Employees working at water treatment plants face danger every day. The work is inherently treacherous, as water makes every step potentially hazardous, and sometimes even life-threatening.
Statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reflect the perils. In 2018, 27 percent of more than 900,000 nonfatal work injuries resulting in days away from work were related to slips, trips, and falls. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. The hazards of working at water treatment plants are well documented, with one of the most recent deaths occurring in October 2020. A private contractor for the Buffalo Sewer Authority in New York died when he slipped and fell into a deep well, which eventually leads to the Niagara River.