Julie Nussbaum is safety editor for J.J. Keller & Associates Inc., specializing in general industry regulations and compliance issues. Her product responsibilities include Keller’s Workplace Safety Advisor, 1910 OSHA Guide, OSHA Compliance Manual, KellerOnline®, and various software and training products. She can be reached at jnussbaum@jjkeller.com.
Unfortunately, it’s an all too common occurrence. NIOSH and OSHA reports contain far too many examples of incidents involving multiple fatalities in permit spaces. Over half of them involve “Good Samaritan” individuals who rush to the aid of downed coworkers.