30 incidents & 0 updates (6/2/13)

2013 Fatality Tracker

INDUSTRIAL

Sanitation Worker Might Lose Leg After Early Morning Accident Yesterday (a sanitation worker was seriously injured on the job and he’s in danger of losing his leg – the worker was riding on the back of a sanitation truck when he was rear-ended by a rental truck; the accident left his left leg crushed above the knee – incident happened at 8:45 a.m. – other injuries the worker sustained included a broken right leg and arm; he was reportedly pinned between the sanitation truck and the rental)

MINE FATALITY Worker dies in hospital after accident at giant US-owned gold and copper mine in Indonesia (a truck driver who was critically injured in an accident at a mine died Saturday in a hospital – liquid ore material flowed into a truck during maintenance activities injuring the vehicle’s driver – he died late Saturday)

Worker’s death following injury at Slate Belt business ruled an accident (worker, 22, died of blunt force head trauma – hydraulic cylinder from a piece of earth-moving equipment fell and struck him about 6:30 p.m. – he suffered severe trauma – soon after their arrival of paramedics, a request was made for the medical examiner to come to the scene – he had only worked at the business for a couple of days a large – he died the following morning)

LOADING DOCK FATALITY Worker killed at distribution center (an employee, 30, died while trying to repair a loading dock plate at a distribution center – the plate fell on him, who was pronounced dead at a hospital – investigators are trying to determine whether safety mechanisms on the plate were used correctly or were functioning properly)

FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION Worker killed in Haripur factory blast (a worker was killed and another sustained injuries in an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory – the boiler in the factory exploded, killing one worker on the spot while another sustained injuries – he was rushed to a Hospital where his condition was stated to be critical)

CRUSHED Worker crushed between 48-tonne windmill towers (a worker was crushed between two 48-tonne windmill towers at a windmill company – he was flown to a Hospital with life-threatening injuries)

EXPLOSION Fire, small explosion at industrial facility in Novi sends worker to hospital (one person was taken to a hospital following a fire and small explosion at an industrial facility – the fire damaged a roughly 20-foot tall machine used in the process of manufacturing automotive parts – there was a lid that was on top (of the machine), and it looks like that lid blew off, and a lot of the material was scattered – a 40-year-old worker was exposed to smoke and chemicals and may have suffered singe burns – he was taken to a Hospital in stable condition – paramedics examined two other workers who declined to go to the hospital – unclear what sparked the fire and explosion)

ELECTROCUTION FreshKo Produce worker electrocuted at Fresno plant (a worker at a produce plant was electrocuted as he charged batteries for factory equipment – cameras captured the accident as the man was at his workstation around 2 p.m. – a coworker discovered the man about 3:45 p.m. lying on the ground, unresponsive with burns to his arms – paramedics tried to resuscitate the man but he was pronounced dead at the scene)

STEAM EXPLOSION Two workers hurt in biomass power plant accident (two workers were injured when a boiler ruptured at a biomass power plant – one of the injured was airlifted to a hospital with burns and cuts, while the other was treated at the scene – investigators think a “catastrophic mechanical failure” caused a boiler at the 18 MW Biomass power plant to rupture with such force that workers initially thought there was an explosion – the plant used to run on coal, but was converted to biomass in 2012)

REFINERY EXPLOSION 2 missing after blast at refinery (two workers were seriously injured and two others were missing after an explosion and ensuing fire at an oil refinery – investigators still trying to identify cause of accident at refinery – two oil tanks with residual diesel exploded in succession at about 2:30 pm – the two injured workers were in critical condition – the tanks, which were used to store tar and other materials, was undergoing maintenance – the blaze was extinguished by 4 pm)

REFINERY UPSET Balloon forces evacuation of Calif. refinery (all it took was a wayward metallic balloon to temporarily shutter a refinery and force the evacuation of about 1,000 workers – the Mylar balloon blew into power lines and tripped an automated emergency system at the refinery, causing a short circuit that sent huge flares and billows of dark smoke from smokestacks – the resulting dip in power set off restart systems and prompted a large burn-off of products at the refinery – no injuries were reported – Southern California Edison said at least one of the balloons flew into transmission wires and caused voltage to dip and fluctuate – the helium-filled balloons, which often announce “It’s A Boy!” or other congratulations, have a shiny surface that acts as a conductor – just one balloon in power lines can cause a short circuit – the outage didn’t cause any equipment failure or serious air pollution, but the refinery expects it will take 12 to 24 hours to restore full production)

PLANT EXPLOSION Fire at Illinois chemical plant prompts evacuations (residents near a chemical plant are being evacuated after a fire and explosion – dozens of agencies reported to the plant after an explosion was reported just after 12:30 p.m. – one worker suffered a minor injury – residents within a 2-mile radius of the plant have been evacuated, and are being sent to a High School until further notice)

EXPLOSION Chemical explosion injures two at fragrance plant in Lehigh Valley industrial park (a chemical exploded at a fragrance manufacturing plant injuring two employees about 10 a.m. – no other details)

FIRE 4 Hospitalized in Old Saybrook Factory Fire (four people were sent to the hospital after fire broke out inside a metal manufacturing plant – fire in machinery emitted gases and chemicals – four employees were inside the plant when a laser set fire – employees were able to extinguish the fire, but the workers were exposed to the chemicals – all four were decontaminated and taken to a Hospital for evaluation – six firefighters were also decontaminated at the scene for precautionary reasons)

FIRE @ ICE PLANT Homes evacuated after fire breaks out in northwest Edmonton ice manufacturer (firefighters evacuated several houses and urged other residents to stay indoors after a fire broke out in the plant – eight fire crews were called to the scene around 7:20 p.m. for a fire at the facility, a refrigeration plant that makes packaged ice – no one has been reported injured or missing – cause is under investigation and a damage estimate has not yet been tallied – fire crews suspect the fire began in the ceiling – fire was declared under control by around 9 p.m., but fire crews remained at the scene putting out areas still smoldering in the ceiling)

AMMONIA Minor ammonia leak contained at plant (a minor ammonia leak at a poultry plant was contained and cleaned up quickly – less than 100 gallons of anhydrous ammonia reportedly leaked from the plant into a containment wall about 5 p.m. – the plant was not in operation at the time, however, scheduled maintenance was under way – one of three people in the plant was taken to a Hospital as a precautionary measure, but has since been released – a mechanical failure was the cause of the leak)

CHLORINE Hazmat Crews Called For South Side Chlorine Leak (Hazmat crews were called to the scene of a chlorine leak around 3:30 a.m. – Hazmat crews put on special suits and headed to the basement level of the bath house – they discovered a 150 pound cylinder leaking chlorine – after checking for other leaks, crews were able to turn off the cylinder and stop the leak)

FORKLIFT FATALITY Forklift operator crushed to death by container (a second accident involving heavy equipment has claimed the life of a worker – incident occurred at the port’s industrial area when a worker was operating a forklift in the path of a loaded container handler – the 10-ton machine suddenly toppled forward and its load crushed the forklift roof and the driver – the driver of the container handler escaped injury even though he was thrown about in the cab when it tipped over)

FORKLIFT Forklift breaks woman’s foot (a worker is recovering at home with a broken foot after an accident with a forklift)

FORKLIFT FATALITY Man dies after forklift accident (a man, 53, has died after being pinned between a tractor and a house – he was using the forklift to help do maintenance on a house when the machine malfunctioned – he was transported to the hospital where he later died)

FORKLIFT FATALITY Forklift accident kills Fontana man (a forklift accident killed a worker, 59, at a manufacturing plant – he died at the scene soon after being hit by the machine at 6:53 a.m. – he was helping the operator of a 65,000-pound fork lift that’s so large that a ladder is needed to reach the cab – together, the men were moving large concrete pipes from one side of the business to the other – the operator lost track of the location of the assistant and ran him over)

CONSTRUCTION

ELECTRICAL Worker suffers electrical burns at new jail site (a worker at the construction site of a new Detention Centre suffered an electrical burn at around 2:15 p.m. – one person was taken to hospital with undetermined injuries)

FATAL FALL from CELLPHONE TOWER Investigators looking into cause of fall that killed two workers (investigators are trying to determine the cause of an accident in which two workers fell to their deaths from a cellphone tower – the men were climbing up the 300-foot tower and were about halfway up when they fell – the men were trying to put new antennas on the tower when the accident happened)

CRANE FATALITY Worker crushed under crane at monorail site (worker, 21, was giving directions to the crane operator when he slipped and was crushed – he was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival – a mobile crane was carrying the concrete funnel from the junctions to an adjacent location – worker was directing the crane operator when he slipped)

Construction worker crushed by fence (a worker, 28, was taken to hospital after being crushed by a large steel fence – an 11m long, 2m high steel fence fell on the worker at a construction site at about 2pm – he was taken to a Hospital with moderate injuries to his hip, chest, back and abdomen)

FALL Construction Worker Hurt in Fall (a worker was hurt after falling at a construction site – he fell around noon – it wasn’t clear how far he fell or from where he fell – he was taken to the Hospital where his condition wasn’t released)

MISCELLANEOUS

FLASH FIRE Conn. Workers Burned as Underground Tank Explodes (workers removing an old underground tank accidentally triggered a small explosion, injuring two – they did not require hospitalization – the work was being performed by a company specializing in disposal services – workers were performing a routine task at the time – the removal process involves using a specialized saw to cut a hole in the tank – explosion occurred once workers broke through the tank’s inner layer – typically, dry ice is used to clear out any remaining oxygen)

GAS EXPLOSION Restaurant worker suffers burns in cooking gas cylinder explosion (a worker, in his 30s, suffered about 80 per cent burns on his body in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at the kitchen of a restaurant – a preliminary investigation revealed that the explosion occurred in the kitchen on the upper floor of the double-story premises)

What’s New @ SAFTENG.net

Compliance Tip: Air Receivers

2013 Photo of the Week #22 (no one would defeat an interlock)

Baltimore Derailment crossing Impact and Explosion (Video – 5/2013)

2013 Video of the Week #22 (Forklift Counter Weights)

Emergency Recall Order Issued to The Lite Cylinder Company, Inc.

Ammonia Incidents in NY State

Ammonia Refrigeration FATALITY – Compressor Pump Out Valve

EPA RMP GDC citations w/ FAILURE of HCL Tank ($37K)

EPA RMP citations @ Ice Plant ($61K)

Company to pay over $1M to OSHA and EPA for fatal NH3 release during pump down (NH3 Refrigeration)

Incentive Program “TEAM APPROACH” uses peer pressure in a SAFETY POSITIVE way

FREE PRCS video from NY Dept of Labor

Worker & FF die in sewer manhole (NY-FACE)

LOTO fatality while cleaning (NY FACE)