50 incidents & 1 update (6/15/15)

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2015 Fatality Tracker

INDUSTRIAL

LOTO FATALITY Worker crushed to death in cardboard-compactor accident, police say (worker, 43, was killed in a cardboard-compactor accident at a recycling company – worker tried to clear a jam in a massive cardboard compactor and bundling machine – the cardboard compactor, which was running when the man was found, is at least 12 feet tall)

LANDFILL STRUCK BY FATALITY Worker dies after accident at Waynesburg-area landfill (worker, 24, was injured at a landfill for construction and demolition debris and was pronounced dead an hour later at a Medical Center – initial investigation it appears the worker was struck by a vehicle and pinned between two trucks)

UPDATE Great Dane worker injured in plant accident dies (worker, 23, injured at the plant has died)

CONFINED SPACE FATALITY – TOXIC Sewage worker killed after being overcome by fumes while working 20ft below ground (two men were working for a drainage and cleaning company when the accident happened – one of the people got into difficulties in the sewer and collapsed into the pit – an attempt was made to assist him by one of his colleagues who also got into difficulties – three members of the Fire Brigade were treated following the rescue efforts, two as a precaution for noxious gases and one who suffered a minor injury in the operation)

ELECTRICAL Hawaiian Electric worker injured in Aiea electrical accident (worker, 30, was hospitalized after being injured in an electrical accident around 10 a.m. – the man was performing routine maintenance when it happened – he was taken to an area hospital with reportedly minor injuries and is expected to be released later that day)

PORT ACCIDENT Ports worker suffers serious injuries in early morning accident (Ports Authority has confirmed that an employee was seriously injured in an early morning single-vehicle accident in which a worker sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries – employee was transported to a local hospital where he is undergoing emergency care)

PAPER MILL FATALITY Chattanooga man killed in accident at paper mill in Calhoun TN (a contractor injured at a paper mill has died – an investigation is ongoing to determine what caused the accident at the Kraft Mill Plant that led to the worker’s death)

CRANE FATALITY Valpak worker seriously injured in crane accident (a crane accident at a manufacturing center left a maintenance employee, 35, seriously injured late last month – the worker was trapped beneath a crane outrigger shortly after 2 a.m. – fire department report indicates the man was under the crane “for a minute or two” and that the part on top of him weighed a “couple hundred pounds”)

PIPE ACCIDENT Worker’s leg crushed in steel plant accident (worker at a steel plant was injured overnight when his leg was crushed under a piece of pipe – worker was taken to a hospital)

STRUCK by FORKLIFT OSHA investigates after accident injures MillerCoors contractor (a contractor employee using his own forklift equipment sustained an injury and was transported to a local hospital – accident occurred around 9 a.m. between the power house and keg storage area and occurred after a driver of a powered industrial vehicle was unloading materials from a flatbed and backed into the injured party who was adjusting unloaded materials and had his back to the truck)

PRESSURE WASHER Resolute Forest Products workplace accident under investigation (mill worker injured by pressure washer – worker in critical condition after incident – worker who was using a pressure washer slipped and was hit with the device and suffered lacerations and was sent to hospital)

Chinese tug fire kills two, injures one (two workers died while another was injured when a fire broke out on a tug under construction – three of the workers were trapped in the fire, while the others managed to escape – one died during the fire, while another died at the hospital – third worker is currently receiving treatment – cause of the accident is currently under investigation – this is the second fatal incident at the yard in the past six months)

LINEMAN ARC FLASH Update: MMU worker injured, transported to Columbia hospital (a journeyman lineman was air lifted to a hospital after he suffered what is known as a arc-flash on the job shortly after 11 a.m. – he had been on a utility pole where the company was switching out circuits – the line he was working on was not live; however there are multiple lines in that area)

FLASH FIRE @ WELL Gas well explosion injures worker (explosion at a gas well sent one worker to a Medical Center with burns on his hands and face – burns were not critical – second worker was not injured – firefighters were dispatched on reports of a possible flash fire in a 300-barrel storage tank – cause of the fire is under investigation)

FATAL EXPLOSION Three fireman missing and one worker dead after 12 petrol tanks burst into flames (three firemen are missing and one worker has died after a dozen petrol tanks burst into flames causing a giant explosion – at least five other workers were injured in the blaze – nearby villagers have been evacuated after fears the flames could spread to another fuel depot close by – unsure on the exact cause, but claim it may have been due to a technical fault in one of the tanks)

CRUSHED Man crushed by concrete slab (worker, 25, was crushed by a slab of concrete at a stone factory and is in hospital with two broken wrists and a bit of bruising – too early to say what may have caused the accident)

AMMONIA Ammonia leak sends 3 to hospital in Nanaimo (ammonia leak at a Park Recreation Centre sent three employees to hospital and forced the evacuation of the centre – at least one worker required oxygen at the scene – ammonia is used to chlorinate the rec centre pool – the leak could be connected to the installation of a new valve)

FATAL FALL into SILO Fire officials say worker who fell into silo on Far South Side has died (worker died after falling into a silo filled with toxic material at about 12:30 p.m. – he was working above the silo when he fell in the silo filled with cadmium and lead, among other materials – firefighters used access panels to get the man out, and he was taken to a Hospital, where he was pronounced dead)

HOTWORK FIRE Fire causes extensive damage to Imperial business (four employees of the company had safely gotten out of the building – investigation revealed that a worker had accidentally dropped a torch near some chemical soaked rags – the fire quickly spread – workers tried to use a fire extinguisher on the fire but were driven back – no one was injured)

PSSR and MI QA FAILURES Sinclair lawsuit blames 2013 refinery fire on faulty valve (lawsuit filed by the owner of a refinery alleges six companies played roles in the installation of a valve that failed, causing a fire and $135 million damage to the plant – nobody was hurt in the fire on Sept. 27, 2013, at the refinery – in the lawsuit the refiner alleges the cause was a hydrogen gas control valve that failed in the refinery’s hydrotreater – two carbon steel control valves were installed in the hydrotreater before installation of the device was completed in 2006 – two stainless steel control valves the refinery had provided for use in the device were not installed – one of the carbon steel valves eventually failed amid exposure to hydrogen)

POWER PLANT FATALITIES Three die in Himachal hydro plant accident (three persons died at a power project when a valve at the plant burst all of a sudden around 8.15 pm – the worker were killed while they were fixing the new turbine – as many as 25 workers were working in the 2-MW project at that time – the bursting of the main inlet valve, which controls the water supply to the turbine, led to the death of the engineers – they were crushed under the turbine)

EXPLOSION 5 injured in explosion at San Diego-area business part, industrial accident suspected (five people were injured in a blast at a manufacturing plant – four people were hospitalized but none of the injuries are considered life-threatening – the blast shattered windows, punched large holes through walls, and littered the parking lot with debris – company makes and tests flywheel devices that use centrifugal force to store electrical energy – business park where the plant is located has been evacuated)

CYANIDE FATALITY Ineos Nitriles worker dies from cyanide exposure (contractor, 21, was pronounced dead at 5:34 a.m. at a Medical Center after he was exposed to cyanide)

FIRE Explosions, fire rock chemical plant near Harrisburg (officials say smoke from a fire at a fertilizer plant is not considered toxic, but that they’re continuing to monitor air quality – fire started around 3:30 a.m. and continued to smolder as of 10 a.m. – firefighters were letting the fire burn out)

NITROGEN LINE FAILS Nitrogen line failure blows out crater at North Charleston Boeing plant (nitrogen line ruptured leaving a crater in the ground about 6:30 a.m. – an underground nitrogen line had failed – no confirmed injuries – photos tweeted from the scene showed a crater big enough to drive a car into where the line had ruptured)

FATAL EXPLOSION 1 dead in explosion at Neosho recycling plant (explosion at a recycling facility killed one person and injured another – there was minimal damage to the building where military shell casings are recycled – the injured employee is expected to recover)

BATTERY EXPLOSION Reported explosion at Raynham battery plant (a battery reportedly exploded inside a battery plant – building was evacuated and the sprinkler system was set off inside – inside the facility, where testing is done, firefighters reported seeing windows and a door blown out from the blast – no injuries were reported in the explosion)

CONSTRUCTION

CRANE FATALITY Worker Killed In Penn State Construction Site Crane Accident (construction worker, 29, was killed in a crane accident at approximately 6:45 p.m. – he was breaking down a crane to move it when another worker reportedly removed a pin – the crane swung and struck the worker – he was taken to a Medical Center where he was pronounced dead)

SAW KICK-BACK FATALITY Construction worker fatally cut in neck at Collegiate school (construction worker was killed on the job when a saw fatally cut him – he was doing masonry work near the roof placing a joint on the roofing and his saw misfired, according to witnesses on scene – two of his fellow employees attempted CPR but he died on scene)

AERIAL LIFT FATALITY Worker killed in accident at Frankfort National Guard facility (worker died following an accident at the National Guard Center around 11:45 a.m. when a snorkel boom collapsed killing the civilian contractor and injuring a second person – injured were airlifted to a Medical Center)

TRENCH FATALITY Men trapped in trench are both freed, 1 recovering, 1 dead (worker were working on a sewer pipe when the trench collapsed – first respondents worked for over four hours to free the men from the trench – the men were trapped under 8 feet of dirt and concrete)

ELEVATOR FATALITY Worker killed in Somerville construction accident ID’d as NH man (worker, 40, died when temporary hoist fell off a building – cause of the accident isn’t known – worker who was injured was reported to be in serious but stable condition – workers were installing external hoists on the building when a hoist cab fell away from the building)

ELEVATOR FATALITY Construction Worker Killed At Baylor University Building Site Identified (construction worker, 51, died when an elevator apparently fell on him – he was an independent electrician – when EMS personnel arrived they determined the man was dead – no one else was injured in the accident)

WORKZONE FATALITY Construction worker fatally injured by dump truck on Interstate 91 in Holyoke, state police say (construction worker, hit by a dump truck in a work zone in Interstate 91 was fatally injured – accident occurred about 3 a.m.)

WORKZONE Worker injured in Northway construction accident (One worker is in serious condition at a Medical Center after being struck by a piece of equipment near the ongoing construction at Exit 4 – no other details)

FALL from PLATFORM w/ IMPALEMENT Worker Recovering After Impaling Accident In Milpitas (construction worker, 27, was injured in a fall while walking on a platform catwalk and was impaled by a fence post shortly before 4:30 p.m. – construction crews were apparently working on a water tank – fire crews arrived to find the man had already been removed from the fence – he suffered internal injuries and underwent surgery for nine hours)

FALL from LADDER Construction Worker Injured in Wall Demo in Wilm. (construction worker, 31, is in serious but stable condition after an accident just before 1 p.m. – when crews arrived they found worker who had been working on the demolition of a brick wall – part of the wall collapsed during the demolition and knocked the worker off a ladder – he was treated at the scene for lower back pain and a possible pelvic fracture)

WORKZONE FATALITY Deadly Accident on Interstate I-75 Late Tuesday Night (truck was heading south on I-75, loaded with asphalt millings – in a left-hand lane that was closed due to construction, worker, 42, was crossing the road at a 45-degree angle, with his back toward oncoming traffic – the truck was negotiating a left-hand curve on a downhill grade, and hit the brakes to avoid the worker – truck’s driver steered to the left toward a barrier wall to avoid hitting the man – but he did end up hitting the worker with the right-hand front portion of his truck – the collision pushed the worker into the right-hand traffic lane on the ground where another vehicle, not identified, then ran over the worker – that vehicle did not stop and the worker died from his injuries)

FALL from ROOF Construction worker falls from roof at JMS (a roofer, 20, fell off a Middle School roof and sustained minor injuries at 7:53 a.m. – he was transported to a Hospital and was treated for non-life threatening injuries and then released – he fell through one of the openings and fell about 12 feet – “he did not see the three-by-four foot opening, and he was not paying attention and fell through the hole, Volbert said”. )

PFAS SAVES ANOTHER LIFE! Worker OK after fall from Whittier Bridge (a safety harness is being credited for saving the life of a worker who fell roughly eight feet off a bridge currently under construction – iron worker fell off the bridge during precast concrete panel installation – workers then extracted the iron worker from his hanging position by basket – worker was examined by an ambulance crew and transported to a Hospital for evaluation)

HOTWORK FIRE Officials: Worker was using plumbing torch before house caught fire (worker was using a plumbing torch before a fire that did $20,000 damage to a house that was being renovated – firefighters arrived to find flames spreading up a wall and into the attic – worker had been using a plumbing torch to work on pipes in the wall before the fire started – it appeared the worker tried to put out the fire with water – no injuries were reported)

CRUSHING FATALITY Worker crushed to death by falling pane of glass on roof of Paddington office block (construction worker, 51, was crushed to death by a falling pane of glass at an office block undergoing renovation – he is believed to have been working on the top floor of the 18-story building when the incident happened – witnesses said a large pane of glass which had been hoisted up the side of the tower fell over and crushed the specialist fitter as he worked)

EXCAVATION EXPLOSION Stretch of roadway to be replaced after explosion (worker struck an underground gas pipe while working on a bridge reconstruction project – leaking gas caused an explosion and fire that burned for a couple hours – a portion of the Highway will need to be replaced due to heat damage – the explosion is under investigation – two motorists suffered burns during the blast)

HOTWORK FIRE Roofer’s blowtorch sparked 6-alarm fire in Hamilton Township, fire chief says (a roofer’s blowtorch sparked the multi-alarm fire that destroyed nearly an entire block of homes – fire broke out around 3:45 p.m. and spread quickly, eventually engulfing 20 homes)

CRANE Crane Crashes Into Montpelier Church (crane that was in place to begin removing blocks of granite collapsed across the roof of the 1868 building when a huge pin supporting the crane dislodged – three workers nearest to the crane were not injured – one of the workers was actually on the roof and had to leap to get on to a scaffolding landing where two other workers were)

MISCELLANEOUS

ROLLER COASTER Two injured in amusement park accident in California (two people were injured in a roller coaster accident – a park worker was hit in the head by a rider on the Flight Deck roller coaster – the ride is one where riders’ feet dangle – worker was sent to the hospital with traumatic injuries – rider suffered a hand injury – witnesses said it looked as though a maintenance worker was hit by the ride as he tried to retrieve a cell phone that had fallen below)

FATAL FALL from LADDER Worker dies after fall at Lake Stevens Target (worker, 58, suffered fatal head injuries after falling from a ladder, while she was stocking shelves about 5:15 a.m.)

CONFINED SPACE FATALITY – ENGULFMENT Man killed in silo accident (worker, 26, died in a silo accident at a farm when was trapped inside the silo, which was being filled with fresh silage – his body was recovered about 90 minutes later – a second worker escaped and was taken to a Hospital for treatment)

ELECTROCUTION Hotel Worker Electrocuted (hotel worker, 21, was electrocuted when he went to switch on a motor, came in contact with a live wire and died on the spot)

What’s New @ SAFTENG.net

OSHA memo Evaluating Hazardous Levels of Accumulation Depth for Combustible Dusts (4/21/15)

How could OSHA’s move to EPA’s “1% rule” for mixtures change at facilities handling OSHA PSM HHC mixtures?

What the heck is “partial pressure” and how do I calculate it for my PSM/RMP mixture?

2015 Video of the Week #24 (Electrical Safety @ a safety convention)

2015 Photo of the Week #24 (Hazardous ice and non-hazardous propane)

Does OSHA regulate electrical equipment in areas where flammable liquids are present but are not hazardous locations?

OSHA memo on Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals and Covered Concentrations of Listed Appendix A Chemicals (same as EPA’s 1% Rule)

OSHA memo on RAGAGEP in Process Safety Management Enforcement

Another atmospheric tank over-flow incident with a flammable liquid (CSB)

EO 13650 Actions to Improve Chemical Facility Safety and Security (Working Group Update)

Executive Order 13650 – Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security Webinar Listening Session

2015 Photo of the Week #23 (Aerial Lift… Walking the Plank!)

ASSE 2015 Presentation and PSM Inspection Data (2/27/2014 to 3/30/2015)

A Process Hazards Analysis is NOT an “engineering review” – Part II

Why is 1910.146(j)(4) INVISIBLE in most every PRCS Entry Program/Procedure?

2015 Video of the Week #23 (Ergo, PPE, Tool Handling, and oh yeah SPEECHLESS!)

Odds of Dying 2015 (NSC)

A Process Hazards Analysis is NOT an “engineering review”

OR-OSHA publishes “Oregon OSHA’s guide to controlling hazardous energy”