been low class in your social circle, but to me that is absolutely irrelevant what social class they belong to. When compensation for their deaths is the discussion point and frankly even 1,000,000 baht as compensation, assuming their families ever get it, is measley compared to the human life lost.

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by geoffbezoz

[Yinn]

22 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

It was a US paper on Thailand or can did you not read the title which was

"Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and Associated Costs in Thailand"

Even if you had a modicum of academic nounce you would have read that to start with. When I did a CBA for a korean company potentially investing in Thailand in 2016 this was the only reliable source of information regarding Thai compensation and ancillary costs there was ( and still is not I understand). Clearly all that is way above your understanding yet you attempt to resort to low level retorts. Yes it is in English or perhaps you have not yet grasped Americans , the sponsors of this report, speak English and by the way this is an English language forum. However you should note that the report was authored by 2 Thais Phayong Thepaksom and Sathirakorn Pongpanich.

 

I appreciated that potentially  the understanding  of the report is way beyond your comprehension, and it is a bit heavy in its reading, and  judging by your comments I was right you do not have the slightest understanding what it was referencing and discussing, unless you have not even attempted to read it. So please  don't bring in irrelevances regarding Issan when the OP subject is about people dying in a workplace accident and my subsequent comment, supported not only by historical reports but the paper I attached.

 

We know your social aspirations illustrated via your previous posts indicating your distain for Hilltribes people and even bar staff by many of your earlier disparaging posts but these people who died may only have been low class in your social circle, but to me that is absolutely irrelevant what social class they belong to. When compensation for their deaths is the discussion point and frankly even 1,000,000 baht as compensation, assuming their families ever get it, is measley compared to the human life lost.

 

 

 

Very long answer.

i just ask if you can read thai?

yes or no, will be enough answer. 

 

If you can read thai I will send you the link to help you. 

[geoffbezoz]

8 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Very long answer.

i just ask if you can read thai?

yes or no, will be enough answer. 

 

If you can read thai I will send you the link to help you. 

I think you are the one that needs help on the reports substance with the relevance to my earlier post and please keep to the subject matter in future which let me remind is not about Issan that you attempted to introduce or which Thai newspapers are available which appeared were further attempts to "flame" again on your part in my opinion, rather it was specifically about the loss of 3 lives and my subsequent comments on the levels of workers compensation in Thailand.

Edited August 14, 2019 by geoffbezoz

[Vacuum]

On 8/13/2019 at 2:44 AM, mercman24 said:

sorry to say they still havent learnt anything, about fatal gas build up in these situations, never seen any breathing apparatus, as a trained ex BA op in the plastics industry, (nasty stuff burning plastic) i use to see them going down the drains on Sukhumvit road in Bangkok, and think , kin ell, no BA at all, rip 4 guys, you were not trained, did not know , murder by management

Question is; did the managment know?

[billd766]

Many years ago in the late 1970s in the UK I used to work on Vulcan bombers as did my mate. He was an engine fitter and one of his jobs was to replace the flexible fuel tanks.

 

Before he went in the tanks were drained (there was always a little left), a hose was connected to a compressor and piped into the tank. He went in with a full face mask and he was also roped and harnessed with 2 guys on the ropes at all times, just in case.

 

When he went home for lunch and at the end of the day his wife met him at the door with clean dry clothes and the stuff he wore was left outside while he ate. After lunch it was reversed and he took the clean stuff off and put the dirty stuff back on

[Yinn]

56 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Very long answer.

i just ask if you can read thai?

yes or no, will be enough answer. 

 

If you can read thai I will send you the link to help you. 

 

48 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

I think you are the one that needs help on the reports substance with the relevance to my earlier post and please keep to the subject matter in future which let me remind is not about Issan that you attempted to introduce or which Thai newspapers are available which appeared were further attempts to "flame" again on your part in my opinion, rather it was specifically about the loss of 3 lives and my subsequent comments on the levels of workers compensation in Thailand.

 

So “no” right?