March 19, 1981

[Omaha Steve]

http://nhlabornews.com/2014/03/march-19-1981/

Five Rockwell International workers are asphyxiated during a nitrogen purge of the engine compartment while setting up a ground test for the space shuttle Columbia. Two of them died. The technicians had been cleared by NASA safety supervisors to enter the compartment and a NASA board of inquiry concluded that a last-minute change in testing procedures, along with a breakdown in communications at the space center, caused the incident.

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About Today In Labor History

The NHLN has joined with multiple other websites to help highlight some of the struggles that workers have faced throughout our history. We want everyone to know what the workers of the past had to endure for the rights we take for granted now. If you do not learn from the past, you are doomed to repeat it.

[Trajan]

1. I remember like it was yesterday

I worked in Space Shuttle production in Downey at the time, and the news was horrifying to those of us who entered the vessel during all phases of production ...

RIP ....