Electrical Accidents #6
This page was last updated on 05/06/2010
Man hurt in Plas-Pak blast
By FRANCIS McCABE Special to the Bulletin
NORWICH — A worker lay in critical condition Friday after an explosion at Plas-Pak Industries Inc. in the Norwich Industrial Park. An electrical short that occurred when a maintenance worker, Richard Couture, 48, of Thompson tried to change a circuit breaker caused the explosion, Yantic Fire Department Deputy Chief Ray O’Connell said. Couture was electrocuted with 480 volts and suffered serious burns as a result of the explosion, O’Connell said. And according to a Norwich fire official Couture may not have had the proper license to be repairing electrical equipment. Couture was rushed to The William W. Backus Hospital and then transported to the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital for further treatment. “I heard a big bang and then everyone yelled ‘get out of here,'” Claudette Deshamps of Norwich said. Deshamps has worked at Plas-Pak for four years, “It rocked the whole building,” Dr. James Petrelli of the Concentra Medical Center, next to Plas-Pak, said. Petrelli said Couture walked into the medical center after the explosion and Petrelli helped him until emergency services arrived. Couture suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns on his hands and head, Petrelli said. “He walked in under his own power. He was alert and orientated. His hands were badly burned and his hair was singed,” Petrelli said. He said it was clear Couture had been electrocuted. Workers gathered outside the plant and were soon told to go home. Plant officials told them to listen to the radio to see if they would be able to come back to work Monday. Concentra Medical Center also was closed following the explosion. Norwich Fire Marshal Dan Cote said an electrical license is required of employees who do electrical work in an industrial setting. Cote said Couture tried to change a breaker and inadvertently crossed positive and negative wires, which resulted in his electrocution and the explosion. Worker unlicensed “I believe the employee didn’t have that license,” Cote said. Cote said he expects state and federal OSHA authorities to investigate the incident. Karim Gittens, the purchasing manager and safety director of Plas-Pak, said he did not know whether the injured employee had the proper licenses to work on electrical equipment. He also said he did not know when the plant might reopen. “Right now one of our employees is hurt and that is our number one concern. Our best wishes and prayers are with him and his family,” Gittens said. He said private electrical contractors were being contacted to make the necessary repairs to building. O’Connell said the breaker had a charge of 480 volts of electricity. According to O’Connell, the short resulted in an explosion that blew the circuit box across the room and filled the room with heavy smoke. O’Connell said the first firefighters on the scene brought the fire under control, but they called in a second alarm as a precaution. Plas-Pak produces plastic parts and has been operating in Norwich since 1985.
Man electrocuted while repairing U.S. flag
BY DAVID OVALLE
A worker repairing a U.S. flag damaged in last week’s tornado was electrocuted to death Thursday afternoon. The man, in his late 50s, was atop Potamkin’s repair shop at 8301 NW Seventh Avenue, overlooking Interstate 95, when he was struck by more than 7,000 volts of electricity. Police would not identify the man, pending notification of his death to family members. But Florida Power & Light said he was an employee of the Fort Lauderdale-based Frank Harris Display. The man and another worker from the flag company were trying to straighten out the U.S. flag, which had been bent backward during the freak tornado that swept across the area last week, Miami-Dade police said. The metal flag pole, one of about 30 that line the building, was underneath an electric power line. ”Because of the depth of perception, they thought the flag was above the wire,” one investigator said. “But the pole was under the wire.” The man was given CPR on the scene, according to Potamkin worker Andy Cruz, but was pronounced dead at North Shore Medical Center. Harris Display and Potamkin managers declined to comment.
UPDATE Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc. fined $400,000 for health and safety violations
TORONTO, April 1 /CNW/ – Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc., a Concord, Ont.-based residential construction company, was fined $400,000 on March 27, 2003 for two violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the death of a young worker at a townhouse development in Toronto’s east end. On November 23, 1999, a worker was moving a 7.3-metre-high (24-foot) aluminum extension ladder from one townhouse to another when the ladder came in contact with live 13,800-volt overhead power lines. The lowest of the power lines was 6.4 metres (21 feet) off the ground and about 4.9 metres (16 feet) away from the front of the two-storey townhouses. The worker received an electrical shock and died three days later at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. The incident occurred at a townhouse construction project in the 5400-block of Lawrence Avenue East in Scarborough. The townhouses were being developed by Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc., which had subcontracted the eavestrough work to an aluminum company, which, in turn, had subcontracted the work to another aluminum company, which employed the deceased worker. Following a trial, Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc. was found guilty, as a constructor, of: 1. Failing to ensure the ladder was not brought within three metres (9.8 feet) of an energized overhead electrical conductor rated between 750 to 150,000 volts, as required by Section 186(1) of the regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the act; and 2. Failing to ensure the worker was not endangered by electrical shock from overhead electrical conductors and that the conductors located adjacent to the construction project were covered or otherwise made safe for workers. This was contrary to Section 23(1)(c) of the act. Justice of the Peace Stephen Waisberg, of the Ontario Court of Justice at old City Hall in Toronto, fined the company $200,000 on each count. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
Chunnel engineer electrocuted
femail.co.uk – 30th March 2003
An investigation has been launched after an engineer working on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link was apparently electrocuted by overhead power cables. The man, who has not been named, was killed on Friday evening while working on the rail infrastructure for the link a few miles from the tunnel entrance in Folkestone, Kent. A spokesman for the project said a full internal investigation had been launched alongside a separate probe carried out by the Health and Safety Executive. He said the man was working with a small team of contractors who were involved in fitting the new line with railway equipment, including overhead power lines. It is the first death to occur during the construction of the link, the initial section of which is due to open from Gravesend to Folkestone later this year.
Electrical Accident Kills Man
(Shelbyville, Tennessee-AP) – March 28, 2003 — One worker has been killed and another from Pittsburgh critically hurt in an electrical accident in Shelbyville, Tennessee. The name of the person killed hasn’t been released. Witnesses have told the Shelbyville Times-Gazette that a crew was working on a utility pole at a Wendy’s restaurant late yesterday afternoon when it touched a high-voltage line. The crew was from Superior Incorporated in Hermitage, Tennessee. Company President Tim Hill identified the injured worker as Paul Belcastro of Pittsburgh. Belcastro is in critical, but stable condition this afternoon in the burn unit of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. orkers Brandon Cruse of Nashville and Tim Birdsell of Indianapolis were treated at the Bedford County Medical Center and released.
Consumers Energy worker sustains burns
HILLSDALE – A Consumers Energy employee was badly burned Monday when he came into contact with a power line. Roger Lamb of Hillsdale was removing an old power unit in an oil field on Sterling Road when part of the pole fell on him. According to his father, Mr. Lamb suffered severe burns on his left arm and back. A second employee working with Mr. Lamb at the time was able to get him down from the elevated bucket he was in and summon help. Mr. Lamb was taken to Hillsdale Community Health Center and then by air ambulance to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. According to Mr. Lamb’s father, doctors operated on him Tuesday to restore blood flow to his left arm.
SP farm laborer electrocuted when aluminum ladder hits power line
By Peggy Kelly Santa Paula News Published on: March 26, 2003
A Santa Paula farm laborer was electrocuted on Tuesday morning when an aluminum ladder he was using to pick avocados at a hillside orchard fell onto a live electrical power line. Francisco Menchaca, 36, was working in an orchard on Pitch Drive in the Moorpark area when the accident occurred, according to Sr. Deputy Craig Stevens of the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office. Menchaca had been working alone and other workers found his body on the ground shortly before 11 a.m. Menchaca was repositioning the aluminum ladder around some trees on a hillside, which could account for how the 16-foot ladder reached the live electrical power line down from where he was working, noted Stevens. After Menchaca was found he was transported by a medical response helicopter to Los Robles Regional Medical in Thousand Oaks where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Menchaca has family in Mexico that was notified of his death. On Thursday, Sr. Deputy Medical Examiner Mitch Breese confirmed that an autopsy showed the Menchaca had died due to electrocution, “an accident. . .” while working at White Ranch. It is unclear how long Menchaca had lived in Santa Paula and whether he was a day laborer or ranch employee. Investigators from the state Division of Occupational Safety & Health Agency (OSHA) are looking into the death.
Worker electrocuted after hitting power line
Associated Press
Published March 21, 2003 ELEC22
KENOSHA, Wis. — A man was electrocuted and a co-worker was hurt when they hit a buried power line while sinking a well. The 20-year-old Union Grove man was operating equipment for Hoover Well Drilling Co. Inc. when the gear touched the 4,800-volt power line Thursday morning in Trevor, authorities said. His name was not released. A 28-year-old co-worker suffered a shock while trying to help the victim. The co-worker was hospitalized in satisfactory condition late Thursday.
UPDATE OSHA Cites Sea Island Landscaper for Exposing Workers to Electrical Hazards; Agency plans compliance assistance program to prevent electrocutions
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Sea Island Company, Inc., for failure to protect workers from electrical hazards that contributed to a worker’s death. OSHA is proposing a $63,000 penalty. On Sept. 18, the day of the accident, employees were using a truck crane to remove and replace trees located near overhead power lines. The truck’s crane was positioned near the 7,200-volt lines. While lifting one of the trees into place, wire mesh around the roots of the tree came in contact with the power lines, transmitting an electrical current down to a worker who was standing near the base of the crane. The worker was seriously injured by the ensuing electrical shock. He died Oct. 14. The agency issued one willful citation to Sea Island Company, Inc., a grounds-maintenance and land development company, for allowing the crane to be operated near energized overhead power lines without taking any type of protective measures. “If the employer had positioned the crane away from the power lines or had the power company de-energize the nearby lines, this tragedy could have been avoided,” stated John Deifer, OSHA’s Savannah area director. Because electrocutions and shocks are a major cause of accidents in the Southeast, the agency is developing a program to address the hazards, including those associated with overhead power lines. The program will include training, outreach and compliance assistance, as well as strong and fair enforcement when employers expose workers to these dangerous conditions. The company has 15 working days to contest the OSHA citations and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection of the work site was conducted by OSHA’s Savannah area office at 450 Mall Blvd., Suite J; phone: (912) 652-4393. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America’s workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
Construction Worker Electrocuted
Lake Milton Gerry Ricciutti
A North Lima man is dead, following an accident in a highway construction zone. State troopers say 37-year-old Peter DeLucia, Jr. was killed Wednesday morning along Interstate 76 near Lake Milton. Investigators say the victim was part of a construction crew working on a paving project on the interstate. He reportedly was moving concrete barricades with the help of a crane, when the crane came into contact with power lines overhead, electrocuting DeLucia.
Orchard accident kills county avocado picker
By staff reports March 19, 2003
A farm worker from Santa Paula was electrocuted Tuesday morning when an aluminum ladder he was using while picking avocados hit a live electric wire. Francisco Menchaca, 36, was picking fruit on an avocado ranch on Hitch Road in the Moorpark area when the accident occurred, said Craig Stevens, an investigator in the Ventura County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office. “At this point we aren’t sure of the time of death,” Stevens said. “Some of the other workers found his body on the ground, and they didn’t know how long he had been dead.” Menchaca was maneuvering the ladder around some trees on a hillside, which could account for how the ladder reached the wires, Stevens said. The death was determined to be accidental, but an autopsy will be performed today to confirm death by electrocution, Stevens said.
Power line burns Lakeport man while he’s pruning walnut trees
Associated Press
Lakeport – — A Lakeport man was seriously burned when a pruning tower he was working in touched a power line. Officials say Benito Moreno suffered severe burns to his upper body after the accident yesterday. Investigators say Moreno had been trimming walnut trees from a pruning tower lift at a height of about 25 feet when the lift hit a 12,000 volt high-tension line. The electricity set Moreno’s clothes on fire — but he managed to lower himself to the ground and roll around to put out the flames. A co-worker helped extinguish the fire and Moreno was taken by air ambulance to U-C Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Moreno was listed in critical condition with burns to his upper body, face and left arm.
Accident Shuts Down Portion Of Ridge Avenue
Reported by: 9News Web produced by: Liz Foreman Last updated: 3/11/03 11:55:52 AM
There’s a bit of a mess at the intersection of Ridge and Highland in Columbia Township Tuesday afternoon. The boom on a construction truck hit wires overhead Tuesday morning, leaving the power lines hanging only four feet off the ground. The truck is used to transport bricks. The owner’s name was not made available. Police are redirecting traffic in the area and Ridge Avenue is closed heading south at the intersection.
UPDATE Short circuit tied to electrocution death
DAVE SHELTON
SPRING HILL – Investigators found a short circuit that probably caused a 20-year-old man to be electrocuted Thursday.Christopher S. Krivjansky apparently died after touching a metal air line that, because of the short circuit, was carrying 230 volts of electricity. Although the state medical examiner hasn’t yet reported on the cause of death, paramedics said there were burn marks on his hand and shoulder that could indicate electrocution. Krivjansky, an employee of Pasco Preventive Maintenance, and another man had finished working on an air compressor in a shed outside of Gator Door and Supply, 16020 Aviation Loop in the Airport Industrial Park. The other man, David Kachiroubas, 18, said they had not done any electrical work, just serviced an oil filter in the compressor that produces air used by pneumatic tools in the factory that builds doors. Kachiroubas said they had finished their work and he carried tools back to their company pickup truck shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, expecting Krivjansky to follow. WWhen his partner didn’t show up at the truck, Kachiroubas went back to the shed where he found the victim unconscious and not breathing.Krivjansky was still grasping a metal air tube fastened to the wall, Kachiroubas said. When he turned Krivjansky over, he said, he felt a mild electrical charge coming from the victim’s body. He ran for help and Gator employees tried to revive Krivjansky before paramedics arrived. While rescuers applied cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, he was rushed to Brooksville Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 2:20 p.m. County building inspectors were called to the factory to make sure it was safe for workers. They found an electrical charge in the metal air line. Nearby was a melted electrical nut and a plastic cap used to splice two wires together. All electricity to this power line was disconnected for worker’s safety. The incident is under investigation by the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
WORKERS `WARNED’ OF DANGER Mar 8 2003
TWO workmen were warned of dangerous overhead power lines days before being electrocuted, a fatal accident inquiry heard yesterday. Inverclyde Council worker Ronald Cook said he told Gary Moncrieff, 22, and Ross Cockburn, 32, to halt their job as he drove past the work site in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire. Five days later, the men died when a street light they were replacing hit the lines. Mr Cook said he told the men – subcontracted through Lightways of Larbert, Stirlingshire – “to beware”. But Lightways boss Gary McLaughlin criticised him for not telling the firm in writing, as was his “responsibility”. The council deny negligence. The Greenock Sheriff Court hearing continues.
Spring Hill man electrocuted on job
By JENNIFER LIBERTO St. Petersburg Times published March 7, 2003
BROOKSVILLE — A 19-year-old Spring Hill man was electrocuted Thursday afternoon after working on an air compressor at Gator Door & Supply Co. in the Airport Industrial Park. Chris Krivjansky of 13140 Cooper Road worked for Pasco Preventive Maintenance Inc. of Hudson, a company hired to tune up an air compressor, Hernando County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Joe Paez said. Krivjansky and co-worker David Kachiroubas had nearly finished their work about 1:30 p.m., Paez said. They were checking the air compressor, which fuels air tools used in assembling doors, Gator Door general manager Andrew Fischer said. Kachiroubas left the wooden shed, where the compressor is located, to load a pickup truck, Paez said. When Kachiroubas returned, he saw Krivjansky on the ground. Krivjansky had burns on him and wasn’t breathing, paramedics said. He was taken to Brooksville Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, sheriff’s deputies said. The Sheriff’s Office and county building officials are investigating how Krivjansky as electrocuted. The cause may have been an electrical short, Fischer said. The Medical Examiner’s Office also is investigating to determine the cause of death. Pasco Preventive Maintenance Inc. declined comment. Kachiroubas didn’t return calls. Gator Door & Supply Co, 16020 Aviation Loop, has been at the industrial park for 20 years, Fischer said.
Roofer shocked, airlifted to hospital
Thursday, March 06, 2003 By NICK FALSONE The Express-Times
HELLERTOWN — Emergency crews pulled an injured worker off a roof Wednesday afternoon after he received a shock from coming in contact with a power wire, authorities said. The worker, a male who authorities at the scene declined to identify, was flown by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township. There he received treatment for burns suffered as a result of the shock, authorities said. The rescue happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. on the roof of Rustic Exteriors, 631 Front St. Crews used an aerial ladder on a firetruck to get to the roof. Shortly before 3 p.m., a crowd of close to 30 people watched the rescue unfold. More than a half-dozen emergency workers on the roof used a backboard to move the injured worker. They placed him in the bucket of the aerial ladder and lowered it to the ground. The injured worker was carried to a stretcher and driven by ambulance to the nearby helicopter. Tony Branco, a supervisor for Dewey EMS, said the worker was laying metal sheeting on the roof when he lifted a piece of it. The sheeting touched a power line running above the roof, and the contact shocked the worker, Branco said. The rescue took awhile, partly because the conditions on top of the roof were dangerous, Branco said. The sheeting was slippery, and a portion of the roof was only covered with wood studding, he said. The worker remained conscious during the whole rescue, Branco said. “He suffered a couple severe burns,” he said. “He was in good spirits.” He was flown to the hospital as a precaution because of the unusual length of time it took for the rescue, Branco said. In addition to Dewey EMS, Bethlehem Fire Department, Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Co., Dewey Fire Co. and the Hellertown Police Department assisted in the rescue.
UPDATE Burned Dam Worker In Critical Condition
A 22-year-old Arkansas man was in critical condition Wednesday, a day after he was burned by electricity. Manuel Salazar was hurt about 11 a.m. Tuesday after the crane he was standing near hit a 115,000-volt line at the construction site of a backup dam at Lake Murray. Another worker had first-degree burns on his hand after trying to help Salazar, officials said. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, said Jim Knight, spokesman for Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The state OSHA department is part of LLR. OSHA, which is not required to investigate when only one person is hurt, stepped in because of the seriousness of Salazar’s condition, Knight said. Salazar was flown to the burn unit at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta with second- and third-degree burns on 40 percent of his body, officials said. Salazar works for H.B. Mellott Estate Inc. of Pennsylvania, said Brian Duncan, SCE&G spokesman. The company is a subcontractor of Barnard Construction, overseeing the building of the backup dam. The $275 million construction began last month and is expected to be done in 2004. Construction resumed Wednesday after a safety meeting with work crews, SCE&G officials said.
Water Gas and Light worker injured on job
March 6, 2003
Albany–An Albany Water Gas and Light employee was badly burned in an accident Thursday morning. The W.G.L. worker was trying to put a temporary water tap on the line into the Bridge House on Front Street. At 9:50, he cut into a power line. Miraculously, he was not electrocuted. The 35 year old worker was in this hole with two other employees, cutting into the water line, when he hit the main feeder line that powers Downtown Albany. That line carries 12 thousand volts. Eyewitness Ken Cribb said “I heard an explosion. That was when I started making my way back over here to see what was going on. As I was coming closer it exploded a second time. That’s when I saw the guys coming out of the hole, taking the other guy to the hospital.” He was not electrocuted, but his gas powered saw burst into flames. You can see the damage. The employee suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his arms and face. W.G.L. spokesperson Lorie Farkas said “When I got to the hospital, he was awake, he was lucid, and his concern was for his family. He was telling them to relax, that he was going to be all right.” The employee has been transported to the Augusta Burn Unit for treatment. An investigation into the accident is continuing. The other two W-G-and-L Employees in the hole at the time of the accident were not injured.
Three electrocuted
Herald Reporter
THREE Harare men were yesterday electrocuted in separate incidents. Two of the three victims had been contracted to repair an electric motor pump in Chadcombe. They were electrocuted when one of them tried to clean the pump with a wet cloth. The other man was also electrocuted when he touched his colleague who had called for help. They both died on the spot. It is believed the third man was electrocuted when he tried to tamper with a Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority transformer in Hatfield. He was found dead by the side of the dismantled transformer in the afternoon. Zesa authorities, called to the scene of accident by police, suspected the 26-year-old man died of electrocution after discovering severe burns on both his hands and the face.
Accident involving crane, high-voltage wire halts work at Lake Murray
By LORA HINES Staff Writer
Work at the Lake Murray dam stopped Tuesday when a construction worker suffered a severe electrical burn after a crane hit a high-voltage line. The 22-year-old worker, who was not immediately identified, was burned about 11 a.m. after the crane he was standing near hit a 115,000-volt line, officials said. The man was in critical condition Tuesday night at Doctor’s Hospital burn unit in Augusta, South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. spokesman Robin Montgomery said. Another worker suffered first-degree burns to his hands when he tried to help his burned co-worker, Lexington Emergency Medical Service supervisor Stuart Platt said. The man with the burned hands was treated at the scene. The man inside the crane was not hurt. The severely injured man, who had burns on his left chest and back, plus both arms and legs, was flown to Augusta from the dam’s Saluda River side, where he was working, Platt said. The man works for Melott, a subcontractor, Montgomery said. He didn’t immediately have information about the company. The construction crew stopped work for the rest of the day. It was unclear Tuesday night whether construction would resume today, Montgomery said. It’s not unusual for people who stand near an object that’s been energized with electricity to get burned, Assistant Lexington County Fire Chief Brian Hood said. “That’s why we tell people not to stand under a tree in a storm. Electricity is looking for the closest and best pathway to the ground.” The electricity that hit the crane probably arced and hit the man who was standing nearby, Hood said. “You have to remember that the arc is several thousands of degrees.” The man who was inside the crane probably was safest, Hood said. “If you’re in a car accident and you hit a live wire or pole, you want to stay inside the car,” he said. “People get hurt when they try to get out and put their foot on the ground.” Last month, as many as 90 people started building a backup dam at Lake Murray, Montgomery said. Construction started on opposite ends of the dam, moving toward the center. Work can occur simultaneously in two sections as long as those areas are at least 1,000 feet apart. But plans limit initial work to single sections for nearly half the wall, particularly those at the middle, where water pressure is highest. Construction is to be finished in 2004. The project will cost $275 million.
Worker dies after power blast
THURSDAY , 06 MARCH 2003 By HAYDON DEWES and HANNAH LAWRENCE
One man died and another faces several months in hospital after being severely injured in a Lower Hutt sub-station explosion so intense that it vaporised their clothing. The two Alstom electrical services employees suffered serious burns while working on 11,000-volt electrical switchgear at the Haywards Hill sub-station about 9am yesterday, company spokeswoman Nancy McConnell said. They were taken to Hutt Hospital in a critical condition. A 22-year-old man died in the intensive care unit last night after suffering burns to 92 per cent of his body. The other man, aged 26, had burns to 75 per cent of his body and was in surgery for about five hours. Hospital spokesman Rob Eaddy said the man was transferred to Waikato Hospital last night to be put on a long-term ventilator. He is expected to be in hospital for several months and will have to undergo many operations. A plastic surgeon at the hospital said the flames from the electric flash generated an intense heat. Though the men were only subjected to the flames for a short period, it was enough to vaporise their clothes and severely burn them. Immediate health concerns included dehydration and respiratory problems, the surgeon said. “They begin to swell up a huge amount, which can obstruct their airways. Then you have to give them a lot of fluid because they leak a huge amount of fluid, litres and litres.” Three other men were taken to Hutt Hospital where they were treated and discharged, Ms McConnell said. One had gone to help his badly burned workmates and suffered minor burns. Two others were treated for traumatic shock. “Alstom expresses its deepest sympathies for those involved in the accident and is doing everything to assist them, their families and fellow workmates,” Ms McConnell said. The company has begun a full-scale investigation. Transpower, which owns and operates the national grid, has appointed an independent expert to conduct a full investigation. Transpower spokesman Chris Roberts said the switchgear had been isolated and Alstom had suspended all non-essential work at the sub-station. The Occupational Safety and Health Service and the Economic Development Ministry were both notified immediately by Alstom. Senior station officer Phil Donnelly, from Trentham fire brigade, said the cause of the serious explosion was not known and was being investigated by Osh. There was no major fire after the explosion, but pressure fans were used to blow out smoke. “No real firefighting was required,” Mr Donnelly said. Electricity supplies in the area were not affected by the explosion.
Contractor fined $15,000 in Wheelan mishap
By LINDA RICHARDSON, The Sault Star Saturday, March 01, 2003 – 09:00
Local News – Lewis Wheelan’s employer was fined $15,000 in connection with an industrial accident that left the young man a triple amputee. Michael Piccolo, owner of Neat Site Vegetation, pleaded guilty earlier this week to two charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The first offence was for failing to take reasonable precautions for the protection of a worker — failing to ensure guy ropes were used to control the direction of a tree’s fall. The second was for failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to protect the health and safety of a worker. Piccolo was fined $7,500 on each count. Wheelan, who was 19 at the time of the May 30, 2001, accident, sustained major high-voltage electrical burns to 55-to-60 -per-cent of his body. As a result of the accident, which occurred on his second day on the job, the Sir James Dunn graduate had both of his legs, his right arm and shoulder and one finger on his left hand amputated. A summer worker, Wheelan was retrieving brush for the contractor east of Sault Ste. Marie when a tree crashed into a power line and injured him. Piccolo’s company was under contract to Great Lakes Power Ltd. to cut trees and clear brush near a hydro distribution line. In agreed-to facts provided to the court, the judge heard another crewman, Brian Campbell, notched and back cut a tree. When his chainsaw bar became pinched in the back cut, Campbell and another worker Gerald Buchanan attempted to push the tree over manually. They did not use guy ropes and were unable to control the direction of the tree’s fall and it hit the power line, which was energized and carrying 7,200 watts of electricity. Wheelan was clearing brush directly under the line, which came down on him, Ontario Court Justice James Greco heard. Piccolo put on protective rubber gloves and pulled Wheelan from beneath the line. After Wheelan’s smoking clothing was doused with water, Piccolo and Buchanan performed CPR until he was able to breath on his own. The court was told Wheelan had been given no information, instruction or supervision by his employer regarding the danger of working near an energized power line with trees being cut nearby. He was scheduled to attend a safety meeting later that week. Other individuals and GLP also face charges under the health and safety act. They are slated to appear in court at a later date. Among those charged are Mike McEwen, former GLP Ltd. president and chief executive officer, and two directors, who also serve as executive vice-presidents with Brascan, GLP’s parent company. The directors, Harry Goldgut and Edward Kress — both with Brascan Power — and McEwen, who retired last year, are each charged under a section of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that holds corporate leaders responsible for employee safety. Also charged are Steve McClinchey, the GLP supervisor that day; Brian Campbell, a crewman at the scene; and GLP corporation. Under the act, convictions for individuals can lead to a $25,000 fine or one year in jail, while corporations can be fined up to $500,000.
Rail worker electrocuted
26feb03
A 32-year-old rail contractor has died after receiving an 11,000 volt shock in Sydney’s south. The man was working on the new Heathcote East railway overbridge when the accident occurred, a spokeswoman for the Rail Infrastructure Corporation (RIC) said. She was unable to give further details as the area had been declared a crime scene and was under investigation by WorkCover. Earlier, an ambulance spokesman said the accident occurred shortly before 10am (AEDT) when a crane touched overhead wires on Wilson Parade at Heathcote. The man immediately had a heart attack and was taken to Sutherland Hospital in a critical condition where he died a short time later. It was believed the man was working near the crane when it touched the wires.
Worker injured at church remains in hospital
YORK COUNTY
ROCK HILL — A maintenance worker burned in an electrical flash Friday at Westminster Presbyterian Church is expected to remain at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga., for a month recovering from third degree burns, said Jimmy Bagley, a deacon at the church and the assistant director of utilities for the city of Rock Hill. The worker, whose name has not been released at the request of his family, was burned on his face and arms, Bagley said. He was working in a small electrical closet in the church’s multipurpose building when he touched a piece of metal to a part connected to electric current, causing a flash, Bagley said. The heat of the flash injured the worker. The force of the flash threw the man into a hallway, where he called for help, Bagley said. The man, who is also a member of the church, has worked at Westminster Presbyterian for four years, Bagley said. — MARTY MINCHIN
Electrical worker injured at mall
Tuesday, February 25, 2003 By STEPHANIE HOOPER, Telegraph Staff
NASHUA – An electrical worker was injured Monday night when wiring in a panel at the Pheasant Lane Mall arced while he was servicing it. Firefighters responded to the mall about 6:30 p.m. after receiving a report of an explosion in the mall’s service room between J.C. Penney and Macy’s department store. The man was taken to St. Joseph Hospital with injuries to his face and left arm, said Deputy Chief Michael O’Brien. O’Brien declined to give the man’s name and his condition was unknown at press time. Shortly after the man was taken by ambulance to the hospital, firefighters, who were still on the scene, were called back into the service area to put out a small fire that started after another electrical worker attempted to fix the same panel, O’Brien said. That worker was not injured, O’Brien said. He said the damage caused by the short in the panel probably caused it to catch fire when the second electrician attempted to service it the second time. Firefighters were left on standby while the electrician continued to assess the problem. Public Service of New Hampshire officials were then called to the scene as a safety precaution in case power to the mall needed to be cut, O’Brien said “We are talking about an awful lot of power here,” O’Brien said. The electrical short caused power failures throughout the mall, shutting down lights, elevators and even some stores. Workers in the mall said power was first lost on one side of mall, then the middle. Noah’s gift shop was without power after the incident. Officials at the mall said they were working on the problem but would not comment further.
Man electrocuted at piggery
22feb03
A DANISH man was killed after suffering an electric shock at a piggery near Dalby, south-east Queensland. Ole Frederiksen, 34, was electrocuted just after 4.30pm (AEST) yesterday while repairing an electric water pump at a piggery at Jimbour, 40km north west of Dalby. Police said the man, who had an Australian working visa and was living at the piggery, died on the scene. He was found by fellow workers, who alerted authorities. Workplace health and safety officers and an electrical safety officer were investigating the incident. Police said Danish authorities had been notified.
City employee suffers from electrical burns
A Shreveport city worker suffered severe burns Wednesday when he was electrocuted while trying to trim back trees in the 3200 block of Alabama. Oliver Patterson, 45, came in contact with a power line just after 10 a.m. while clearing trees from the power line, Shreveport Fire Department spokesman Brian Crawford said. Paramedics described Patterson’s injuries as first- and second-degree burns on his hand and second and third degree burns on his elbow, Crawford said. His injuries were not considered life threatening, Crawford said. Patterson was taken to LSU Hospital in Shreveport for evaluation. He was listed in good condition late Wednesday.
Man injured from electric shock
Last updated: Feb 18, 11:15 PM
DAYTONA BEACH SHORES — A 53-year-old Port Orange man was seriously injured Tuesday after getting an electrical shock while working on a drainage project on South Peninsula Drive, emergency workers said. Pedro Soto was standing on wet ground when the accident occurred at 3:26 p.m., just west of city limits near Van Avenue. R.A. Scott Construction officials said Soto, a popular crew member who has worked for them about four years, was helping put a steel well point into the soggy earth when he was knocked unconscious by an electric jolt. The well point was being used to drain water from the site so work on sewer lines and water mains could proceed along what construction officials called a $3 million project between Oceans Boulevard West and Dunlawton Avenue. The electrocution occurred when the arm of an excavator attached to the equipment Soto was guiding came close to overhead electric lines, creating an arc, construction officials said. Soto’s breathing and heartbeat were stopped by the 3- to 4-second shock, rescue officials said. Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety officers and EVAC paramedics used a defibrillator to restore Soto’s heartbeat and breathing before he was taken to Halifax Medical Center. He was unconscious on arrival and was being treated in the emergency room late Tuesday night. “It’s upsetting,” said Gary Hurst, 48, who was operating the Volvo excavator when Soto fell. “I hope he’ll be OK.” — Jay Stapleton
Dublin man electrocuted in building site accident
February 19, 2003
A 27-year-old Dublin man was electrocuted when machinery he was operating came in contact with overhead lines at a building site in Bray in County Wicklow. Gardaí and Health and Safety officers have examined the scene of the accident at Upper Dargle Road in Bray.
UPDATE Horror blast men died from burns Feb 19 2003
By John-Paul Ford Rojas, The Journal
Three workers died from extensive burns after a massive explosion ripped through a North power plant as they carried out maintenance work, an inquest heard yesterday. One of the men, Andrew Sherwood, was thrown 40ft by the force of the blast at the Enron plant on Teesside. The 36-year-old from Hartlepool was pronounced dead at the scene by rescue workers, the inquest at Teesside Magistrates Court was told. Darren Higgins, 28, from Normanby, near Middlesbrough, was also found dead at the site. The third victim, father-of-one Lawrence Surtees, 40, from Hawthorn, County Durham, died at Middlesbrough General Hospital after suffering 90pc burns, Home Office pathologist Dr Peter Cooper confirmed all three had died as a result of extensive burns. A fourth man, Graeme White, sustained severe burns to his face and hands but later made a full recovery. The inquest heard the tragedy happened in August 2001 after staff worked on a giant electrical transformer at the 27-acre gas plant near Redcar. Site director Ian Clifford said the men had been trying to adjust the voltage on the transformer so that maintenance work could be carried out. This could not be done while it was switched on, he added, and the men’s attempt to do so – following a meeting of senior staff – was what had caused the explosion. The mechanism short-circuited and became hot, causing oil within it to heat up and boil, Mr Clifford said. The blast caused a huge fireball to envelop the area, taking the top off the transformer and causing extensive damage to that part of the plant. Eleven fire engines raced to the scene where they quickly brought the blaze under control and tackled a number of other patches of burning oil around the transformer. The inquest, before an 11-member jury, is expected to last four days and the hearing will continue today.
Trooper Electrocuted By Downed Power Line; Trooper Was Responding To Crash
February 14, 2003
FRANKLIN, Pa. — A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was electrocuted early Friday morning by a downed power line as he investigated a traffic accident in Vanango County. State police said Trooper Brian Patterson, 36, died at UPMC Franklin Hospital. Patterson was a Tutusville, Crawford County, resident and had been a trooper for nearly 10 years. State police said Patterson responded to an accident in which a car hit a utility pole on Valley Road in Frenchcreek Township, Venango County. The crash left wires hanging near the ground. There is no word on the condition of the person or people in the other vehicle.
Accident Shocks and Kills Worker; Another Contractor is Hospitalized
Clifton Heights- February 13, 2003 — A bizarre accident in Delaware county left one man dead Thursday morning. It happened just after 10:30 at 462 East Baltimore Avenue in Clifton Heights. 2 contractors were installing an aluminum liner for a chimney when they were shocked. One worker was on the roof feeding liner down the chimney to a second worker, when the liner came into contact with a 13-thousand volt power line. The worker inside the home was electrocuted. The second worker was shocked, and remains hospitalized. PECO crews were called out to the scene, they say the lines are in working order.
UPDATE OSHA fines company after death; Cebal America hit with $16,500 penalty after worker dies from burns.
Friday, February 14, 2003 By TOM QUIGLEY The Express-Times
WASHINGTON — High-voltage electricity coursed through the overhead power system as Cebal America worker Ernest E. Meshach installed a switch on the morning of Monday, Jan. 20. Family members said a fireball erupted and Meshach suffered third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. He died at the St. Barnabas Hospital burn center in Livingston on Tuesday. His death followed a three-week effort to fight off infections caused by the extensive burns, said his sister-in-law, Louise Meshach. The Oxford Township woman said Meshach’s death on Tuesday could have been prevented if company officials had allowed him to shut off the electricity. “It was a senseless thing,” she said. “All they had to do was shut it down for five minutes.” It is not yet known what caused the electrical fire to erupt, a company spokeswoman said. But only a week after the accident, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an inspection at the Route 31 plant in Washington. The federal agency found four of what it described as “serious” safety violations and imposed penalties totaling $16,500. “Sixteen thousand dollars is not enough for a human life,” Louise Meshach said. The OSHA citations allege the company: ( Failed to cut the power to 480-watt electrical boxes to prevent accidental contact during electrical maintenance/service operations. ( Failed to provide employees with specific safety training related to electrical hazards. ( Failed to employ safety-related work practices to prevent electrical shock or other injuries resulting from direct or indirect contact with energized equipment. The third alleged violation cites specific failures of the company to provide required tools, protective equipment, proper use of a man-lift, a competent person to ensure the operation is set up properly, methods to de-energize and lock out equipment, live electrical testing where needed, meters for testing purposes, and uniform training for all exposed employees. ( Inspectors also charge the company failed to provide an eyewash facility in an area where workers check battery fluid levels. The company has the right to respond to the findings within 15 days of the notification date, said OSHA Assistant Area Director Ronald Frye. One of Warren County’s top 10 employers, Cebal America currently employs 500 people. The company manufactures plastic and laminate tubes for cosmetics, dental products and pharmaceutical products. Cebal America parent company Pechiney Plastic Packaging Inc. purchased the plant when it acquired the former American National Can Co. in 1988. “At the time of the accident, Mr. Meshach was installing an electrical switch in preparation for new tube-making equipment at the plant,” company spokeswoman Polly Moles said in a prepared statement. “An electrical fire started, and Mr. Meshach sustained severe burns,” she added. Meshach, formerly of Lopatcong Township, was an electrical maintenance technician and had worked at the plant for 37 years, the spokeswoman said. “The company is continuing to investigate the accident and is making every effort to determine the cause,” she wrote. “We have been helping the family through this difficult time, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.” Authorities initially reported Meshach suffered an electrical shock. Family members described Meshach as a man who loved life. A former co-worker, Richard J. Heater of Washington, said he and Meshach were lifelong friends. In a letter to The Express-Times, Heater said his friend would still be alive if electrical power had been shut off that day. “The reason they won’t turn the power off is because they would lose about 10 to 15 minutes of production on the other lines,” he wrote. “This is very sad that a friend and fellow employee had to lose his life for a few dollars,” Heater wrote. “This just shows what they think of our lives.” Meshach was a member of the Promised Land Church of the Nazarene in Bethlehem.
UPDATE Man dies of work injury
Thursday, February 13, 2003 By TOM QUIGLEY The Express-Times
WASHINGTON — The Cebal America Co. worker critically injured on the job last month has died. Ernest “Ernie” E. Meshach, 55, of Lopatcong Township suffered an electrical shock while working at the former American Can facility on Route 31. The Jan. 20 accident caused a mid-morning fire at the plant and Meshach was flown to the burn unit at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, where he died on Tuesday. Meshach, an electrician, worked at the plant for about 35 years. He and his wife Barbara would have celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary next month. A daughter, Renee, lives at home. White Township resident Leroy Meshach described his deceased brother as a man who cared about others. “You wouldn’t want a better brother,” he said. Leroy Meshach said his brother sometimes spent his vacation time doing volunteer work through his church, the Promised Land Church of the Nazarene in Bethlehem. That work included traveling to Native American reservations in places such as Oklahoma to help build homes for the people there, Leroy Meshach said. “He was an outdoorsman,” Meshach said. “We used to go fishing and hunting together.” He said family members are “taking it the best they can.” Family members said he enjoyed shopping with his daughter and collecting Santa Claus statues, bottles and light houses. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Rupell Funeral Home in Phillipsburg. Calling hours are from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. Cebal America could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
STORY OF INTEREST Settlement reached in student injury case
By DOREEN OBERMEYER, Coolidge Examiner February 12, 2003
In January of 2001, a 15-year-old girl at Coolidge High School received a severe electrical shock while using a portable welder in an agriculture welding lab. Cameo Madewell was knocked off her feet and thrown a short distance after the electrical plug for the 220-volt welder she was using exploded in a wall socket. Attorneys for the girl’s family said the district was responsible for creating unreasonably dangerous conditions which were not apparent to the student. Former voc ag teacher, Steve Sipes was also named in the suit, as the instructor in charge of the class. The claim stated that Sipes failed to properly train, instruct, supervise or warn the student of the dangers involved with the welding unit and area. The Madewells asked for damages for their daughter’s bodily injury, pain and suffering, medical and other expenses. The attorney for the district and for Sipes claimed that the district was not negligent, and that in any case a statute of limitations applied since the suit was filed a full year after the incident. The defendants also claimed that the student was responsible for the mishap and that she knowingly assumed risk in using the equipment. Both parties agreed to mediation and they reached a settlement on Jan. 24 before Lawrence H. Fleischman. The Madewells also agreed to dismiss the lawsuit. The settlement amount was $18,000, according to attorneys for the district. After the accident, Madewell was airlifted to the burn and shock unit of Maricopa Medical Center for evaluation where she was released the following day. According to an incident report filed at the time, Sipes, reported hearing a loud pop before the power went out and then saw Madewell falling to the ground. She apparently suffered a seizure and lost consciousness for several minutes. A ground fault interrupt (GFI) breaker cut power to the entire block of classrooms in the Voc/Tech complex and possibly prevented the girl from being electrocuted. The class was an advanced agriculture class and the student had been trained on the equipment. Madewell was wearing the department’s required safety gear at the time of the accident , including leather gloves, canvas apron, goggles and a welding mask. Sherrill Stevens, principal at CHS, said an electrical contractor , employed by the district, inspected the welder and the outlet after the incident and found no malfunctions.
Four electrocuted in Vietnam while installing TV antenna
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) – Four people were electrocuted and four others were injured when the television antenna pole they were installing crashed onto electric cables in southern Vietnam, an official said Tuesday. Three people – a sister, brother and a cousin – were killed instantly Monday, while another victim died later at a hospital. Two others remained hospitalized with minor burns, said Nguyen Ngoc Loi, head of the local Communist Party organization in Cao Lanh town, 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of Ho Chi Minh City. Loi said the accident occurred as the eight people were trying to erect a 13-meter (42.6-feet) water pipe to which the antenna had been attached. The pipe broke free and fell onto the electric lines. – APPioneer Electric
Employee Killed in Dallas County
02/10/2003 Stephen McLamb
A Dallas County Electrical Cooperative worker is killed and two others are injured after A log Truck crashed into them while they were clearing A tree from A State Highway. Pioneer Electric and State Transportation workers were clearing off State Road 89 after A tree collapsed on the roadway taking out A powerline. With no flagmen present, 52 year old Julius Blackwell was struck and killed by an oncoming truck shortly after Ten a.m. The truck driver, Tiny Andrews and Reginald Grace, A State transportation worker, were both taken to A Camden hospital where they were treated and released. Troopers say the accident remains under investigation.
1 Dead, 2 Injured In I-10 Construction Accident; Workers Electrocuted By Power Line
February 11, 2003
NEW ORLEANS — One worker was killed and two others were hospitalized Tuesday morning after a construction accident on Interstate 10. The accident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. at I-10 and Richland. Police said three workers in a bucket truck were electrocuted when the truck accidentally came in contact with a live power line. The three were rushed to East Jefferson General Hospital, where one man died of his injuries. His name is being withheld pending notification of his family members. The condition and names of the other men have not yet been released. The workers were independent contractors out of Baton Rouge, police said.
Workers Hurt In Accident At PGI
Tuesday, February 11, 2003 By JON SOLES Of The Record Staff
An electrical circuit breaker box flashover at the PGI plant in Benson Monday, sending two workers to the hospital. But only one of the workers was injured and those injuries were minor, Director of Operations Rick Halpin said. Both workers were treated at Betsy Johnston Regional Hospital in Dunn and released, Mr. Halpin said. Company policy forbids the release of the workers’ names, Mr. Halpin said. The accident occurred around noon. According to Mr. Halpin, an electrical technician and another nearby worker were injured when a circuit breaker arced. An arc is an electrical discharge that jumps a gap between a circuit or between two electrodes. The electrical technician suffered first- and second-degree burns on his hands and was back home shortly after he was injured, Mr. Halpin said. The other worker returned to work after he was checked out at Betsy Johnson as a precaution, Mr. Halpin said. “One was treated and one was just reviewed and nothing was found in the least,” Mr. Halpin said. Mr. Halpin said PGI, which stands for Polymer Group Inc., was going to schedule a briefing with the workers to determine the cause of the electrical flashover. The accident happened in PGI’s Line A, which is a section for entangled fiber and pulp, Mr. Halpin said. Mr. Halpin compared the electrical arc to a spark created by crossing battery cables under the hood of a car. “I’m no electrical engineer, but it sounds like when you go from a hot wire to the ground and you make that connection,” Mr. Halpin said. The flashover did not affect company operations, Mr. Halpin said. The two workers were transported to the hospital by Benson Rescue. Benson and Dunn fire departments also responded to PGI, but there was no fire. PGI’s Benson plant employs about 319 corporate and plant-level workers. PGI employs about 40,000 people worldwide. Mr. Halpin said there were about 100 on duty Monday when the accident occurred.
Transfer Station Fire
Investigators are looking for the cause of an overnight fire that destroyed the Madison County transfer station in the town of sullivan . The plant was nearly burned to the ground by the time firefighters were able to get there. The transfer station will remain closed, people who need to drop things off are being redirected to the town of Lincoln’s transfer station.
UPDATE University of Maryland Cited for Safety Violations in Fatal Blast
College Park – The University of Maryland has been cited for alleged state health and safety violations stemming from an electrical explosion that killed a campus employee back in October. Three employees were working on an electrical panel in the physics building when the blast happened on October 27th. Master electrician Kurt Tassche died from lung damage six days later. Two firefighters and a university police officer were also injured. Inspectors from the office of Maryland Occupational Safety and Health found that the workers wore flammable clothing and no eye protection. They also found that the room had inadequate exits and poor lighting. The university won’t be fined because it’s a government entity, but it will be ordered to correct any problems. College officials tell The Washington Post they’re inspecting all campus electrical facilities and fixing any deficiencies.
UPDATE Company to pay $10,000 after worker seriously burnt
Transfield Services Ltd was sentenced to pay $10,000 today after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH). The company was sentenced at the Auckland District Court after a worker suffered serious burns in an accident in the Epsom suburb last year. Transfield provides maintenance services to a third of the Auckland power distribution network owned by Vector Limited. “The victim was a live line mechanic carrying out maintenance work,” said John Forrest, OSH Service Manager, Auckland. “He suffered serious burns to his face and torso when an 11,000 volt flashover occurred. The worker experienced excruciating pain under his right armpit and his clothing ignited. “New Zealanders being injured and killed at work is simply unacceptable. In this instance the worker spent eight weeks in hospital.” The Court considered that the company had looked after the victim very well and had paid a total of $18,000 in advances to assist the victim. “There was inadequate supervision on site and this allowed a variation from the safe system of work. There should have been two levels of insulation during live line work at all times,” said Mr Forrest. “Variation from safe working procedures had occurred on numerous occasions in the past. “Everyone has the right to go to work and be safe. Companies must ensure that workplace hazards are identified and controlled correctly, and that their safety systems are constantly reviewed and updated.” Further information: John Forrest, Service Manager, Auckland, OSH Tel: 09 525 0268 Mobile: 027 201 9768
Bland Street manhole explosion breaks mini mall windows
By: KATHY KISH of the Daily Telegraph staff February 05, 2003
Bluefield – An explosion from a manhole on Bland Street Tuesday shattered the front windows of the Landmark Mini Mall and threw the manhole cover into the air, but firefighters said things could have been much worse. “If someone had been walking by, it could have been bad,” said Bluefield Fire Chief Gerald Steele. He said the force of air from the explosion was enough to break the storefront windows and the manhole cover flew off about 10 feet in the other direction. “I’d say that manhole cover ways about 250 pounds,” he said, “and it flew all the way over there and took a big chunk out of the sidewalk.” Steele said the manhole owned by AEP harbors an electrical junction. He said such explosions are not common, but do occasionally happen, usually if there is a short in the electrical wiring which sparks and ignites sewage gases or other types of gases which might build up in the manhole. However, tests of the area were showing no signs of gas buildup. He said an accumulation of coal dust that has gathered over the years probably burned for a few seconds, causing the smoke, but would not have been the major source of the problem. “I don’t think there is any immediate danger,” Steele said. Steele said he was notified of the explosion at about 8:25 a.m. Tuesday and responded to find the plate glass windows of the store broken but still standing and smoke coming from the manhole adjacent to the building. “The glass was just swinging back and forth in the wind, so we had somebody from Warlick Glass come on over and take it out so they could replace it,” he said. “Residents in the Opera House apartments and those in the business center across the street heard it, so it was apparently a pretty significant explosion, but it was very brief and there is no indication of a buildup of natural gas.” He said they inspected the building to make sure there were no electrical problems inside and had found none there or in any other buildings in the area. Steele said he was aware of one other such explosion on Bluefield Avenue several years ago, but Landmark Mini Mall manager Christine Bordeaux added that a similar but much less serious event occurred in the same manhole in front of the store a few years back. “It happened out there before, about two years ago,” said Bordeaux. “Then it just blew the top off and our alarm went off. Apparently, the force was enough to set off the alarm. I’d really like to know what’s causing this.” She said neither she nor owner Evans Riley were in the store at the time of this latest explosion. “It was a real shock to come in and see fire trucks everywhere,” she said. “I thought the place was on fire. I immediately got a sick feeling in my stomach and thought ‘Oh, no, the mall’s gone.'” Fortunately, the explosion only damaged the windows, and no other items in the store were affected. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, Steele said the department was continuing to monitor the site for signs of any sort of combustible gas, but they had already check three times during the day and found none. No signs of electrical damage to the wiring in the manhole were evident. “At this point we’re just kind of mystified,” he said.
Worker electrocuted while unloading salt truck
Wednesday, February5, 2003, 6:22 AM
SKOWHEGAN (AP) — The investigation is continuing into the death of a 19-year-old worker who was electrocuted while helping to unload a salt truck in Skowhegan. Police say Jon Atwood of North New Portland had his hand on the trailer when the truck touched overhead power lines attached to a garage on Milburn Street. The accident took place around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. Atwood was pronounced dead at Redington-Fairview General Hospital. No other injuries were reported.
Underground Explosion Closes Downtown Offices; Transformer Causes Fire, But No Injuries
February 4, 2003
An underground explosion and fire forced the closing of several offices at the Detroit Edison complex downtown Tuesday morning. A transformer exploded Monday night, blowing out a manhole cover. Underground wires also burned, which slowed down efforts to assess the damage and make repairs. Workers in several DTE Energy offices were advised not to return to work Tuesday while repairs were made. There were no injuries, Local 4 reported.
2 electrocuted, 1 hurt at ship facility in Cebu
Posted:1:26 PM (Manila Time) | Feb. 05, 2003 INQ7.net
TWO WORKERS were electrocuted and another was hurt when they accidentally touched a high-tension wire at a Japanese ship building facility in Balamban town, Cebu. Quoted on radio, Balamban police identified the fatalities as Romy Pisong Pisong and Joel Mesa, both residents of the town. Another victim, Lolito Roylan was rushed to the hospital for treatment. The three were cleaning inside the compound of Tsuneishi Heavy Industries when they accidentally touched the 32,000-volt wire, which served as a transmission line. Officials of the Japanese firm promised to shoulder the burial costs.
State investigates electrocution, Vacaville man was shocked
By FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Thursday, January 30, 2003 –
CONCORD — State investigators arrived Wednesday at a medical manufacturing facility where a veteran engineer was electrocuted while fixing an oil leak. The victim, identified as Thomas Michael Guest, 48, of Vacaville had worked at Siemens for nine years. Guest was fixing an oil leak in a project test room when he was jolted by high voltage at 3:25 p.m. Tuesday, Concord Police Cpl. Maurice Jennings reported. His co-workers found him unconscious and began performing CPR, which was continued when paramedics arrived at 3:40 p.m., according to a company statement. He was pronounced dead shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Diablo Medical Center in Concord. The plant, located at 4040 Nelson Ave., houses the Oncology Care Systems Group of Siemens Medical Solutions USA. The plant employs 400 workers. The facility manufactures linear accelerators, which are machines that emit radiation used to combat cancer. “The company is investigating the circumstances of this tragic accident and is fully cooperating with California Occupation Safety and Health Administration and the Concord Police Department to determine the cause,” said a statement by Siemens.
Man suffers electrical shock in area refinery
By: Icess Fernandez January 29, 2003
A 40-year-old man was injured by a 35,000-volt electric shock at the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex, Jan. 27. The unidentified man, an independent contractor from Industrial Specialties Contractors, was Life-fighted to Memorial Hermann Hospital at approximately 2 p.m. “Our thoughts remain with the individual and his family for a full recovery,” Mike Brown, Refinery Manager, said in a press statement. The 3,600-acre ExxonMobil Baytown complex houses two chemical plants, a refinery, a technology lab. he refinery, the largest in the country, was founded in 1919 and is situated on 2,400 acres. It employs 600 contract personnel. The annual salaries, wages and benefits at the plant are about $121 million for the 1,450 refinery employee alone. The incident rate at the refinery is .82 percent for employees and .27 percent for contractors. The plant operates 24 hours a day year-round and pays $28.1 million in city, county, property, school and college taxes. ExxonMobil owns four manufacturing plants in the greater Houston area. Both the Mont Belvieu plant and the Baytown Complex have approximately 4,000 employees combined. ExxonMobil manufactures several household items including plastics, rubber and steel. The company’s specialty products include lube oils and fluids. ExxonMobil gasoline is shipped to several states across the country including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida and Tennessee. About 10 percent of the products manufactured leave by tanker, another 10 percent leave by barge, 3 percent by tank car and tank truck and the majority, 77 percent, leave by pipeline. The accident at the Baytown refinery is still being investigated.
Worker electrocuted on state Route 8
AKRON – An employee of a Wadsworth electric company apparently was electrocuted Tuesday on state Route 8 as he wired highway lighting. The victim was identified as James D. Brulinski, 27, of Maple Heights. He died at Akron City Hospital shortly before 1 p.m. The accident occurred at 12:15 p.m. on state Route 8 northbound near Perkins Street. An autopsy is to be done today to determine the official cause of his death. According to an Akron Police Department report, Brulinski was electrocuted while he and another man worked on the wiring of a light post. Brulinski’s employer, Perram Electric of Wadsworth, does highway lighting maintenance jobs for the city, according to public works officials. The work that Brulinski was doing was not part of the state Route 8 construction project, officials said.
Steel mill burn victim still ‘critical’
By Scott Harper, staff writer January 28, 2003
A Georgetown Steel worker who was severely burned in an electrical accident Saturday remained hospitalized in critical condition at a Georgia hospital Tuesday afternoon. Michael Cribb of Georgetown, who has worked at Georgetown Steel for 30 years, suffered burns over 40 percent of his body about 2 p.m. Saturday, according to James Sanderson, president of United Steelworkers of America Local 7898. “[Cribb] was measuring voltage for a rectifier in some switch-gear” when the accident happened, Sanderson said. Cribb, 51, is a general foreman in the plant’s rolling mill. Since the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital closed its adult burn center last year, Cribb is being treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta. Sanderson said Cribb’s accident has been a topic during Georgetown Steel contract negotiations this week. Although Cribb has a long employment record, Sanderson said his accident is an example of why more training is needed, especially for new workers. Union officials want the company to provide at least two weeks of school-type training before new employees can start working at the mill. “They need to understand the dangers of the equipment they will be working on and with,” he said.