48 incidents & 0 updates (11/2/14)

2014 Fatality Tracker

INDUSTRIAL

LOTO/GUARDING Contract worker injured at Tyson plant (a cleaning contractor was hospitalized with critical injuries after his hand was caught in a chain – emergency crews spent almost 30 minutes to extract the man)

Hutchinson Man Dies In Industrial Accident (worker, 29, was killed in an industrial accident at a recycling company after being struck by a piece of machinery – he was struck by machinery used to load metal into train cars)

Accident leaves one injured at PlayPower (worker, in his 20s, had been stationed at a pipe-bending press and had been moved by the time firemen arrived – firefighters wrapped the man’s arm, which apparently had gotten caught in the press, and assisted in the transport – the injured man was hired through a temporary employment agency)

FATAL HOTWORK EXPLOSION Fuel tank explosion leaves one dead, another injured (worker, 52, is dead and another suffered minor injuries after a fuel tank exploded at a business – the explosion occurred around 10:30 a.m. – witnesses at the scene say the employee was welding near the fuel tank at the time of the explosion)

FORKLIFT Fork lift driver crushed by machinery at Willenhall engineering firm (worker is in hospital after his legs were crushed under a piece of machinery – he was airlifted to a Hospital – he was treated for multiple fractures to his left leg)

TRACK MAINTENANCE FATALITY NY Amtrak worker killed by train is identified (worker, 41, died after being struck by a passenger train while working on a section of track – she was killed around 11 a.m. – National Transportation Safety Board said she was hit by Train No. 280 heading south to New York City from Niagara Falls)

Sanitation worker in Harrison struck by hit-and-run driver (a sanitation worker was struck by a hit-and-run driver – he was rushed to a Hospital after he was struck – he was sliding garbage bags across the street around 4:30 a.m. when he was struck by a 4-door vehicle – his condition could not be immediately updated)

LOADING DOCK FATALITY Worker Killed in Dairy Plant Truck Accident (worker, 54, was killed when a tractor-trailer ran over him at the loading dock of a dairy plant at about 9:40 p.m. – he was helping the driver of a semi unload a trailer at the plant – he was standing behind the passenger side of the semi’s cab when the driver pulled forward and crushed him)

ELECTROCUTION Construction worker dies after accidental electrocution in Boalan (a construction worker, 18, died and a companion survived after accidentally electrocuted – he was accidentally electrocuted and died after he fell from a 2-story building however, his companion luckily survived – the victims were at the rooftop of the two-story under construction building to install the insulators – they were inserting the insulators between the roof and the wire lock without sensing the opposite end that was hanging was being flown by the wind accidentally touched the main line – both of them were thrown away by the electric shock but one worker without safety gears was flown outside and fell about 30 meters to the ground)

Man injured in machinery accident in Northampton (a worker at a tire wash company was injured after a large piece of machinery fell on him – the machinery had been removed by the time firefighters arrived shortly after 2 p.m.)

RIG FATALITY Rig worker killed in Colorado (worker, 34, was hit in the back of the head after a fitting “blew off” the rig – he was killed instantly – UPDATE: Here is a copy of the accident report (pdf) filed with Colorado state authorities. It describes in detail what was happening on the rig at the time of the accident)

FATAL EXPLOSION Worker dies of injuries after Sarnia industrial accident (one worker has died of his injuries after an explosion at a business – five out of the eight employees working in the building at the time were injured – one of them was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition, while the others were transported by land ambulance – the worker who was airlifted died of his injuries)

FATAL DUST EXPLOSION Worker injured in Sarnia explosion dies (worker has died of injuries after an explosion in a dust collection system outside a building at an industrial cleaning company – another worker was critically injured – the man who died was one of eight employees at the site during the explosion and one of five injured workers taken for treatment – all five suffered burn-related injuries)

EXPLOSION Distillery explosion blasts man through wall (a vodka distillery explosion believed to have been caused by a propane or ethanol leak blasted a man through a wall and sparked a fire at the facility – the man did not require hospital treatment and firefighters said he was conscious and speaking when they arrived – fire investigators and distillery officials said they planned to watch surveillance footage to determine exactly what caused the blast)

HOTWORK on TANK FIRE Two injured in flash fire at biodiesel producer (two workers were injured in a flash fire atop a tank at a Biodiesel plant at approximately 11:40 a.m. – the workers were doing some welding repairs on top of one of the roughly 50-foot-high tanks when some ethanol inside the tank caught fire)

LINEMAN ELECTROCUTION Contractor electrocuted working in Carbon County (a contract worker, 42, was killed when he came into contact with a high-voltage power line – he was working around noon on a 69,000-volt line)

HOTWORK Pepsi conveyor belt caught fire in Newport News (a welding accident caught a conveyor belt on fire – crews were doing some repair work around 10:15 a.m. when the belt caught aflame – the fire was contained to the piece of machinery and the portion of the belt burning – no injuries were reported)

CHEMICAL Chemical leak in Riverside sends 11 people to hospital (nearly a dozen people, including fire and police officials, were hospitalized after they were exposed to an unknown chemical leaking from a tank – the leak prompted authorities to shut down the surrounding neighborhood of 130 homes and order residents to shelter in place – three police officers and a firefighter were among those taken to hospitals for observation – seven residents drove themselves to hospitals – a chemical odor was reported at 6:16 a.m. to be emanating from a 5-foot-tall welding tank in a resident’s backyard – crews were able to stop the leak, but the neighborhood remained closed off)

HOTWORK Cutting torch sparks fire in vacant building near Sioux Gateway Airport (a fire inside an empty building was caused by a cutting torch construction workers were using on the already damaged building – the fire was reported just after 2 p.m. and was quickly extinguished – no injuries were reported – workers were removing some of the sections of roof that had fallen in about six weeks ago during the heavy storms)

COOLING TOWER FIRE Large fire contained at Harper Co. plant (a cooling tower started a large fire that broke out at a refinery – an area was cleared in about a mile radius until the fire was out – plant is expected to re-open in a couple of days)

EXPLOSION Explosion at local fertilizer plant (it started when the fertilizer was being moved from storage – there were people in the overhead building, when the explosion happened, damaging the top of the tower – while the cause of the explosion is still unknown – fire is still under investigation)

EXPLOSION (Dust???) Explosion damages Yorkton canola crushing plant (an explosion and fire at a canola crushing plant destroyed part of the meal storage area – Town mayor has suggested grain dust ignited – the plant will remain closed until the cause is determined and the length of shut down assessed – the load-out area was also affected)

AMMONIA Injuries after ammonia leak at PoCo Lilydale plant (an ammonia leak has forced the plant to close – two people have been taken to hospital – the injuries are minor – one was having difficulty breathing, the other one has got some minor irritation and small chemical burns – a broken ammonia line was leaking hazardous ammonia into the building)

LOTO FATALITY Man dies after accident at Claude Howard Lumber (employee, 32, died after an apparent accident while working at the sawmill – he had crawled onto a piece of equipment to clear a jam on it when he was killed – he had been an employee for nearly four years and was killed “when he became trapped under the bander machine which he normally operated” – he was taken by EMS to a Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead)

CONSTRUCTION

HARD HAT SAVES A LIFE!   Construction worker injured in accident on Brickell (construction worker, 25, is recovering in the hospital after a rebar wall fell on top of his head at 7 a.m. on the 29th floor of a construction site – investigators said the rebar wall fell on his head, but the helmet he was wearing protected him – Miami Fire Rescue Capt. said the helmet saved the construction worker’s life. “Had he not had his helmet on, he could’ve had more serious injuries or this even could’ve been more fatal”)

WORKZONE FATALITY Dump truck strikes, kills construction worker near Lewes (an accident at a construction site left a worker dead – a preliminary investigation indicates the man was standing outside of his vehicle when he was struck by a dump truck)

AERIAL LIFT Two injured in 15-25 foot construction fall (two men are in the hospital after a fall from a construction lift around 3 p.m. – the two men were in the basket of the lift moving it forward when a tire slipped on a piece of plastic – the lift then tipped over with the two men inside – officials estimate the fall was between 15-25 feet – both men were taken to the hospital – they are expected to survive, but their exact conditions are not available)

One worker killed, 3 injured when facade falls from building (a construction worker died and three others were hurt when bricks from a building façade fell on them – the building is barricaded and its owner is facing citations for having work performed by unlicensed contractors without permits)

TRENCH FATALITY Construction Worker Killed (a worker, 34, was killed in a construction accident – he was working on a water line in a trench when the bucket from a track hoe fell off and the teeth impaled him – he later died – another man became trapped, but rescuers were able to save him)

FATAL FALL Construction worker in Adana dies after falling from elevator (construction worker, 50, has died after falling from an elevator at a construction site – he was working at a construction site when he reportedly lost his balance while in the elevator and fell onto a pile of bricks on the ground floor of the construction site)

TRENCH FATALITY Construction Worker Killed When Trench Collapses In Grosse Pointe Woods (construction worker, 50, was killed and a police officer was hurt when a trench collapsed around noon while the man was working as part of a small crew digging a sewer line for a new home – he was trapped when the trench caved in, initially burying him up to his neck – officers were able to get into the hole and start hand digging to the point where we were able to free his head and partial chest area and get oxygen to him – that’s when the trench caved in again – as a result of the secondary collapse the gentleman was completely buried – one officer sustained spinal and leg and injuries while he was working with the department’s police chief to try to dig the man out – he was taken to a local hospital – the construction worker died before rescuers were able to free him – it was estimated he was buried 15 to 20 feet down – it appears there was no protection in the trench in the event of a collapse)

ELECTROCUTION in AERIAL LIFT Worker electrocuted while changing light bulb in Tolleson (worker was electrocuted while changing the bulb on a light pole – a man had been electrocuted when the bucket he was in touched a power line – somehow the boom came in contact with the electrical wires – firefighters cut the power before bringing the man down)

BACKHOE FATALITY Worker killed in construction accident in Phoenix (construction worker is dead after he got caught and crushed in a piece of equipment – the victim was operating a backhoe, and somehow got caught in the arm that controls the scoop of the backhoe – when his coworkers went to go look for the man, they found him tangled-up in the hydraulic arms – his crew members freed him from the equipment, and performed CPR on him – but the victim was not breathing, and was pronounced dead at the scene)

FORKLIFT 3-Ton Beam Falls On Wichita Construction Worker (construction worker, 25, is hospitalized in serious condition after a 3-ton steel beam fell on him at an Airport – he was alert and responsive when emergency crews arrived shortly after 8 a.m. – co-workers quickly removed the 48-foot-long girder off the man with a forklift – he was taken to a Hospital)

WORKZONE FATALITY OSHA to investigate Verrazano-Narrows Bridge accident that killed construction worker (construction worker, 61, died of his injuries following an early-morning accident at the span – accident took place at about 2:34 a.m. – worker was working in a closed construction zone adjacent to the bridge’s administration building when a truck laying asphalt backed into him and crushed him)

WORKZONE FATALITY S.C. Construction Worker Killed in Hit and Run on Highway 170 (crews were re-paving Highway 170 around 2:00 a.m., when a car crashed into the crew and killed a worker, 53, – the two-door Pontiac sedan then left the scene – the suspected driver, 28, was picked up later at a traffic stop – she is being charged with hit and run involving a death, and felony DUI)

AERIAL LIFT 2 construction workers hurt in fall from Cedar Falls, Iowa, work-site lift (two construction workers are in the hospital after being hurt in a fall from a lift – the men’s injuries were not considered life-threatening – the two men were working on the building’s ceiling when the lift they were on hit a drain, causing it to tip over – the men fell about 12 feet)

FALL from SCAFFOLDING Worker injured in incident at future site of Embassy Suites downtown (a contract worker was injured and transported with trauma injuries – the man fell from scaffolding inside)

ROOFING FLASH FIRE 3 roofers burned in flash fire in Lynden, Wash. (a roofing torch ignited glue fumes, creating a fireball that left three roofers with first- and second-degree burns – the four men, aged 20 to about 50, were working on a new roof that had been covered in plastic for rain protection – some moisture had gotten through and the men were using a roofing torch to dry the area when the flame ignited some trapped fumes – two workers jumped about 14 feet to the concrete below – they were taken to a hospital – it’s not clear how the third worker reached the ground but he was taken to a hospital in an advanced life support ambulance – all three men were burned but their injuries aren’t thought to be life-threatening – a fourth man declined to go to a hospital)

EXCAVATION Excavation worker killed in Ludwigshafen gas pipe explosion (a gas explosion has killed an excavation worker and injured more than 10 people – several houses have been damaged – gutted parked cars and created a crater 10 meters (33 feet) in diameter and 5 to 6 meters deep – workers had attempted to dig down to a buried line near apartment blocks at the time)

EXCAVATION One hurt after gas explosion in Dubois Co. (one person is hurt after a gas explosion – crews were working on a gas line – a backhoe that was digging a trench hit the line causing the explosion – one worker was in the trench and he was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries – the damaged backhoe is a total loss)

ARC FLASH Construction worker injured by flash fire at Hall Co. site (construction worker was injured in an arc flash – worker apparently was working on a utility box when the flash fire occurred at 7:49 a.m. – he was taken by air ambulance to a Burn Center)

FATAL FALL from SCAFFOLDING Police say 2 painters killed after scaffolding collapses at southwest Ohio water tower (two men were killed in an accident while painting a water tower – the men fell some 100 feet after their scaffolding failed – one man was dead at the scene, while the second was pronounced dead as efforts were made to get him to a hospital via Air Care helicopter)

MISCELLANEOUS

FATAL FALL from CRUISE SHIP Crew Member Dies in Life Boat Accident on the Coral Princess (a crew member was killed in a tragic accident involving a lifeboat while the cruise ship was docked – two crew members were in a lifeboat doing maintenance work on the hull of the ship when a cable snapped dropping the boat into the water – both of the workers were sent to a local hospital for treatment but one of the men died from injuries)

ARC FLASH 4 Workers Burned While Doing FASTRACK Work at Union Square (four workers were taken to the hospital after being burned while doing FASTRACK work on the rails at the Union Square subway station – employees were working on the southbound express tracks along the line that carries No. 4, 5 and 6 trains at about 3:30 a.m. when they were burned – they were working on the electrified third rail cable when the cable came into contact with the rail, causing an electrical explosion – one worker has serious burns on his face and hands but is expected to survive – the other three workers had minor injuries to their faces and arms – all four workers were taken to a burn unit)

WOOD CHIPPER AMPUTATION DOT worker’s fingertips amputated in Durham woodchipper accident (Department of Transportation worker clearing trees lost two fingertips in a woodchipper accident at about 11:30 a.m. – his fingers became caught in the mechanism used to guide brush into the woodchipper – the tips of two of his fingers were amputated)

What’s New @ SAFTENG.net

PSM Training @ Local ASSE Chapter

2014 Photo of the Week #43 (Machine Guarding)

OSHRC affirms PRCS citations (Preventing Unauthorized entry and Rescue)

2014 Video of the Week #43 (Culture – “Walk on by”)

OSHA PSM citations @ aerosol paint and coatings manufacturer (Flammables & $132,800)