The two men were cleaning a tank where there had been sludge products when they collapsed. Toxic hydrogen sulphide was formed in a quantity that caused the fatal accident.
The deaths are still being investigated by the Swedish Work Environment Authority. But now the company’s own analysis of the accident is complete. With the help of documentation, employees and managers, a couple of different reasons have been arrived at.
Error in construction
Despite the fact that the water purification system is safety-labelled, the company has nevertheless found flaws in the construction. Among other things, the company believes that the manufacturer of the purification system has not taken into account that residues of sludge can accumulate in the system in certain situations.
But the weather at the time of the accident may also have played a role. A lightning strike knocked out a control unit and it meant that the water in the tank where the men were could not circulate as intended.
The warm weather also caused gas formation to increase. This made the rescue work dramatic – four firefighters had to be taken to the infirmary after they felt the gas.
Work is at a standstill
Now production at Omni Polymer is at a standstill. And so it will remain until the water treatment plant is replaced with another system that is deemed safer, the company writes in the sign report. Then robots take over the task of cleaning the tanks.
SVT Nyheter Helsingborg has searched in vain for a representative of the company for a comment.
This is how SVT Nyheter Helsingborg reported in connection with the accident: