44 incidents & 0 updates (11/2/11)

2011 Fatality Tracker 

Industrial

FATAL FALL into VAT of untreated sewage Man dead after fall into sewage (a worker, 43, was killed after he fell into a vat of untreated sewage – police received a 911 call at around 6:45 p.m. reporting that a worker had fallen into a vat of untreated sewage – emergency workers pulled the unconscious worker out, but he was pronounced dead at the scene – the workers were working at an apartment complex when his fall happened)

CRANE into POWERLINES 1 hurt in industrial accident Wednesday morning (one person was injured when a crane hit some power lines at a materials facility – one person was transported to a Hospital in critical condition – a second worker was trapped on the crane until power was shut off and he could get off it safely)

MINE FATALITY Employee dies in Stillwater Mine accident (an accident occurred about 1,200 feet below the surface at what’s called the 3800 Level of the mine – few details have been released – fatality was the first fatal accident at the mine in six years)

STEAM ACCIDENT Worker suffers third-degree burns in steam burst at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor (a man, in his 50’s, is in an induced coma at a Medical Center after an industrial accident left him with third-degree burns over 55 percent of his body – the accident occurred when a high-pressure steam hose ruptured at the No. 1 basic oxygen furnace – a salaried foreman who transferred into the plant about six months ago was checking pressure lines that are part of the cooling system when the hose ruptured – at the time of the accident workers were investigating an alert that a steam pressure line had blown – while looking into the situation, a hose ruptured and threw the worker about 200 feet, dousing him with steam)

MINE FATALITY Primero says worker dies at Mexico mine (an employee died at a mine over the weekend during underground mining operations – no details)

FATAL FALL Worker dies falling from scrap ship (a worker, 28, died when he fell from a scrap ship at a ship-breaking yard – he fell from the ship while dissembling it at around 9:30pm – he was rushed to a private clinic where he succumbed to the injuries)

FATAL EXPLOSION Workers still missing after Kan. grain accident (three people remain unaccounted for and two others are hospitalized in critical condition following an explosion at a grain elevator that killed three workers – officials are weighing whether it’s safe to send fire teams into the facility, which sustained significant damage in the explosion – among the missing are one worker from the elevator company and two state grain inspectors – two other victims who were admitted to the burn unit of a Hospital were listed in critical condition – four other people associated with the explosion escaped without injuries)

ARC FLASH Workers hurt in maintenance incident at Seacoast Medical Center (five plant operation employees of a Medical Center were hurt  while a contract worker was servicing an electrical panel – three of the employees were treated and released and two were transferred to a Burn Center – the incident was not in a patient care area)

ELECTROCUTION Electrocution kills six in central Vietnam (six workers died of electrocution as they erected an electric post – the accident happened when the workers were connecting low voltage wires from the transformer station to a dorm at a Sugar Mill – witnesses said the device they used to lift the post they were erecting came into contact with high voltage wiring, transmitting electricity to the workers, and killing them all on the spot – two other workers who were mixing concrete nearby were injured as well)

MANLIFT FATALITY Minn. man killed at Sioux Falls post office (worker, 58, was found at the Post Office by workers at the facility at approximately 8 a.m. – investigation at the scene showed the victim was operating an electric lift when he was pinned between the lift and an object attached to the ceiling of the facility)

MINE FATALITIES Mine where 2 killed had highwall citation in April (a surface coal mine where two workers were killed by falling rock was cited earlier this year over the stability of a highwall – the men were killed when a pile of rock crushed their truck as they drove near a highwall)

STEAM EXPLOSION Laundry Worker Severely Burned In Steam Pipe Rupture (a worker at a commercial laundry plant has received severe burns when a steam pipe exploded in the plant – firefighters arrived to find a worker had received severe burns when a steam pipe ruptured in the plant – the victim was transported to a Medical Center and was conscious and alert when emergency personnel arrived – the pipe rupture was strong enough to blow out a nearby wall – there were reportedly a total of 2 employees and a contractor in the plant at the time of the incident, and all were accounted for – the other people were not injured)

FATAL EXPLOSION Employee killed in blow tank explosion at Terrace Bay Pulp (a worker is dead and two others were injured by an explosion at a Pulp mill – the two injured workers were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries – it appears the explosion was in a blow tank, a large vessel into which the pulp is pumped when it exits the digester – the explosion sent metal and debris flying, and caused black smoke, but firefighters did not encounter any flames)

FUMES FATALITY (Dare to call this a Confined Space fatality) Man dies repairing tire at Elko-area gold mine (a 21-year-old contract worker died at a mining site after he was overcome by fumes while repairing a tire – he was found unconscious in the gold mining company’s truck shop at about 5:45 p.m. – a county deputy pronounced him dead at the scene – he was working inside of the large tire of a hauling truck when he passed out from the fumes of a tire patch)

FLASH FIRE and CO POISIONING City Utilities Workers Poisoned During Flash Fire Released From Hospital (two workers poisoned during a fire at an energy plant have been released from the hospital – the workers were taken to a hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning following the flash fire in coal bunkers at the plant – fire crews found carbon monoxide readings up to 3,000 parts per million when they tested air near the bunkers)

EXPLOSION Explosion in East Moline injures 2 men (an electrical panel at a generating station erupted in a flash fire, causing “significant injuries” to two unidentified men who were working on it – the generators are fueled by an underground supply of methane gas, which is a product of the nearby landfill – firefighters used about two dozen fire extinguishers to contain and ultimately knock down the fires that broke out in various areas of the enclosure – the workers suffered burns to about 20 percent of their bodies)

REFINERY FIRE Fire crews called to blaze at oil refinery (fire crews were called to a refinery after leaking oil caused a fire – hot oil was leaking from a valve and ignited in the atmosphere)

AMMONIA Workers stop ammonia leak at Calif. nuke plant (workers have stopped a non-radioactive ammonia leak at a nuclear plant that prompted a precautionary evacuation of nearby workers – the leak was stopped by 5 p.m., about two hours after it was detected – the leak occurred in a water treatment system – the cause is under investigation)

FORKLIFT FATALITY Huntington Park man dies after forklift fell on him (a worker, 68, was crushed to death when a forklift fell on him)

Construction

NAIL GUN Construction Worker Shot With Nail Gun (a construction worker, in his early 30’s, is recovering after an accident involving a nail gun – he was working at a job site at about 10:30 a.m. when he was shot in the neck with the nail gun – investigators have not said exactly how it happened – the man was talking and walking around after the accident – he was taken by helicopter to a Hospital, where he underwent surgery – his condition has not been released)

MARBLE SLAB UNLOADING FATALITY Man crushed to death by marble slabs (a worker, 30, was crushed to death while unloading marble slabs from a truck – he along with seven other labourers were unloading marble when the slabs being unloaded collapsed and he was buried under them)

TRENCH FATALITY 48 year old worker is crushed to death (the worker was attached to a rental business – the accident occurred around 3pm – he and another worker were constructing a box drain when the wall fell on them – at the time of the incident an excavator was digging a trench – they were pinned underneath – they were then removed and rushed to a Health Facility where one of the workers was pronounced dead on arrival – the other worker was later discharged)

WORKZONE Construction Worker Hit by Truck on E. Battlefield (a construction worker is struck by a vehicle around 3:40 p.m. – the worker was struck by a pickup truck that was pulling a trailer – he was taken to the hospital with minor injuries – the driver simply didn’t see the construction worker, who was part of the median reconstruction project in the area and wearing an orange shirt)

FATAL FALL Worker killed in construction site fall (a man was killed and another seriously injured after falling from scaffolding – the two men were working at a construction site – the height from which they fell was not clear – a worker died at the scene, while a co-worker suffered serious injuries – he has been transferred to a Hospital for treatment)

EXCAVATION Ruptured water line caused by digging accident (a repair crew worked at the scene of a broken water main – the break occurred about 4 a.m. and closed roads during the morning commute – the ruptured water line started when a worker installing a pole nicked the line – the rupture was reported about 4 a.m. – a contractor working for the city government nicked the line with an auger while digging a hole for a new traffic signal pole – the line is buried 6 to 7 feet deep)

FALL from LADDER Worker injured on construction site (a worker, 44, is in the hospital in serious condition after an accident at 11:20 a.m. – he was knocked off his ladder by a steel beam and fell through the house’s unfinished floor to the basement, sustaining serious injuries to his leg and knee, as well as possible internal injuries)

FALL OBJECT FATALITY Construction incident – St Lucia Campus (a construction worker has died following an accident – it is believed that the worker had been hit by a falling object – despite receiving CPR until the arrival of an Ambulance, the worker was unable to be revived)

FALL OBJECT FATALITY Construction worker killed in accident (a worker, 25, succumbed to work-related injuries after a wooden log fell on his head while he was working at a construction site – the worker died within 20 minutes after reaching the hospital)

BUILDING COLLAPSE FATALITY Construction Worker Killed In Bronx Building Collapse (a building collapsed while crews were renovating the first floor when support columns fell – firefighters had to rescue one of the workers who was trapped beneath six feet of rubble – he was taken to a Hospital in serious condition – firefighters found the worker, 51, under six feet of bricks and debris)

WORKZONE & BUCKET TRUCKS Man Hits Utility Truck on NJ Road, Dies (a man died when he struck a utility truck parked on a Turnpike, where workers were repairing downed power lines – the driver, 40, was traveling east at about 3 a.m. when he hit a electrical utitlity truck parked in a work zone – a worker was in a raised bucket attached to the truck, working on a broken power line – a second worker was also in a raised bucket, adjacent to the first utility vehicle – driver sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene – the workers sustained minor injuries, and were taken to a Hospital and were treated for their injuries)

MINE FATALITIES 29 killed in China coal mine gas explosion (a gas explosion rocked a state-owned coal mine killing 29 workers – a total of 35 miners were working in the Coal Mine when the mishap happened around 6 pm – six of the miners had been rescued and admitted to hospital)

WALL COLLAPSE FATALITY Worker killed in Brampton accident (a man working on a building demolition job was killed when a wall collapsed on him – a second man was injured in the accident – a two-storey wall, made up of cinder block, approximately 50 feet in height came tumbling down on the two workers – both were rushed to a nearby hospital where one of the men died – the other man is expected to recover)

CRANE FATALITY Operator dies when crane collapses (a construction worker, 33, died when the tower crane he was operating collapsed on a building site about 9:20am – standing at around 29 floors high, the crane suddenly fell and smashed into several parts on the ground – the operator was in the crane cab at the time – he was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services – no other injuries were reported)

MOBILE SCAFFOLDING 3 Workers Hung After Scaffolding Accident In Rockville (three men were rescued from at least eight stories high, after a scaffolding accident – three men were hanging from harnesses while emergency crews attempted the “high angle rescue” – the accident happened at around 9:40 a.m., when the scaffolding broke away from the workers – the motor that powered the scaffold malfunctioned and the men were stuck between the eighth and ninth floors – no injuries and the three men refused treatment)

MIscellaneouS

LAWNMOWER GUARDING Lawnmower throws rock; Greentown student’s skull fractured (accident sent a fourth-grade student to the hospital – a lawn mower fired a rock that crashed through a classroom window and struck a girl in the forehead, fracturing her skull – the girl was rushed to a Children’s Hospital following the accident, which occurred just after 9 a.m. – she underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and was home that night – the accident occurred while a school employee was mowing a softball field adjacent to the building – the mower, estimated to be about 85 feet away, some how caught a large rock and kicked it toward the building – the rock hit a wall perpendicular to a classroom window, bounced off the wall and crashed through the window – after breaking through the window, the rock flew another 20 feet before hitting the student who was standing near the teacher’s desk – no other students were hurt)

BATTERY EXPLODES O’Hare Worker Hurt in Baggage Incident (an industrial battery exploded as a baggage handler was unloading it from a conveyer belt – the airline worker was taken to a Hospital suffering from minor burns – it was not clear what caused the battery to overheat)

EXPLOSION Man Critically Injured In Butane Tank Explosion (a man was badly burned when a butane tank he was working with exploded – the explosion blew the roof off an unattached garage at a home – the man was sent to the burn center at a Hospital in critical condition)

AMMONIA FATALITY Iowa Farmer Dies From Anhydrous Ammonia Leak (a farmer, 74, has died after anhydrous ammonia leaked from a tank – a hose broke, allowing the fertilizer out of the tank – he was pronounced dead at the scene – his son, 54, was taken to a hospital – a sheriff’s deputy, two paramedics and another rescuer have been treated for exposure)