The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s (DLI’s) Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) Compliance announced it has has issued a $730,000 penalty to Your Lake Aquatic Plant Management, LLC, in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, for commercial diving standard violations after a worker drowned in May 2024 performing aquatic weed removal while using scuba diving equipment.
In November 2024, MNOSHA Compliance issued , 29 CFR sections 1910.401-.440. The investigation found: employees did not have the experience or training necessary to perform work safely; employees were not trained in CPR and first aid; an employee was not designated to be in charge of all aspects of the diving operation; a safe-practices manual had not been developed or maintained; and a standby diver was not available while diving operations took place.
Your Lake Aquatic Plant Management has filed a .
This is the second Minnesota worker drowning since June 2022 that involved employees using scuba diving equipment while performing aquatic weed removal in a lake.
The process of aquatic weed removal includes hazards such as: physical exertion from pulling, hauling and carrying weeds and bundles; highly variable water conditions, including fluctuating temperatures, visibility, depths and currents; and exposures to adjacent structures and equipment, including docks, dams and boat traffic, plus marine life and vegetation.
Source: DLI
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