20 Incidents & 0 Updates (6/3/12)

2012 Fatality Tracker

INDUSTRIAL

FATAL HOTWORK EXPLOSION @ TANK FARM One person killed in plant blast in Texas (one person was killed and another was injured in a plant explosion – a welding machine malfunction should be blamed for the accident – the person who died in the accident was an employee of an independent contractor and the injured man was also a contracted worker, who has been taken to a hospital for medical treatment – there was no fire, environmental or health threat that occurred, and a thorough investigation was underway)

FATAL STEAM EXPLOSION @ FERTILIZER PLANT Two Workers Killed in Two Weeks at a Mississippi plant (for the second time in two weeks, a worker, 20, was killed at a phosphate plant – he died in an apparent “steam explosion” at the fertilizer plant – two other men were injured in the accident and remain in the hospital – just two weeks ago an accident in that same work area killed a 39-year-old worker)

FIRE Fire Temporarily Shuts Down Portion of PPG Plant (a fire has left the plant temporarily closed as officials evaluate the extent of the damage – fire was reported just after 7 a.m. at the plant’s facility for the creation calcium hypochlorite – the facility was evacuated and the on-site fire brigade responded and extinguished the fire within 30 minutes – one employee who responded to the fire was treated for chlorine inhalation at a first aid center at the site and released)

FATAL FIRE Worker dies in factory fire in Sharjah (a labourer died when a massive fire broke out in the early hours at a refrigerator manufacturing factory – the fire spread rapidly due to the huge quantity of flammable material stored in the factory – the rapid spread of the fire led to his tragic death)

FORKLIFT and ELECTRICAL Fork lift operator shocked in accident (a local forklift operator was electrocuted at approximately 10 a.m. – the forklift operator working in the grove entangled the machine in power lines and the machine caught fire – a co-worker witnessed the accident and attempted to retrieve the fire extinguisher off the machine – in the process, the co-worker was electrocuted)

FORKLIFT FATALITY Work stoppage at Port of Seattle after worker dies in accident (a longshore worker has died of injuries he suffered in a workplace accident – medics and emergency personnel were called to the scene at about 6:30 p.m. after receiving a report of an injury accident – the injured worker was hospitalized and later died of his injuries – preliminary reports said the worker was pinned between a forklift and a shipping container)

FORKLIFT FATALITY Man killed after fall at Wausau business (a worker, 57, was killed when he fell from a forklift at a business while changing a ceiling light just before 9 a.m. – witnesses told police that the forklift was on the deck of a flatbed truck, and the wheels of the forklift rolled off the flatbed – the worker, who was standing in a bucket or a platform on the forklift’s forks, was thrown to the ground)

CHEMICAL – potassium hydroxide Hazardous chemical spill injures worker (a hazardous materials emergency crew was called to a company after a chemical spill injured a worker – emergency responders removed the worker from the company and then shut off the company’s air-conditioning system – the employee had an accident as he prepared to fill a torch with potassium hydroxide  some of the material splashed, and the worker suffered some minor injuries to his face and eyes – the employee was decontaminated — his clothing was removed and then he was hosed down — as a safety precaution)

AMMONIA and FORKLIFT Chemical spill shuts down Suddekor plant (a spill involving more than 100 gallons of liquid ammonia forced the evacuation of a plant for more than five hours – one employee was taken to a Medical Center to be checked out after he complained of not feeling well after he was exposed to ammonia fumes from the spill – at last report, the worker was doing fine – initially the spill was thought to be less than 100 gallons, but it was soon determined it was somewhat more than that – approximately 30 employees had to evacuate as fumes were carried through the entire building – before firefighters arrived, employees tried to contain the spill by pouring absorbent powder on the floor – they also used exhaust fans to try to direct fumes out of the building – the spill was apparently caused by an employee driving a forklift bumping into a pipeline containing ammonia)

HOTWORK FIRE Dry conditions lead to chipper mill fire (for the third time this week, a fire broke out at the chipping company – fire started when sparks from welding repairs ignited dry material around a machine that loads logs into the mill – fire destroyed the loader and damaged the chipper mill – no one was injured)

FIRE @ REFINERY Fire strikes plagued petroleum refinery (a fire broke out at an oil refinery – no one was injured – the fire was small and contained on the property – crews were called to the scene before 7 a.m. – when firefighters arrived, the plant’s control room had shut down operations, and the fire did not escape its initial area)

GUARDING/LOTO Man Still In Critical Condition Following Food Plant Accident (a man remains in critical condition after he had to be rescued from inside a large flour mixer at a food plant – he accidentally plunged into a large flour mixer used to make dough – the Urban Search and Reach Team had to remove him alongside Fire Rescue officials – he was taken to a Hospital where a surgical team stood at the ready in case any emergency amputation was needed – he did not need surgery, although he was given blood and IV fluids)

CONSTRUCTION

CRANE Accident at Ladish injures Muskego man (a worker, 57, was injured and flown to the hospital after a metal sign fell on his head in an industrial accident – he was watching a co-worker move a 30-pound metal sign on a movable crane when the sign fell, hit a table and then his head and shoulders – he suffered lacerations and was unable to move at the time – he was flown to a Hospital)

CRUSHED BY BARGE Worker dies at Olmsted Locks and Dam (a man, 54, has died while working at a Lock and Dam – he was securing barges when he died – the work was part of a construction project to replace outdated navigation locks and dams)

WORKZONE Construction worker struck in hit-and-run wreck (authorities were searching for a driver in what they call a hit-and-run that seriously injured a construction worker – the worker was struck around 9:45 a.m. by a gray pickup truck, which was reported to have extensive damage from the accident – he sustained serious injuries and was taken to a Hospital)

FALL from ROOF Worker hurt in 3-storey tumble (worker, 42, is in serious condition after falling from a construction site – he fell from the third floor while working on the construction of a new home and suffered a “significant” head injury and was transported to a hospital)

EXPLOSION gas tank removal Explosion under High Line park injures 2 construction workers (two construction workers were hurt after an explosion at a former gas station – they were part of a crew removing a gas tank when the blast occurred about 10:25 a.m. – the two workers were taken to a Hospital, where they were being treated for serious injuries – both were expected to survive – a worker may have drilled into an old gasoline line, sparking the explosion)

MISCELLANEOUS

LAB ACCIDENT – CHEMICAL BC chemistry lab evacuated after graduate assistant is exposed to dangerous chemical (a graduate assistant in the chemistry department was taken to a local hospital after he came in contact with a dangerous chemical that forced officials to evacuate the building – the man was unpacking a box in a chemistry laboratory when he was exposed to a chemical that had spilled in the box – it was exposed to his skin and clothing – the man decontaminated himself using facilities in the building and was later transported to a local hospital)