Incident Alert Archives

Equipment Opening gone bad (bolts stripped – not @ a ZES)

On March 25, 2003, two employees working for an power generation facility were instructed to remove a cover plate from an electrical generator. The hydrogen gas had been purged from the generator and replaced with air pressurized at approximately 40 psi. The generator was pressurized with air so that the workers could perform a leak […]

Golf carts need to be managed as a Powered Industrial Truck (PIT)

It is my professional opinion that “golf carts” need to be managed as a Powered Industrial Truck (PIT). I have seen firsthand three (3) serious accidents resulting in life-altering injuries. We see fatalities like this one several times a year: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/worker-at-nh-storage-facility-dies-after-being-pinned-under-golf-cart/3803079

Relied on Robot Cage Door Interlock; Operator closed the door and started the robot, killing the maintenance tech

At 10:35 a.m. on December 2, 2024, Employee #1, 18, was performing maintenance on a sensor inside a robotic enclosure. As he entered the area, the robot was stopped by the entrance sensors. While he was cleaning the sensor, a coworker reset the machine from the control panel, unaware that Employee #1 was still inside

Maintenance Tech By-Passes Guard Interlock – Machine Operator turned the machine from manual to auto and reactivated the machine, killing Tech ($145K)

At 11:00 a.m. on June 7, 2024, an employee, 50, working as a machinery maintenance technician for a frozen food manufacturer, was troubleshooting a ring remover since food trays were getting stuck. The employee bypassed the magnetic safety interlock gates and crawled underneath the conveyor. A coworker, the machine operator, was not aware that the

The CSB releases Volume 2 of its Incident Reports

Volume 2 covers 25 serious chemical incidents in 14 states: Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois,  Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska,  Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.  These serious incidents resulted in 7 fatalities, 23 serious injuries, and approximately $1 billion in property damage. Link to Volume 2: http://www.idevmail.net/link.aspx?l=1&d=86&mid=421120&m=2672 The reports give the public important information about

When they say it can never happen… Worker Dies From Burns After Spark Ignites Cigarette Lighter (OSHA Case #202638235)

On March 28, 2014, Employee #1, working at a construction company’s job site, was engaged in exterior carpentry. He was using a cutting torch. A spark from the torch fell into the worker’s front pocket. The worker had a butane lighter in his pocket. The spark caused the lighter to explode, and the worker sustained

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