21 incidents & 1 update (8/12/12)

2012 Fatality Tracker

INDUSTRIAL

LOGGING FATALITY Logger killed in accident on Prince of Wales Island (a logging worker, 36, was killed around 8:39 a.m.while working in a timber sorting yard when a log 70 feet long and 16 inches in diameter fell from the logging cradle directly above him, striking him – he was trying to fasten baling wire around a bundle of 15 to 20 big logs when the top one rolled off and hit him in the head – he was pronounced dead immediately following the accident)

UPDATE Investigator: Chevron’s Richmond refinery fire ‘near disaster’ for workers; pipe safety in question (more than a dozen workers were nearly killed when the vapor cloud that sparked a massive refinery fire engulfed them as they worked on a leaky, four-decades-old pipe that the oil giant had not replaced during a round of maintenance last year, federal investigators have said – the team of U.S. Chemical Safety Board investigators painted a frightening picture of the seconds after the pipe released a 600-degree “gas-oil” liquid that created a highly flammable vapor cloud that quickly engulfed employees who were examining the pipe – in revealing these new details, they called it one of the worst refinery accidents in recent years and noted that it was rare for so many employees to be in harm’s way)

POSSIBLE FORKLIFT FATALITY Worker killed in accident at recycling center (a worker at a recycling center was killed possibly the result of a forklift accident – the man was pronounced dead on the scene)

EXPLOSION 1 worker released, another being treated following blast at trucking company (a fire at a trucking company that erupted after an explosion has been completely extinguished and one of two injured employees has been released from a hospital – the blast forced the evacuation of about 100 nearby homes and businesses as a precaution – one man was treated at a hospital and released – the other worker was undergoing treatment and is expected to be released in the next day or two)

DUST EXPLOSION No one hurt in SE Minn. grain elevator explosion (a grain dust explosion and fire have damaged part of a grain elevator – no one was hurt – the blast was reported  just before 2 p.m. – damage from the fire is expected to be minimal – explosion happened in a “leg” that lifts corn – the leg is about 60 feet tall)

CHLORINE Chlorine leak in Conyngham contained (emergency crews responded to a liquid chlorine leak at the Water Authority – the issue was quickly resolved and there was no danger to the public – approximately 20 gallons of chlorine leaked into a storm pipe and a culvert before workers were able to shut off a valve – one worker was overcome by fumes and was taken to a hospital)

FATAL FALL from COKE OVEN Accident in Bokaro Steel Plant, worker killed (a contract worker died after falling from considerable height in Battery-IV of the coke oven – the victim was working at a 15-feet-height when the structure on which he was standing collapsed – other workers rushed to the spot and found him lying dead on the ground – he sustained multiple injuries to his face and several machine parts pierced his body)

CONSTRUCTION

TRENCH Utah worker pulled from collapsed trench (a worker, 29, suffered a broken leg and other injuries when a sewer line trench collapsed, burying him above the waist – he and others were preparing to install a sewer line when the accident happened – the injured man suffered an obviously broken femur and possible internal injuries – he was conscious during the rescue but in severe pain)

SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSE MTA Worker Injured (a worker suffered serious injuries when scaffolding fell on him during construction of a canopy at a subway station at about 5:28 a.m. – paramedics rushed the man to an area hospital – no other details)

CRUSHED by COLLAPSED CEMENT MIXER Cement mixer collapses on construction worker in Vilonia (a construction accident at a High School resulted in a worker being transported by air ambulance to a hospital – the accident occurred on the high school campus where construction company employees are building a safe room – the worker that was injured was working for a sub-contractor hired to do the brick and block work – he was working on a commercial cement mixer stand when it apparently collapsed landing on him – his leg, arm, chest and ribs were hurt but the last we heard he was in stable condition – fellow workers had removed the piece of equipment off of the man before emergency responders arrived)

WORKZONE and BUCKET TRUCK Worker injured in accident (a sub-contractor, 40, working in the construction zone of Kentucky 9 and a Parkway intersection was seriously injured around 8:15 p.m.- he was operating the extension arm on a 1999 Ford work truck while working on a stoplight overhanging the roadway – while he was suspended in the air in the bucket, it was struck by a 2007 International tractor-trailer – driver told officials he misjudged the distance and struck the bucket, ejecting the worker and causing him to land on the roadway – the investigation revealed there was no flagger or signal man on the ground near the work truck and the worker was not wearing a harness)

CRANE COLLAPSE Three construction workers injured when crane collapses (three workers were severely injured when a construction crane as high as the 26th floor collapsed – a male worker lost his right leg and another was knocked unconscious – a female worker suffered a severe cut on her right angle in the accident that happened at 11:50 am – the crane collapsed from the 26th floor, causing metal bars and concrete pieces to fall on nearby houses and passing-by vehicles)

ELECTROCUTION A York man is killed after being electrocuted (two workers were paving one of the three driveways when a worker, 42, touched the bed of the dump truck that was touching some power lines – at the time, the driver didn’t hear anything – driver got out of the truck and said that they felt like the vehicle was energized with electricity – the truck was on fire, the tires were burning, and that made it a very insecure area – Fire and Rescue were unable to reach the worker until the power was shut off)

GASOLINE FIRE Man burned in construction accident in South Middleton Township (a man was burned over nearly 20 percent of his body in a construction accident – the incident occurred shortly before 9:30 a.m. and involved a piece of construction equipment – workers were using a skid-loader preparing to place concrete in a driveway along the curbing – a worker smelled gas coming from the machine, which wasn’t running, and attempted to take the lid off of the gas tank to relieve the pressure – when he did that, the lid “blew off” of the tank and shot gasoline onto the victim, who was “soaked” – shortly thereafter, an ignition source, possibly a hot muffler or other parts of the machine, lit the spilled gas as workers were using the loader – the worker who was sprayed earlier, then caught fire due to his gas-soaked clothing – co-workers managed to find a garden hose and hosed him off)

CRANE FATALITY –DISMANTLING 3 dead in crane collapse in NW China (three workers were killed after a crane collapsed at a construction site at 10:45 am – workers were dismantling a tower crane – one of the crane’s arms broke off and fell to the ground, crushing three workers – two died at the scene, while the third died after being sent to a local hospital)

ELECTROCUTION Electrocuted Worker Dies While Working On Air Conditioning Unit (a workman, 44, died as he was working on a home air-conditioning unit – he was found underneath a house he had been hired to perform repairs to the home’s air conditioning unit)

HOTWORK Fire damages roof at Lazar Storage (a local business attempting to repair its roof is now dealing with thousands of dollars in damage – construction crews working on a roof accidently set the building on fire with a gas torch – the blaze was under control in just minutes, however damage is estimated at $10,000)

CRANE Crane righted; no significant oil spilled (a crane tipped over while being used in civil construction work –  no one was injured – the crane was working from a modular barge system – part of the 33m boom caught on a pile, preventing the entire crane from going into 4m deep water – the driver escaped uninjured from a near miss – the crane started to tip to the port side of the barge and for no apparent reason crashed on to its side)

MISCELLANEOUS

FALL during THEATER SHOW Injured Margaritaville employee stable (an entertainer injured at a Casino is stable and alert at an area hospital – an accident caused the female employee to fall from a hook during the volcano show – it was unknown what caused the hook to break)

CRUSHING FATALITY by HEAVY EQUIPMENT Man dies in workplace accident near Trudeau Airport (a mechanic, 21, who had been on the job for a mere four months, died while repairing a vehicle at an Airport – he was crushed by a 17-tonne tractor used for pulling airplanes – accident took place at a hanger – he was underneath changing a tire as the vehicle was hoisted by three hydraulic jacks, when the vehicle rolled and crushed him – four forklifts were brought in to lift the vehicle off the young man’s body – fellow employees called 9-1-1 when the accident happened around 9:45 a.m. but emergency medical personnel were not able to help the victim and he was pronounced dead at the scene)