OSHA investigates death of Chatsworth man

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation after a Chatsworth man who was found unconscious in the well of a tanker truck at New South Distribution died on Saturday.

Brian Scotty Williams, 37, was found inside the tanker at New South Distribution, 2200 Abutment Road in Dalton, Saturday afternoon, officials said. Company owner John Bryant didn’t immediately return phone messages.

U.S. Department of Labor spokesman Juan Rodriguez said it is standard procedure for OSHA to investigate when an individual dies on the job. He said the investigation was opened Monday and will likely take six months to complete.

According to an incident report from the Dalton Police Department, one witness said Williams chose to go to work alone instead of notifying his partner to come with him. Williams was supposed to be cleaning the inside of the tanker, the report states, which was at least partially filled with wastewater.

“Bryant and (Williams’ supervisor) were surprised to learn that Williams was working alone,” Police Officer C. Tucker wrote in his report. “Bryant said that it is a company policy that no one works in a tanker alone.”

Police department spokesman Lt. Chris Cooke said there was no initial indication of “suspicious activity,” but Williams’ body was taken to the state crime lab for examination, which is standard procedure in such cases.