In 1998, the CSB published a summary
report of the nitrogen asphyxiation death of
a worker and serious injury to a second
worker at a chemical manufacturing plant
near New Orleans, Louisiana (USCSB,
1998). In that incident, workers draped a
black plastic sheet over the end of a 48-inch
diameter pipe to perform a black-light
inspection of the pipe. Nitrogen was being
pumped into the system upstream of their
work location to prevent oxygen
contamination inside the piping and process
equipment. Nitrogen was venting out of the
open pipe where they were working.