Prospect Ranch LLC
Outcome
Six workers died on August 20, 2025 after a disconnected manure management pipe released hydrogen sulfide gas at Prospect Ranch in Weld County, Colorado; OSHA cited the ranch and two contractor companies for a combined $246,609 in penalties for failure to protect workers from atmospheric hazards and failure to train workers on hazardous gas detection.
Details
Prospect Ranch LLC / Fiske Inc. / HD Builders LLC — Six Workers Killed by Hydrogen Sulfide (2025–2026)
Outcome: Six workers died at Prospect Ranch in Weld County, Colorado after a disconnected manure pipe released hydrogen sulfide gas on August 20, 2025; OSHA cited the ranch ($132,406), contractor Fiske Inc. ($99,306), and HD Builders LLC ($14,897) for a combined $246,609 in penalties for failure to protect workers from atmospheric hazards and failure to provide H2S training.
On August 20, 2025, a pipe in the manure management system at Prospect Ranch LLC in Weld County, Colorado disconnected, releasing manure water and hydrogen sulfide gas. Workers went to investigate and were overcome. Additional workers and initial responders attempting rescues were also overcome by the toxic gas. In total, six workers died.
OSHA investigated three employers with workers at the site. Prospect Ranch LLC, the dairy farm operator, received the largest penalty — $132,406 — for serious violations including failure to protect workers from atmospheric hazards and failure to provide a written hazard communication program or training on detecting hazardous gases including H2S. Fiske Inc., a contractor with workers on site, was cited for $99,306 for similar failures to protect employees from hazardous atmospheres and failure to provide hydrogen sulfide detection training. HD Builders LLC received $14,897 for failure to have a written hazard communication program and failure to provide H2S detection training to its workers.
Primary Source: US Department of Labor cites 3 companies after hazardous gas exposure fatally injures workers at Colorado dairy farm
How Crucible Prevents This
Hydrogen sulfide from manure management systems is one of the leading causes of agricultural worker fatality — and one of the most preventable. A Crucible pre-entry gate requiring confirmed atmospheric monitoring and H2S detection equipment deployment before any manure system maintenance work is authorized would have blocked all three employers' workers from entering the hazardous zone without protective measures in place. The cascading fatalities — where initial responders also died — reflect the absence of a written rescue plan that trained workers to avoid entry without proper equipment.
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