CHARLESTON, S.C. - The staffing levels at Santee Cooper's Moncks Corner water plant is safe, according to an internal review, which was prompted by the death of a worker at the utility.

The family of 32-year-old Thomas A. Moore, who was found dead in the control room in 2000, raised concerns that the utility requires only one certified operator at the plant on nights, weekends and holidays.

Moore lay dead for as long as 10 hours before co-workers arriving for the next shift found him. Moore was working alone and an automated alarm system failed to alert authorities that he was not making required chemical adjustments.

The family also said the one-person-per-shift policy would place surrounding residents in jeopardy in the event of a major chemical spill.

Santee Cooper has since improved plant security by posting a guard at the plant and adding other safeguards designed to alert emergency responders if a plant operator is unable to do his job.

"I am confident in the operation of the facility," utility Chief Executive Officer Lonnie Carter recently told the utility's board of directors. "Nobody can work at that plant for over an hour without being contacted by a human being, and there is armed security. I can assure you that it's being handled as well or better than other facilities of its kind."

Moore's sister, Rhonda Moore, said her family disagrees with the utility's assessment.

"What if there is an accident and you do not have two people there who are trained to handle the hazardous chemicals and operate the plant?" she asked.

The family will take its concerns to the federal government, she said.

Moore's death originally was linked to natural causes. But in May, Berkeley County Coroner Glenn Rhoad changed the cause of death to undetermined after Moore's relatives brought forth evidence that Moore was exposed to an ammonia gas leak at the plant the day before he died.

The utility maintains that Moore's death had nothing to do with the plant's operations.