34 incidents & 1 update (8/6/12)

2012 Fatality Tracker

INDUSTRIAL

ELECTROCUTION Forked River Utility Worker’s Death Ruled an Accident (a worker, 20, was electrocuted while working on a high-tension power line – after CPR was performed on the worker he was transported by ground to a Medical Center where he was pronounced dead)

FATAL FALL from BELT MANLIFT Edwardsville man dies at Alton flour mill (a mill worker, 47, was killed in a fall at a flour mill – he fell from the man-lift, which is a vertically mounted conveyor belt that passes from floor-to-floor of the facility, between the 4th and 5th floor – the cause of the fall wasn’t immediately clear – he worked for the mill for less than a year)

MINE FATALITIES 6 Workers Found Dead Inside Mexico Coal Mine (emergency crews located the bodies of six workers who were trapped underground in a coal mine collapse – one miner was rescued alive earlier after the accident at site near another coal mine where seven miners died in an explosion last week)

FATAL FALL from DRILL RIG Oilfield Worker Killed in Drilling Accident in Reagan County (an oilfield worker, 21, was killed in a drilling accident when fell from a rig and died once he arrived at the hospital)

MINE FATALITY Worker killed in accident at W.Va. mine (a worker, 43, at a coal mine has died following an accident – the victim was pinned by mining equipment and suffered crushing injuries – it marked the second fatality at the mine in two years)

CARBON MONOXIDE Three Hurt In Henrico Carbon Monoxide Scare (three people were taken to the hospital after a carbon monoxide incident just before 12:30 p.m. – some workers began feeling ill – a worker was operating a gas or propane-powered forklift inside the building, causing a build-up of carbon monoxide – three victim were taken to the hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening)

WOOD CHIPPER GUARDING Worker nearly swallowed by machine at mill (a man was nearly crushed while at work in one of the timber mills when his clothing got caught by the sucking machine – the machine tore his clothing to shreds as he fought for it not to swallow him when it chipped the logs – he was injured in the legs as he also leaned against the huge metal)

DUST EXPLOSION 2 injured in explosion at CHS elevator in SW Minn. (two people have been injured in an explosion at a grain elevator – it happened in equipment that loads and unloads trucks and rail cars – one employee suffered minor burns, while a non-employee truck driver was also injured – both were sent to a Medical Center for evaluation and treatment – there was no fire and all employees are accounted for)

UPDATE on FATAL EXPLOSION Verso Paper closes fire-damaged mill, cutting 260 jobs (company won’t reopen the paper mill that was heavily damaged by a Memorial Day explosion and fire, putting nearly 260 people out of work – the Memphis-based company said it based its decision on the length of time it would take to rebuild and on market challenges – nearly 260 people worked at the Sartell plant before the explosion and fire killed one worker, injured four and idled the plant)

REFINERY FIRE Fire and possible explosion at refinery (a fire broke out at a refinery – neighbors say they heard a loud explosion then saw a large ball of flames – refinery has its own fire fighters but the city Fire Department was on standby – no word what caused the fire and no injuries were immediately reported)

REFINERY FIRE Fire At Chevron Refinery, Shelter-in-Place Warning (a fire at a refinery spewed a huge plume visible and prompted shelter-in-place warnings – no refinery workers were injured – flames were seen shooting out of at least two towers at the refinery – the fire erupted in the 4 crude unit – officials have issued a level-3 community warning, meaning that the fire can cause eye, skin, nose or respiratory irritation)

DUST EXPLOSION 3 hurt in fire at Fairmont soybean plant (three people suffered injuries in a dust explosion and fire at a soybean processing plant – an employee was treated for minor burns, and two firefighters trying to put out the resulting flames received minor injuries as well, one with steam burns, the other from heat exhaustion – the extent of the damage was not immediately clear – crews had to tear off equipment and parts of the building while they chased the blaze through the facility – crews were worried about the fire spreading into the extraction portion of the facility, which contains explosive hexane gas)

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE EXPLOSION Chemical plant heavily damaged in explosion (a hydrogen peroxide chemical plant explosion caused an estimated US$ 2.5 million in damages – the plant exploded after chemicals leaked from an oxidation tower of the main unit, triggering a fire – five factory workers and one fire brigade member sustained injuries)

AMMONIA Firefighters find ammonia leak at Exeter plant (firefighters found a small amount of ammonia leaking while responding to a hazardous materials call at a poultry plant – the leak was found coming from a mechanical fitting inside the building – it was contained inside a building – it was not clear whether the plant is operating and who owns it)

CHLORINE Chlorine leak at Hillen Road water filtration plant (a chlorine leak at a Filtration Plant No. 2 sent two workers to the hospital around 9:30 a.m. – two workers who were exposed to the chemical were taken to local hospitals – approximately 15-to-20 people working in the plant at the time were evacuated – firefighters and HAZMAT workers capped the leak, which appeared to be caused by a faulty cap on one of the plant’s out-of-service filtration cylinders)

CONSTRUCTION

2 killed, 1 injured in construction site accident (3 workers died at a construction site around 9 am – a cement crew was working on a retainer wall when officials say it suddenly collapsed killing two construction workers, 60 and 68, and injuring one with a broken pelvis – took a little over 3 hours to remove the bodies from the scene – the retaining wall was 15 ft. tall, 40 ft. long, 1 ft. thick)

WORKZONE FATALITY Construction worker killed on highway near Topeka (a man, 22, working on a highway improvement project died after he was hit by a car – he died on impact – the accident occurred under an interstate bridge – the cause of the collision is still under investigation)

FATAL FALL from LADDER Worker who fell from ladder at Kimbell Art Museum dies (a construction worker, 62, who was critically injured when he fell from a ladder has died – he died a few hours after the accident – he died from a closed head injury and his death was ruled an accident – he fell about 15 feet from a ladder at a museum construction site, suffered a head injury and was rendered unconscious)

WORKZONE FATALITY 2 NCDOT workers killed (two state DOT workers, 56 and 60, who were killed when a vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a construction site – the accident happened about 2 p.m. as a crew of five worked on the northbound shoulder – it is unknown why the vehicle, which was headed north, traveled off the road and onto the shoulder – the vehicle struck the two workers and their dump truck)

FINGER AMPUTATION with CIRCULAR SAW Man Cuts Off Finger in Construction Accident (a worker, 25 cut off his finger in a construction accident – he was using a circular saw on the first floor of the home, where he was cutting some strapping when the saw severed his left index finger)

COLLAPSE Worker hurt in Shenton construction accident (one worker was injured in a construction-site accident – a 20m by 30m portion of a partially demolished multi-storey carpark collapsed during the demolition process at 4.40pm – the worker is in his 50s and suffered chest injuries – eighteen other workers in the area were unhurt)

WORKZONE FATALITY Police ID VDOT worker killed in traffic accident (a Virginia DOT worker, 47, died in a collision between a backhoe and a tractor-trailer – he was pronounced dead at a hospital – the backhoe’s warning lights were working – investigation is continuing)

FATAL FALL while ATTACHING ANCHOR Ismael Celestino Lopez-Rojas of Frederick, Md. Killed After Falling From Roof In Hanover (worker, 32, died during an industrial accident – he had climbed onto the roof of a three-story condo building to secure a safety-anchor when he apparently lost his footing and fell off of the roof – he was declared dead at the scene)

FATAL COLLAPSE Nine workers killed as part of stadium collapses (at least nine people were killed and three others injured when a portion of an indoor stadium under construction collapsed – three have been injured in the building collapse – around 20 laborers were working at the construction site when a portion of the stadium collapsed)

EXPLOSION 3 workers hurt in explosion at closed Colo. school (two construction workers and a school district employee were injured when an explosion caused a roof to partially collapse at a middle school – preliminary information indicates that the explosion happened as a plumbing contractor was lighting a hot water heater in the mechanical room above the Middle School gymnasium – witnesses told investigators it was the first time the natural gas had been turned on following renovations at the school – the victims suffered fall- and burn-related injuries – one was listed in critical condition, one was listed in serious condition, and the third was treated at a hospital and released)

CRANE Crane falls on worker at Blackfoot construction site (a crane fell and crushed a worker, 35, – the man was trying to take the crane apart in the parking lot to load it on a flatbed at about 9:15 a.m. – there were no eyewitnesses, but workers said they heard a crash and found the man crushed underneath the crane – emergency workers were able to lift the boom and remove the victim – he was transported by Life Flight to a Medical Center)

FORKLIFT Forklift accident sends man to hospital (a forklift tipped over and landed on a worker, 34 – upon arrival the forklift was on its side and had a male subject pinned underneath the extended portion of the boom – initial investigation showed that a four tire telescopic forklift was lifting rafters to the top of the house – the weight of the rafters and the angle of the forklift caused the forklift to overturn – the boom portion came crashing through the new construction house and landed on the worker’s leg, pinning him to the floor of the home)

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Wis. supervisor killed during meeting with worker (a plant supervisor, 58, was gunned down while meeting with a disgruntled employee who then killed himself – he was shot multiple times about 6 p.m. and was pronounced dead at a hospital – the shooter, 23, was found inside the plant with a gunshot wound to the head – a handgun was recovered at the scene)

MISCELLANEOUS

N.J. labor officials probe death of Bergen County worker after accident (state labor officials are investigating the death of a seasonal employee, 23, who died as the results of injuries sustained while working around 5 p.m. – the victim was taken to a Hospital where he died the following day while undergoing surgery – he was a part-time employee who had worked for the county for the last four or five years)

CRUSHED by FRONT-END LOADER in BAY Man crushed to death at Garden Grove Supplies, Golden Grove Road (a worker, 54, was crushed to death inside a concrete loading bay -he was pinned to a wall by a front-end loader at a garden supply business about 9am – he was using a shovel to empty a bay of garden products when the accident happened – the man died at the scene – he had worked at the business for about eight years)

ELECTROCUTION Authorities ID worker electrocuted on ETX college campus (a contract worker, 41, died from injuries he sustained from being electrocuted – he was cutting a tree that had been struck by lightning, that was in the process of being removed when he was electrocuted – he was in a scissor lift with a bucket, cutting the tree with an extension saw, when he hit the electrical lines while up in the tree)

TIRE CHANGING FATALITY

PESTICIDE 10 Workers Burned By Chemical Pesticide (at approximately 7:05 a.m. workers were sprayed with a pesticide spray- a total of ten people had been sprayed – all of the patients were complaining of eye irritation symptoms – ambulance crew treated the workers and they were released back to work operations – the workers were affected by a wind drift of Metam Sodium that was applied to a potato field – the product applied to the field only caused a mild irritation and posed no further threat)