Two workers died from oxygen deficiency at a chemical factory in Shiga, Japan, on August 22, 2026, according to an industrial safety update. The workers were polishing the interior of a cylindrical reactor vessel approximately 2 meters deep and 1.5 meters in diameter when they collapsed. The site supervisor discovered the two workers unconscious inside the vessel and called emergency services.
The two workers were rescued approximately 40 minutes later and transported to a hospital, where their deaths were confirmed. The reactor was used for mixing plastic resin raw materials. Police and fire authorities determined that the oxygen concentration inside the vessel was low, indicating probable oxygen deficiency. The accident highlighted the risks of confined space entry in chemical plant maintenance.
