19 incidents & 0 updates (1/28/13) – Safety Engineering (SAFTENG)

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since 2011	since 2006	since 2011	since 2007

2013 Fatality Tracker

Electrical

(2012 = 68)

(2011 = 81)

(2010 = 90)

(2009 = 100)

Forklift/Manlift

(2012 = 52)

(2011 = 84)

(2010 = 110)

(2009 = 88)

Mining*

(2012 = 92*)

(2011 = 248)

(2010 = 480)

(2009 = 586)

*no longer includes China accidents

Explosions

(2012 = 241)

(2011 = 218)

(2010 = 246)

(2009 = 302)

Cranes

(2012 = 52)

(2011 = 50)

(2010 = 50)

(2009 = 82)

Falls

(2012 = 99)

(2011 = 123)

(2010 = 139)

(2009 = 172)

(2008 = 250)

Work Zone

(2012 = 62)

(2011 = 54)

(2010 = 50)

(2009 = 69)
(2008 = 69)

Trenching

(2012 = 44)

(2011 = 36)

(2010 = 54)

(2009 = 48)
(2008 = 90)

LOTO/Guards

(2012 = 44)

(2011 = 64)

(2010 = 51)

(2009 = 68)
(2008 = 66)

Confined Space

(2012 = 54)

(2011 = 62)

(2010 = 112)

(2009 = 73)
(2008 =137)

The numbers above are obtained from the news sources used to compile the Incident Alerts. They are NOT official numbers published by any government agency. They are derived SOLELY from my search engine search strings.

INDUSTRIAL

LOTO/GUARDING FATALITY Worker dies after falling into machine at seat belt plant (a worker, 40, at a seat belt manufacturing plant died after he fell into a press machine shortly before 9:00 a.m. – the worker got caught in the press machine and was not breathing when crews arrived)

LOTO/GUARDING FATALITY Plant worker dies in machine (a worker, 56, was killed after becoming trapped in machinery at 3:12 p.m. – no other details)

MINE FATALITIES Coal mine accident kills eight in Loralai (a gas explosion killed eight coal mine workers in the country’s remote southwest – the blast was caused by methane gas – eight workers died on the spot while two were taken to hospital after being rescued – the accident happened when 200 miners were working more than 600 metres underground)

PROCESS OPENING FATALITIES Two Ashdod refinery employees killed after inhaling poisonous gas (two refinery workers died after inhaling poisonous gas – the two victims, 25 and 45, were working a night shift at the plant and were found by some of their colleagues early Saturday morning – the gas they accidentally inhaled can cause a loss of sensation and consciousness, eventually leading to death – the two workers, one of whom was very experienced and worked many years in the refinery, came to fix at a problem the facility – for a reason that isn’t clear, they opened one valve before closing another one, releasing the gas that caused their death)

ACETYLENE CYLINDER EXPLOSION Two oilfield workers burned in Grayville explosion (two oilfield workers were burned, one critically, in an explosion at an oil well drilling firm – worker, 66, was the most seriously injured and his co-woker, 43, suffered burns to his hands and upper body while pulling his co-worker to safety – one worker was taken by medical helicopter to a Hospital for treatment of major burns, while the rescuer was taken to a local Hospital for treatment of his injuries – no one else was in the structure which burned after the apparent explosion of an acetylene tank – County Sheriff indicated it appears workers took a break shortly before 1 p.m. when a wood burning stove overheated, igniting a nearby acetylene tank, which exploded and spread fire throughout the metal-sided structure)

HYDROFLUORIC ACID FATALITY Samsung Employee Dies Following Chemical Leak (a tank of hydrofluoric acid leaked at the facility, killing one employee and hospitalizing four others – 10 litres of hydrofluoric acid leaked from a 500 litre tank housed in a semiconductor plant – workers at maintenance firm were not notified of the leakage until the next day an hour after an employee had apparently died from exposure to the chemicals – South Korean news outlet has since reported that the deceased employee was wearing a gas mask but not a regulation hazard suit at the time of the leak – the four hospitalized employees, who have since made a full recovery, were wearing gas masks and hazard suits – the leak was originally believed to be “minimal” and that plant workers tried to prevent it by covering the damaged tank with a plastic bag – statement from company… “A small amount of diluted hydrofluoric acid leaked during maintenance at one of the chemical supply systems at the Hwaseong site,” a spokesperson said. “Five contract workers at the scene were sent to hospital for treatment. Four of them have been discharged, while one worker died due to complications”)

LOTO/GUARDING FATALITY Worker dies in factory horror (an employee, 56, was killed when he became trapped in machinery at a factory shortly after 3:10 pm – no other details)

CRUSHING FATALITY Worker dies after he is crushed by heavy metal (an aviation worker, 47, died after being crushed in a horrifying factory incident – he suffered “extremely serious traumatic internal injuries” at 1.23pm – no other details)

EXPLOSION Three injured in Sidney plant explosion (there was an explosion followed by a fire around 11 p.m. at the plant that turns plastic pellets into foam for packaging – there were four people in the plant at the time – the fire alarm worked, the sprinkler system worked – the building is severely damaged – two employees were treated at the hospital for second degree burns but have since been released – investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the explosion)

AMMONIA Rockford plant evacuated for chemical spill (more than 800 gallons of anhydrous ammonia evaporated at a Heat Treating process – the spill occurred when an outdoor tank was being filled and the valve came off – the plant, which is in an industrial park, was evacuated, and a hazardous-material team was on standby as the chemical leaked from a quarter-inch pipe)

SPRINKLERS SAVE ANOTHER Sprinklers douse Elk Grove factory fire (an automatic sprinkler system helped extinguish a fire at a manufacturing plant – the fire started in a paint spraying room about 5 p.m. – employees of the company also used dry chemical extinguishers to put out the fire – damages were limited to the paint spraying room, and no injuries were reported – fire crews remained on site for about an hour to ventilate the building – the cause of the fire was still under investigation)

200 POUND PROPANE CYLINDER EXPLOSION Propane tank explodes at Delaware plant (a propane tank exploded and about a half dozen others caught fire at the plant about 7 p.m. – the tank that exploded contained about 100 pounds of propane – about 30 firefighters responded the scene – all but one of the tanks vented through emergency valves – the cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal – no injuries or environmental damage were reported)

AMMONIA Ammonia leak obstructs Turlock traffic; no injury (a warehouse ammonia leak shut down traffic on two streets and kept neighbors inside – no one was hurt – an employee of an adjacent business reported a vapor cloud about 6:20 above the cold storage – the Fire Department used a reverse-911 automated message to alert about 100 neighbors, asking them to close windows and stay inside while police diverted traffic – responding employees shut a valve feeding ammonia to a leaking pipe, resolving much of the problem – members of a countywide hazardous materials unit entered with breathing apparatus to make sure the leak was secured and an ammonia sensor showed no trace on protective suits when they emerged later)

AMMONIA Ammonia leak at Reddy Ice in Baton Rouge leads to evacuation (a two-block radius around the ice facility was evacuated due to an Ammonia leak – the children at a Catholic School after care program were also evacuated – the evacuation order was lifted just after 9 p.m. – the leak was discovered by someone passing by the facility and smelled it – no injuries were reported)

CONSTRUCTION

FATAL HOTWORK EXPLOSION on DRUM Construction worker dies in industrial accident in Rosenberg (a construction worker, 49, died in an industrial accident during an explosion when he was working on barrels with a cutting torch at about 11 a.m. – he was working on barrels marked as containing a cleanser – he was pronounced dead at the scene)

FALL Worker injured in construction accident (a worker was taken to the hospital after an accident at a construction site – he suffered serious injuries after falling approximately 20 feet at the construction site – it’s unclear whether he fell from the roof or a ladder – he was conscious and alert when he was taken to a Medical Center’s Trauma Unit, and is expected to survive)

FATAL FALL into HOLE Construction worker dies in Astoria accident (a construction worker died after he plummeted into a 10-feet-deep hole at about 3:15 p.m. -the man fell into a construction ditch hitting his head on a steel girder – he was taken to a Hospital, where he died of his injuries)

DUMP TRUCK Worker’s arm crushed by dump truck in Lynden (a man suffered life-threatening injuries when his arm got pinned under the bed of a dump truck – the man was working at a construction site when the incident occurred just after noon – another worker managed to move the truck and free the man’s crushed arm – the man suffered serious trauma to his arm – his condition was not known – it was not known what caused the incident)

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