Milford worker hurt in fall from garbage truck Sarah W. Walker, Register Staff February 15, 2003 MILFORD — A city sanitation worker was critically injured early Friday morning when he fell from a moving garbage truck while collecting trash along a downtown route, officials said. Thomas A. Schreiber, 48, of Milford was in critical condition Friday evening at Yale-New Haven Hospital, hospital officials said. His sister, who was notified by the city shortly after the incident, held a vigil at the hospital Friday along with Public Works Director Bruce Kolwicz and Sanitation Foreman Daniel Hooks. "Our hearts go out to the family," said Mayor James Richetelli Jr. "We hope that Mr. Schreiber is able to pull out of this." The accident occurred just before 8 a.m. while the three-man sanitation crew that Schreiber is part of collected garbage on Platt Lane, Richetelli said. As the truck turned onto North Street, Schreiber — who was riding on the rear of the truck — fell off, striking his head. Fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene within minutes, Richetelli said. Fire Department spokesman Brad Ross said fire and rescue workers quickly transported Schreiber, taking him to the hospital in a rescue vehicle rather than waiting for an ambulance. "Mr. Schreiber underwent surgery late (Friday) morning and he’s currently in very critical condition," Richetelli said. Schreiber joined the Sanitation Department three months ago, having transferred from the Custodial Building Maintenance Division of Public Works. He began working for that division on Dec. 26, 2000. Richetelli said that the city’s worker’s compensation administrators, Mathog & Moniello Cos. Inc. of East Haven, sent a crisis intervention specialist to the hospital to assist family and friends. Crisis intervention specialists also counseled co-workers, including two other sanitation workers who were assigned to the same truck as Schreiber and other city employees. The two sanitation workers working with Schreiber did not finish their route Friday morning. But a contingent of other sanitation workers who had gathered at the Public Works Department after learning of the incident were believed to have completed the route, Richetelli said. The Traffic Unit of the Police Department is investigating the incident, police spokesman Officer Vaughan Dumas said Friday. Dumas declined to comment on the case, though he did say officials are looking at whether the fall was caused by a medical problem.
Worker seriously injured in fall from scaffold in Woodstock tank By KEVIN P. CRAVER The Northwest Herald WOODSTOCK – A Rockford plumber is in serious condition after a 30-foot fall Friday afternoon into an empty wastewater treatment tank. Leon Dorris, 49, was walking on a scaffold above a concrete tank at about 12:15 p.m. at the Northside Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1965 N. Tappan St., when a metal grate gave way beneath him, said witness Bryce Cyrzan, a foreman for Fischer Mechanical of Broadview. Dorris unsuccessfully tried to grab onto the handrails as he fell. "He was just walking on there, and the next thing you know, he went through," Cyrzan said. "It's a mystery. We really don't know how." Cyrzan said Dorris and other workers have walked on the gangway many times without any problems. Dorris was working on installing air pipes for the tank at the time of the accident. Woodstock Fire-Rescue paramedics and firefighters stabilized Dorris in the tank. Dorris was sprawled on the bottom against the pump machinery in the center. He fractured his left leg and suffered unknown internal injuries, Fire Chief Ralph Webster said. He was conscious and alert. Firefighters hooked the stretcher to a ladder truck to hoist Dorris out of the pit. The department has trained on using the ladder truck to hoist a victim, but Friday was the first time they did it. Webster said the training paid off. "This is a first for us," Webster said. "We've pulled people out of basements but never a 30-foot pit." Paramedics took Dorris to a Flight for Life helicopter, which landed on the soccer-football field at the Northwood Middle School campus. Dorris was flown to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Webster said Dorris could have suffered far more serious injuries. "All in all, considering how far he fell, he looks to be in pretty good shape, and it looks like this will have a happy ending," he said. The contractors installed the scaffold and is not part of the plant, Public Works Director John Isbell said. The accident likely will be investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the insurance company for general contractor Joseph J. Henderson and Sons of Gurnee, Fischer Mechanical project manager Bob Vik said. Isbell and Vik agreed the city probably will not be held liable for the accident. Henderson was unavailable Friday afternoon. Workers are in the middle of a $1.4 million renovation of the plant to be completed later this year, Isbell said.
Man falls 40 feet after construction accident 2/13 By TODD HARPER For The Lebanon Reporter Zionsville -- An Indianapolis man working on the construction of the new auditorium at Zionsville Community High School is in critical condition at Methodist Hospital after falling approximately 40 feet. Alivio Moralis, a construction worker for Verkler Inc., was finishing work on the roof portion of the construction when the accident occurred, said Brian Miller, deputy chief of administration for the Zionsville Fire Department. The accident took place just before 2 p.m. Miller said Moralis suffered head injuries due to the fall, but was unsure of the severity of the injuries. He assisted medics in transporting the victim to the ambulance. It is not apparent what caused the fall. ZFD crews immediately cleaned up the accident scene and gathered all personal items left behind. Verkler is the general contractor for the school's project, which has recently been delayed due to the cold weather. It is scheduled to open for the 2003-2004 school year. A response from Jeff Rowland, the contact person for Verkler was not available at press time and ZCHS assistant principal Chris Willis said he was unsure of the exact details of the accident. "I had gotten word that there had been an accident and that a rescue crew had been called," he said. "By the time I had gotten down there they were taking him away." Bill Payne of Fanning/Howey and Associates, the architect and designer for the project, said late in the afternoon that his company had just learned of the incident and was waiting word on further details. More information in the accident will be provided as they become available.
Worker airlifted after 30-foot fall 2/13/2003 11:48:24 AM By: Megan Butler, news14.com The worker fell about 30 feet off a platform. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A construction worker was airlifted to the hospital Thursday morning after falling from a platform at UNC Charlotte. A coworker said the man fell 30 feet and paramedics said his injuries were serious. MEDIC workers said the worker was as subcontractor working for Buckner Steel in Graham, N.C. He was taken to University Hospital and then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center. A fellow worker told News 14 Carolina that the injured man was working on a building on the campus when he fell about 30 feet to the ground. news14.com will continue to update this story as new information becomes available.
Construction worker injured By Michael Knox Independent Tribune A Hispanic male was flown to Carolinas Medical Center Wednesday afternoon after an accident at a construction site, Cabarrus County Sheriff's Deputy K.P. Troutman said. The 26-year-old man was working on the frame of the building, where the roof is, and fell about 12 feet, Robinson said. The accident happened around 12:20 p.m. in the Rocky River Crossing development, at the intersection of Rocky River Crossing Road and Willow Glen Road. Troutman declined releasing the man's name until the family was notified. He said the man suffered from a concussion while he was working for Carolina Framers. Harrisburg Fire and Rescue Firefighter Tim Robinson said it's unclear exactly whether he received the concussion before or after he fell. The 26-year-old man was working on the frame of the building, where the roof is, and fell about 12 feet, Robinson said. Cabarrus County EMS also assisted and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate.
UPDATE Bridge collapse suits seek millions Thu, Feb 13, 2003 By TOM LAMBERT Observer-Dispatch Two lawsuits totaling more than $80 million have been filed against the state in the aftermath of the Marcy pedestrian bridge collapse. Deborah L. Couchman, widow of Scott Couchman, a construction worker who died during the collapse, filed a $50 million lawsuit Jan. 22. Frederick T. McNeil, a construction worker severely injured during the collapse, and his wife Emma McNeil filed a $30 million lawsuit. Couchman and McNeil were working for Tioga Construction Co. of East Herkimer, the project's general contractor. Couchman was killed and McNeil and eight other workers were injured when the 170-foot bridge twisted, buckled and collapsed 20 feet to the ground Oct. 10. According to the lawsuits, filed in the state Court of Claims, Couchman's death and McNeil's injuries were a result of working "in an unsafe, dangerous and hazardous condition and location." The workers weren't adequately trained in safe and proper construction site procedures and weren't harnessed or provided with safety nets/railings to prevent falls, the lawsuits said. The lawsuits also claim a flaw in the bridge design caused the collapse. Jennifer Post, a state Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said that because the matter is in litigation, DOT wouldn't comment. "We are in the process of doing a thorough investigation of what happened at the bridge to make sure nothing like that happens again," Post said. She said state DOT officials hoped it would be done by this summer. Marc Violette, a spokesman for the Attorney General's office, wouldn't comment on the case before it goes to trial. The lawyers representing Couchman and the McNeils, Eva Brindisi Pearlman and Louis Brindisi, also couldn't be reached Wednesday. Brindisi, however, has said under state labor law the owner of the property is strictly liable for any negligence on the part of the contractors/subcontractors when an injury or death occurs as a result of a fall from an elevated height. The state owns the site where the bridge collapsed. Meanwhile, at 10 a.m. Friday all parties involved in the case will return to state Supreme Court Justice Robert Julian's chambers in Utica to work out a schedule for inspection of the site. A date of April 15 has been targeted for the pedestrian bridge to be removed so work can resume on the Utica/Rome Expressway, state DOT officials have said. Portions of the bridge would be shipped to a facility at the Oneida County Airport for further testing.
UPDATE Construction worker killed in fall from house is identified LYNNWOOD — A 64-year-old construction worker who died Monday after falling about 10 feet from scaffolding at a construction site has been identified as Duane E. Marberg of Lynnwood. The accident occurred at about 2 p.m. in the 160th block of 60th Avenue West. Marberg, part of a crew building a single-family home, was guiding a hose for a cement truck driver when he fell, police said.
Man dead after factory roof fall CAT BARTMAN February 12, 2003 17:29 An investigation has begun after a man fell 30ft through a skylight onto a concrete floor at a factory in Diss. The accident at the Norfolk Feather Company happened at about 11.30am today when the man was replacing roof lights that were damaged in storms last year. He was taken by air ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with multiple injuries and skull fractures, but died just after 2pm. No details about the dead man have been released, but he was working for Reads Construction, based in Harleston, and was aged between 40 and 50 years old. The Health and Safety Executive confirmed that its investigators were at the factory in Park Road this afternoon. It is understood the man fell through the roof into part of a processing area where staff were working. No one from Reads Construction was available to comment late this afternoon. Mike Whittemore, managing director of Norfolk Feather Company, said they had offered staff counselling if they needed it “Obviously the staff are all very shocked, it's an absolute tragedy,” he added. A land ambulance was already at the scene when the air ambulance arrived at 11.36am, and police were called just before 11.45am. A spokeswoman for the HSE said: “Our investigation has started into the accident in conjunction with the police.”
Man falls 20 feet into sewage well By Andrew Dys The Herald (Published February 12‚ 2003) Emergency workers rescued an injured chemical company employee from a 20-foot deep sewer well Tuesday morning, but details remain unclear about how or why the man fell. The United Laboratories salesman, whose name has not been released, and a city of Rock Hill Utilities worker, Brian Hoover, were testing a degreasing product at around 9:30 a.m. at a wastewater pump station on Dutchman Drive when the salesman fell into a well that had a 2-foot square opening inside the building, said city spokeswoman Jane Alleva. Officials are unsure whether the well was covered with a grate, Alleva said. The man suffered no broken bones, but was admitted to Piedmont Medical Center for observation, Alleva said. After finding the man in the well, Hoover used a two-way radio to call utility operations, asking for a 911 call and directing other workers to engage the pump. The sewage level was high enough where the man was choking and gagging, said Cotton Howell, York County emergency management director. "He lapsed in and out of consciousness during the rescue," Howell said. Rock Hill firefighters were first to arrive on the scene near Celanese Road. Firefighter Eric Holmes was lowered into the well to assist the victim as other emergency workers arrived. Holmes said the victim was unresponsive and in a fetal position in one corner of the well. The sewage was about 38 degrees, said Rock Hill fire inspector Tim Hatchell, and Howell added that hypothermia and the possibility of spinal injuries were a concern for rescue workers. However, Alleva said late Tuesday that the man did not appear to have suffered from hypothermia. The harness Holmes attempted to use to assist the victim out of the well wouldn't fit, forcing Holmes and firefighter Mike Knotts to rig a harness while in the pit. Firefighters used a rescue pulley system and safety lines to pull the man to safety at about 9:30 a.m., about an hour after responding. The incident remains under investigation, said City Manager Carey Smith. "It was clearly an accident. The circumstances aren't altogether clear why that occurred," Smith said. Alleva said Hoover told the man he would go around the pump building to turn on a pump and that he would be right back. Hoover left the salesman outside the building, but Hoover had already unlocked the door, Alleva said. "When he went around the building, he heard yelling," Alleva said. Hoover went in and turned on the lights. "He found the well open, and him in it. We do not know if there was a grate on the well or why he went in there." The salesman was with Hoover to see if the degreaser was a product the city may consider purchasing, Alleva said. Workplace incidents where a single person is injured do not require a report to Occu-pational Safety and Health Ad-ministration, said Jim Knight, a spokesman for the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Workplace incidents with more than three injuries require reporting within eight hours, Knight said. However, OSHA can evaluate specific incidents involving single injuries and decide to investigate, Knight said. United Laboratories is based in St. Charles, Ill., according to company spokeswoman Julie Benson. The Rock Hill incident remains under investigation and the company is not releasing any information, Benson said. Founded in 1964, United Laboratories provides specialty chemicals to municipalities and industry, according to the company's Web site.
Pilot critically ill after 5 metre fall from aircraft door Ken Rutherford, 46, a pilot employed by easyJet, is critically ill in hospital following a fall from height as he closed a fuselage door after passengers had disembarked a Boeing 737 at Edinburgh Airport at the weekend. He was discovered on the tarmac below the boarding steps. It has been suggested that strong winds may have been a factor in the accident. A spokeswoman for easyJet said pilots only shut doors if they are the last ones to leave their aircraft. Mr Rutherford has serious back injuries and is in stable but critical condition. The airline and the British Airports Authority in Scotland are investigating the accident.
Man dies in fall at Lynnwood construction site Herald staff LYNNWOOD -- Authorities are investigating a death that occurred Monday on a construction site when a man fell from some scaffolding. The accident occurred about 2 p.m. in the 160th block of 60th Avenue W., where workers were building a single family home, Lynnwood police spokeswoman Trudy Dana said. A man in his mid-50s was on a catwalk guiding a hose for a cement truck driver who was pouring a concrete foundation. The driver saw the man have some difficulty and apparently lose his balance. He looked away for a moment and then realized the man had fallen to the ground, she said. The Snohomish County medical examiner is investigating.
Fatal accident at Target Distribution Center Thursday; Worker killed after fall at Midlothian roof site By ROB WILLIAMS Daily Light staff writer MIDLOTHIAN – A worker was killed Thursday after falling from a roof at the construction site of the Target distribution center in Midlothian. The accident occurred around 2:34 p.m. at the distribution center, which is in the RailPort industrial park, Midlothian Deputy Fire Chief Tom Montgomery said. The worker was adding roofing materials to the metal roof and apparently fell 30 to 35 feet onto a concrete slab, Montgomery said, where firefighters found him upon their arrival. “When the firefighters got there, they did not detect a pulse and did not detect any respirations from the worker,” Montgomery said. Firefighters immediately began efforts to revive the man, but were unsuccessful; the worker was transported by ambulance to Baylor Medical Center-Ellis County where he was pronounced dead, Montgomery said. The cause of the accident is under investigation, Montgomery said. The name of the worker was not immediately available for release. Company officials were not available for comment by press time.
UPDATE $100,000 fine over fatal scaffold fall By Olivia Hill-Douglas February 8 2003 A water tank company was fined $100,000 in the County Court yesterday for unsafe work practices after an employee fell to his death when a scaffold collapsed. Father of two Phillip Mahoney, 36, of Geelong, died on June 8, 1999, after the mobile scaffold on which he was standing collapsed while it was being moved three metres. Another man, James Greenslade, then 44, of Ballarat, fell to the ground with the scaffold. He was seriously injured. Mr Mahoney, who had been working on the construction of a large water tank in Broadmeadows, grabbed the edge of the tank after the scaffold tipped over, but lost his grip and fell nine metres to the ground, striking his head on the scaffold as he fell. Geelong company E. Brockman and Son had earlier pleaded guilty to providing an unsafe workplace and system of work. Judge Roland Williams said moving scaffolding while workers were on it had become accepted in the company. "It had become an accepted system of work... throughout the construction of this tank and, I imagine, o thers," the judge said, adding that the rules were flouted to save time. "Brockman knew the rules yet, for what it considered to be pragmatic reasons, knowingly connived to breach the rules," Judge Williams said. Shortly before Mr Mahoney's death, Mr Greenslade had recommended to the company that workers be off the scaffold while it was being moved, the court heard. Mr Mahoney's wife, Melanie, said in a victim impact statement tendered to the court: "He should have come home that night as usual." The court heard that moving scaffolding while workers were on it was common throughout the scaffolding industry. E. Brockman and Son had been operating since 1921. It had won industry awards and made contributions to charities, the court heard. No other deaths had occurred at the company. The court was told that since the accident Brockman had made workplace safety a priority. WorkSafe Victoria executive director John Merritt said the $100,000 fine should be a warning to employers to make sure that employees abide by safety rules.
Gozitan man in danger of dying after falling off some scaffolding by Charlotte Bonavia, di-ve news Kercem, GOZO (di-ve news) 05/02/03 1230CET-- A 67-year-old man of Kercem was seriously injured and is in danger of dying after falling a height of eight courses while he was carrying out voluntary work in his parish church on Tuesday afternoon. From investigations it resulted that the man fell off some scaffolding while he was carrying out some maintenance work. A helicopter took the man to St Luke’s Hospital where he was certified as suffering from serious injuries in his head and ribs and unfortunately was in danger of dying. Duty Magistrate Paul Coppini was informed about the case and appointed various experts to assist him in the inquiry. Victoria’s District Inspector is leading the Police investigations.
Worker Dies After Falling Into Well February 5, 2003 PINEHURST -- A man working at a Habitat For Humanity site was killed when he fell head first into a 55 foot-deep well Wednesday morning. The accident happened around 10 a.m. near the city of Pinehurst on Juniper Lake Road off of Highway 211. Thirty-five-year-old Jack Henry King of Lake View was working for a well-drilling company. He was working on the well that he fell into. The well and nearby sandy ground had to be stabilized before any rescue efforts could be attempted. Once the well was stabilized, rescue crews lowered a camera to check the victim. When crews couldn't view any movement through the camera, they sent a rescue worker down to retrieve the body. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will visit the site.
Man Rescued From Water Tower Some Round Rock firefighters had to maneuver through tight spaces to rescue a man Tuesday afternoon. He had fallen while working inside a water tower. Firefighters were working a rigging system with ropes to lower their patient. He was about 128 feet above ground painting the inside of the water tank when he fell off scaffolding. "He fell approximately 10 feet, striking his head and complaining of severe back injuries," Lt. David Kieschnick with the Round Rock Fire Department said. Round Rock firefighters used this basket to secure the patient before bringing him down. Tight confined spaces is what rescuers like Lieutenant David Kieschnick had to work in. "The initial area getting him out was only 16 inches in diameter that we had to get him out of the reservoir," Kieschnick said. "Actually they had disassemble some of the the scaffolding to do the patient care and patient assessing," Round Rock Deputy Fire Chief Ronald Garzarek said. Then they brought the patient down a ladder inside the long tower was not a straight shot. "Three or four different levels that the ladder changed on the way up. About every 30 feet they'd change, change direction from wall to wall," Kieschnick said. It took about two careful hours to bring the injured man down the water tower. Williamson County paramedics say he was in stable condition. Round Rock's deputy fire chief credits the rescue to some of the intricate training firefighters go through. "And this is the scenario you paing when you have high angle resuces, or potential high angle rescues. You can look at this tower itself and see it's fraught with danger," Garzarek said. The patient is about 30-years-old, and he was taken to Brackenridge Hospital from Round Rock. The lieutenant who was one of the rescuers said the man was alert and talking to them as he was brought down.
Man falls to death at college Sunday, February 2, 2003 By Angela Sykes Madera Tribune A Tulare man fell to his death while working with a construction crew at the Madera College Center Friday morning. Samuel Fidler, 22, a construction worker with Harris Construction of Tulare, was working two stories up at the construction site at the Madera College Center when he lost his balance and fell 28-feet, head first, landing on a slab of cement, according to Erica Stuart, Madera County Sheriff's Department public information officer. According to Stuart, Fidler died instantly. A source who works at the Madera College Center heard one of the construction workers yelling "Oh - - - -! Call 9-1-1" from across the campus about 9 a.m. Friday morning. Officials from the State Center Community College District, Madera Center declined to make a statement about the incident. Attempts to contact Harris Construction officials for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.
UPDATE Billboard company says no defects in design LAWRENCEVILLE - The Tennessee company that designed the Snellville billboard that collapsed and killed three workers last August claims it did not contain any defects. An attorney for the Thompson Engineering Group of Athens, Tennessee -- Tracy Wooden -- made the statement. It came after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Tuesday that the structural design of the billboard did not conform to steel industry requirements. Wooden says the company provides an engineering plan for signs but does not make them. OSHA also sent a letter to Phoenix Structures and Services, blaming the company for ``extensive flaws'' in the welding of the billboard. Phoenix -- also of Athens, Tennessee -- could not be reached for comment. OSHA's area director -- G.T. Breezley -- says he wants the billboard industry to check every sign made by Phoenix or designed by Thompson.
Construction worker hurt in Weston fall By Evan Hessel A 33-year-old Naples construction worker broke both heels and injured his lower back when he fell 18-feet off of a ladder in Weston. The man was working at a house in Woodmill Ranch Estates in the 3300 block of Fairfield Lane, said Todd LeDuc, spokesman for Broward County Fire Rescue. He was standing on a fiberglass ladder leaned against the roof when the ladder collapsed, LeDuc said.
Graycor settles injury lawsuit; Worker will get $3.75 million after falling from ladder Friday, January 31, 2003 By Jennifer Martikean Staff writer A Homewood construction company will pay more than $3 million to a subcontracted worker who was severely injured when he fell off of a ladder at a job site. Graycor Construction Co. settled the personal injury lawsuit Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court for $3.75 million. Graycor was sued by Charles Gates, a member of Laborers Union Local 96 who was working for subcontractor Weiss Construction doing masonry work at the time of the accident, said Gates' attorney, Larry Weisman of the Chicago law firm Goldberg, Weisman & Cairo. "The ladder on the job site violated several (workplace regulations) and despite complaints, the general contractor permitted the ladder to be used and Mr. Gates fell," Weisman said. Gates fell off of the ladder in December 1997 as he was climbing it to work on a project at the University of Chicago Hospitals, Weisman said. Because of the design of the ladder, workers had to carry their lunch and tools under their arms as they climbed, instead of putting them in a container that could later be hoisted up to the work site. When he fell, Gates was attempting to carry his lunch under his arm. "The ladder was built on the job site and it was the only means of access to a certain point of the construction site," he said. Gates, who lives in Kane County, was hospitalized for about two weeks after the accident and was in rehabilitation for many more months, Weisman said. Gates suffers from vision and memory problems, and needs assistance to perform daily tasks, Weisman said. Graycor was represented by William J. Cremer and Thomas R. Pender of the Chicago law firm Cremer, Kopon, Shaushnessy & Spina. Pender said he could not comment on the case because of a confidentiality agreement.
UPDATE Firm cited over death at skybox work site A Jacksonville subcontractor involved in the construction of a new skybox at the University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is facing citations in connection with last year's death of a construction worker. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration noted problems with bolts used on a brace system and also with fall protection for employees, paperwork filed by the agency shows. A representative for Summit Erectors Inc. could not be reached for comment Wednesday. OSHA records show the business is contesting the three violations noted by the agency. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for late February. OSHA investigated circumstances surrounding the death of James Sudak, 45, of Jacksonville, an ironworker for Summit Erectors Inc. He died July 24 while setting a concrete column at the stadium. Sudak was struck by a steel brace supporting the column, University Police reported. He fell about 60 feet, landing on a concrete platform. OSHA said bolts used on the brace system were not appropriate and a torque wrench was not used to install bolts onto the brace system. "This could cause the brace to separate from its anchor point on the concrete column and fall onto an employee," OSHA's report stated. A cable guardrail system also had been removed so concrete columns could be brought into the site, but an alternative fall protection was not used, creating an 80-foot fall hazard, OSHA found. A wire rope perimeter guardrail system also was loose, creating a fall hazard, OSHA reported. The violations are categorized as serious, meaning they can result in a serious injury, illness or death, said James Borders, director of OSHA's Jacksonville office. "I don't think any construction site, large or small, should have any violations," Borders said. "They're designed so any employer can meet them." Borders said OSHA employees spend most of their time at construction sites because of the large number of fatalities reported in Florida. Falls accounted for 23 of the 43 construction-related deaths investigated by OSHA in the state between Oct. 1, 2001, and May 31, 2002, the agency reports. OSHA has proposed the business should pay $9,800 as penalty for the violations. No final determination on the case will be made until the business has a chance to contest or appeal the citations. Borders said the construction project's general contractor, Turner-PPI Joint Venture, is considered the "controlling employer" at this site and was involved in the inspection. But there was no finding that it violated OSHA rules in this case. Shortly after Sudak's death, his son and several of his co-worker had said safety standards were ignored. They said the brace had come loose from its bracket and a cable barrier along the ledge over which Sudak fell was not up at the time. Instead, they said, it was put up immediately after the accident. Workers said precautions that could have been used would have been safety walls, harnesses and secondary lifelines - anchored cables with a tether long enough to allow workers to move freely but short enough so they would not fall far in an accident.
UPDATE OSHA points to faulty design in billboard collapse SNELLVILLE - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says faulty design and manufacturing led to a billboard collapse that killed three workers in August, a federal agency concluded. OSHA's area director G.T. Breezley said the design by Thompson Engineering Group of Athens, Tenn., did not conform to steel industry requirements. He blamed Phoenix Structures & Service, also of Athens, Tenn., for welding flaws. Breezley said he wanted the billboard industry to check every sign made by Phoenix or designed by Thompson. He's also notifying billboard companies and industry trade journals, but OSHA won't issue citations. The workplace safety agency can impose punishment only when companies knowingly expose employees to a hazardous situation, Breezley said. Trinity Outdoor of Buford bought the 35,000-pound billboard, and Fowler Sign Co. of Lilburn employed the workers who were killed.
£500,000 damages for 22ft fall 10:49 Tuesday 28th January 2003 A LABOURER who suffered brain damage after a devastating fall from scaffolding at the Glades shopping centre in Bromley has won £500,000 compensation. Brian Tighe, 54, suffered skull fractures, a broken back and broken ribs when he fell 22 feet while constructing the Glades in December 1989. His head injuries resulted in severe memory loss and general mental impairment. Mr Tighe is now living in a care home but for much of the past decade he was cared for by his brother Michael who lives in Alderwood Road, Eltham. His counsel, Gerwyn Samuel, said Michael Tighe had taken on his brother's care "in an attempt to avoid him being institutionalised" but his own marriage had suffered in the process. "For many years they never even had a weekend together," he told the court. "Michael Tighe was intent on looking after his brother, who really did need full-time care but wasn't getting it from the social services and so the family stepped in," Mr Samuel added. But Brian Tighe's condition had worsened over the years culminating in his final admission to institutional care. Mr Tighe was not a trained scaffolder but on the day of the accident was sent aloft to help lower a space heater to the ground with the aid of a rope. While doing so he overbalanced toppling 22 feet to the ground below. Michael Tighe claimed damages on his brother's behalf, suing former employers, Tarmac Construction Ltd, of Cornwall Terrace, north London. Mr Samuel told Mr Justice Treacy, a settlement has now been agreed whereby Mr Tighe will receive £500,000 for injuries. The judge approved the providing of a £48,000 settlement to Michael Tighe as some compensation for his past care and expense.
UPDATE FATAL ACCIDENT A 35-year-old West Valley City man has died from injuries suffered in an accident at a Park City construction site Friday. Bidal Banuelos-Castaneda fell about 20 feet from a scaffolding at a construction project at Deer Valley, injuring his head and neck, according to a Park City police report. He was transported by air to University Hospital in Salt Lake City where he later died.
Repair Worker Dies In 80-Foot Plunge By Keiko Morris STAFF WRITER January 28, 2003 A Hampton Bays man fell 80 feet to his death yesterday as he was climbing a cell phone microwave tower in Syosset to do repair work, Nassau Police said. Det. Sgt. Herbert Daub, of the Homicide Squad, identified the man as Dwayne Fernandez, 33, an employee of Island Mobile Communications of Long Beach. He said Fernandez and two other men were working on the tower shortly before 3 p.m. when the accident happened. The other two men were on the ground at the tower, which is near the center of the Syosset business district, on Railroad Avenue, just south of the Long Island Rail Road tracks and just west of Jackson Avenue. Witnesses told police Fernandez was wearing a harness to climb the tower and the harness was attached to a steel cable. After a preliminary investigation, they said it appeared that a braking device on the harness failed as Fernandez was nearing the top of the 84-foot high tower. Workers below heard a snapping sound just before the fall, police said. Fernandez was pronounced dead at the scene. Daub said the death appears to have been accidental. Family members did not want to talk about the incident yesterday. Owners of the company were not available for comment.
Construction worker hurt in fall Jan. 26, 2003 Post-Tribune staff report CENTER TWP.— A construction worker is still listed in serious condition a day after falling 35 feet Friday while working on a multi-unit building in the Aberdeen subdivision. Oscar Sauceda, 44, of Lake Station fell onto a concrete sidewalk while working at the building on South Marcliffe. Sauceda was taken to Porter Memorial Hospital and is still being held there. Valparaiso firefighters said another man working on the ground suffered minor injuries from falling objects. Police officers covered Sauceda with coats and blankets to keep him warm until an ambulance could find the accident site.
UPDATE Safety scrutinized in November construction death By EILEEN ZAFFIRO Staff Writer Jan 25, 11:49 PM DAYTONA BEACH -- A crumbling wreath of flowers and a goodbye scrawled on weathered paper defied the ocean wind for weeks, clinging to an elevator shaft where 23-year-old Florencio Mendoza was crushed from the waist down in November. endoza's weekend was an hour away the Friday afternoon he slipped off the top of an elevator, became entangled in a metal tower and was pinned beneath a multi-ton counterweight for 20 minutes. Doctors fought to save the construction worker, but he died three days later. In the weeks since the fatal Nov. 15 accident at the Ocean Walk Resort North high-rise, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been trying to figure out why the DeLeon Springs man fell. It's not the first time OSHA has investigated the two companies in charge of the 25-story time share project for fall-related problems. Together, the two companies have racked up at least 57 fall violations and have been fined $60,000 over the years. A Daytona Beach News-Journal analysis of OSHA records showed Welbro Building Corp., a 24-year-old company based in Maitland, has been cited at least 21 times since 1984 for fall-related violations at its Florida work sites. Welbro, which also has a South Carolina office, has been fined about $30,000 over the past two decades for fall-related problems, including one $18,700 fine for a repeat handrail violation. Foley and Associates Construction Co., a 28-year-old Daytona Beach-based business that is Volusia County's largest general contractor, has been cited by OSHA at least 36 times since 1975 for fall-related violations at its Florida work sites. Foley also was fined at least $30,000 over the years for conditions that created a danger of falls, according to OSHA records. Both companies' citations, most of which were not spurred by accidents, were for such violations as failing to provide fall protection, deficiencies in guardrails and scaffolds and dangerous openings in floors and walls. James Borders, area director for the OSHA office that covers Volusia County, said both companies' tallies sound like more than the accumulation of routine slip-ups. "To me, they appear high," said Borders, who is based in Jacksonville and has been with OSHA since 1975. "But that's just a comment from the gut." A search of some other companies' records might turn up similar results, Borders said, but added, "Companies should not have to be cited that many times for fall-related problems." Luis Santiago, area director for OSHA's Fort Lauderdale office, said, "If any company had five or six violations of fall problems in a five- to 10-year period, it would concern me." Welbro and Foley's fall citation totals also sound high to Mike Williams, state president of Florida Building Trades. "But that doesn't mean those companies are any worse than the one next door," Williams said. "They just got caught." Both Welbro and Foley vehemently defend their safety practices, and point to their successes. Welbro has built a major hotel, sports complex and school buildings in Orlando, while Foley helped build the Justice Center on Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona USA, parts of Stetson University and the Hilton Garden Inn near the Daytona Beach airport. "We continue to strive to do the best we can in a fragile world," said Foley President and CEO Arthur Simpson. All building contractors wind up with some fall protection violations, said Bruce Holmes, executive vice president of Welbro, Mendoza's employer. Considering Welbro has been inspected about 140 times over the years, getting slapped with 21 fall-related violations is not so deplorable, Holmes said. "A work site is a very dynamic place," he said. "You can have all safety barricades in place, and 20 minutes later someone can move one and you're in violation. It's not an unnecessary standard, but it's a tough standard." Officials at the North Atlantic Avenue construction site say no one witnessed Mendoza falling as he greased parts of the hoist, which was carrying people from floor to floor as he worked. It's still not known exactly how the Mexican native's 6-foot safety strap failed to keep him on top of the elevator he was in charge of operating and maintaining. A site supervisor said OSHA inspectors "didn't find any discrepancies in the building or the hoists," which have been back in use for about seven weeks. On the day of the accident, there was speculation that the counterweights broke, but that theory has not been confirmed. Project leaders say they're sincerely baffled. "It's an unusual occurrence unprecedented in our careers," Holmes said. "We've never had a death of a worker. We're rather traumatized by this." About 10 years ago a man working on a Welbro project was killed by electrocution, but he worked for a subcontractor, Holmes said. Foley has also lost only one other worker on a past job site, a man who was killed by a lightning strike several years ago, corporate officials said. "I'm as mystified as anyone," Simpson said. "We're still in shock about this."
Wentworth worker is hurt in fall By Christine Gillette NEW CASTLE - A worker on the renovation of the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel in New Castle was injured when he fell from the fourth floor. The worker fell either through a window or an opening in the wall of the hotel’s fourth floor last Friday, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, which is investigating the accident. The worker was injured in the fall, but not fatally, according to OSHA and others with information on the incident who did not wish to be identified. The construction worker is an employee of Court Con, a general contracting arm of Ocean Properties, which owns the hotel and is renovating it to be reopened later this year. Ocean Properties refused to comment on the job-site accident. Neither Ocean Properties, nor New Castle police would release the identity of the injured worker. Information on his condition was not available, although he reportedly sustained leg injuries in the fall. OSHA’s investigation is expected to continue until at least Monday, according to Paul O’Connell, acting OSHA area director for New Hampshire. "When that’s done then we’ll have to put all the facts together and if it’s appropriate, if there have been some OSHA standards violated then we could issue some citations to the employer," O’Connell said.
UPDATE OSHA CITES CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS Two construction companies are being cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety violations. The violations were discovered after an accident at a construction site in Brunswick in November of 2002. Workers were putting together the frame for a new medical office building when several large wooden trusses collapsed bringing the workers down with them. Four workers were injured. OSHA has proposed $5,700 in fines to Maple Leaf Construction of Waterville and $3,500 to Alliance Construction of Scarbourough. The companies are expected to appeal.
Worker dies in accident at Edward Jones Dome January 23, 2003 St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - A worker fell 200 feet to his death inside the Edward Jones Dome on Wednesday. Michael Holt, 45, was part of a crew replacing sound-absorbing tiles in the ceiling of the dome. Holt fell from a beam, according to Bruce Sommer, director of the convention center complex that includes the home of the St. Louis Rams. A fire department spokesman said Holt was wearing a harness when he fell. Police and the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.
Independence man dies in accident By The Examiner staff An Independence man died Tuesday at a downtown Kansas City construction site when his concrete truck slipped from a dirt ramp and fell into a 6-foot-deep ravine. The weight of the truck crushed the cab. Earl F. Bean, 64, was killed instantly, authorities said. Bean had driven to the site to pour foundation footings for a new medical center building. He had been employed by the construction company, Fordyce Concrete, for 18 years. Bean was a lifelong Independence resident who worked hard and spent his free time with his five grandchildren and watching baseball games, said his 20-year-old daughter, Melanie Bean. Melanie Bean, who had lived at home with her father, said he worked long hours but when he was off, they enjoyed driving around looking for new places to eat. "I don't know what I'm going to do now," she said. As of this morning, Melanie Bean was making funeral arrangements.
UPDATE, Conectiv must pay injured house painter $5.1 million By RENEE WINKLER Courier-Post staff A jury awarded $5.1 million in damages to a Gloucester County house painter who was partially paralyzed on the job when an exposed electrical line shocked him. Tom Litka, 44, was painting the exterior of a home down the street from his own Franklinville residence when the accident happened June 10, 2000. He fell from a ladder and was shocked by an uninsulated power line attached to a utility pole at the house. Litka broke 15 bones, including several ribs, his backbone and sternum. One bone severed his spine, paralyzing him from the chest down, said his attorney, John Mininno. After four months of hospitalization and physical rehabilitation, Litka must use a wheelchair to move around and rely on friends and family for his care, according to testimony at the trial before Superior Court Judge Charles Little. The power line was installed and maintained by Wilmington, Del.-based Conectiv, which provides electrical service in the Franklin Township area. The company was the defendant in Litka's suit. Litka expressed gratitude after the verdict Friday that New Jersey doesn't impose caps on judgments in civil cases. "He needs constant care, professional care, and this will pay for it," Mininno said. The attorney declined further comment. Conectiv also declined to comment on the suit. The Camden County jury awarded damages of about $7.2 million - $4 million for pain and suffering and the balance for Litka's medical expenses. Jurors found that Litka was 30 percent responsible for his injury, reducing the amount Conectiv must pay to $5.1 million.
Man survives 18-foot fall in Saratoga Springs JIM KINNEY, The Saratogian January 21, 2003 SARATOGA SPRINGS -- A worker hanging drywall for the new CVS drug store building along Congress Street survived an 18-foot fall from a scaffold Monday morning. Bruce Kilmartin, 41, of Boylston Street in Glens Falls, was in stable condition Monday afternoon at Albany Medical Center, Saratoga Springs Police Investigator John Catone said. A state police helicopter flew him to the medical center right from an adjacent parking lot. ''He's going to make it,'' Catone said. ''He is very lucky.'' Kilmartin injured his head and neck. Catone said the hospital told him Kilmartin didn't break his left leg as firefighters originally thought. ''He hit his head and neck on the scaffold on his way down,'' Catone said. Catone said he doesn't know why Kilmartin fell. No witnesses saw him fall, and everything about the scaffolding seemed to be in order. ''There was snow on the victim's shoes,'' Catone said. ''He might have just slipped.'' Kilmartin wasn't wearing a safety harness, though, police later said. Catone said he has referred the case to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration office in Albany, a standard procedure for workplace accidents. Kilmartin works for subcontractor Niatrast Drywall, Catone said. The Pike Companies of Clifton Park is the general contractor, he said. City Fire Capt. Robert Williams said Kilmartin fell onto a concrete sidewalk. Kilmartin was conscious, but not alert, soon after the accident at about 8 a.m. Jeffrey B. Post, 42, of Ballston Spa, died Dec. 8 of head injuries suffered a day earlier when he fell 12 feet from a scaffold at a Jelenik Building and Renovations job site on Vanderbilt Avenue in Saratoga Springs. Catone investigated Post's death as well. ''He didn't fall as far as Kilmartin, and he died,'' Catone said. ''It just depends on how you fall.''
UPDATE OSHA Fines Birmingham Company $84,500 Following Inspection Of Fatal Truck Accident BIRMINGHAM , Ala. -- The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today cited a Birmingham company for safety violations that contributed to a temporary worker's fatal fall from a refuse collection truck. The agency fined Environmental Waste System, a subsidiary of Waste Away Group, Inc., $84,500 for willful and serious safety violations and failure to report a fatal accident within eight hours. The accident occurred on July 22 after an employee was picked up at a temporary agency to work as a helper on a rear loading refuse collection truck. After working for only 30 minutes collecting trash in a residential neighborhood, the employee fell backwards off the riding step, as the truck made a turn. He struck his head on the asphalt surface of the street, sustaining fatal injuries. "OSHA has issued a willful citation against this employer because of a plain indifference to OSHA standards and a clear disregard for worker safety," said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA's Birmingham area director. "The parent company has been cited before in other parts of the country for the same violations we found during this inspection." OSHA fined Environmental Waste System, also known as Waste Management, $70,000 for one willful safety violation for failing to provide personal protective equipment, such as high visibility vests, to temporary employees. Without the protective gear, these employees were far more likely to be stuck by vehicular traffic or otherwise injured while placing trash in the refuse truck. Two serious safety violations for failing to train temporary employees in safe work procedures and protection from exposure to sharp objects or infectious material found in solid waste cost the company an additional $9,500. The remaining $5000 fine resulted from the company's failure to report the accident in the prescribed time period. Waste Management has 15 working days to contest OSHA's citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's area office at Vestavia Village, 2047 Canyon Rd. in Birmingham; telephone: 205-731-1534. OSHA 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.
Deckhand Falls to His Death; Body of tugboat worker recovered in Hempstead Harbor By Joseph Mallia STAFF WRITER The body of a Port Washington tugboat deckhand was found in Hempstead Harbor yesterday morning after he apparently fell into the near-freezing water while trying to jump, sometime after midnight, from a shoreline bulkhead onto a barge, police said. "It was probably about a five- or six-foot jump and he didn't make it," Port Washington Police Sgt. Albert Bartkowski said. "Once you fall into the water, there's no easy way to get out," he said. The 42-year-old man, a Staten Island resident, appeared to have died from exposure to cold water and air, police said. He was not identified by police pending notification of his family. Bartkowski said an autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. The man was temporarily living on a tugboat moored off the West Shore Road terminal of Tilcon Industries. The man worked on the tugboat hauling sand and gravel barges for Tilcon, police said. Bartkowski said tugboat workers at the Tilcon terminal often live on their tugs, and the man would have reached is bunk by jumping from the dock to the barge, which was tied to the tug. The tug captain saw the man's body at around 10:30 a.m. yesterday in water near the Tilcon Industries terminal on Roslyn West Shore Road and called Port Washington police. Nassau Police Marine Bureau divers recovered the body, which was taken to the county medical examiner's office. Sixth Squad detectives are investigating the death. Police said they believe the man remained conscious after the fall and said he may have tried to climb up a metal chain that extended from the water to the dockside. The bulkhead was about 8 feet higher than water level, and the barge deck was even higher, he said. Tide tables showed that Hempstead Harbor reached the high-water mark at 11:19 p.m., and police believe the tide was full, or had just begun to go out, when the man fell into the water. The water was too deep for him to stand up, Bartkowski said. "Right now it looks like it was an accident. There was no injury to the head, no injury to the body," Bartkowski said. "He fell into 35-degree water, then he was out in the 10- or 12-degree air trying to climb the chain, and you've got hypothermia setting in." Police said the man was out with a friend, who left him at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Authorities do not know whether alcohol consumption played a part in the man's death. The man worked as a deckhand for Miller's Launch, a Staten Island-based company that contracted with Tilcon to haul sand and gravel barges, Nassau police said. A Miller's Launch employee who answered the company's telephone in Staten Island yesterday declined to comment. Corporate officials could not be reached yesterday.
Snowplow Driver Dies on the Job A state snowplow truck driver died overnight on the job. He was at a salt barn on the city's northeast side when he fell off his truck. Investigators still don’t know exactly what happened, but they say 45-year-old Dave Borgman was emptying his truck at the end of his shift when he fell off the back of the vehicle. Witnesses say one moment they saw Borgman on the back of the truck, and the next moment he was on the ground. Investigators say Borgman could have slipped, he could have been struck by a piece of equipment or he could have had a heart attack or other medical problem. Borgman’s colleagues are remembering him today as an enthusiastic worker. He was with the department for 22 years, and leaves behind a wife and children. INDOT is conducting its own investigation.
Whittier man dies from fall into elevator shaft By Kristopher Hanson Thursday, January 16, 2003 - LONG BEACH -- A 24- year-old Whittier man was killed early Thursday after plunging nearly 40 feet into an elevator shaft at a Port of Long Beach construction site, officials said. Edward Ulloa fell into the opening while working on the elevator's door frame in a parking structure being built adjacent to the Queen Mary, said Long Beach Fire spokesman Scott Clegg. Paramedics answered a 7:15 a.m. accident call at 1126 Queens Highway and found Ulloa suffering from massive head injuries and chest trauma. "He had minimal signs of life upon our arrival,' Clegg said. Ulloa was rushed to St. Mary Medical Center, where surgeons attempted to stabilize him. However, his injuries were too severe and he died just after 11 a.m., said hospital spokeswoman Kristin Eichelberg. An initial investigation indicated Ulloa was working atop a lift with another worker on the third floor of the parking structure when he leaned over a protective railing and fell, Clegg said. The new 1,450-space parking Structure is being built to accommodate the new Carnival Cruise terminal next to the Queen Mary. It is expected to open this spring. Cal-OSHA, the California branch of the Occupation Safety and Health Administration, will investigate the incident.
Risky rescue at construction site By Annette Phillips Local News - Firefighters teamed up with a construction crew yesterday afternoon to pull off the risky rescue of a man who had fallen four metres and lay injured on scaffolding two storeys above the ground. Firefighters, co-workers and ambulance attendants climbed the scaffolding, placed the injured man face-down in a basket and used a small crane called a zoom-boom to lift the basket from the second floor to the ground. It was a precarious rescue for firefighters, who have limited training in “high-angle” rescues, said George Harris, assistant deputy fire chief. Had the crane not been nearby, firefighters would have moved to Plan B – likely lowering the stretcher to the ground with ropes and straps, Harris said. The department has long dreamed of developing a high-angle rescue team to undertake missions like the one performed yesterday, Harris said. Funding has been a problem and firefighters rely on their wits, training and resourcefulness to make do in sticky situations, he said. “For 25 years, we’ve tried to muddle along, but in this day and age a lot more is expected of firefighters.” The injured man, whom police and firefighters could not identify, was working on the construction of a new residence for Queen’s University less than a block from Kingston General Hospital. Staff Sgt. Greg Sands of the Kingston police said last night the man’s injuries were minor and that he had never lost consciousness. Elio Pira, one of the site foremen, was on the other side of the building when the man fell. Pira orchestrated the rescue. He directed the crane rescue and rode to the ground steadying the stretcher. He said he did not know what caused the fall. Ministry of Labour investigators were on the scene late yesterday looking for clues to the cause of the accident and for any contraventions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, said Belinda Sutton, a ministry spokeswoman. A spokesman for Aecon Corporation, the lead contractor on the site, said the injured worker is employed by a Kingston masonry subcontractor. Santin Mason Contractors on Clyde Court is working at the Queen’s site, but a spokeswoman there said she could not confirm whether the injured worker is an employee of the company. Kingston firefighters’ high-altitude capabilities were last put to the test in May 1998 when one side of a suspended platform gave way under a couple of window washers high up the outside of the Harbourfront condominium. In that incident, the two men were eventually able to haul themselves up the listing platform and clamber into a window to escape uninjured.
Worker seriously hurt in fall Palm Beach Daily News Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2003 -- A construction worker at the 400 South Ocean Boulevard Condo was seriously injured Tuesday after falling between 40 and 50 feet from the building to the pavement, according f+z f-z to Palm Beach Fire-Rescue officials. Fire-Rescue workers were called to the scene at 11:12 a.m. They took the worker to St. Mary Medical Center. His name and condition were unavailable Tuesday evening. The general contractor at the building, Aquashield Corp. of Hollywood, declined to comment on the incident.
Libyan man dies on place of work by Charlotte Bonavia, di-ve news (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Birkirkara, MALTA (di-ve news) -- A 28-year-old Libyan man from Tripoli lost his life when he fell a height of three storeys in a construction site at Birkirkara, on Tuesday afternoon at around 1300CET. The accident happened when the man was plastering and painting in a new building in Triq il-Qanpiena l-Kbira, Birkirkara. The man was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital by a private vehicle where the doctor in the Emergency Department certified him as dead. Duty Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima was informed about the case and appointed several experts to assist her in the inquiry. An autopsy on the body is expected to be held on Thursday morning at around 0815CET by Dr Ali Safraz, Dr Maria Theresa Camilleri, Dr Mario Scerri and Dr Mario Sammut. The Police investigations continue
Accident reported day after training Matt Swearengin January 11, 2003 One day after an emergency training exercise at Big Lots construction site, emergency personnel were out there again, this time for the real McCoy. About 8 a.m. today, an emergency call was made about a worker trapped under a beam at the site on Enterprise Boulevard. Durant Fire Department and Bryan County EMS were dispatched. "When they called us, they said they had a man with a beam on his leg," said Durant Fire Department Assistant Chief Stacy Reid. "But we didn't have to get anything off of him. We just helped the ambulance crew load him up." Randy Barnhill, project supervisor for Haskell Co., said this morning he could not provide details of the accident or the name of the victim because it is company policy to first complete an accident report. He did say the worker, a subcontractor, has a twisted knee from falling backwards over a beam. Barnhill said the injury is not serious. "He'll probably be back to work in the morning," he said. Tuesday morning, Haskell Co. held an emergency training exercise in which rescue crews removed a training dummy from the roof of the building. In this exercise, the "victim" had a heart attack while working on the roof and was removed by crane and loaded into an ambulance. The accident this morning was the first for the Big Lots site.
Balcony falls, injuring 2 workers EILEEN ZAFFIRO Staff Writer ORMOND BEACH -- Two construction workers using jackhammers Friday to drop a concrete balcony onto the ground wound up going along for the ride and fell more than seven feet. Both men survived the fall at an Ormond Beach condominium complex without life-threatening injuries, but each suffered multiple cuts, bruises and possibly broken bones, emergency workers said. "It's a good way to jump-start your heart in the morning," said Lainey Durgin, the rental manager at the Ormond Ocean Club, where workers are replacing aging balconies. John Rapp and Mike Schaffer, who work for R & J Coatings and Waterproofing, were standing on a beam of the balcony on the southeast corner of the building at 855 Ocean Shore Boulevard, said co-worker John Bickel. A little after 8:30 a.m., they started using their jackhammers on a crack they hoped would break free the second-floor balcony, Bickel said. The plan was to tear down the weak sections of balconies at the 30-year-old, 47-unit oceanside building Friday, and begin replacing th Monday, Bickel said. Rapp, 23, and Schaffer, 45, both of Daytona Beach, were standing side by side and leaning forward as they drilled into a section of concrete about a foot in front of them, Bickel said. "When it gave way, they both fell forward," said Bickel, who watched helplessly as he stood on a ladder beside them. " . . . It just broke faster than they wanted." Bickel said Rapp fell on top of Schaffer, with a jackhammer in between them. "They both jumped up immediately, and I told them Lay down on the grass, both of you, until paramedics arrive,' " Bickel said. The balcony was attached to a unit that was to be home for a couple from Ohio throughout January. They moved to another townhouse in the complex Friday. Barbara Downey, who had been living in the unit since Jan. 1, said she was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, and her husband Carl was upstairs. "It was just a big thump, an ungodly noise," 67-year-old Barbara Downey said. "You knew something bad happened. My husband is in construction and he knew what it was. He yelled down for someone to call 911." Rapp was taken by EVAC ambulance to Halifax Medical Center, where he was treated and released, medical officials said. A sheriff's helicopter transported Schaffer to Halifax, where he was admitted and in stable condition later Friday. "Thank God," Bickel said. "It could have been a lot worse." The helicopter was dispatched before the seriousness of the workers' injuries was determined, said EVAC spokesman Mark O'Keefe. He said an ambulance took Schaffer to the helicopter, which landed in the parking lot of nearby St. Brendan Catholic Church. An Ormond Beach city inspector arrived about an hour after the accident, asked about work permits and ordered work stopped at least until next week. Inspectors from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration will check the work site, rental manager Durgin said.
SF firefighter remains critical after fall from engine A female San Francisco firefighter remains in critical condition today after falling from the back of a fire engine and hitting her head. Forty-year-old Melinda Ohler was injured Wednesday evening as the engine she was on headed for San Francisco International Airport to respond to reports of a fire in a people-mover car. The 13-year veteran of the force underwent two operations at San Francisco General Hospital to relieve pressure on her brain. She remained unconscious and unresponsive. Fire Chief Mario Trevino says Ohler signaled an "all clear" to the driver of the engine, indicating she was seated with her seat belt fastened. Moments later, as the engine gained speed, Ohler fell. Her seat belt was found unfastened. Trevino said it is not clear how the belt came undone. He says it's the first accident of its kind in city history.
Man dies after construction accident on E-470 BROOMFIELD, Colo. (AP) - An iron worker was killed Thursday when about 1,500 pounds of rebar fell on him at a construction site here. The accident occurred at about 4 p.m. when the 43-year-old man was working on a portion of the E-470 toll road., which encircles the east metro area. Authorities said he was about 18 feet above the ground when his safety harness worked loose. The man fell and between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds of rebar, or reinforcing steel, toppled on him, said police spokesman Sgt. Dan Schuler. The man's name wasn't released.
MAN DIES IN 350FT PLUNGE By Staff Reporter WORKERS at the Sellafield nuclear plant today spoke of their shock at the death of a contractor who plunged 350ft down the middle of the site's giant Windscale Pile chimney. Keen sportsman Neil Cannon, 36, of The Forge, Cleator, was pronounced dead at the scene by a Sellafield doctor after the tragedy yesterday lunchtime. A contractor for the PC Richardson firm, Mr Cannon was working on the decommissioning of the remaining giant Windscale chimney, which caught fire and released radioactivity into the surrounding countryside in 1957. Peter Kane, Sellafield's GMB Union convenor, told the News & Star today that the mood on site was very subdued. "We still can't take it all in. A lot of people are still in a state of shock. It's so tragic. He was a well known local lad, he played football and rugby league at amateur level and a lot of the Sellafield lads knew him. "It's the first death we have had on the chimney and one on them had already been taken down. We were working quite safely in this area. Respect We are keeping a low profile until it sinks in. We have every sympathy for his family and we understand BNFL and PC Richardson are offering them every support." It is understood that Mr Cannon was lowering metal joists when he was pulled out of his harness and fell down the middle of the chimney. The precise circumstances of the tragedy are still being investigated by police. Workers who were decommissioning the Windscale chimney downed tools and walked off as a mark of respect after the incident yesterday lunchtime. One worker said they were all still in shock over Mr Cannon's death. "It's the worst thing that could have happened," he said. A BNFL spokesman said: "We deeply regret what has happened. We are all very shocked and shaken up by this. The precise circumstances are the subject of an investigation by the police, our regulators and our own investigation. "I would just like to say we profoundly regret that this has happened and our thoughts are with his family and friends." The Health and Safety Executive have confirmed that they are conducting an investigation into the death, which could take months to complete. West Cumbria coroner John Taylor was due to open an inquest into Mr Cannon's death later today. Mr Cannon's family were too devastated to talk about the tragedy. But a neighbour paid tribute to him, saying he was a great guy. "He was really friendly. I can't believe that this has happened to him. I really feel for his family."
ROOFER HURT IN PLUNGE A roofer had to be rescued from 20ft up, after toppling off a rooftop and onto a three-foot wide scaffolding gangway. The man was laying tiles on a semi-detached house at Sandiacre. He fell face-first, from the roof's apex, onto the gangway, landing on top of an upright scaffolding pole. In a dramatic rescue, fire crews lifted the worker to safety using a high-rise platform. "He was lucky, it could have been much worse," said sub-officer Bob Hudson, based at Long Eaton, who was first on the scene in Stanton Road. "He tried to break his fall by reaching out but ended up on top of one of the scaffolding poles." The man, in his late 30s, - from a company sub-contracted to Mansfield building firm Baggaley and Jenkins - suffered chest injuries and was taken to the QMC. He fell 10ft before hitting the gantry. An investigation will now be carried out by the Heath and Safety Executive. Firemen said the man was not wearing a harness but an HSE spokesman said he did not believe there was a rule saying workers in such conditions must wear one. The spokesman said: "When we carry out an investigation into such a matter we will look at the circumstances. Questions we ask include whether people are properly trained and if safety guards were in place." Stuart Caddy, managing director at Baggaley, said he would not have thought a harness was needed for such a job.
City utility worker killed in fall; 16-year GWP employee was repairing wind-damaged lines By Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer GLENDALE -- A city utility worker died early Tuesday after falling 45 feet from the top of a power pole where he was repairing lines torn down by fierce winds. Ralph Rodriguez, 38, of Sunland died at USC Medical Center on what would have been his 16th anniversary as a Glendale employee, said Ignacio Troncoso, director of Glendale Water and Power. "We don't yet have a clear picture of what actually happened," Troncoso said. "This is a tragic loss -- Ralph was an intelligent and thoughtful individual who I enjoyed working with. This really hurts." The California Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the city of Glendale are investigating the incident. Rodriguez fell about 10 p.m. Monday in the 1300 block of North Jackson Street, Troncoso said. "In this industry, this happens a lot," he said, "I haven't met too many linemen who haven't slipped off a pole at least once." Rodriguez's seven-member crew was repairing power, phone and cable lines that were torn when a giant eucalyptus tree crashed down in high winds. Troncoso said Rodriguez may have disconnected his safety harness to get over a line blocking his climb up the pole, and then lost his balance and fallen backward. The 300-pound linesman landed on a plastic garbage can in Brandy Lammers' front yard, then rolled onto a high brick curb. "I was in my kitchen when I heard something, but I thought it was the wind knocking something down again. Then I heard someone yell, 'Call 911,"' Lammers said. "I ran into my hallway to get blankets in case (Rodriguez) was in shock." Lammers and resident Terry Timpson said that despite his long fall, Rodriguez was conscious and his injuries initially appeared relatively minor. "We heard people say he just had a broken leg," Timpson said. A few hours later Rodriguez was dead. Although the cause of Rodriguez's death was yet to be confirmed, he experienced significant internal injuries, said Glendale spokesman Ritch Wells. An autopsy is pending. Rodriguez's family was not available for comment. Dean Fryer, a spokesman for Cal-OSHA, said that gas and electric work ranks with construction and law enforcement as the state's most dangerous jobs. In 2001, six gas and electric workers were killed on the job, as were eight construction workers and 12 police officers, Fryer said. "It's a high-risk type of job," Fryer said. Rodriguez is the first Glendale Water and Power employee to die while on the job. The last Glendale employee to die on duty was police Officer Charles Lazzaretto, who was killed during a gunbattle on May 27, 1997.
Fall critically injures roofer in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Staff report A roofer was critically injured on Tuesday after falling 14 feet from the top of an oceanside motel in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and landing on his back, authorities said. The victim, Jesus Valasco, was working with five or six co-workers from Extreme Unlimited Roofing when he fell from the top of the Seaside Motel, 4605 N. Ocean Blvd, said Broward Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla. None of the co-workers saw the accident. Paramedics from Broward County Fire-Rescue rushed the unconscious man, whose age was not available, to North Broward Medical Center at 3:20 p.m. He was in critical condition Tuesday night, a nursing supervisor said.
Workers Hurt in Building Collapse At least two workers are being treated for injuries after a construction accident in Westmoreland County this afternoon. Some workers on the scene told KDKA that a steel beam collapsed at the Westmoreland intermodal facility, a building under construction in an industrial park off Route 119 in East Huntingdon Township. According to the workers, one man who was on top of the beam actually rode it about 25-feet down to the ground below. Another man was also injured, but it's unclear how he was hurt. The collapse reportedly caused nine beams to rip out of the concrete base. Other workers at the scene say the collapse came without warning. Now officials are trying to determine what caused the accident.
UPDATE, Safety violations cited in elevator fall By Warren Cornwall Seattle Times Eastside bureau State regulators say two companies broke safety rules in an accident that sent three construction workers in an elevator plunging 60 feet to the ground at a downtown Bellevue construction site. The state Department of Labor and Industries said yesterday it has cited the maker of the elevator and the workers' employer for several "serious" violations in the June accident, which left one man with a broken back, one with a broken pelvis and a third with two broken legs. Each company faces $3,900 in fines from the agency, which investigates workplace accidents. The early-morning accident happened as workers were mothballing the $360 million Lincoln Square development. The project's backers called a temporary halt to construction because of concerns about the region's economy. The three workers had ascended to near the top of a partly finished concrete structure destined to become one of two towers. They were in a small construction elevator that ran up a track attached to the side of the building. The accident happened after a part of the elevator went off the top of the track and derailed as it came back down, said Michael Wood, a senior manager for Labor & Industries' workplace safety program. If a safety device had been properly installed, he said, it could have prevented the derailment. The workers' employer, Northwest Tower Crane Services, didn't make sure its employees were trained to safely put up, dismantle, or operate the hoist, according to the Labor & Industries citation. The agency also alleges the company lacked an adequate accident-prevention program. Company officials did not return calls for comment yesterday. The state also alleges that the Houston-based elevator maker installed a safety mechanism backward. That company also was cited for not having a complete accident-prevention program. Jeff Dunbar, an attorney representing the manufacturer, declined to comment on the citations. "It's really not the company's policy or practice to comment on matters that are still under investigation," he said. The companies could appeal the citations. Richard Leider, project director of Lincoln Square for Lend Lease Real Estate Investments, the London-based company backing the towers, said he hadn't read the citations and couldn't comment on them. Lend Lease was not cited. The company is awaiting revised permits from the city before restarting work, Leider said. "We still remain committed to receiving those permits and recommencing construction as soon as we possibly can," he said.
Roof worker impaled on metal spikes A Shropshire teenager became impaled on two metal rods after plunging through the roof of a former dairy. Demolition worker Adam Waddington fell 15ft from a roof at the former Goodwin's Dairy site, Wrexham Road, Whitchurch, just before 3pm yesterday. He landed on two metal poles. The 19-year-old pulled one galvanised metal tube from his buttock while colleagues dialled 999. But it took firefighters 40 minutes to cut around the 10ft long bar which had gone completely through his right thigh. Ambulance crews transferred the victim to the North Staffordshire Infirmary by air ambulance on a spinal board specially adapted to fit around the severed pole. Mr Waddington was today described as stable and comfortable - he is believed to have undergone emergency surgery. Sub officer at Whitchurch Fire Station Mike Beach said the teenager had been conscious throughout the rescue and in extreme pain. "He was given painkilling drugs as we used hydraulic cutting equipment. He was a brave lad." Contractor coordinator Billy Pownall, for Heritage Demolishers Services, said he could not comment until health and safety inspectors had visited the site.
UPDATE, State labor officials investigate death By STAFF REPORTS BEAUFORT — The state Department of Labor is investigating this week’s death of a man who fell while doing repair work at a Carteret County business. An employee with Anchor Roofing and Remodeling of Morehead City died following an accident Tuesday that occurred while he was doing work at Atlantic Veneer plant in Beaufort, said Juan Santos, a spokesman for the Department of Labor. Kenneth Jenkins, no age or address available, reportedly fell from a roof while doing repairs, said Capt. Franklin Fulcher of the Carteret County Sheriff’s Department. “He was finishing up a roofing job on one of Atlantic Veneer’s buildings, sealing the edge of the roof with caulk,” he said. Fulcher said Jenkins was working alone and an Atlantic Veneer worker coming back from lunch noticed him laying on the ground. Rescue workers were called to the scene and transported Jenkins to a local hospital. Jenkins died the following day, Fulcher said. Details about the accident are still being collected by the Labor Department, which had a representative at the scene of the accident on Friday, Santos said. Preliminary information reported to the North Carolina Labor Department did not indicate from what height Jenkins fell. Santos said it will likely take at least four to six weeks for the investigation to be completed.
Man falls from roof MICHAEL HOLTZMAN, Staff Writer December 31, 2002 BELLINGHAM -- A 42-year-old laborer was airlifted yesterday to the trauma center at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, after falling from a condominium rooftop, rescue workers said. The man, who was not identified, suffered "multiple system trauma" from the fall, said fire Lt. Steven Gentile. He said the man was a laborer for a construction crew expanding Maplebrook Condominiums on Maplebrook Road toward the Blackstone Street end of the site. The Fafard Companies in Ashland is the general contractor completing several buildings for the first phase of a condominium project started more than a decade ago, officials said. Fire officials received an emergency call at 3:48 p.m. and paramedics stabilized the man and transported him by ambulance to a nearby landing zone at Bellingham Middle School. He was transported to Worcester by a Life Flight helicopter at 4:31 p.m., Gentile said. "When we reached him he was lying on a 2-by-4 in a garage area of the construction site," he said. He said a language barrier inhibited rescue workers from obtaining full details of the accident, nor did Gentile know the man’s name. But to the best of Gentile’s knowledge, the laborer fell from the roof onto a wooden landing and rolled onto the concrete in the garage area. He thought the fall was about 10 feet but was uncertain of that information. Because he couldn’t walk, his co-workers placed him on the 2-by-4 to make it easier to transport him, Gentile said. He said the man was conscious, and the official could not say whether his injuries were life threatening. "That’s why we sent him to the trauma center," he said. Without his name, the man’s condition could not be obtained last night from hospital officials. Gentile said the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had been notified about the accident. According to Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Guerin, there had been previously several less serious construction accidents at the construction site. He said about three buildings of the re-started projct had been completed and framing has been underway with several additional buildings.
Leominster plastics employee rescued after machine mishap An employee at Holiday Housewares was rescued by police, fire, and paramedic crews after he fell into a machine yesterday afternoon. A maintenance man at the 25 Tucker Drive facility slipped from the top of a 12-foot-high moulding machine and was pinned between the machine's frame and its hydraulic hoses. Representatives of Leominster's fire and police departments and Medstar Ambulance contacted by the newspaper said they did not know the name of hte man involved in the accident. The machine, used to make plastic housewares, was turned off at the time. The man was taken by Medstar Ambulance to Leominster HealthAlliance for back and possible leg injury, but was not seriously injured. Rescuers pulled the man out by placing a backboard behind him, then used a forklift to lower him down to the floor. They called for the Jaws of Life, but did not have to use it. "We were able to get him out without forcing the machine open," said Acting Deputy Fire Chief Martin Andrews. The man was working on fixing the machine at the time of the accident. The Tucker Drive facility is located on the southeast side of the city, off Route 117.
Man found dead in elevator shaft December 25, 2002 By Chris Hack Staff writer A 52-year-old man from Chicago's Southwest Side was found dead early Tuesday morning at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the downtown building where he worked. William Mehl, of the 8100 block of South Knox Avenue in the city's Ashburn community, was pronounced dead at 2 a.m. at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Mehl worked as a night custodian at the high-rise building at 105 W. Madison St. According to a Chicago police spokesman, security workers in the building heard screaming coming from inside the elevator shaft shortly after 1 a.m. When a door was opened, a guard saw Mehl's body at the bottom of the shaft. Police said they didn't know which floor Mehl fell from. He had reportedly worked as a custodian for the building's management company for more than 10 years. Mehl died from multiple injuries to his head and body, according to the medical examiner's office. Officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Calumet City office are investigating, but could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
UPDATE, No foul play seen in elevator mechanic's fatal plunge Friday, December 27, 2002 By Michaelangelo Conte Journal staff writer Investigators now say the death of an elevator mechanic who fell down an elevator shaft in Jersey City on Monday was probably an accident and unrelated to suspicious incidents over the summer at a nearby construction site. Otis Elevator Co. mechanic Daniel McQuillen, 41, of Staten Island, was originally believed to have fallen 21 stories while working in the 40-story Goldman Sachs building under construction on the Jersey City waterfront. But Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said yesterday that investigators determined he fell from about six stories. "As of this time, our investigation leads us to believe that there was no foul play involved in McQuillen's death and that it was a tragic accident," said DeFazio yesterday. However, DeFazio said the case is still under investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. The Goldman Sachs building is located at 30 Montgomery St. After McQuillen's fall Monday morning, investigators launched a massive investigation to rule out foul play. Over the summer, a construction site at the 30-story Liberty View towers, located at Hudson and Essex streets, suffered several suspicious incidents, including a bombing and two fires. Fire officials said one of the fires was arson. Both the Goldman Sachs high-rise and the Liberty View residential buildings, only blocks apart, are being built by the Turner Construction Co. DeFazio said McQuillen was standing on top of an elevator between the sixth and seventh floors, attaching a temporary cable to elevator, when the elevator suddenly plummeted. DeFazio said it appears the cable or clips McQuillen was using "gave way." Because McQuillen was working on an elevator that operates between the first and 23rd floors of the building, investigators originally thought he had fallen the entire distance. The state Regional Medical Examiners Office in Newark said McQuillen died of "impact trauma" to the torso, resulting in severe internal bleeding, said DeFazio. The first officer on the scene reported that McQuillen wasn't wearing a safety harness, but yesterday an OSHA spokesman said he could not comment on whether that was true. The OSHA spokesman said investigators could not interview construction workers yesterday because of the snowstorm. McQuillen was a second-generation elevator worker; his father and brother both worked in the field. He has three children, sons Daniel Jr., 10, Michael, 8, and daughter Casey, 6. His wife, Ann Marie McQuillen, spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with her children at her sister's home. "I don't think my two little ones realize what happened," she told reporters "I don't think it's really hit them yet." Although Daniel McQuillen had been on the job 21 years, the risky work still troubled his wife. "He's taken us there to show us where he worked," she said in a Christmas Day interview. "I was never too interested because I knew it was dangerous. Every day, I told him to be careful."
Worker Survives 30-Foot Fall From Elementary School Roof; Roofer Fell From New Souderton School December 24, 2002 A roofer was injured Tuesday when he fell 30 feet from the roof of the new Vernfield Elementary School in Franconia, Pa., in Montgomery County. Randy Crocker, 39, of Catasauqua was flown to Lehigh Valley Medical Center after he fell from a two-story section of the Souderton Area School District's new building shortly after 9:30 a.m. A hospital official says his condition was upgraded from critical to satisfactory Tuesday night. Franconia police Officer Dave Klepfer says Crocker, an employee of Allan Kunsman Roofing and Siding of Freesburg, was conscious after the fall. He apparently misstepped while on the roof of the building, which is slated for completion in the spring.
Plunge kills worker at waterfront tower; Probe looks at safety at Goldman Sachs site Tuesday, December 24, 2002 By Michaelangelo Conte Journal staff writer An elevator worker fell 21 stories to his death yesterday morning while working on the giant Goldman Sachs building under construction on the Jersey City waterfront, officials said. The death prompted a major investigation that included federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms because of other "incidents" at a nearby high-rise being built by the same company, officials said. But Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said yesterday that according to a preliminary investigation, the death of Daniel McQuillen, 41, of Staten Island, may have been accidental. At 8:27 a.m., McQuillen, a foreman for the Otis Company, was working on the roof of an elevator car installing a cable when the car gave way and plummeted from about half the height of the 876-foot-tall building, according to police reports. McQuillen's fall ended 10 feet above the floor of the building's main level. The first officer on the scene climbed onto the elevator platform and found three of McQuillen's co-workers standing arund his body, and McQuillen had no pulse and was not breathing, reports said. The report said McQuillen was wearing no safety harness. Officers of the Hudson County Prosecutors Office's Homicide Unit, investigators from the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the Jersey City Police Department, as well as a doctor from the state Regional Medical Examiner's Office, all went to the scene, DeFazio said. The doctor pronounced McQuillen dead at 10:32 a.m., reports said. The Goldman Sachs building and the twin 30-story Liberty View towers, located at Hudson and Essex streets, are both being built by Turner Construction company. DeFazio said incidents, including two fires and a bombing at Liberty View, prompted police to take a close look at yesterday's incident to rule out foul play. In July, Jeff Hays, 25, of Pennsylvania, a laborer at the Liberty View project, was charged with detonating a bomb in an elevator shaft there in July, officials said. No one was injured in the blast, but about 40 construction workers were evacuated, officials said. According to police reports, investigators found a second explosive with potential to emit shrapnel. In June, a massive fire broke out on the 29th floor of Liberty View's west tower, and officials are investigating that blaze as a possible act of arson. The week before the bombing, a broom had been set on fire in the east tower, officials said. DeFazio said OSHA is investigating McQuillen's death. Tara Novembre, assistant area director for OSHA, said OSHA investigators remained at the Goldman Sachs building yesterday afternoon and had not yet written a report on the death.
Construction worker killed in fall; 5 men in crew were building new water tower BY WILL BUSS SMITHTON - A man fell to his death Tuesday afternoon as he worked a new water tower. Police didn't release the man's name Tuesday. Chief Brian Vielweber said the man was one of five working on the new water tower more than 100 feet above the ground at Village Park off Memorial Drive. He fell inside the tower about 1 p.m. "Apparently what happened is he slipped and landed inside the water tower," Vielweber said. Smithton Fire Chief Dan Arras said the Fire Department was initially called at 1:03 p.m. Arras described the man as being in his mid-30s. Arras said he believes the man died instantly. "When we got there, they were performing CPR on him," Arras said. "We could never get a pulse on him." Vielweber said the crew had been building the new tower for the past two months. He said the men were contracted from Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., a global engineering and construction company. The St. Clair County coroner's office is investigating the accident, and Vielweber said the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration also has been contacted.
Worker critically injured in fall at construction site Sunday, December 22, 2002 CLIFTON - A construction worker was critically injured Saturday morning after falling three stories from a Colfax Avenue town house he was helping to build, police said. The man, whose name was not released, was walking along a wooden plank when it broke around 10:30 a.m. at the Cambridge Crossings condominium complex, police said. He fell, hitting his head on the ground. The man was taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where he was in critical condition hours after the incident, police said. Workers for Town & Country Developers - the Woodcliff Lake company that is building the complex - would not comment. Several hundred town houses are being constructed on the 42-acre former Shulton Industries site. - Scott Fallon
UPDATE, Firm to pay £21,000 after worker's fall Dec 23 2002 By Jane Yelland, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner A TEXTILE firm has been ordered to pay more than £21,000 in fines, compensation and costs after a worker fell 25ft through a roof. David Wilson suffered a fractured skull and other injuries after falling while carrying out roof repairs. Managing director Stephen Moorhouse and finance director David Midgley pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the health and safety of employees at Stork Brothers, Bay Hall Mills, Bay Hall Common Road, Birkby. Huddersfield magistrates fined the firm £15,000, and ordered it to pay £5,000 compensation to Mr Wilson and court costs of £1,272. Sarah Lee, prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive, said Howard Heap, chief maintenance engineer at Stork Brothers, had told Mr Wilson and Rex Earnshaw to clean the guttering before the summer break in July. They were told to use a ladder on one side of the building and gain access through a window on the other side. Ms Lee said the accident happened at lunchtime, when Mr Wilson crossed the roof to climb down the ladder. As he went across the roof he fell through a skylight and crashed 25ft to the floor. He suffered a fractured skull, bruising and a dislocated finger. Ms Lee said the firm had a full-time health and safety officer who did risk assessments on jobs, but had not performed one on cleaning the guttering. She added that there was copious information produced by the Health and Safety Executive on the dangers of working at heights. And Stork Brothers had failed to provide a safe platform for people working on a fragile roof, added Ms Lee. Mr Chris Foulkes, for Stork Brothers, said the firm employed 85 people and had been in business since 1863. He said the firm took health and safety very seriously. They had ordered a full review of all working procedures since the accident and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He said the health and safety officer had attended courses to improve her knowledge of the relevant issues. Mr Foulkes said the accident had occurred through an oversight and not as a result of money-saving. He said Mr Wilson was an experienced employee who had worked for the firm for 15 years. He had been told not to cross the roof and to use the window and ladder for access. He was also back at work after three weeks, said Mr Foulkes.
Montreal construction workers hurt in collapse CTV News Staff Six Montreal construction workers are in hospital after a platform supporting them collapsed Sunday. Three of the men have life-threatening injuries. The scaffolding collapsed as the men worked on a three-storey building's exterior brick wall, which appeared to have cracked, fire department officials said. Witnesses said it appeared that the brick wall, being demolished by workers, fell into the scaffolding, causing the platform to collapse. Alain Champagne was passing by when the scaffolding went down. "I saw a big cloud (of dust)," he told Canadian Press. "When I saw that, I called 911 and ran over." All six workers were conscious when emergency crews arrived on the scene, and no one was buried under the rubble. Most were presenting head and internal injuries, according to CFCF News. Fire department crews and Workers' Health and Safety Commission investigators had not immediately determined the cause of the collapse.
Man in critical condition following a fall at CNH December 30, 2002 By Sarah Schulz A man was in critical condition on Monday after falling into a tank filled with cleaning liquid Sunday afternoon while working at CNH. Gerardo Piazza, age unknown, was flown to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Lincoln from St. Francis Medical Center just before 4 p.m. Sunday. Jo Miller, who works in St. Elizabeth's public relations department, said Piazza was in critical condition with life-threatening injures on Monday. Grand Island police Capt. Pete Kortum said Piazza was injured around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when he fell into a cleaning tank from some equipment he was working on near the tank. The tank contained potassium hydroxide, and Piazza suffered burns over the majority of his body, Kortum said. CNH Plant Manager Steve Lee said Piazza is a project engineer with Comau Geico, a paint system supplier in Milan, Italy. Piazza is from Italy, but Lee didn't know his hometown. Lee said the accident is under investigation. No one witnessed the fall, and plant officials aren't sure why Piazza was working near the tank. The tank contains a caustic solution that includes acid. The solution is used in a washing and metal preparation system, and combine parts are dipped in the liquid before they are painted, Lee said.
Malden man dies in a fall NEWTON - A 41-year-old Malden man fell to his death from a ladder at 163 Webster St., West Newton yesterday, according to police reports. A co-worker said the Cambridge HVAC man fell from a 30ft ladder while attempting to drill a fresh air vent in the roof. Early investigations suggest he lost his balance, fell and struck an overhang before reaching the ground. The accident took place around 4:25 p.m. When police arrived on the scene they found the man unresponsive on the ground. Attempts to revive the worker were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene. OSHA and state police are investigating the accident.
UPDATE, Company fined over man’s fall ERITH: Worker permanently hurt in three-floor plunge. AN Erith company faces a bill of nearly £20,000 after a catastrophic fall on a building site left a worker permanently injured. Lock Bros Plant Hire, based in Manor Road, Erith, was ordered to pay £10,000 compensation to Robert Pettigrove, 42, from Watford. The company, which admitted failing to provide barriers on open warehouse floors, was also fined £5,000 for a criminal breach of health and safety guidelines and ordered to pay £4,500 costs. The Old Bailey was told Mr Pettigrove, a lorry driver, was working for a brick reclaiming company in Potters Bar at the time of the accident in February. He was collecting pallets of bricks from a warehouse in Peckham which was being demolished by Lock Brothers. He was on the third floor and the walls around him had already been knocked down. "Mr Pettigrove was wrapping the pallets in polythene, 25 feet above the ground, when he fell off," said Caroline Knight, prosecuting. "There was no edge protection to prevent him falling," she said. "It was clear work had previously been carried out with the unprotected ledge." Mr Pettigrove, a batchelor, fell three floors to the ground. He fractured his skull and his right arm and underwent six hours of brain surgery before being put on a life support machine for four days. He is now partially deaf, suffers from double vision and has disfiguring facial injuries. The court also heard the company, which employs 23 people and has been in business for 22 years had, until this incident, an exemplary safety record. Fining the company, Judge Neil Denison QC said: "Mr Pettigrove fell and was gravely injured and some injuries will result in permanent disability. "Plainly the defendant company was very much at fault for allowing the situation to happen. It is plain the lack of action taken by the company fell far below the requisite standard." 12:27 Tuesday 17th December 2002
Nestle Employee Dies After Fall A tough day in Waverly after a Nestle employee dies from a fall. Fifty-five-year-old Henry Daniels the Third of Waterloo was killed in a work related accident Monday night at the Nestle plant. The Bremer County Medical Examiner confirms Daniels died last night after falling from a skyjack at the plant. The 55-year old was pronounced dead Waverly Municipal Hospital shortly after 10:30. Waverly police say they investigated the scene and are calling it accidental.
UPDATE, Bells Construction fined over worker's death One of Tasmania's biggest construction companies has been fined 20 thousand dollars over the death of a worker during the redevelopment of the Royal Hobart Hospital four years ago. Bells Construction was found guilty of failing to provide a safe workplace when a subcontractor fell through a skylight and died of head injuries. Just before Christmas in 1998, Bells subcontractor Kenneth Daniels went onto a roof area of the hospital to make a mobile phone call. Mr Daniels sat on a skylight, which shattered causing him to fall to his death. Bells was found guilty of failing to provide a safe workplace for not restricting access to the roof or providing warning signs near the skylight. Counsel for Bells, Andrew Gaigen, told the Launceston Magistrates Court this afternoon, while a barrier would have prevented Mr Daniels' fall, no-one could have expected an experienced worker to sit down on a skylight. Chief Magistrate Arnold Shott said everyone agreed the incident was a tragedy but said Bells culpibility was at the lower end of the scale.
Hathaway Bridge death update By Tracey Early; News 13 On Your Side Construction on the new Hathaway Bridge comes to a halt Monday, as workers continue to mourn the loss of a fellow employee. Richard Martin James, a 33-year-old Fountain resident fell from the new bridge on Saturday and died. The Panama City Police Department has completed their investigation and is calling it a “tragic accident”. According to officials at Granite Construction Company, the business responsible for building the bridge, James was standing on a ladder, installing a new segment of the bridge, when the ladder slipped. The ladder fell about 50 feet, then hit a large cable used to hold barges in place, knocking James into the water. He was pronounced dead at Bay Medical Center shortly after the accident. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration are now conducting their own investigation on the incident. The State of Florida has a Death Benefit Plan for accidents like this to help pay for funeral costs. Whatever the plan doesn't cover, Granite officials say they will pay for. James leaves behind a wife and three sons, ages 8, 10 and 17. According to family friends, James was the only source of income for the family so donations are desperately needed. An account is set up at People's First Community Bank. For those donations, that account number is 3928488.
Contract employee fatally injured while working at sub base By Katie Melone - More Articles Groton — A federal agency and Naval authorities are investigating the death of a construction company employee who sustained fatal injuries Tuesday morning while working on a pier at the Naval Submarine Base. Neither the Naval Submarine Base spokesman, Chris Zendan, nor officials from the man's employer, Orion Construction Inc., would identify the victim or his hometown. Thomas Guilmartin, the area director at the Hartford office of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, would not comment further on the details of the accident beyond confirming his agency's investigation. The man worked for Orion, a Texas marine construction company. The Houston-based firm won a contract to upgrade piers at the base in 1999. “Contract employees performing work in support of the Navy and our submarine base are very much members of our team,” said Captain James E. Ratte Jr., the base commanding officer, in a prepared statement. “My condolences, thoughts and prayers are with the family of our lost shipmate.” According to an account provided by Zendan, the man was injured in the accident at approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday. Just prior to the incident, he was working on a floating platform removing metal supports from Pier 32, one of the northernmost piers on the base along the Thames River. The workers were taking the supports from the pier onto the floating platform, and a shift on the platform caused him to fall, or be thrown into the water, and to sustain head trauma. Navy personnel pulled the man immediately from the water, and he was transported by helicopter to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he died of his injuries. Zender could not comment on how he injured his head, but said it was possible he hit the platform, or a pier piling, a support for the pier that is driven into the riverbed. Navy police, investigators with OSHA and paramedics with Lawrence & Memorial Hospital also responded immediately to the incident. Mark Stauffer, the chief financial officer of Orion Construction Inc., declined to comment on the employee or his work other than to say his company was “cooperating with investigation authorities.”
OPPD lineman, 37, dies in fall from utility pole BY NANCY GAARDER An apprentice line technician for the Omaha Public Power District died Tuesday when he fell from a power pole near Ceresco. Michael W. Johnson, 37, of Ashland, Neb., was about 20 to 25 feet up an approximately 35-foot-tall pole when he fell, said Cynthia Buettner, a spokeswoman for the utility. He was equipped with a hard hat and a safety belt, Buettner said. The belt is designed to secure a worker to a pole. OPPD is investigating the accident to determine how it occurred, she said Wednesday. The Saunders County Sheriff's Office also is looking into it. Johnson was working with a crew of three people from OPPD at the time of the accident, Buettner said. The accident occurred about 3 p.m. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which typically investigates workplace accidents, will not investigate this one because OPPD is a political subdivision of the State of Nebraska, said Ben Bare, spokesman for OSHA. Johnson was taken to St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, where he died. Johnson had worked for OPPD for about 11/2 years. He was married with two children.
Autopsy: Man died from fall By Staff Reports The Herald An autopsy performed on a 41-year-old Rock Hill man revealed he died Monday from injuries suffered in a work-related fall rather than heart complications, authorities said. York County Coroner Doug McKown said tree company worker Johnny Jones died when his aorta -- the body's main artery -- ripped when he fell about 25 feet from an oak tree Monday afternoon. He is the lone fatality in York County from last week's ice storm, McKown said. The inclement weather had damaged the tree. On Monday, McKown said Jones may have suffered a heart attack while cutting loose limbs off the tree because co-workers told authorities he had complained of chest pain. Witnesses told McKown that Jones landed on his feet after the fall, which occurred at a home in the Huntington subdivision between S.C. 5 and S.C. 901.
Worker injured in fall from Concord roof CONCORD A 27-year-old worker installing a satellite dish on a home on North Branch Road was injured after falling from the roof yesterday, police said. henry Francisco of Worcester was flown by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was treated and released, according to a hospital spokeswoman. He was working on a house at 138 North Branch Road when the accident occurred at about 12:10 p.m., according to the Fire Department. "He simply fell on the ground," said fire Lt. Jon White. The man was able to walk around to the front of the home to wait for emergency workers to arrive, White said. The man was conscious when firefighters arrived, according to White. The name of the man's company was not available. Police said the accident is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Worker hurt in storm ROBERT Harrison is nursing two black eyes and a swollen nose, but he says his injuries are amazingly minor considering the ordeal he experienced during Port Macquarie's hailstorm. The electrician had found shelter from the hail in a demountable block next to a construction site where the old Sandcastle motel once stood opposite Town Beach. But moments after he locked the door and shut a window, the entire structure began lifting from the one-storey-high scaffolding. "I felt the whole thing lift but then it settled back down again," Mr Harrison recalled yesterday. "I knew what was happening but I had nowhere to go. About 20 seconds later it lifted again but this time it flipped off the scaffolding." The demountable, along with six others at the site, fell from the scaffolding on to the asphalt of William St. "I landed straight on my back ... I could still hear the storm outside so I thought the best thing to do was to stay put until it passed," Mr Harrison said. "I had to climb on a bin to get to the door because it was locked. "The others outside couldn't get it open." Mr Harrison was taken to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he was treated for bruising and swelling to his nose and eyes. His son Jamie, and two other workers, were inside other demountables when they came crashing down but none were injured. Site project manager Joe Sidoti said work at the site had been put on hold until assessments were made by Hastings Council and Work Cover. "We would really like to thank all the people who rushed over to help," he said.
Injured worker flown to Pitt By Sun Journal Staff A man described as an injured construction worker was flown by helicopter Monday afternoon to Pitt Memorial Hospital. New Bern Fire Chief Bobby Aster explained that fire trucks were dispatched to Lawson Creek Park to secure the area around 3:30 p.m. for East Care to land. Aster said the helicopter pad at Craven Regional Medical Center was in use and East Care had to land at another site. Aster said the construction worker fell from a building he was working on in downtown Middle Street. Official said Craven Regional Medical Center emergency medical service personnel requested the assistance in expediting the landing at Lawson Creek Park. The name of the injured man and cause of the incident were unavailable at press time.
Worker dies after falling from tree A Rock Hill man has died after he fell about 25 feet from a tree while trying to trim branches that had become loose following the wintry storm last week, authorities said. Johnny Jones, 41, was pronounced dead about 1:30 p.m. Monday at Piedmont Medical Center, York County Coroner Doug McKown said. Jones was working at a residence in a subdivision for a tree company. Jones had no obvious injuries and his death could be the result of a heart attack, McKown said. "Witnesses say he has been experiencing some chest pains in the past couple of days and we think that is what might have done it," McKown said. McKown said Jones' co-workers think he had a heart attack because he didn't make any noise when he hit the ground. McKown said his office will perform an autopsy.
Sanctuary rebuild falls By CHRISTOPHER BROOKE Staff Reporter The rebuilding of the Blue Ridge Chapel Baptist Church was reaching to the heavens before part of the structure failed last week and collapsed on workers who were installing roof trusses. But Pastor David Moore said the church near the Blue Ridge Parkway will recover from this setback, just as the congregation decided to rebuild after termites weakened the original sanctuary. Six workers were installing the last 12 or so of the 1,400-pound trusses before the collapse at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. It came just before a snowstorm dumped several inches of snow and ice on the Twin Counties. The workers fell with the trusses to the ground. One fell the full height of 36 feet. Moore was working on the ground outside the new sanctuary, preparing to send up another truss when the accident happened. Fearing the worst, he immediately called 911. “I just knew someone was dead.” Five of the men got up immediately and helped the sixth man, who was trapped by a truss on top of his midsection. Cutting the man loose took five minutes or less, Moore said. The Galax Fire Department responded, and Pipers Gap Rescue Squad transported the injured worker to Twin County Regional Hospital. The collapse bowed the framed walls and the floor buckled and broke underneath where the worker was trapped, the pastor said. The worker was probably spared more extensive injuries by the floor giving way. “We think it was a miracle that out of six men, only one had to go to the hospital,” Moore said. The injured worker had only bruises. Most of the 28 trusses installed came down. Moore did not want to speculate about the cause of the accident, noting that the truss company, the insurance company and the architect will all review the situation. The church will have to tear down some of its rebuild to repair damage caused by the accident. Moore estimated the damage at $100,000. He’s confident the insurance company will reimburse the church. “We’re not defeated,” he stressed. “We really feel we’re going to go back as soon as we can tear out and carry on.” Members are thankful to have Oakland School to meet in, but they are looking forward to getting back into their own facility. Blue Ridge Chapel Baptist Church has received a lot of support from the community and other churches after the congregation was forced to tear down its sanctuary. A fellowship hall built in 1985 survived because it escaped termite damage. “This is just one of the setbacks that happen,” Moore said of the accident. “We just have to look to the future when we get our house of worship back.”
Construction Worker Dies In Building Fall (New York-WABC, December 6, 2002) — An investigation is under way at an East Side construction site after a worker fell to his death this morning. The accident occurred at 58th and Lexington. Jim Hoffer reports. Fifty-Eighth and Lexington is one of the largest on-going construction sites in Manhattan. Shortly before 9:00 a.m. today, a 28-year-old ironworker fell from the 12th floor to the 10th floor at this construction site. The worker died shortly after the fall. Officials believe that this worker slipped on a patch of ice and that is what caused this fall. Now OSHA (Occupational Safety And Health Administration) is investigating whether the worker should have been wearing a safety harness. By law, workers are supposed to wear a safety harness under certain conditions. It must be noted that this particular construction site is one of the largest and safest construction sites in Manhattan. This past Tuesday, building department inspectors were at this site and found no current safety violations at this site. However, there were a few violations over the past few years since the construction started, but it was nothing serious. Now OSHA and the buildings department are investigating this incident to see exactly why this worker fell. This fall comes in the midst of some real concern by the buildings department about construction fatalities. There has been a 50% increase in construction accidents in the city so far this year.
More problems plague project John Slykhuis, Staff Writer A construction accident last Wednesday saw two workers rushed to hospital, one by helicopter ambulance, but it is not expected to delay the Willow Beach water treatment plant, according to York Region project manager Laura McDowell. A section of roof trusses for the low-lift pumping station being installed collapsed under a load of plywood, sending two unidentified men plunging 12 metres to the ground. One man was transported to Southlake Regional Health Centre, where he was treated for minor injuries. The second was flown to Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto with injuries including a broken ankle and hip. He was operated on last week and is expected to be released in about three weeks. The Ontario Ministry of Labour "has put a stop work order on that portion of the construction site. It's with the subcontractor to provide a safety program with the (ministry) and, dependent on that, they'll lift the order, so it's a timing issue when that order gets lifted", Ms McDowell said Monday, adding she is expecting that within a week. The project has suffered a few setbacks since last year, including the Thanksgiving weekend sinking of the construction barge and crane. The barge was finally brought to the surface last Friday and towed to Jackson's Point, where it will undergo further repairs before returning to the site to help raise the submerged crane. "From the surface, there was a perception that nothing was happening, but they had a team of nine divers and, because of the depths and the decompression, they could only work 20 minutes in a four-hour shift, so that dictated the pace they had to go," Ms McDowell said. Despite the problems, water is expected to start to flow early in the new year for a series of test runs. The entire area will have municipal water and sewers within the next two years. "I think, overall, we have to keep in sight we are going to give the residents a reliable source of water. It's a good project and with any construction project of this size -- $30 million -- you're going to have your ups and downs," she said.
Seven labourers die in Doda district At least seven labourers of Bhagliar Hydro Electric Project died and two others were wounded critically at dam site Chanderkote in Doda district when a trolly, on which they were standing, fell early this morning. Police sources said the trolly, which was being used for carrying the labourers for construction work in a tunnel, could not stand the load and crashed to ground after its iron rope broke, killing seven labourers on the spot and injuring two others. The mishap took place at around 0300 hours early today, police said. The injured have been shifted to Jammu Medical College. Meanwhile senior Congress leader and MLA, Mohd Sharief Naiz has expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and demanded that ex-gratioa relief be paid to the next of the kin of the deceased. He also demanded an enquiry into the mishap. Earlier, the eight-day long strike in the Rs 4600 crores Bhagliar Hydro Electric Project was called off yesterday following an agreement between the contruction company and the workers. The multi-crore project is being constructed by J P Industries.
UPDATE, Skylight fatality site ruled unsafe By CATHERINE ANDERSON A WORKER fell through a skylight and died at a Royal Hobart Hospital worksite because his employer failed to make the site safe, a court found yesterday. Kenneth Noel Daniels, 47, of Clifton Beach, died after he fell about 4m through a skylight on to concrete on December 22, 1998. Bells Constructions and Technologies Pty Ltd, of Victoria, pleaded not guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court to one count of failing to provide a safe working environment at the Royal Hobart Hospital on December 22, 1998. Chief Magistrate Arnold Shott handed down his finding yesterday after a court hearing in August 2000. Mr Shott found Mr Daniels went through a window hole, which had the glass removed, on to the roof to make a mobile phone call. When outside he sat on a raised skylight which shattered, and he fell through and sustained serious head injuries. Mr Shott said the skylight had had a cover made for it for protection against falling debris on the worksite, but the cover was not fitted. "Signs were not in place to warn of dangers associated with entering the unfenced or unguarded roof area or sitting on the skylights," Mr Shott said. He said the fragility of the skylights had been foreseen because skylight covers had been made for them. The court heard skylight covers were manufactured because the roof was going to have a scaffold over it and the covers would stop material falling through. But the scaffold was not built and the covers were not installed. Mr Shott said Bells Constructions and Technologies Pty Ltd did not conduct a risk assessment of the roof area even though its location, features and accessibility suggested risks to workers. "The construction and display of suitable warning signs and the giving of instructions could have been readily and quickly accomplished," he said. Mr Shott will sentence the company on December 17. Under the Workplace Health and Safety Act the maximum penalty is a fine of $150,000.
Worker hurt in 30-foot plunge Report by Jessie Bould An investigation has been launched after a 33-year-old man plunged 30 foot down a pit while he was working at a Bridgnorth factory. The worker suffered head and facial injuries after he tumbled from a girder at Bridgnorth Aluminium. He was rescued by firefighters who used specialist equipment to pull him to safety. Shocked factory bosses and their contractors are now investigating the cause of the accident, which happened around 5.45pm on Saturday. The Health and Safety Executive has also been informed and will launch its own investigation into the fall. The man, who has not been named but is from Halesowen, was plucked to safety from the pit by firefighters and ambulance crews who had been scrambled to the site. He is currently being treated in hospital for his injuries, which were not life threatening, and his condition was today said to be comfortable. A spokesman from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service today said: "We were called at 5.46pm to Bridgnorth Aluminium to assist the ambulance in helping a person who had fallen into a pit." Crews from from Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth were scrambled to the scene with an incident commander from Shrewsbury, he added. The man was hoisted to safety on a spinal board by the fire crews who used special lines to lift him out of the pit. Today a spokesman from Shropshire Ambulance Service confirmed they were called out to the firm and a man in his 30s was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. Mr Simon Macvicker, deputy general manager at Bridgnorth Aluminium, said the man was not a direct employee of Bridgnorth Aluminium but a sub-contractor from a construction company working on an extension at the factory. Mr Macvicker said the accident happened when the worker was boring concrete and he had suffered facial and head injuries. He said: "We as a company have a very rigorous attitude to safety and our safety procedures and when we employ contractors we take great effort to tell them what we expect from them. "It is a shock for us and for the contracting company and although he was not our employee we will learn from the accident and wish him a fast recovery," Mr Macvicker added. He added that a meeting between Bridgnorth Aluminium officials and their contractors was due to take place later today to discuss the accident.
Pair injured in building site drama REPORT By JAMES KEMAL A BUILDER is nursing two broken arms after scaffolding he was working on collapsed and hit a man below last Wednesday. The incident happened on the site of an unfinished hotel owned by Ibis – part of Accor – in the grounds of conference centre ExCeL at Royal Victoria Dock, Canning Town. Tony Brown, 35, from Romford, fell with scaffolding and other debris, knocking 42-year-old Constantine Corpali off a ladder. A metal shutter also hit Mr Corpali, of Finden Road, Forest Gate. Ambulance crews rushed to the scene but found it difficult to get to the two men lying on the second floor, so called the Fire Brigade. Firefighters from East Ham and Silvertown eventually harnessed the two construction workers into a skip and brought them to the ground. A dozen workers watched from the top of the building as they were lowered down. The two men were then lifted into ambulances and taken to Newham General Hospital, Plaistow, and The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel. Police stayed on scene to talk to inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive. Mr Corpali, who complained of having back and neck pains, was released from Newham General the following day. A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive told the Recorder Mr Brown has two broken arms and injuries to a leg. He was discharged from The Royal London at the weekend. An Accor spokesperson said: "On arrival at the site around the time of the incident, Accor's project manager for the ExCeL constructions suspended work on the site. "He ensured that the construction site manager for construction agency Vinci Miller and representatives of ExCeL were all aware of the situation and had taken the necessary precautions to inform the emergency services. "Accor very much regrets the incident. A thorough investigation into the circumstances is being carried out and Accor is co-operating fully with the emergency services and the police."
Man remains unidentified Birkirkara, MALTA (di-ve news) -- A worker died at about 1315 CET after a wall collapsed while he was working at the back of Satariano Showroom, at Valley Road, Birkirkara on Tuesday. The man who fell a height of about one story was buried under the bricks and died on site. Although there were persons present during the accident the victim remains unidentified. From preliminary investigations it resulted that a builder who was carrying out construction works on the back of a store belonging to Satariano Showroom, saw an unidentified man falling, trying to hold on to a wall which was being built and hence pulling down several bricks under which he was buried. He was certified dead by a doctor from Floriana’s Health Centre. The Police assisted by Members of the Civil Protection, lifted the man from under the ruins. Duty Magistrate Abigail Lofaro was informed about the incident and appointed various experts to assist in the inquiry. Police will continue with their investigations.
Worker Falls 18 Feet Into Manhole Nov. 26 (AP) — A construction worker in South San Francisco is lucky to be alive today after he fell 18 feet into a manhole around 8:25 this morning. He was rescued about two hours after the fall at a landscaping job site at Hillside Blvd. and Evergreen Drive. Rescue crews sent two paramedics down to his location to stabilize him. He couldn't do anything to help himself out. Paramedics strapped him onto a backboard and then lifted him in a basket. The 22-year-old man is being treated at a local hospital.
LaRue man, 47, dies after fall at plant GHENT, Ky. -- A LaRue County maintenance worker was fatally injured yesterday after he fell 30 feet from a lift at a steel company in Northern Kentucky. Charles Hinton, 47, fell from a manlift while working outside Gallatin Steel Co.'s melt shop department. Hinton, of Hodgenville, had been a maintenance worker for eight years at the plant in Ghent, according to a statement from the company. Hinton was taken by helicopter to University of Cincinnati Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3 p.m., hospital spokeswoman Pat Samson said. Samson said Hinton suffered massive head injuries. The company was investigating.
Chemical Spill Kills Industrial Worker (Niagara Falls, Ontario, November 22, 2002) - - A chemical spill killed an industrial worker Friday in Niagara Falls, Ontario. It happened just before noon at Mancuso Chemical on Progress Street in the Falls. Sources at the scene say a worker fell into the deadly chemical after it spilled. Rescue crews rushed the victim to Greater Niagara General Hospital, where he was dead on arrival. Authorities had to temporarily close the hospital for decontamination.
Chimney sweep has a brush with death By ANGIE BROWN A CHIMNEY sweep who was too scared to climb a ladder until a year ago had a "miracle escape" after a dramatic roof-top plunge. Firefighters said 54-year-old Isabel Scott was lucky to be alive today after slipping from a ladder as she worked in the city. Firefighters dashed to the scene after receiving a 999 call to say the sweep had fallen 40ft on to a first-floor roof. Mrs Scott was found lying motionless in a pool of blood by her husband, fellow sweep Mike, 57, who was working with her on the house in Ferry Road. Householder Jane Barnes dashed to help and then called the emergency services after hearing Mrs Scott, from Balerno, screaming as she fell. Her rescuers said she hit every ladder rung below her as she plunged, before landing awkwardly on a flat extension roof on Tuesday morning. Mr Scott, who introduced Isabel to chimney sweeping before marrying her earlier this year, yesterday described how he used his bonnet to stem the flow of blood from his wife’s head as she lay "motionless" after the horror fall. He said: "She fell awkwardly on to a piece of metal on the lower roof which gashed her head. "I had been on the top of the roof and rushed down to the lower one. "I am a qualified first-aider and put a coat round her head. I didn’t like the look of the cut so I asked the lady of the house to call 999. "The blood was flowing out of the cut at her temple on to my hands. I used my bonnet to stem the flow of blood. The ambulance men put a bandage round her head when they arrived. "It all happened in seconds, I watched her in slow motion as she fell from the ladder. She had been holding on to the ladder at the bottom and burled round and fallen. She was motionless." Mrs Scott was strapped to a stretcher by firefighters and lowered to the ground in an operation similar to a mountain rescue. She was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and released following treatment for a badly gashed forehead. Yesterday, Mrs Barnes, 52, who hired the Scotts’ firm Alba Chimney Specialists to sweep and line her chimney, described the frightening scene she discovered after hearing Mrs Scott’s screams. "I was loading the washing machine when I heard a cry, a series of bumps and then a loud thud," she said. "I rushed outside and climbed halfway up the ladder and could see her lying on the flat roof of our extension. There was blood everywhere and the skylight was cracked. "I rushed inside and called the emergency services. She was crying and had a huge cut right across her forehead, which was all sooty, from one side to the other." Mrs Barnes added: "She was in shock. Her partner said he reckoned she maybe got some grit in her eye when she removed a piece of chimney." The ladder was attached from the extension roof, which stands 12 feet above the ground, up to the top of the stone built house. Emergency crews said they were amazed at the close call. A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said Mrs Scott had fallen down the ladder "rung by rung". He said: "She was removing a piece of cowling from the chimney when she fell 40 feet down the ladder on to the flat roof below. She has had a miracle escape." A Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade spokeswoman added: "She has been very lucky."
UPDATE, Steel worker dies from injuries 20 November 2002 An Auckland steel worker has died from head injuries two weeks after an accident at Pacific Steel. Danny Campbell, 47, died yesterday from injuries he sustained after falling about 6m from a platform at the Auckland mill on November 4. He had worked at the mill since 1973. A tapu-lifting ceremony and service was held this morning at the site, Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little said today. Workmate Maurice Waetford (CRRCT) described Mr Campbell, a union delegate, as a natural leader whose presence was deeply missed. "He was a big man with a big heart who played a big role at the mill. He had mana, he was a great father and a natural leader. He was inspirational." Occupational Health and Safety are investigating the accident.
Builder killed in fall from roof A BUILDER from Thorpe St Andrew died after crashing through a roof at a building site in Warwickshire. Paul Brian Glasgow, 42, of Cavalier Close, Dussindale, was one of a group of five men working at the back of the Wobbly Wheel pub in Warmington, Warwickshire, when the accident happened. It is thought he fell 20 feet through a skylight onto a concrete floor. He died at the scene from head injuries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Warwickshire Police are investigating the accident, which took place at 2.25pm on Monday. A post-mortem examination was set to be carried out today and an inquest will be held at a later date. In August the HSE warned the construction industry to improve its health and safety record ahead of a crackdown. Inspectors concentrated on falls and transport accidents, the cause of most fatal and major injuries. "Our priorities are to help the industry reduce the toll of serious accidents caused by poor transport management and falls from height. The health and safety performance of the construction industry needs radical improvement," said Richard Boland, HSE principal inspector.
UPDATE, Fatal Atlanta Construction Accident Leads to $76,000 OSHA Penalty For Archer Western ATLANTA, Ga. -- The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Archer Western Contractors and proposed penalties totaling $76,300 following a double fatality at an Atlanta job site. OSHA began an inspection on May 7 at the R.L. Sutton Water Reclamation Facility construction site where three workers had been using a formwork system to pour concrete along the rock face of a 200-foot deep shaft. At about 70 feet above the floor of the shaft, part of the formwork and the scaffold to which it was attached collapsed, hurling the workers to the ground. Two were killed and the third employee was hospitalized for severe injuries. A fourth man working at the bottom of the shaft received a broken arm as a result of falling debris. During the inspection of the accident, OSHA found that 22 of the required 7/8-inch anchors used to secure the formwork system to the shaft wall had been replaced with smaller 5/8-inch anchors, reducing the support capability of the system. "This employer showed intentional disregard for worker safety," said Andre Richards, OSHA's Atlanta-West area director. "Company officials knew the replacement anchors were smaller than the original ones holding the formwork together. Yet, no action was taken to correct the hazardous conditions." OSHA cited Archer Western for a willful violation for failing to properly support and brace the formwork system during the pouring of concrete. A willful citation implies plain indifference to, or intentional disregard of, safety regulations. An additional serious citation was issued because the company failed to adequately train workers, providing specific information concerning the hazards associated with using proper formwork parts and materials. Western Archer has 15 working days to contest OSHA's citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Inspection of the water reclamation facility work site was conducted by OSHA's Atlanta-West area office located at 2400 Herodian Way, Suite 250, Smyrna, Ga. 30080-2968; telephone: (770) 984-8700.
UPDATE Labor department clears DOT in bridge collapse ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ The state Department of Transportation was not at fault for the collapse of a pedestrian bridge last month that killed one worker and left nine others injured, according a report by the state Labor Department. The labor department concluded that "no violations were found pertaining to the bridge collapse" and said the case was closed as far as its investigation was concerned. "They determined that we adhered to the procedures that we were supposed to. We are pleased to know that we followed all procedures correctly," said DOT spokeswoman Melissa Carlson. The Labor Department was the first of several investigating agencies to release a report on the Oct. 10 accident, which occurred as workers poured concrete onto its steel deck. The 170-foot long bridge twisted and fell 20 feet to the ground. Carlson said a transportation department report can be expected by Dec. 1. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration also is investigating the accident and its report will be "forthcoming," the labor department report said. Carlson said the transportation department was "still conducting interviews. We don't have anything conclusive." "We're just going to continue to do everything we can to determine the cause," Carlson said. The Labor Department's investigation focused "strictly on the occupational safety and health aspects of the accident" as it related to the transportation department workers involved. OSHA will pick up where the Labor Department left off, with a "comprehensive inspection of the site" and safety aspects concerning the bridge's contractors, the report said. Killed in the accident was Scott Couchman, who was under the bridge when the collapse occurred. Couchman, 46, of Mohawk, and eight of the nine injured workers were employed by Tioga Construction Co., the main contractor on the state-run job. The other injured worker was transportation department principal engineering technician Theodore Fox. The 4-page report said Fox was standing on the southeast side of the bridge while workers were pouring concrete. When the bridge collapsed, Fox was thrown about 30 feet into a drainage gully and received shoulder, arm and pelvis injuries.
Construction accident pins worker beneath elevator mechanism By EILEEN ZAFFIRO Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH -- Emergency workers tend to Florencio Mendoza, 23, of DeLeon Springs, while he hangs from a construction elevator at the Ocean Walk construction site in Daytona Beach on Friday. Florencio Mendoza's right leg was nearly severed when the counterweight slammed down just below his pelvis, and he suffered serious injuries to his left leg in the 2:30 p.m. accident at the Ocean Walk North time-share high rise being built along North Atlantic Avenue, firefighters said. The DeLeon Springs man had been on top of the elevator, which had some people inside, lubricating moving parts and performing routine maintenance, Fire Department spokesman Lt. James Bland said. Mendoza somehow fell off and got entangled in a metal tower beside the elevator, Bland said. Both of his legs slid inside the tower structure, the counterweight dropped on his upper legs and he was unable to move, witnesses said. Mendoza suffered multiple leg fractures but was conscious as he dangled about seven feet from the ground with paramedics giving him oxygen and inserting an intravenous tube in his arm. Firefighters eventually lifted the counterweight using a hydraulic ram, Bland said. Mendoza, whom co-workers call "Flo" or "Amigo," was taken by EVAC ambulance to Halifax Medical Center. He was in serious condition early today after extensive surgery Friday. Mendoza should have been harnessed to the elevator or some other nearby structure, Bland said, but officials did not confirm whether he was harnessed or if a safety strap broke. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived at the construction site Friday afternoon to investigate. The resort is being built by general contractor Welbro/Foley of Daytona Beach, and has been under construction for about nine months. The resort is part of the $200 million Ocean Walk Village, which will also include shops, restaurants and a movie theater. About 10 minutes after Mendoza was rushed to the hospital, dozens of construction workers who had been told to leave early started pouring out of the building. Jose Alvarez of Orlando and other workers said they had been told to return to work this morning, but OSHA could decide to keep the site closed, Bland said. James McCullough works at the site, but was off-duty Friday afternoon when he happened to be walking by on his way to the store just after Mendoza fell. McCullough, 22, said Mendoza is well-liked, and known as "a good guy who will always joke around with you."
UPDATE, Construction worker gets more surgery Staff report DAYTONA BEACH -- A 23-year-old man seriously injured in an elevator accident while working at a beachside construction site underwent more surgery Saturday at Halifax Medical Center, hospital officials said. Firefighters said the accident happened at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Ocean Walk North, where a time share high-rise is being built along North Atlantic Avenue. The injured man, Florencio Mendoza, DeLeon Springs, was listed in critical condition Saturday night after undergoing another round of surgery, a nursing supervisor at the hospital said. He had already undergone extensive surgery at the hospital Friday. Mendoza was rushed to the hospital in serious condition after being pinned upside down beneath an elevator counterweight. His right leg was nearly severed, and he suffered serious injuries to his left leg, rescuers said. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived at the construction site Friday and are investigating.
Bradenton painter hurt in fall at car dealership ENGLEWOOD -- A 36- year-old painter was seriously injured Thursday when he plunged about 20 feet from scaffolding onto a concrete floor inside the new Bay Harbor Ford dealership. Robert Hurst of Bradenton was taken by helicopter to Lee Memorial Health System's trauma center in Fort Myers. No one witnessed the accident. Hurst's fellow workers heard a noise at 1:12 p.m. and found him on the floor inside part of the building, which is under construction. They told emergency personnel that it looked as if Hurst had landed on his head. Hurst was in and out of consciousness when he was transported, and had a serious head injury and some bruises on his ribs, said Charlotte County Fire & EMS firefighter paramedic Wanda Pavone. Angela Milisitz, a public information officer for the hospital, said Hurst's condition was "undetermined" Thursday evening. Bay Harbor Ford is in the process of building a two-story, 42,000-square-foot dealership behind its current building at 1908 S. McCall Road. Hurst was working for JCM Painting of Bradenton. No other information about the victim was available Thursday.
Worker falls 10 stories into tunnel By Michaelangelo Conte A construction worker suffered serious injuries yesterday when he fell ten stories down a Holland Tunnel exhaust shaft, officials said. At 11:30 a.m., the employee of Prismatic Construction of NY, was working on the fourth floor of the tunnel's ventilation tower on the shoreline of the Hudson River, just east of the intersection of River Drive South and Newport Parkway in Jersey City, officials said. The worker somehow fell into the large exhaust shaft, dropped four stories to ground level and an additional six stories to the bottom of the shaft, said Jersey City Fire Department Deputy Director Jose Cruz. When rescue workers entered the bottom of the shaft through doors of the structure, they found the man had suffered severe head trauma, multiple fractures and other injuries, said Cruz. With the help of emergency medical technicians from Jersey City Medical Center and lighting provided by the Jersey City Fire Department, the man was stabilized before moving him, Cruz said. The shaft is near the tunnel, and Port Authority Police in charge of the rescue shut down the westbound tube. The man was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan, Cruz said. Port Authority officials did not release the name of the injured man. Prismatic Construction did not return out calls.
Worker at marina slips into river, dies While refueling a sailboat for a friend, Jeff Ritz slips, hits his head and falls into the Anclote River, where divers later find his body. By KELLEY BENHAM While refueling a sailboat for a friend, Jeff Ritz slips, hits his head and falls into the Anclote River, where divers later find his body. TARPON SPRINGS -- A deckhand fueling a sailboat for a friend died Thursday after he slipped, hit his head and sank into the brown water. Jeff William Ritz, 25, had worked around boats and water all his life, friends said. His father, John Ritz, is the dock master at Port Tarpon Marina, where Jeff Ritz drove a forklift and cleaned, fueled and maintained boats. "That was his life, the water," said his friend, Tim House of Palm Harbor. "I can't believe it took him, that quick." Thursday morning, House asked Jeff Ritz to fuel his 23-foot sailboat, the Crystal Sherry, so he could go fishing later. Ritz brought the boat around to a floating dock at the marina and filled its tank. It was a routine job Ritz had done hundreds of times. As he finished, he stepped off the sailboat, slipped and hit his head on a metal dock cleat used to tie boats. He disappeared into the cold water of the Anclote River. Forklift driver Joe Foster, 44, saw the boat rock as Ritz stepped off of it, and then he saw Ritz fall. He headed over to the dock expecting to tease Ritz as he came out of the water. But Ritz never came up. His shoe floated to the surface. Bob Beuthe, who was working on his cabin cruiser nearby, ran for a diver while Foster called 911 at 10:02 a.m. Bob Dowell, who owns Marine Maintenance at the marina, put on dive gear and started searching. A few minutes later, Tarpon Springs police officer John Ulrich arrived, stripped off his gun belt and uniform shirt and dove into the water with a small air tank he carries in his cruiser. The water was murky with silt, Ulrich said, and the divers could see only inches in front of them. A crowd of about 20 gathered at the dock, calling Ritz's name. Firefighters and a bystander poked at the water with long poles until one of them hit Ritz's body, at rest on the muddy bottom directly below where he had fallen. The divers followed the pole down about 10 feet. Dowell brought Ritz up at 10:18 a.m. He had been under water for more than 15 minutes. "We just couldn't find him," said Beuthe, 62, of Trilby. "The only reason we knew he was there was because his shoe was floating." Ritz was unconscious and had no pulse when he was pulled from the water, Tarpon Springs police Sgt. Jeffrey Young said. He was taken by ambulance to Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m. Rescuers found Ritz quickly given the circumstances, Fire Chief Kevin Bowman said. Diving into dark salty water is dangerous and difficult. Ritz was found about two minutes after the police diver arrived, Young said. The diver sliced his hands on barnacles under the dock and needed medical treatment. It is not clear whether Ritz drowned or died of head injuries. That will be determined by the medical examiner, Young said. Fueling the boat was just a small favor for a friend. Tim House said he would never forgive himself for asking it. "He was my best friend," House said Thursday afternoon, standing within sight of his boat and the spot where Ritz fell. The two friends had been out fishing on the same boat a few days earlier, said House, 41. They didn't catch anything, but they had a good time. Ritz's wife, Erin, 22, fell in the water that day. She was fine. Boat people fall all the time, marina regulars said. Ritz adored his wife, House said. He married her in 1998, when she was 18. They lived in Holiday. They had no children. Everyone knew Ritz at the marina, House said. He always wore a floppy hat like Gilligan on the TV show. "He was always so much fun, so giddy, laughing and joking," House said. "He was the Gilligan of the place. So vibrant. "God. It's such a shame."
UPDATE, Mill Accident Victim Home Soon 14/11/2002 09:21 AM IRN The family of a worker seriously injured at an Auckland steel mill hopes he will be allowed to recuperate at home early next week. Auckland Hospital says Danny Campbell is still in a serious condition, after he plunged six metres after falling off a platform at the Pacific Steel's Otahuhu site ten days ago. Meanwhile, Occupational Safety and Health says its investigation into the incident is not expected to be completed until after Christmas. Regional Manager John Forrest says the inquiry has been held up, because officers have not been able to talk to the victim yet.
Man Falls to Death in Construction Accident PITTSBURGH - November 13, 2002 — A man died after plunging some 40 to 60 feet Wednesday when part of a roof gave way, authorities said. Kevin Kubalic, 32, of Mercer, was pronounced dead at Presbyterian Hospital at 10:30 a.m., about 30 minutes after the fall, according to the Allegheny County Coroner's office. An autopsy will be performed Thursday. Kubalic was working for Burns Roofing, of Mercer County, when he fell through the roof and onto railroad tracks below. The company has been replacing a roof on a warehouse in the city's Lawrenceville section. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to investigate.
Long-time business owner Wayne Vincent dies at 56 Nov 13, 2002 Local businessman Wayne Vincent, 56, was fatally injured Monday when he fell about 40 feet from scaffolding at his furniture store on U.S. Highway 278 East, where he was working on renovations. He died later at Cullman Regional Medical Center. Vincent, well-known as the founder of several furniture stores in Cullman, was featured in the “Profile” issue of The Times in 2001. He told The Times then that he opened his first Cullman furniture store in 1970, without having enough money to pay the first month’s rent—$90. So the building’s owner gave him a month’s rent for free. “We started out with used furniture. We didn’t have any money, and people would give us their old furniture,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden, antiques were ‘in,’ and my junk became ‘antiques.’ I had piles of old junk I collected through the years that suddenly became precious!” When he saw that antiques were getting hard to find, he converted to new furniture and opened his second store in the old Johnson-Merrill furniture location downtown. He then acquired the Thompson Brothers location and a furniture store owned by a Mr. Steele, who retired. He set up Vincent’s Furniture and Piano Co. and Vincent’s Furniture and Water Beds on Third Street Southeast and took over the old Bargain Town store in the same block. He established a warehouse full of damaged and discounted furniture and odds and ends on Highway 278 East. And he opened a furniture store in Hartselle. Mayor Donald Green said, “I didn’t know Wayne real well, but he and I were both in the furniture business. We have done business together over the years, and he was a very important person in our community in a lot of different ways, not only in business. He has taken stands on issues that were important. He stood for wanting Cullman to be a progressive city and to do what’s right, and he has been very outspoken on the legal sale of alcohol.” When Vincent was only 19 years old, he lost his right hand in a cotton gin accident. He had been married just 10 days and had a wife to support, but he couldn’t work for three months while his hand healed. For Vincent, the disaster turned into “a real blessing. It taught me to think,” he said. “If you can’t use your hands, you have to use something else to make a living. And it taught me to trust in the Lord instead of myself.” He couldn’t get a job for a long time and went to Detroit seeking work. One of the men at a plant told him, “Young man, why don’t you go back to Alabama? We got all the handicaps we need.” “It sounds harsh,” Vincent said, “but it was the best thing he could have said to me.” He did come back home and took odd jobs, without much success. But three years later, the Fairview native took his first steps toward becoming an entrepreneur. “In 1969, I started a little used furniture store in Shedd’s old store in Baileyton,” Vincent said. “When the house payment came due, I had to sell it, but I realized it would be a good business.” During those years, Vincent also heard the call to preach. He began preaching at 20 and pastored his first church at 23, before beginning a career as pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Hartselle. Throughout all of his business dealings, Vincent leaned heavily on his faith in God for inspiration and instruction and gave full credit to his Maker and his family for every success he had in life. He also held his “wonderful customers” responsible for his success in business, declaring, “if I had it to do over, I’d tell every customer I appreciate them trading with me. So many folks have been good to me.” He was once asked what advice he would give young businessmen. He said, “I grew up the hard way with a lot of struggles, but the Lord’s been good to us. We’ve really been blessed. I think if a fellow will trust the Lord and do his best to serve Him, he can’t go wrong.”
UPDATE, B.C. wine-country residents shocked by deaths By CAMILLE BAINS VANCOUVER (CP) - British Columbia's winemaking industry is at a loss to explain how two winemakers died in a freak accident no one has ever heard of happening before. Victor Manola, owner of the Silver Sage Winery in the Okanagan town of Oliver, B.C., died Sunday after falling into a fermentation tank. Winemaking consultant Frank Supernak, died when he fell in, too, attempting to rescue Manola. It's believed the men suffocated because of the carbon dioxide generated in the enclosed tank by the fermenting wine. The lack of oxygen meant they couldn't breathe. The incident has shocked residents in the Okanagan Valley agricultural community where "wine is the world," said Bob Tennant, a winery owner in the area. "Everyone's just sick about it," Tennant said as winery owners throughout the Okanagan planned to help Manola's wife Anna get wines from the family business to store shelves. The accident came as a blow to the British Columbia's flourishing wine industry, which last week took 152 out of 268 medals at the Canadian Wine Awards. Harry McWatters, founding chairman of the B.C. Wine Institute, said everyone is deeply saddened by the tragic deaths. "Our industry, although we may be very competitive in the marketplace, we all share a passion for what we do," he said. "There's little doubt in my mind that the industry will come to a position where these families can reach out and find some assistance to get them through this vintage." The accident is so bizarre that nobody in the industry can even begin to figure out how someone could fall into a fermentation tank. "This is my 35th vintage in the business and nothing like this has ever happened," McWatters said. "This is very much a freak accident." Manola, 41, was on a ladder while reaching into the tank to get a wine sample for testing around noon Sunday when he fell into a hole measuring about 38 centimetres across, said Sgt. Bob Reuter of Oliver's RCMP detachment. Supernak, 47, went to help and also fell into the tank, which was about two-thirds full, Reuter said. "Whether he got dragged in or fell in himself, they both ended up in the tank," Reuter said. Rescue workers sawed off the top of the tank and drained it before rescuing the men, he said. "It's just a totally tragic accident," said Reuter. The wine industry is considering ways to eliminate such incidents from happening again, McWatters said. "We're all going to have to do some self-analysis here about what could be done," he said. "I think it really comes down to making sure that people don't work alone in cellars in this kind of situation and that they recognize the potential danger of the lack of oxygen. You don't see the danger." Winemaker Steve Wyse, who works at the Burrowing Owl Vineyards in Oliver, said Manola, who had two adult children living in the Vancouver area, was the pillar of his family. "He was a unique guy," Wyse said. "He was making the only pinot blanc ice wine with a chili pepper in it." Manola and his wife were also adding a bed-and-breakfast in to their property, where they would have celebrated their third vintage. Supernak, who had a wife and two children, was a microbiologist who was involved in every aspect of winemaking - from vineyard work, to the crush and final analysis, said Wyse. "Frank taught me a lot about winemaking," Wyse said. "That's who he was. He was willing to give everybody every little bit of knowledge that he had. He was the best. He could turn grapes into magic." The coroner's office and the Workers' Compensation Board were investigating the deaths.
Winery mishap kills two men By CP OLIVER, B.C. -- A bizarre winery accident has claimed two lives after one man tumbled into a wine tank and another tried to save him. Victor Manola, owner of the Silver Sage Winery in Oliver, B.C., about 260 km east of Vancouver, was bending over the top of a large plastic tank when he slipped in, said his wife, Anna Manola, yesterday. "The winemaker ... jumped in to take him out and he couldn't come out," she said. CHBC-TV in Kelowna reported the 2,270-litre tank was three-quarters full at the time and that rescuers resorted to draining the tank and cutting off its top in order to retrieve the men's bodies. "I let the wine out of the tank," Manola said softly. "It was too late." The coroner's office and Workers' Compensation Board are investigating, CHBC said.
Contractor Falls To His Death From Roof Of Community Center Deer Park-AP, November 10, 2002) — A contractor is dead after falling more than 20 feet from the roof of the community center in Deer Park, Long Island. Police say 35-year-old Stefan Anselm was one of a group of 10 people who were repairing the roof yesterday. He apparently lost his balance while throwing debris into a nearby dumpster. Anselm was airlifted to the University Hospital at Stony Brook where he died just after noon.
Three Hurt After Scaffold Collapses, Traffic Along Turnpike Not Affected POSTED: 1:59 p.m. EST November 11, 2002 PALMER, Mass. -- Three workers were hospitalized after the scaffold they were on beneath a stretch of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Palmer collapsed. State police said the workers didn't suffer any life-threatening injuries. They were working under the eastbound side of the Quabaug River Bridge, a span that crosses the river and the road in Palmer. State police said there were no traffic problems because of the accident.
Construction Worker Falls to Death November 8, 2002 - 10:44 am Indianapolis homicide detectives are looking into a tragic accident downtown. Detectives say a woman was part of the crew cleaning up a renovation site at 500 North Meridian in the Safeco Building. They say she fell off the fire escape from the third floor. "We have a white female who is in her late twenties, who was a construction worker who apparently was disposing some trash or debris from the third floor here and opened the door and fell off the fire escape," said Detective Mike Mitchell, IPD homicide.After a preliminary investigation, detectives believe wind may have played a role in the accident. The name of the victim has not been released. OSHA is conducting an investigation, but they believe it was an accident.
UPDATE, Museum fall man died from head injuries November 7, 2002 23:34 A retired service manager who worked at a military museum in North Norfolk died from head injuries after falling from a ladder, an inquest in Norwich was told. Richard Gallop, 74, of Church Close, West Runton, was working at the Muckleburgh Collection at Weybourne when the accident happened on September 26. Mr Gallop's friend Jack Willis told the inquest at Norwich Magistrates' Court that Mr Gallop had brought a do-it-yourself loft-ladder into the shed at the museum where the two men worked cleaning and restoring the museum's radio collection. Mr Gallop wanted to install the ladder so they could make use of the available loft space. Mr Willis described seeing his friend standing on the lower rungs of the ladder, which was at this stage "locked and stable", when he returned from lunch. He turned away for a minute and when he looked back he saw Mr Gallop slide down the ladder and fall over backwards, hitting his head on the concrete floor. Mr Gallop was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he died two days later. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a severe head injury due to the fall but could give no conclusion as to the cause of the fall. Norwich coroner William Armstrong recorded a verdict of misadventure.
UPDATE, Lack of Fall Protection Factor in Charleston Shipyard Fatality; OSHA Proposes $103,000 in Penalties North Charleston, S.C. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today cited International Marine and Industrial Applicators, Inc., for failing to protect workers from fall hazards that contributed to the death of a Hispanic worker. The citations carry penalties totaling $103,000. The fatal accident occurred May 5 aboard a ship docked for repairs at Pier D of the Detyens Shipyard, North Charleston. During repair work on the ship, screening had been removed from an opening in the hull that allowed a large fan on the A/B deck to pull air in or push air out of the ship. The removal of the screening left an unguarded 7-foot by 6-foot hole, 70 feet above the waterline. Working alone, without any fall arrest equipment, and within inches of the unguarded hull opening, the victim climbed a ladder and began removing rust from the top of the eight-foot-high steel fan and the walls that enclosed it. Evidence from the OSHA investigation suggests that the worker tried to reach a section of the wall, lost his balance and fell 78 feet to his death. "Lifelines and safety belts --- well named safety equipment --- could have prevented this tragedy," said Jim Drake, OSHA acting area director in Columbia. "The company knew workers should have them, but didn't have enough for everyone." International Marine and Industrial Applicators received two willful citations with proposed penalties totaling $70,000 for failing to provide workers with safety belts and lifelines and exposing them to falls through unguarded openings. The agency defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations. OSHA also issued additional citations with proposed penalties totaling $33,000 for failing to: conduct a hazard assessment prior to beginning repairs; train workers in the proper use of safety equipment and provide them with the appropriate equipment; frequently check on employees working alone in isolated areas; develop and implement written plans to minimize employee exposure to infectious materials and dangerous chemicals. OSHA, concerned about the large numbers of Hispanic workers being killed and injured on the job, has instituted safety programs across the country for Spanish-speaking workers and employers who hire non-English speaking workers. The company has 15 working days to contest the OSHA citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by staff from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration area office located in the Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835 Assembly St., Room 1468, Columbia, S.C.; phone: (803) 765-5904.
McDonalds to pay $8,000 after worker falls 2.8 metres A McDonalds restaurant in Whakatane was sentenced to pay $8,000 today after a worker fell 2.8 metres while trying to retrieve happy meal toys earlier this year. Howard and Osborne Ltd (trading as McDonalds) was sentenced in the Auckland District Court after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) for failing to protect the safety of a worker. “New Zealanders being harmed and killed at work is simply unacceptable. After the accident, the victim was off work for almost four months,” said Murray Thompson, OSH Service Manager Taupo-Eastern Bay Of Plenty. “The worker suffered a dislocated and broken left ankle, fractured left leg, bruising to her upper arm, shoulder and back and a ruptured achilles tendon when she fell through the ceiling at the restaurant. “The accident happened when the injured worker climbed an aluminium ladder to the loft storage area in the premises to obtain more happy meal toys. While searching through the loft she was making her way around a stack of cartons. She ducked under a beam, took two steps forward and then the ceiling gave way. She fell approximately 2.8 metres, landing in the internal passage behind the kitchen on the ground floor. “The company should have identified the hazard of the risk of a fall in the loft area and informed the employees of the hazard accordingly. This could have included erecting barriers in the loft preventing access to areas without suitable flooring and placing appropriate signage. Judge Toomey noted that this was a case where the hazards could have been readily identified had a responsible employer looked at the work situation its employees were in and thought seriously about it. The hazards were not difficult to identify; in fact they were quite easy if someone had addressed safety in that area. The defendant was given credit for an early guilty plea, no previous convictions, remorse and remedial steps taken, and assistance provided to the victim in her recovery. “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,” said Mr Thompson.
Construction worker hurt in fall at casino site From Press staff reports ATLANTIC CITY - A construction worker fell off a ladder on a sub-roof at the Showboat Casino-Hotel Tuesday but escaped serious injury, police said. Craig Bauzenberger, 31, of Williamstown, fell about 15 feet as he was walking up the ladder carrying coffee, but suffered only a minor hand injury, according to authorities. The incident happened shortly before 10 a.m. Last week two construction workers were hurt, one seriously, after falling about 20 feet from a partially constructed structure at Tropicana Casino and Resort. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating that accident.
Asbestos worker dies in fall at Jones Hall By S.K. BARDWELL Houston Chronicle A construction worker died overnight when he fell 70 feet from a scaffold in the attic of Jones Hall. The accident happened around 3 a.m. Employees of Certified/LVI Environmental Services had been hired to remove asbestos in the building at 615 Louisiana work from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. because the noise of the work interferes with rehearsals and performances, said Pete Radowick, communications manager for Jones Hall. The company has been working at the building for two months, and has about four months of work remaining, Radowick said. The man who died was a licensed asbestos technician, Radowick said. His name is being withheld until authorities can notify his family of his death. The worker was on a 12-foot-wide scaffold when he apparently fell through the boards, officials said. Radowick said the man's co-workers told others he just turned, and the man was gone. The man tumbled through the building's travertine marble facade, which is also being renovated because it was crumbling. The worker landed atop the sidewalk scaffolding that protects pedestrians from falling material outside the building at the corner of Louisiana and Texas, Radowick said. The man's co-workers performed CPR on him after the accident until paramedics arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Radowick said inspectors from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will arrive this afternoon to investigate the accident.
Two Firefighters Hurt In Ladder Accidents Tuesday November 05, 2002 11:00am Oklahoma City (AP) - Two Oklahoma City firefighters were hurt yesterday after falling off a ladder while battling a blaze. Firefighters were on the roof of a house on Southeast 33rd when the fire inside intensified and they were ordered down. Major Steve Abbott stepped onto a ladder that hadn't locked into place and fell eight feet to the ground. Corporal Jay Dooner later slipped from the a ladder and sprained his ankle. Crews discovered a methamphetamine lab inside the vacant house, which had no electricity or gas service. Abbott was treated and released from the hospital and Dooner wasn't seriously hurt.
Steel worker fights for his life after accident 04.11.2002 A worker said to have worked tirelessly to improve conditions at Pacific Steel was yesterday fighting for his life in hospital after an industrial accident. Danny Campbell, 47, is in a critical condition in Middlemore Hospital, with head injuries, after falling six metres off a platform at the Fletcher Building-owned site in Otahuhu, Auckland. Devastated colleagues were praying for a miracle, said EPMU assistant Auckland regional secretary Gavin Bell. "They can't believe that so soon after the last tragedies another workmate has been felled." Mr Campbell's accident comes within months of the deaths of two maintenance subcontractors when they were hit by a two tonne bundle of steel that fell from a crane. In 1998 two men also died in accidents at the mill and another was seriously injured. Mr Campbell is a union delegate at the smelter site and was an inspiration to fellow workers, said Mr Bell. "He is a natural leader who has worked tirelessly to improve the working conditions on the site. That he should be involved in such an accident is a tragedy. "The union was very concerned for the safety of workers at the site. Occupational Health and Safety was still investigating late yesterday but Auckland regional manager John Forrest said it appeared Mr Campbell had been removing steel rubbish. "He's fallen off and has caused himself serious harm." Fletcher Building's chief executive of building products and steel group, Andrew Reding, said Mr Campbell had suffered head injuries and the melt shop where the accident happened had been shut down afterwards and then the rest of the plant closed. "He's an experienced operator carrying out an operation he's done many times before and in the course of that fell off a platform." Shaken workers will be briefed about the accident tomorrow morning and a restart of the operation discussed. - NZ HERALD
Guam Shipyard worker's death under investigation By Dionesis Tamondong Pacific Sunday NewsA Guam Shipyard employee died yesterday from what officials say were serious injuries he sustained while on the job. Several investigations have begun to sort out the details of the incident, said Bill Hanlon, Guam Shipyard chief operating officer. "It was an accident, and we're not exactly sure how it happened," Hanlon said. The accident happened about 9:15 a.m. yesterday at the Shipyard, located inside the Navy base in Piti. The man and other employees were cleaning up a steel yard, Hanlon said, "gathering extra pieces of steel and stuff and were stacking it." The employee somehow fell onto a metal grating, Hanlon said. The man, who is from Agat and worked as a forklift operator, was taken to Naval Hospital where he was pronounced dead, said Guam Police Department spokesman Officer A.J. Balajadia. "It was not reported to police until about 12 p.m.," Balajadia said. "The details remain unclear at this point as to how the man was injured." The police department and Navy police have begun their investigations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will begin their investigation tomorrow, Hanlon said.
Firefighter killed in blaze A firefighter has died while tackling a fire in a disused hosiery factory in Leicester. Bob Miller, 44, was killed as 70 firefighters dealt with the fire in the three-storey complex in the early hours of Thursday. Mr Miller was one of the first firefighters into the building and it is believed he fell. A police and fire service investigation has started into the cause of the fire and the circumstances of the death. The tragedy occurred ahead of the second day of talks aimed at averting a national firefighters' strike. Fire Brigades Union leaders said the meeting was "constructive", but there could still be a strike on 6 November if further pay talks break down. Mr Miller had been in the service for 25 years and leaves wife Jane and two children aged 14 and 17. He is the first firefighter to be killed in service in Leicestershire for 25 years. The last firefighter to be killed on duty in the UK was Paul Metcalfe from the Greater Manchester service in 1999. Chief fire officer David Webb, from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, told BBC News Online: "We are absolutely devastated. "It sounds a bit like a cliché, but it is like losing a family member. "These people have been friends for many, many years. "People can imagine how bad it is - from our perspective. "It is the most tragic thing that can happen in the fire service - when we lose one of our own. Thankfully it is very rare. "He was one of the first men to go into the building and it appears he had some kind of accident. At this time it is not clear why he fell and we do not know the exact cause of death." The flag at Eastern Fire Station in Leicester, where Mr Miller was based, was at half mast on Thursday. Fire Brigade Union secretary Andy Gilchrist said Thursday's talks between unions and employers would be overshadowed by the death. "Naturally I'm saddened by the tragic death of the firefighter in Leicester and on behalf of the executive council send our sincere condolences to the friends and the family", he said. The last firefighter to die on active duty was Paul Metcalfe from the Greater Manchester service in 1999. Thursday's fire, which started in the first and second floors of the building, was eventually brought under control at 0500 GMT.
UPDATE, VP, Construction Co. to Stand Trial for Worker's Death Reported by Cheryl Chodun Everyone agrees it was a tragic accident, but was it a crime? Wednesday in a highly unusual case, a judge decided a Roseville construction company and one of its executives should stand trial in the death of a worker. The prosecution says that Lanzo Construction Company recklessly disregarded the safety and well-being of its workers. The defense says the worker who died was experienced and he disregarded the safety measures he should have used. 37-year-old Angelo D'Allesandro, the vice president of Lanzo Construction Company, could go to prison for 15 years if convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of one of his workers. Robert Whiteye died in May of 1999 when rain-soaked dirt and clay caved in while he was laying a sewer pipe in a trench along Nine Mile Road in Southfield. Robert Whiteye died in May of 1999 when dirt and clay caved in while he was in a trench. The prosecution, the State of Michigan, claims Lanzo Construction and D'Allesandro, who was overseeing the project but was reportedly not at the site when it happened, were reckless and careless and showed total disregard for worker safety. The one witness for the defense, reported to be an expert on trenches, disagrees. "Did this accident occur because Lanzo vice president reduced the size of the trench box from eight feet to four feet in width?" the attorney asked. "No." But when all was said and done, the judge bound the corporation and D'Allesandro over for trial on the manslaughter charge, which brought great relief to Whiteye's wife and daughter. They would not talk about the case, but would talk about their loss. "It's been three years and we have had five new babies in the family that didn't have a grandfather. That's probably a big thing," said Alicia Whiteye, Robert's daughter. "Obviously sympathy goes out to the Whiteye family, but Mr. D'Allesandro is not the responsible party or the cause of this particular death," said Mitchell Ribitwer, defense attorney. "He was a wonderful man, and our family has lost a lot in that alone," Alicia said. "We will have the circuit judge review Judge Cooper's findings and I'm sure that we'll prevail and will be vindicated here," Ribitwer said. The charges came from the attorney general's office and some on the defense side suggest that when the charges came down, Jennifer Granholm was deciding to run for governor. In a statement Wednesday, Jennifer Granholm said that has absolutely nothing to do with it. She said the attorney general's office is committed to protecting workers, and family, and safety. If this does go to trial, if D'Allesandro is convicted, he could go to prison for 15 years. If the corporation is convicted, the fine would be $7,500.
One dead in water tower collapse The Associated Press GRANVILLE COUNTY, N.C.(AP) - A water tower under construction collapsed Wednesday, killing one person and injuring three others. The 500,000-gallon tank was under construction south of Butner. Authorities say workers were lifting a section of the bowl with a crane when it collapsed. "It appears that the internal crane collapsed. They had a couple of employees on the walkway at the time when it happened," said Chief Danny Roberts, of the Butner Public Safety Department. One worker, 35-year-old Michael Burton of Marietta, Ohio, died when a piece of metal hit him. The three others who were injured were transported to Duke Medical Center. Investigators have not said what led to the collapse, but said the scene was considered unstable.
5 hurt when new Scottsboro City Hall floor falls, Collapse occurs as workers are pouring concrete in structure 10/30/02 By DAVID BREWER Times Staff Writer SCOTTSBORO - Five construction workers were injured this morning when the second floor in Scottsboro's new City Hall collapsed as workers were pouring concrete for the floor. A Fire Department spokesman identified four of the workers as Tim Mayberry, 33; Vannie Malone, 58; Coley Patrick, 56; and Joe Stinnett, 56, all of Athens. The fifth worker's name was not immediately known. The workers' conditions were not immediately available, but authorities said they did not believe the injuries were life-threatening. Fire Chief Melton Potter was on the phone at the fire hall across the street and looking out the front window when he saw the floor collapse. ''I hollered at the guys (firefighters) and told them we needed to go over there,'' he said. ''It was one of those things you see and wonder if you really saw it.'' Authorities said the workers got away from the second floor as it collapsed. ''They were lucky the injuries were not more serious,'' Potter said. The new City Hall building and a new Fire Station No. 1, being built by another contractor, are near the southwest corner of the Jackson County Courthouse square and across the street from the present Fire Station No. 1. Authorities said they will not know what caused the collapse until an investigation is completed. A representative of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration was expected to arrive at the scene today. Baggette Construction Inc. of Decatur began work on the $1.1 million, 15,000-square-foot building in August and was scheduled to complete it about June. Mayor Ron Bailey said he does not know how long the project will be delayed. Authorities said workers had poured about eight cubic yards of cement on the second floor when it collapsed. Afterward, the south wall of the building leaned inward. The project's architect is Mouzan and Associates of Huntsville.
Illinois man killed when radio tower collapses October 30, 2002 CENTRALIA, MO.- Federal officials were investigating the death of an Illinois man who was killed when a radio transmission tower collapsed. Sean Burroughs, 29, of West Frankfort, Ill., was killed Tuesday when the 400-foot KMFC-FM tower he was repairing outside Centralia twisted and fell. Burroughs was secured to the tower with a rope _ about 120 feet in the air _ when he fell. Burroughs, who was part of a four-man crew working for the Henderson, Ky.-based Nationwide Tower Company, was pronounced dead at the scene. Three co-workers at the site were uninjured. Jerry Clair, owner of the Centralia-based Christian-format radio station, had contracted with Nationwide Tower to do maintenance work on the tower, including replacing steel cables that support the tower. Manuel Olmedo, area director of federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, said Wednesday that he had dispatched one OSHA official to the area. "We're looking to ascertain what the cause of the accident was and also if the employer was following safe practices," Olmedo said. Olmedo said the investigation would likely take about three months. Officials from Nationwide Tower declined to comment.
Scaffolding structure collapses in Liverpool A scaffolding erected in Croxteth, Liverpool has collapsed while three men were on the 15-metre tall structure. One of the men remains in a critical condition having sustained serious head injuries, his fellow workers also sustained major injuries. A nine-year-old boy passenger in a car which was crushed by the structure was dramatically rescued by a shop assistant as the fallen members slowly compressed the car's roof.
Worker's falling death to be probed By FROM STAFF REPORTS The N.C. Department of Labor announced Thursday it will investigate the death of a Henderson County factory worked who died as a result of an industrial accident. Edmund Carswell, 59, fell off a 5 foot 6 inch platform Oct. 24 while loading rolls of fabric to be used in a spreading machine at the Bon Worth factory, according to plant officials. Carswell lost his footing and landed on the left side of his body. He suffered severe brain swelling from the fall and was flown to Mission St. Joseph's Health System, where he underwent acute care and surgery. The swelling in the brain continued and his health deteriorated until Carswell died Thursday afternoon, his son Brian Carswell said. Carswell worked at the Bon Worth plant on Thompson Road for 15 years. He had two sons and one grandchild. The state department of labor and Bon Worth officials said it was the first workplace fatality for the plant. Bon Worth Inc. had a prior workplace safety citation from OSHA in 1998 for "eye and face protection" violations and was fined $525.
UPDATE, G.I. police release identity of man killed in fall at CNH October 28, 2002 Juan Jimenez-Lemus, 38, of Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico, has been identified as the person who died Friday night while working as a subcontracted laborer at the Case New Holland manufacturing plant in Grand Island. Jimenez-Lemus was working for One de Mexico when he fell while installing insulation at CNH, said the police in the initial report on the accident. The accident happened about 10:35 p.m. Friday. Jimenez-Lemus was working on a ceiling that was an estimated 12 feet to 14 feet from the floor. The work was related to construction of a paint system at the plant. Grand Island police Capt. Pete Kortum said Jimenez-Lemus apparently came to work in the United States about a month ago. Kortum said police do not know how long Jimenez-Lemus has lived in Grand Island or the Grand Island area. Kortum said police were unable to determine a Grand Island address for Jimenez-Lemus.
Worker dies in fall at CNH October 27, 2002 By Sarah A subcontracted laborer was killed Friday night when he fell while working at the Case New Holland manufacturing plant in Grand Island. Grand Island police Capt. Dale Hilderbrand said the man's name was not being released Saturday pending notification of his relatives. The man was working for One de Mexico and fell while installing insulation at CNH, 3445 W. Stolley Park Road, Hilderbrand said. The man was not a CNH employee, Hilderbrand said. Police do not know how far the man, fell but the ceiling he was working on is 12 to 14 feet from the floor, he said. Hilderbrand did not know if anyone witnessed the fall, which occurred around 10:35 p.m. Friday. The man was taken to St. Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Hilderbrand said. According to the Associated Press, the man suffered massive head trauma as a result of the fall. CNH Plant Manager Steve Lee said the work the man was doing related to the construction of a paint system. Hilderbrand did not have a date of birth for the man but said he was Hispanic. An address for One de Mexico was not available. Police officers are commonly sent on calls relating to industrial accidents that involve serious injuries, he said.
Fumes fell man on job in Hudson HUDSON, Mich. - A Toledo man is recovering from a head injury suffered Thursday after he apparently passed out from noxious fumes at work. Mark Pegish, 44, was listed in fair condition in Toledo Hospital yesterday. The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office reported Mr. Pegish, an employee of Hastings HVAC Service, was working on a compressor at Rima Manufacturing Co. in this Lenawee County community. A fellow employee heard Mr. Pegish fall and found him unconscious at the bottom of a ladder. Mr. Pegish told deputies he had sprayed a chemical to loosen some screws and began to feel dizzy. He started down the ladder when he apparently passed out.
Firefighters rescue worker who fell on roof The Gazette Friday, October 25, 2002 CEDAR RAPIDS -- Firefighters on Thursday lowered an injured worker from the roof of a building where he'd fallen. The worker fell about one story from a neighboring building onto the roof of Muddy Waters bar and restaurant, 415 First St. SE, shortly after 8:15 a.m., said Fire Department spokesman Dave Koch. Firefighters put the injured man in a stretcher basket, then used their truck's ladder boom to lower the basket to the ground, Koch said. The injured worker, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries Koch said were "not life-threatening."
Three Workers Fall at Tropicana Atlantic City - October 25, 2002 — Police say three workers at a Tropicana Casino and Resort construction site fell to the ground yesterday when the structure they were standing on collapsed. The city engineer says the workers were standing on a one-story prefabricated panel of concrete at about nine o'clock in the morning when the structure gave way. Antonio Deshazo of Pleasantville suffered a head injury and Lindenwold resident Johnny J. Caldwell sustained a pelvic injury. Police would not identify the third victim, who refused treatment. The site is part of the casino's 225 (m) million dollar expansion project on the south side of Pacific Avenue near Brighton Avenue. Police turned the investigation over to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Workers Fall From Fort Worth Construction Site October 24, 2002 FORT WORTH, Texas -- Two construction workers have reportedly fallen from the top of the third floor of an apartment building they were working on in Fort Worth. The accident happened around 8 a.m. Thursday in the 6200 block of Shady Oaks Manor Drive in west Fort Worth. The framing crew was reportedly working on a platform about three stories high when the two men slipped and fell onto muddy ground. CareFlite took both men to Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital. Both were fully conscious, police and construction workers said. The construction site is closed until the mud from recent rain showers dries up.
OSHA fines Goodyear for safety violations By VICTOR REKLAITIS / Register & Bee staff writer Oct 24, 2002 DANVILLE, Va. - The Virginia branch of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the Goodyear-Danville plant for a number violations with proposed fines totaling $8,275. OSHA is investigating an Aug. 21 incident in which a worker is reported to have been injured after slipping on grease and landing on beams that were lying on a work floor. The federal watchdog agency also cited Goodyear for not properly training or informing employees who were exposed to potentially hazardous materials, as well as not properly monitoring exposure to those materials. Goodyear-Danville may now request an informal conference with regional OSHA officials to discuss the citations, according to OSHA regulations. The company can contest the citations, fines and abatement periods, or correct the violation items that the agency identified and pay the proposed fines. "This is an open investigation. It would not be appropriate for us to comment," said Heather Franks, communications manager at Goodyear-Danville. "Once the investigation has been closed, we will evaluate any citations and review our options." The citations, which were issued on Oct. 1 and Oct. 17, were made public on Wednesday. OSHA classified several violations as "serious." According to the agency's guidelines, this classification means the hazards related to the violations "would probably cause death or serious physical harm." Franks declined to say if the company has appealed the citations. Typically, a company must request an informal conference or contest citations within 15 days of when they were issued, according to OSHA guidelines. The Oct. 1 citation contained the following violations and proposed fines totaling $2,275: n a work floor was not kept properly clean, and a worker is reported to have been injured on Aug. 21 after slipping on grease and landing on beams that were lying on the floor ($1,300), n the plant did not properly inform and train employees who, while painting in a carbon black room and shed area, were exposed to potentially hazardos chemicals like enamel paint and carbon black ($975). The Oct. 17 citation listed the following violations and proposed fines totaling $6,000: n the plant did not keep surfaces as free as possible of accumulations of lead ($1,125), n the company did not properly monitor and accurately determine airborne concentrations of asbestos, a potentially hazardous material ($1,875), n employees working with thermal system insulation or surfacing material were not provided with a "negative exposure assessment" and directed to wear respirators up to OSHA standards ($1,875), n the plant did not provide a proper training program for employees likely to be exposed, in excess to OSHA's exposure limits, to hazardous materials like asbestos ($1,125), n the company did not test if employees might be exposed to lead above an amount of 30 micrograms per one cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour period, and did not inform employees of the contents of relevant appendices to OSHA regulations. This violation was classified as "other than serious" by the agency, meaning it "will not cause death or serious physical harm but is directly related to safety and health," according to OSHA guidelines ($0). The Oct. 1 citation was issued following an OSHA inspection in response to an employee complaint. At that point, the OSHA inspector notified an asbestos and lead inspector that another inspection might be necessary, according to Nancy Jakubec, director of cooperative programs at Virginia's branch of OSHA. The subsequent inspection led to the Oct. 17 citation. OSHA inspections can be random or in response to complaints from employees, Jakubec said. "Goodyear operates all of its facilities with the safety of its associates uppermost in our mind, and Goodyear-Danville has an outstanding safety record," said Clint Smith, manager of communications for Goodyear's North American tire business unit, based in Akron, Ohio. According to OSHA records, Goodyear-Danville was last cited for a serious violation in November 2000 and fined $562. In December 2001, the plant was cited for four "other than serious" violations with no fines. Prior to that, the local plant was cited on two occasions in 1995 for serious violations with $2,669.58 and $1,125 fines, as well as in 1994 for a serious violation with a $1,000 fine. A Goodyear-Danville employee was killed in February 1989 after a metal pallet fell onto his back. An employee's finger was partially amputated as a result of an accident in November 1988. Dana Dixon, communications director for United Steelworkers Local 831, which represents Goodyear-Danville workers, declined to comment on the most recent citations.
UPDATE, OSHA will investigate man's death By MELISSA GRIFFY Tribune Staff Writer SUGARCREEK -- Less than a week after the death of 31-year-old Mark Lyons, Belden Brick Co. Inc. is under investigation. Lyons, of Fresno, died Saturday of injuries he sustained Oct. 14, when he fell 35 feet through a skylight on the roof of the Belden Brick plant in Sugarcreek, where he worked. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration began the investigation earlier this week, and the Columbus-area director, Deborah Zubaty, said she thinks it could last up to three months. "We will do a thorough investigation," Zubaty said Thursday. OSHA's investigation will include interviews with Belden employees and management, an examination of the accident scene and a review of the company's job safety and health policies. OSHA was notified by a Belden representative of the incident following Lyons' death on Oct. 19. Lyons remained in serious condition in the surgical intensive care unit at Akron General Hospital until his death. According to a report from the Sugarcreek Police Department, witnesses reported Lyons was among four workers on the plant's roof closing vents. In an earlier interview, Doug Mutschelknaus, Belden plant superintendent, said the vents are closed annually for winter. He said officials think Lyons stepped backward onto the skylight, which broke beneath him. Mutschelknaus said procedures at the plant would not change as a result of the accident. "The only thing we can do is make people more aware," he said. "They've been doing this for 30 years, and this is the first accident." Zubaty said Belden will be required to implement a change in their policy if OSHA regulations have been violated. "We want to protect workers so incidents like this do not happen again," she said. Mutschelknaus could not be reached for comment Thursday. Lyons worked at Belden Brick for nearly four years. He was to be a father in December, when his wife, the former Carol Eickleberry, is expecting the birth of their first child.
Painter Dies in Freak Accident in Fairfax Fairfax - Fairfax County police are investigating a tragic accident that happened in Fairfax this week. On Tuesday around 11:15 a.m. in the 12000 block of Grays Pointe Road a man fell 25-to-30 feet from the roof of an apartment building and died. Police have identified him as 44-year-old Ernesto Rivera of Sterling. Rivera was on the roof of the apartment painting when for unknown reasons he lost his footing and fell. Several other workers, including Rivera's brother were working on the apartment building but did not see what caused Rivera to fall. Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are also conducting an investigation.
Worker Dies After Falling in Raleigh Silo By Jim Hill A Wake County man is dead after an accident at a Raleigh concrete plant. Wednesday afternoon rescue crews tried to find a worker who somehow fell into a silo. It all happened at Thomas Concrete on West Street near downtown Raleigh. Jimmy Baines appeared helpless as he prayed for a miracle. "He’s my best buddy," Baines said. "He's my best buddy." "We discovered that there was an individual that was trapped in one of the silos that holds dry cement," said Chief Tommie Styons with the Raleigh Fire Department. Emergency crews said Nathan Earl Williams got trapped inside the silo at Thomas Concrete in Raleigh at around two o'clock. "He's the only one that can keep me going at this plant," Baines said. "I'm waiting on his wife and daughter now." Within minutes, Nathan's wife rushed to the scene confused as his co-worker tried to comfort her. "The more time that passes, the more grave the circumstances might be," Styons said earlier Wednesday. That unbearable news was hard for Cathy Williams to take as light turned to darkness. By then, more family members gathered together where Nathan had worked as a yardman for more than 21 years. The painstaking attempts to find Nathan proved extremely difficult. "The silo itself was a half inch of steel, so trying to cut a hole in something like that and make a to get the product out was certainly a cumbersome and challenging task," Styons said. About five hours after rescue crews arrived to save Nathan, his body was finally recovered. "I can't believe it... still I don't have words for it," Baines said. "He was like a brother to me when I worked here." Ervin Pete worked called his friend a devoted worker many people will never forget. "...You know, he was a very loyal worker. I know Thomas Concrete will miss him, I will miss him, and everybody that's worked with him will miss him. I just hate to see it happen."
Worker injured after slipping at construction site RANCHO CUCAMONGA - A 44-year-old Temecula man broke his leg early Wednesday while working on a holding tank for the Cucamonga County Water District, firefighters said. Tom Cole, who works for a construction company hired by the water district, was at a construction site at 5815 Etiwanda Ave. at 8:27 a.m. when he slipped and fell two to three feet. "He was scaling one of the walls, fell backwards and broke one of his legs,' said Rancho Cucamonga fire Capt. Steve Campbell. "It was such an odd set-up that we had to use a crane to lift him out.' A fire rescue team used the crane to lift the man from the 18-foot-deep tank. After the 40-minute rescue, firefighters took the man to San Antonio Community Hospital for treatment. "When we lifted him out, he was in pain, but he was conscious and coherent,' Campbell said.
Worker hurt on UI construction site By Kelley Casino and Tony Robinson - The Daily Iowan The Iowa City Fire Department rescued a man working on the new UI honors building Wednesday after he accidentally fell into a 30-foot-deep elevator shaft. After a 45-minute rescue effort, firefighters lifted the worker and his rescuer to safety using a rope attached to a ladder truck. Authorities would not comment on his injuries but said he was conscious and stable. Following standard procedure, the unidentified construction worker had removed his safety harness to reposition himself while working in the shaft, said Iowa City police Officer Dave Schwindt. After removing the safety harness, he fell from scaffolding inside the hole. Battalion Fire Chief Jim Humston said the hole allowed limited access to the worker, forcing Iowa City firefighters to lower a rescuer into the shaft to secure the worker onto a stretcher. "He is awake and talking," Schwindt said while the man was still in the shaft and the rescue was being prepared. The worker was hooked up to an IV, and had his right pants leg cut open for a possible leg injury. He was transported to the UI Hospitals and Clinics by the Johnson County Ambulance Service within one hour of the initial call. The injured man is an employee of Wisconsin-based Miron Construction Co. Inc., which was contracted by the UI to build the Blank Honor Center. Work on the $13.9 million project began in April; it is expected to be finished in September 2003. Plans call for a basement and six floors totaling 58,900 square feet. It appears the worker fell down the service elevator, which will connect the first floor service entrance with the basement. The man's co-workers refused comment while leaving the site following the rescue. According to the company's Web site, Miron has received seven safety performance awards and maintains the philosophy: "It is unacceptable for anyone to get hurt on a Miron project." UI police were still investigating the incident Wednesday night.
Worker dies in fall from roof at Taylorsville building site The Courier-Journal A Louisville man died early Tuesday after he fell off a roof at a construction site in Taylorsville. Ricky H. Raley, 46, fell about 30 feet from the roof, which was wet from a light frost and dew, about 8:15 a.m., Spencer County Coroner Dennis McClain said yesterday. Raley worked for Realty Improvement, which is building an assistedliving apartment building in Taylorsville. Raley slipped despite strips nailed to the unfinished roof to keep workers from sliding, McClain said. Raley died of closed head injuries, McClain said.
N.C. Fair Worker Struck, Killed By Ride, Girl's Legs Hit Man Standing On Ride Platform October 24, 2002 RALEIGH, N.C. -- A worker at the North Carolina State Fair was killed after being struck and thrown by a ride along the midway Thursday morning. Department of Agriculture spokeman Mike Blanton said the accident happened around 10:55 a.m. Blanton said the worker, a 10-year veteran of midway vendor Amusements of America, was standing on the platform of the Bonzai ride when he was struck by the legs of a teenage girl on the ride. The ride is described as a dual pendulum ride. The worker, a ride assistant, was knocked from the platform, struck by the ride and was thrown over the top of the neighboring Starship ride. The worker reportedly landed near a pizza stand. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. An Amusements of America spokeman said the worker, originally from Philadelphia, had taken a year off from his job and had returned specifically to work at the North Carolina State Fair. Blanton said the unidentified girl was taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Both rides and a section of the midway, including some concession stands, remain closed pending an investigation. Blanton stressed that the accident was not due to a malfunction. Rides supplied by vendor Amusements of America were inspected by the state Department of Labor and an independent company prior to the opening of the fair last Friday. It is the company's first year at the N.C. State Fair. A spokeman for Amusements of America said it is the first fatality of an employee in the 20 years he has been with the company. Two months ago, Re-mix, a ride from Amusements of America, broke loose in Ohio, injuring two people. That ride is not at the state fair. The state fair remains open.
Man survives 100-foot fall By Darla McFarland The Examiner A contract worker survived a 100-foot fall from a water tower in Independence Tuesday afternoon, fire officials said. Richard Whiting, Jr., 21 of Kansas City, was conscious and alert when emergency workers arrived. He complained of upper back pain and had a contusions on his head but no apparent major injuries or paralysis, an ambulance supervisor said. Witnesses said Whiting hit a few cross-bars and a metal shelf on the way down. He landed on grass. Whiting was transported to Independence Regional Health Center. He was listed in good condition this morning. Whiting was working with a crew on a cellular phone antenna attached to the 110-foot water tower. Another worker became trapped on the tower and was rescued by fire crews. Both men were wearing safety harnesses. It was unclear if the harness failed or was improperly secured.
Texas firm to fight fine in TV tower fatality BY PAUL HAMMEL WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER A Texas company plans to contest a recommended fine of $12,000 for federal safety violations that led to a fatal accident this spring atop a 1,524-foot-tall television tower near Bassett, Neb. Monte Davis, president of ProComm Communications of Groves, Texas, said Tuesday that it was unfair to fine his firm because it had hired another company, East Mississippi Towers, to do the work. Davis added that if his company was being held responsible for any safety violations, the general contractor that hired him, Nationwide Tower, also should be fined, as well as the owner of the tower, the Nebraska Educational Television Network. "Logically, we should not be involved in this," Davis said. A 29-year-old worker from Mississippi, Tim Culpepper, was struck and killed by falling debris April 22 when a hoisting cable, used to lift a new digital TV antenna cable in place, snapped atop the tower, 17 miles south of Bassett. Last week, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration released its preliminary report on the accident, recommending fines of $12,100 against East Mississippi Towers of Meridian, Miss., the subcontractor on the job, and $12,000 against ProComm, the company that hired them. OSHA's report cited eight safety violations that indicated that safety precautions were ignored and equipment was misused, damaged or overloaded.
UPDATE, Company May Be Fined After Worker's Death; Feds Say Violations Included Inadequate Safety Barriers October 22, 2002 CONCORD, N.H. -- The government proposes fining a Lyme, N.H., contractor more than $17,000 for safety violations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the violations included inadequate safety barriers at a Hanover, N.H., construction site elevator shaft where a worker fell to his death in August. Randy Raynor, 33, of Windsor, Vt., was working for Estes and Gallup Builders when a safety barrier at an elevator shaft opening gave way. OSHA says the company has asked for a conference to discuss the sanctions.
Injured roof worker reaches $6M settlement A worker who sued after breaking several vertebrae when he fell from the roof of Rotterdam Square Mall has reached a settlement for $6 million. On March 3, 2000, 41-year-old Walter Stillman fell 20 feet through an opening that had been cut into the roof so that a heating and air-conditioning unit could be installed during the mall's renovation, according to the law firm O'Connell and Aronowitz, which represented Stillman. Stillman, who spent 70 days in the hospital, suffered spinal cord damage in the fall and must use a walker. Stillman endures constant pain and continues to require physical therapy, according to the law firm. Despite having been named in the lawsuit, Rotterdam Square Mall will not pay money under the settlement because it didn't supervise the work, which was being done for Littman Jewelers, according Cecilia Bennacio, the risk manager for the mall. Defendants named in the lawsuit included Storecrafters Inc., which was the general contractor, and J&B Roofing of Cohoes. The settlement hadn't been filed with Rensselaer County as of Monday and Stillman's lawyers were unable to say which parties would pay in the settlement and how much. Calls to the defendants' lawyers were not returned Monday. The settlement was reached Friday after several days of trial in Supreme Court in Rensselaer County.
UPDATE, Company fined $15,000 after worker falls to his death Donaghys Industries Limited was sentenced to pay $15,000 in the Christchurch District Court today after an accident this year. An employee was killed when he fell from the platform area of the knitting machine he was working on. He suffered severe head injuries and died the following day in hospital. The victim, was a permanent employee with 17 years experience as a machine operator. All of the fine went to the victim’s family. “The work platform had inadequate guarding in place to prevent a person from falling when performing normal work activities,” said Margaret Radford, Service Manager of OSH Canterbury West Coast Region. “The company had health and safety systems in place but failed to identify this fall from height hazard. “The work platform was a pre-existing hazard but when the Company made changes to the platform area the hazard in fact became more hazardous with workers being provided with new work positions. “This accident highlights that hazard identification exercises are critical when changes are made to a production process. “New Zealanders being harmed and killed at work is simply unacceptable. “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: Margaret Radford, Service Manager, OSH, Christchurch Tel: 03 365 2600 Mobile: 025 278 1834
2 DANGLE ABOVE B'WAY FOR 30 MINS. By BILL HOFFMANN October 22, 2002 -- Two construction workers plunged from a collapsing scaffold in Midtown yesterday morning - and precariously dangled upside down by safety ropes. They were finally rescued 30 minutes later, when firefighters from Ladder 4 pulled them to safety. The accident, at a building under construction at Broadway and 55th Street, occurred when a scaffold suddenly gave way under the feet of the workers. As the pair screamed for help, pedestrians stopped in their tracks to watch the tense drama. Firefighter Andrew Sheridan climbed the ladder of his firetruck and carefully grabbed the ropes of the men - one at a time - to bring them onto solid ground.
2 firefighters injured in fall through roof The Houston Chronicle...10/21/2002 Two Houston firefighters were injured during an early morning blaze Sunday. Houston Fire Department spokesman Jay Evans said the two fell when the roof of a burning home at the 9000 block of Richmond at Amanda collapsed. Both firefighters suffered lower back injuries and were treated and released, he said.
UPDATE, State fines roofing firm $10,000 in accident TRACY JAN The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division has fined a Portland-based roofing contractor $10,000 for a July accident in which three workers fell 30 feet through the gym roof at David Douglas High School and suffered serious injuries. Six men from McDonald & Wetle were rolling a 560-pound rubber covering onto the slightly sloped gym roof when two rectangular roof panels collapsed, sending three of the men tumbling to the floor, according to the recently released state report on the investigation. The injured workers -- Alvaro Gutierrez-Olmos, 40; Gerardo Abad, 42; and Richard Hooten, 42 -- were treated at OHSU Hospital for injuries including head cuts, arm and leg fractures, and internal injuries. They were released from the hospital in July and are expected to recover fully, said Gordon Childress, senior project manager for Baugh Construction, the reroofing project's general contractor. The state fined McDonald & Wetle $5,000 for failing to inspect the condition of the roof structure on an ongoing basis and an additional $5,000 for not determining the structural integrity and strength of the 40-year-old gym roof to support the workers and the rubber covering. McDonald & Wetle appealed the citation in September and is following an informal appeals process in which the company will meet with the state and discuss investigators' findings. It's not uncommon for fines to be reduced during appeals, said Kevin Weeks, an agency spokesman. Company officials declined to comment. The state's report found that the company didn't adequately assess the reroofing job or any precautions associated with the specific roofing material; the foreman and crew ignored indications that the roof was unstable; and too much weight was on the roof panels, causing the collapse. Accidents in which workers fall and are seriously injured during a roofing project occur about once every four years in Oregon, Weeks said. Following the accident, the company and Baugh Construction installed a platform beneath the gym roof as a safety precaution for the duration of the project. The David Douglas School District paid $450,000 for the project, said Courtney Wilton, David Douglas director of administrative services, including $38,000 in safety precautions. The reroofing and seismic upgrades of the high school gym and north wing were among many remodeling projects being paid for with a bond passed by voters in 2000. The project was completed at the end of August after a two-week delay as a result of the accident.
Worker dies at Mtarfa by Charlotte Bonavia, di-ve news Monday, 21 October, 2002 He fell off the roof of a garage following an electricity shock Rabat, MALTA (di-ve news) -- A 31-year-old Birkirkara man died after falling off a garage’s roof at Triq il-Maqdes Ruman, Mtarfa following an electricity shock while working with concrete, this evening at 1800 CET. An ambulance was called on site and took the man to St. Luke’s Hospital where he died an hour later. Duty Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima was informed about the case and appointed various experts to assist in the inquiry. Rabat District Police are investigating.
UPDATE, Fair worker recovering after fall from roller coaster By RICHARD WALKER, T&D Staff Writer There's irony in his condition report and happiness that he's alive. The amusement company employee who fell Thursday night from the superstructure of the roller coaster at the Orangeburg County Fair was listed Friday in "fair condition." Tony O'Rourke, 38, of Queens, N.Y., was airlifted Thursday night from the fairgrounds to Palmetto Richland Memorial's trauma unit in Columbia, where spokeswoman Monya Havekost on Friday provided the condition report. An Orangeburg Department of Public Safety report indicates that around 9:45 p.m. O'Rourke "climbed approximately 20 to 25 feet onto the ride to inspect a car, containing two fair patrons, that had been stopped to clear the track of another car." Two Holly Hill youth inside the stopped car told police that while O'Rourke was climbing the framework, he slipped and fell backwards. A Careforce helicopter was brought in following the accident and airlifted O'Rourke to the Columbia medical facilities. Larry Carr, owner of Carr Amusement Co., said Friday the "fair family is all very concerned about" O'Rourke. "We spoke with him on the phone this morning and he said he would be released Sunday," Carr said. "We're very relieved, but he did suffer a fractured arm and cheekbone. He was up there inspecting a car." Carr said all safety precautions were observed and will be at all times. DPS Investigations Capt. Mike Adams said police believe the accident to be an isolated incident and not related to any equipment failure. "There hasn't been any indication there is a problem with the ride itself," Adams said. "All indications are that he lost his balance and fell. It's just a very unfortunate accident."
UPDATE: Worker dies after four-story fall from roof MOLINE – A construction worker is hospitalized after he fell four stories from a roof in Rock Island. The unidentified man was working on the roof of the old armory building, owned by the city, when he fell four stories onto concrete. He was taken to the trauma center at Trinity West, where he later died. We’ll have the latebreaking details as they are made available.
Seven-story fall kills worker By Kelly Wolfe A 23-year-old Jupiter construction worker died after falling seven stories from a Hutchinson Island condominium balcony where he had been working Thursday morning, the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office said. Conrado Ramirez of 130 Third St. fell from the balcony at Ocean Towers condominiums, 9400 South Ocean Drive, at about 9:20 Thursday. He was transported by helicopter to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where he was pronounced dead at 12:10 p.m., deputies said. Ocean Towers is a 10-story condominium 3 miles north of the Martin County line that is undergoing remodeling and construction. Railings for the balconies were removed while repairs were being made. Sheriff Ken Mascara said the department would report the incident to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Ramirez had been working for Continental Waterproofing of Hollywood. The company has been fined more than $50,000 since February 2001 for violations such as allowing workers to work without hard hats, not properly securing workers to scaffolding with lifelines and allowing workers to work without harnesses, lifelines or railings, according to OSHA reports. Luis Santiago, a spokesman for OSHA, said these violations were found during routine inspections or inspections spurred by complaints. He said, based on these reports, there had not been a fatality at the company before.
Worker injured in four-story fall at armory ROCK ISLAND -- A man working on top of the former National Guard Armory building next to the Casino Rock Island fell four stories to his death about 10 a.m. today. The 33-year-old man's name was not being released to allow authorities to notify his relatives. He was declared dead at 10:20 a.m. at Trinity Medical Center West Campus. Rock Island County Coroner Sharon Anderson said the cause of death was severe head trauma, but it was unclear whether he fell onto the concrete floor or some dumpsters under a hole in the roof. Trucks parked outside the armory appeared to be owned by Oldeen Roofing of Kewanee. The city-owned building is undergoing re-roofing. Oldeen Roofing was awarded the $188,787 contract. Bob Hawkes, city public works director, said the project was a temporary re-roofing. Several years ago the roof started to leak because the wind was pulling the rubberized mat off of it. "We knew there were issues up there," Mr. Hawes said. "Our understanding was, areas were marked off by the contractor where people shouldn't walk." Sgt. Vernard Gillman said police are initially deeming the fall an industrial accident. The accident is under investigation by police, the coroner's office and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Fair worker hurt in fall By THOMAS BROWN, T&D Staff Writer A midway worker at the Orangeburg County Fair was seriously injured Thursday about 10 p.m. when he fell from the structure of the roller coaster as he climbed the frame to free one of the cars. After falling approximately 30 feet, the unidentified man was airlifted to Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, said Lt. Henry Bowman of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Orangeburg County EMS responded and treated the victim at the scene. "It is my understanding that he was going up to release one of the cars when he fell," Bowman said. "He was seriously injured because he was taken to Richland Memorial. I don't know the extent of his injuries." The roller coaster is 40 feet high and is one of the biggest attractions by Carr Expositions at the 2002 fair.d dead at 9:41 p.m.
Tree-Trimmer Dies After 30-Foot Fall; Tree-Trimming Bucket Drops With Man Inside POSTED: 11:45 a.m. CDT October 17, 2002 HORICON, Wis. -- A 44-year-old man died after a tree-trimming bucket he was in fell 30 feet. Scott Weisensel, of rural Beaver Dam, was trimming a 60-foot black walnut tree in the back yard of Robert Splinter, at noon Wednesday when a mechanical malfunction caused the bucket to drop rapidly, Horicon Police Chief Douglas Glamann said Thursday. Weisensel was thrown from the bucket and later died at Beaver Dam Community Hospital, Glamann said. Weisensel's co-worker George Rawson said the vehicle, owned by Beaver Tree Service, had been certified two weeks earlier. It was impounded by the Horicon Police Department. The accident was being investigated by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
UPDATE, Injured Worker Clings To Life, Pedestrian Bridge Collapse Investigation Continues Edited by Dave Pieklik The collapse last Thursday killed one construction worker and injured eight others. The investigation into what caused the bridge to collapse is moving along. But a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, Melissa Carlson, says the probe is "going to take a while." In Syracuse, the assistant director for OSHA, Ron Williams says the Federal investigation could take as long as six months. His investigators are at the scene checking into the equipment used to construct the pedestrian bridge and the components of the bridge itself, looking into paperwork and other documentation, and interviewing employees of Tioga Construction. No citiations have been issued yet. Witnesses say the workers were pouring concrete on the bridge last Thursday when it suddenly began to twist and collapse. Scott Couchman, 45, a construction worker from Mohawk, was killed in the collapse. Garrett Pelton remains in critical condition at Saint Elizabeth's hospital in Utica, and Steve Gates also remains in serious condition. The conditions of the remainder are either the same or improving. Another worker, Mike Loomis, has been discharged from the hospital and is back home.
Fresno man seriously hurt at Belden Brick, Mark Lyons falls 35 feet By MELISSA GRIFFY Tribune Staff Writer FRESNO -- One day after Mark and Carol Lyons' first-year wedding anniversary, the soon-to-be father was involved in an accident that's left him battling for his life. The 31-year-old fell 35-feet through a skylight where he works at the Belden Brick plant in Sugarcreek on Monday. Tuesday, he was listed in serious condition in the surgical intensive care unit at Akron General Hospital. "I just ask for the prayers not to stop," Carol said. "Because we've got to get him out of the woods." Carol, a nurse at Coshocton Health & Rehabilitation Center, said her husband's condition stabilized somewhat Monday evening. The doctors are watching for swelling on Mark's brain, she said. And it seems the pressure on his brain has gone down. He also broke several bones in the fall, including his ribs and pelvis. Mark, of White Eyes Township Road 177, was transported to Akron by MedFlight. According to a report from the Sugarcreek Police Department, witnesses reported Mark was among four workers who were closing vents on the plant's roof. Doug Mutschelknaus, plant superintendent at Belden Brick Co. Inc., said the vents are closed annually for winter. He said officials think Mark stepped backward onto the skylight, which broke beneath him. Mutschelknaus said procedures at the plant would not change as a result of the accident. "The only thing we can do is make people more aware," he said. "They've been doing this for 30 years and this is the first accident." The plant was shut down Monday following the incident, which occurred shortly after noon. Mutschelknaus and other plant employees visited Mark in the hospital Monday evening. "Many people know him on a personal level," Mutschelknaus said. "He is very well liked." Mark has worked at Belden Brick for nearly four years. He recently completed robotics training, and is considered a valuable part of the maintenance team according to Mutschelknaus. Carol, who was at home napping when she was phoned with the news, said she remembers hearing their dogs barking loudly. "What a way to wake up." She said she's remaining strong by relating to her husband, not as a wife and soon-to-be mother due in December -- but by relying on her background as a nurse. "The nurse in me has kicked in," Carol said. "I've left the wife in me behind. He needs someone here to tell him to keep going. And I have to be strong for him. I have to stay strong for the baby, myself and Mark. All of my thoughts and strength is going into that and being with him until he comes home."
Scaffolding Scare By CBS 2 News Chicago A scaffolding scare in the Loop leaves a man dangling 21 stories in the air. The incident happened this morning atop the Maller’s Building at 67 East Madison. There were three people working on tuck pointing the building when workers say something malfunctioned as the scaffolding was being lowered down. One worker was left stranded 21 floors above the street with only safety wires keeping him from falling. Witnesses say it was a frightening situation. The fire department was able to rescue the 26-year-old man, by pulling him through a window. He was taken to the hospital with a knee injury.
Ukrainian miner dies in fall, six others still missing after blast The Associated Press KYIV, October 16 - A coal miner died after falling about 225 meters (750 feet) in a Ukrainian mine and six others remain missing after an explosion ripped through another mine, emergency officials said Wednesday. The miner fell to his death when working in an elevator shaft at the Dymytrova mine in the eastern region of Donetsk on Tuesday night, said Ihor Krol, spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry. Investigators are looking into the cause of the accident. Rescuers continued searching for six miners missing after a gas explosion some 860 meters (2,840 feet) underground occurred at Haevoho mine in the same region on Tuesday. Rescuers dug out the body of one of the 13 miners working and brought six men out alive on Tuesday. Ukraine's mines are considered among the world's most deadly. They contain high concentrations of methane gas, lack funds to modernize equipment, and safety rules are frequently disregarded. More than 200 miners have died on the job in the former Soviet republic this year, and some 3,700 have been killed since 1991
UPDATE, PCS worker's death ruled accidental By JUSTIN LANG Lake City Reporter October 15, 2002 A PCS Phosphate employee died in September from craniocerebral injuries, according to autopsy results. The Medical Examiner's Office in Jacksonville also ruled David Bowles' death accidental. Bowles' head injuries were sustained when he fell 21 feet from an elevated platform at the PCS Swift Creek Hemi Plant on Sept. 19. Bowles, 46, had been a PCS employee for 24 years and a life-long resident of the Jasper and Jennings areas. He is survived by his wife and five grown children. A witness said that Bowles ‹ a chemical operator at PCS ‹ suddenly bent forward at the waist, lost his hard hat and looked like he was trying to catch it, when he stumbled forward and went headfirst through a set of railings. During the preliminary investigation of Bowles' death, Mike Gwynn, PCS manager of public affairs, said OSHA took measurements of the railings. He said OSHA deemed the railing dimensions correct and painted it a high-visibility yellow. Additionally, he said it was determined the lighting in the area was up to standards and the floor's condition was proper. Gwynn said that Bowles walked on the elevated platforms daily. James Borders, OSHA area director, said its investigation into the fall continues and may be several weeks to be completed. In other PCS news, Gwynn said a $5,250 fine was paid by the company last month after an OSHA investigation found PCS to have improperly stored a liquid propane tank in May. A PCS worker was killed and another critically injured when a liquid propane tank was hit by a bulldozer, igniting the gas and causing an explosion. PCS had until Sept. 27 to contest the findings or pay the fine. Gwynn said the company paid the fine of $5,250 and changed procedures to prevent that type of accident from happening again.
UPDATE, Bridge investigation intensifies Oct 15, 2002 By JENNIFER WARNICK, Observer-Dispatch DOT engineer technician Matt Miller works with a surveying crew Monday at the site of last week's bridge collapse that killed one and injured nine. The state Department of Transportation is recruiting its experts from around the state to find out just why a pedestrian bridge collapsed Thursday in Marcy, officials said Monday. The DOT's Accident Review Group, made up of the agency's own personnel, will seek to determine possible causes of the accident, which killed one construction worker and injured nine others. The agency said it will also hire outside engineering experts to create a separate review, a DOT press release said. The two probes add to the number of investigations under way. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the state Labor Department's Public Employees Safety and Health division, and state police are all reviewing what occurred shortly before 11 a.m. last Thursday as workers poured concrete onto the bridge's steel deck. Several DOT workers continued to survey the scene Monday, even crawling on their stomachs underneath the tons of debris. Measurements of the crumpled hulk will be fed into a computerized drawing program for analysis. "We're recording every bend, twist and kink," said Chris Langett, a regional civil engineer with the state Department of Transportation. The survey team has already been at its task for more than three days. "It takes time," he said. Other developments Monday: * Tioga Construction Co. of Herkimer, the project's general contractor, will restart work on the road portion of the project today. A new pedestrian bridge will not be built, however, until federal, state and local investigations are completed months from now. Nine of the workers injured in the bridge collapse were Tioga employees, and one was a DOT inspector. * The DOT said it is currently re-evaluating the scope of the Utica/Rome Expressway project in light of the bridge collapse. No matter whether the pedestrian bridge is rebuilt or not, officials said, the goal is for the Utica-Rome Expressway to be completed and opened on schedule next fall. * A second worker involved in Thursday's collapse was released from the hospital. Michael D. Loomis, 26, of North Pitcher was released from St. Elizabeth Medical Center after being treated for head and knee injuries. Last week, Garrett S. Fitzgerald, 46, of Utica, was released after being treated for two fractured ankles and head lacerations at the Faxton Campus of Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare. It has been five days since the bridge twisted and toppled, sending the 10 workers, machinery, wet concrete and pieces of steel hurtling more than 20 feet to the ground. Investigators expect it to be many months before causes of the collapse are determined, and many days before debris can be removed. Because of the investigation, the site Monday was left as is it was Thursday. Workers' boots, sunglasses and hard hats were still littered about. A flannel shirt, thermal shirt and T-shirt, each cut from the injured workers in the effort to save their lives, sat in the dirt. Next to them were tools of the life-saving trade -- plastic gloves, rubber tubing and towels soaked with blood. Even as Langett and his co-workers worked in and around the rubble, state troopers looked on. The watch will continue round-the-clock, said State Police Capt. Roger W. Sykes, until investigators conclude whether there will be any criminal charges filed in connection with the collapse.
Worker in acid bath horror Oct 14 2002 By Staff Reporter, Birmingham Post A man suffered horrific injuries today when he plunged into an acid bath at a Birmingham metal processing factory. The 29-year-old worker managed to drag himself out of the 6ft deep vat of sulphuric acid but had already been severely burned by the deadly chemical. He was taken to City Hospital following the accident at 5.25am at Birfield Extrusions in Austin Way, Handsworth Wood, but later transferred to the burns unit at Selly Oak. Sub fire officer John Surrof said: "He did well to get himself out of the vat considering the temperature of the acid was 70 degrees centigrade. "Someone had got his boiler suit off and put him under the works shower when we arrived but the skin was already coming off, especially from his left leg and upper torso. "He was in shock and shaking like a leaf. The police told us that although his injuries were not thought to be life threatening he might lose limbs." The Health and Safety Executive will launch an investigation. A spokesman for the firm, part of the giant GKN Automotive engineering company, said: "Our first concern is with the employee. The company has launched an immediate inquiry."
UPDATE, Sherwood man killed at state fairgrounds By Warren Watkins, Editor Jerry Tarkington, 53, of Sherwood was killed Tuesday, Oct. 8, in an accident at the state fairgrounds. David Bates, assistant area director for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said a preliminary report had been called into the OSHA office. The report indicated Tarkington was in a basket which was suspended from a forklift when the accident occurred. According to the Little Rock Police Department, part of the basket broke and it rolled off the tines of the forklift, falling about 16 feet. “We have to investigate all workplace work-related fatalities,” Bates said. “There were 32 deaths investigated in the last twelve months, and 25 in the year before that. We had one last month at the Garland County fairgrounds when a worker was electrocuted while disassembling some equipment,” Bates said. Injured in the incident was Terry Gibson, 31, of North Little Rock. The two were hanging a sign from the basket. Both were employees of Volume Services America, the food vendor for the state fair.
River Valley worker listed in fair condition From staff reports MARION -- A worker who suffered injuries in a fall on Thursday at the work site for the new River Valley High School was awaiting surgery Friday in Columbus hospital, according to his family. Mark Goings of Caledonia fell while climbing down a ladder at the site on Ohio 98 west of Brocklesby Road. He was listed in fair condition Friday evening at Grant Medical Center, according to a hospital spokeswoman. No further information was available from the hospital. His mother contacted The Star Friday afternoon to report her son was awaiting surgery after doctors had diagnosed his injuries as a dislocated right knee and a fracture to his left leg below the knee. "He has to have surgery because he tore everything loose in there," said Bonita Whiteamire. Bryan Gardner, the site manager for Quandel, the company in charge of the project, said a Goings is a subcontractor for Steel Span, a Delaware company that is manufacturing the metal trusses for the school. He confirmed Goings fell 3-4 feet while climbing down a ladder about 1 p.m.
UPDATE, Bridge Collapse Investigation Update Greg Catlin, Marcy, NY, Oct 11, 2002, 3:55pm An investigation is underway near Utica to find out why a bridge under construction collapsed. The 170 foot pedestrian bridge in Marcy buckled as crews poured concrete Thursday morning. The collapse killed one worker and injured 9 others. 2 of them are in critical condition. Inspectors were back at the site Friday. They're looking at plans, equipment and safety measures to come up with a cause. The State DOT says construction workers were using a finishing machine halfway across the top of the bridge, when it twisted and collapsed.
VA hospital worker falls to death from window By Marah Block, Staff Writer October 11, 2002 NEWINGTON -- Police are investigating the death of an employee who fell from a window Wednesday afternoon at the VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems campus in Newington. VA hospital spokeswoman Pamela Redmond confirmed that a female maintenance employee fell from a window on the fifth floor of the building around noon on Wednesday. Redmond said the woman worked for the hospital for about 10 years. Redmond also confirmed that the hospital contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Police said the investigation of the 56-year-old woman's death remains in the preliminary stages. Authorities do not suspect foul play. The state police Public Information office said the Major Crimes unit was called in to assist at the scene but turned the matter over to the Newington police department.
Worker falls at new hospital October 10, 2002 By AMY LINDBLOM A roofer working on Sonora Community Hospital's new Greenley Road complex was seriously injured Wednesday morning when he fell about 30 feet from a roof. Ricardo Lopez, 33, of Oakdale, was airlifted to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto with a possible broken leg, arm, ribs and a head injury. He was listed in serious condition this morning. Another roofer, Rafael Lopez, 40, no relation to Ricardo, also of Oakdale, suffered a possible broken ankle. Sonora Community Hospital today would not confirm the injuries. Both injured men were part of an eight-man crew putting a hot-tar roof on the four-story building, said Jerry Newman, project superintendent with Hospital Building and Equipment Co. of St. Louis, Mo. The roofers worked for Stout Roofing Inc. of Livermore, said Newman. Because it is an industrial accident, the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate, said Newman. Scott Lewis, a safety instructor for 46 Northern California Counties Drywall-Lathing Apprenticeship, was at the hospital going over safety systems for workers when the accident occurred about 10:30 a.m. Lewis said the two men were lowering a 200-pound oxygen tank from the roof to a lower level using an A-frame device to slow the tank's descent. The tank, Lewis said, held oxygen used in welding and was on one end of a rope, counter-weighted by a large roll of paper. "They were not using adequate equipment when the A-frame gave way and one guy (Ricardo Lopez) was catapulted off the building," Lewis said. "The other guy (Rafael Lopez) got pinned in the A-frame." Lewis said he also acts as an investigator for Cal-OSHA, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Shortly after the accident, Rafael Lopez sat on a stack of lumber waiting for his friend to be brought down from the upper floors of the incomplete hospital building and for paramedics to tend to his ankle.
Heli-logging worker found dead Vancouver Sun October 10, 2002 A 45-year-old Squamish man is believed to have fallen over a cliff to his death Wednesday while working at a remote heli-logging site in the Elaho Valley. The employee of Interfor Heli-Logging was surveying the location of a new logging road when the accident happened about 9:20 a.m., said Squamish RCMP Constable Patricia Lussier. The man was last seen standing near a cliff adjacent to Jarvis Creek, waiting to receive equipment from a helicopter long line. His co-workers called police when they could not find him. Search and rescue volunteers located his body at 2:15 p.m. on the shore of the creek at the bottom of the cliff where he was last seen.
UPDATE, Manslaughter Charges Brought In Scaffolding Collapse By Patricia Hurtado, STAFF WRITER, October 10, 2002 A Commack contractor was indicted on manslaughter charges Thursday after prosecutors charged that he improperly designed and then overloaded a scaffold on a Park Avenue building last year that resulted in the deaths of five workers, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said Thursday. Phillip Minucci, 42, of Kevin Road, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Arlene Goldberg who set bail at $150,000. Morgenthau, at a news conference with Manhattan U.S. Attorney James Comey, said Minucci, who erected the scaffolding as a subcontractor, and his firm, Tri State Scaffolding & Equipment Supplies, were charged with five counts of second-degree manslaughter in the Oct. 24, 2001 collapse. Both were also charged with four counts of second-degree assault for the four laborers who were seriously injured in the collapse. Morgenthau said Minucci improperly installed the 13-story scaffolding on the 20-story office building, which was having its façade masonry renovated. He said the scaffolding was not strong enough to support itself. The contract between the general contractor and Minucci’s firm required a review of the scaffolding by a licensed architect or engineer. No such review was made, Morgenthau said. Minucci then added planking at each level so that more workers could have access to work areas and to eliminate having to moved planking as the job progressed. Although Tri State was not the lowest bidder for the job, Morgenthau said the firm was selected specifically because Minucci promised to do the job faster with planking at all levels. The decision, he said, meant the scaffold was carrying about 90,000 pounds when it collapsed. Morgenthau said the trouble at the building was also created when Tri State erected the faulty 130-foot- high scaffold on top of four steel I-beams that supported the building’s four industrialized air conditioning units in a courtyard. “The investigation determined that the dunnage beams buckled laterally under the weight of the scaffold,” Morgenthau said. “Once the dunnage beams twisted in this manner, the entire scaffold fell into the courtyard.” Comey said that while his office investigated the collapse, he deferred to state prosecutors because charges brought by him would be for misdemeanors punishable by six months in jail. Building’s Commissioner Patricia Lancaster said the case highlighted the need for the City Council to enact some kind of laws to regulate contractors and scaffolding regulations. She said those who install and maintain scaffolding are not licensed by her department. Each count of manslaughter carries up to 15 years in prison while assault up to 6 years in prison. Minucci is the second individual charged criminally after a work site accident. Shunkun Michael Tam, owner of the Tamco Corp., and his foreman were charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of a worker killed when a wall at an East 61st Street townhouse collapsed.
Man dies after fall from unopened freeway By MELISSA PINION-WHITT, STAFF WRITER UP LAND -- Doug Wingfield thought his friend Jeffrey Truman was joking around. Wingfield was walking with him on opposite sides of the unopened Foothill Freeway late Wednesday when Truman began to cross over to Wingfield's side. Suddenly, Wingfield said he saw Truman duck down, like he was trying to hide. "Then I heard a loud boom and I was like, 'What the heck was that?'' Wingfield said. "I walked over to the center divider and noticed there was a gap between the eastbound and westbound lanes. Apparently Jeff didn't notice there was no ground.' Truman, 27, of Upland, had fallen about 30 feet from the freeway overpass onto Campus Street below. After being rushed to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and undergoing surgery, Truman was pronounced dead at 3:53 a.m. "He had so many friends and everyone is just devastated by this accident,' said Wingfield, a 26-year-old Upland man who was Truman's life-long friend. Truman, a 1994 Covina High School graduate who was a pole vaulting enthusiast, moved to Upland over the summer and worked for a track and field equipment distribution company in Burbank, Wingfield said. He broke his high school's record in pole vaulting and also participated in the sport while attending Mt. San Antonio College and Long Beach State University. He graduated from Long Beach State with a degree in psychology, Wingfield said. Truman and Wingfield, who had been living together, drove to 19th Street and Campus Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Truman parked his car and the pair began walking east on the extension of the 210, which is still under construction. They split up and continued walking east, but on opposite sides of the freeway. Wingfield said Truman was walking in the westbound lanes where it was completely dark. In the dim lighting on the eastbound lanes, Wingfield looked down and noticed they were on an overpass. "Apparently Jeff didn't notice there was a gap and basically stepped over the center divider to be on the same side of the freeway as me and didn't notice there was no ground,' he said. He looked down and saw Truman on the ground below the overpass, still thinking that Truman actually ran down to the road below. "It didn't occur to me he had fallen. He's always so playful and joking, so I figured he was joking,' Wingfield said. "I called his name and he didn't respond and that's when I realized he had fallen.' After Wingfield ran to call 911, police and paramedics responded to the scene. A police officer who tried to climb down the freeway to help Truman broke her ankle when she slipped. The officer was taken to San Antonio Community Hospital where she was treated and released, police said. Police said the freeway is off-limits to people other than construction workers. "Obviously, it's not safe at night,' said Upland police Sgt. Jeff Mendenhall. "There's no lights and there are hazards out there with the construction equipment.' Police contacted the San Bernardino Associated Governments and Caltrans early Thursday to inform them about the accident. Because the freeway is on such a wide open stretch, there's nothing officials can do to keep people out except to inform them it is dangerous and it could result in a trespassing citation, said Cheryl Donahue, spokeswoman for SANBAG. "We have tried to convey to people that this isn't a safe environment,' Donahue said. "We definitely don't want something like this to happen again and we just want to get the message out to people to please stay off the freeway.' The freeway is expected to be open to motorists in November, Donahue said. A memorial service for Truman will be 5 p.m. Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College recital hall, 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut.
UPDATE, Bridge in last stage of construction when it collapsed, killing one man, injuring nine Workers were in the last stages of building a pedestrian bridge when it suddenly collapsed, killing one man and injuring at least nine others, one critically. The span fell about 20 feet shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday. Construction workers were using a finishing machine halfway across the top of the bridge, when it twisted and collapsed, said Paul Obernesser, regional construction engineer for the state Department of Transportation. They were pouring concrete for the last time of the season, said Frank Gerace, Region 2 director. One of the injured was a state employee. The others worked for Tioga Construction, the contractor doing the work. Scott Couchman, 46, of Mohawk, a master mechanic for the company, was pronounced dead at the scene from massive blunt force trauma. "Normally a deck pour is stressful in certain respects, but not from the standpoint of a bridge suddenly collapsing," said Charles Sirowatka, a project engineer for Tioga in Herkimer. He and Obernesser both said it was too soon to tell why it fell. "This is what we do. We're basically bridge contractors and do related work," said Sirowatka. In business since 1984, the company has never had a similar incident, he said. About 20 workers were on the job. "Clearly they are very fortunate to be alive," state police Maj. Thomas Kelly said. It took dozens of emergency workers about 45 minutes to free all the workers from the debris of the fallen bridge, which was to be completed within the next month. Lant Wagner, assistant chief of the Maynard Fire Department, one of the first responders, said emergency workers freed the workers using their hands and hydraulic equipment. Most workers appeared to have cuts and broken bones. It took rescue workers about two hours to dislodge Couchman's body from the debris. "It was God's will," said the victim's wife, Debbie Couchman. Her husband had worked for Tioga for 15 years. DOT planned to collapse the 170-foot-long bridge to stabilize it, Obernesser said. The steel skeleton of the bridge that was placed earlier this summer had passed safety inspections, he said. The Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration sent inspectors to the site. Oneida County District Attorney Michael Arcuri also was at the scene. Ronald Williams, assistant area director for OSHA, could not comment on the investigation, but said two OSHA inspectors will look at plans, equipment, and safety measures. If OSHA finds any violations, it has six months to issue fines for the contractor. The victims suffered mostly broken bones, cuts and bruises. Garrett Pelton, 41, of New Hartford remained in critical condition Friday at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Utica after suffering severe head trauma. Michael Bradford, 41, of Massena, had been in critical condition but was upgraded to stable, said a spokeswoman for Faxton Hospital in Utica. Steven Gates, 29, of West Winfield, was in serious condition at St. Elizabeth's while Michael Loomis, 26, of North Pitcher, was in fair condition at the same hospital. Frederick McNeil, 48, of Poland, was in stable condition at St. Luke's. Peter Clapp, 39, of Ava, was transferred to University Hospital in Syracuse, where he was in fair condition. Theodore Fox, 50, of Blossvale and Wrae Ann Baker, 38, of Amsterdam, were transferred to Albany Medical Center, where both were in fair condition. Garrett Fitzgerald, 46, of Utica, was treated for two fractured ankles and released. The 12-foot-wide pedestrian bridge was being built over a new section of the Utica-Rome Expressway, a project that started in the late 1970s to link the two cities with a four-lane highway. The $165 million project is expected to be completed in 2004. The pedestrian bridge was supposed to be finished this month. Marcy is 44 miles east of Syracuse.
Worker Dies In Fairgrounds Fall Story by News 4 Arkansas Posted 10/9/02 8:59:40 AM A Sherwood man died Tuesday while working to get the State Fair ready for you and thousands of other visitors. 53-year-old Jerry Tarkington and 31-year-old Terry Gibson got in a cage and were lifted 16 feet above ground to hang a sign. Police say the two walked to one side of the cage and part of the cage gave in, killing Tarkington and sending Gibson to the hospital, where doctors list him in stable condition. Despite this accident, fairground employees say people should not be worried about safety at the Fair, which starts Friday. "All the rides will be inspected by the Arkansas Department of Labor and the ride inspectors. We've got a safety team coming in tomorrow”, explains Jim Pledger, of the Arkansas State Fair. The two men worked for a national food concessions company, but both live in Pulaski county and were stationed at the fairgrounds year round.
Tree worker remains critical after fall Tuesday, October 8, 2002 A 32-year-old Malden man remained in critical condition Tuesday after plunging nearly 30 feet to the ground while pruning a tree on Bainbridge Street, according to a spokesperson at Massachusetts General Hospital. Michael Keefe was rushed to MGH on Oct. 2 after suffering serious injuries when the bucket on the cherry picker truck he was standing in apparently gave way or collapsed, said Malden Police Lt. Tom Swanson. Malden police, fire and EMTs responded to the accident at 231 Bainbridge St. shortly before 12:30 p.m. According to a Malden Fire Department spokesman, Keefe suffered at least a broken leg and severe facial trauma. However, the spokesperson at MGH would not release details of the injuries. Keefe was working for Malden-based Expert Tree Cutting at the time of the accident. The incident is being investigated, as is standard in such an event, by Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators, said Richard Fazzio, area director of OSHA. Expert Tree Cutting does not appear to have any prior OSHA citations, according to a review of online OSHA records. An employee at Expert declined to comment on the incident.
UPDATE, Not in a life jacket when he drowned NY Waterway says worker hadn't put it on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 By Martin Espinoza, Journal staff writer WEEHAWKEN - Officials say the exact scenario of his drowning is still unclear, but one thing is certain: Husam Awadallah, a welder for NY Waterway, was not wearing his life jacket when he fell into the Hudson River early Sunday morning. "I can't comment on the scenario," said NY Waterway spokesman Pat Smith. "I can tell you that his life jacket was not with him. It was left there next to his lunch box." Awadallah, 50, a resident of Hudson Avenue in West New York, fell into the water at Port Imperial Ferry Terminal while trying to step from one barge to the next shortly after 6 a.m., according to Weehawken Deputy Police Chief Robert DelPriore. DelPriore said yesterday the incident had been ruled an accident. DelPriore said police interviewed two witnesses who said they saw Awadallah fall into the water and not resurface. New York City Police Department Harbor Patrol divers later found his body beneath one of the barges. DelPriore said yesterday that it was possible that once Awadallah was in the water, he could have ingested a significant amount of water, causing him to lose consciousness. However, police are still unsure exactly what happened after he fell in. Officials with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are currently investigating the tragedy. Mike Glowatz, assistant director of OSHA's Parsippany-area office, said yesterday that under OSHA regulations, NY Waterway is required to provide a life jacket to all employees. Only boat captains and deck hands are required to know how to swim, he said. Smith said NY Waterway is also continuing its investigation. Friends of the family suggested earlier this week that Awadallah may not have known how to swim. But yesterday, 22-year-old Linda Taweel, one of Awadallah's daughters, said that her father actually did know how to swim. Awadallah was born in Jordan. He leaves his wife, Samira, and his children, Shereen, 15; Yousef, 17; Linda, 22; Lana, 20; Bellal, 19; Faten, 25; and Rema, 27.
Two Men Fall in Chemical Tank Tuesday, October 08, 2002 A frightening scene for two workers at a chemical plant in Haughton tonight. The Bossier Sheriff`s office tells us one of the workers fell into a tank filled with a flammable chemical known as heptane... used in oil or paint thinners. His co-worker jumped in, and was able to get him out, only to then fall in himself. A team of workers eventually got him out and the two were rushed to LSU Hospital. We`re told, they`re in serious condition tonight.
Worker drowns at Port Imperial; WNY man slips between barges into Hudson Tuesday, October 08, 2002 By Michaelangelo Conte, Journal staff writer WEEHAWKEN - A West New York man lost his life in a freak accident at the Port Imperial Ferry Terminal, where he worked, when he tried to step from one barge to the next and slipped, falling into the water between them, officials said. Fellow workers said he did not call out and did not struggle to swim, and was not seen again until New York City Police Department Harbor Patrol divers found his body beneath one of the barges. The accident occurred Sunday shortly after 6 a.m., officials said. Husam Awadallah, 50, of Hudson Avenue near 62nd Street, was a father of seven and worked as a welder for NY Waterway. He leaves his wife, Samira, and his children, Shereen, 15; Yousef, 17; Lana, 18; Bella, 19; Linda, 20; Fathen, 25; and Rema, 27. Last night, Awadallah family members gathered in shock and grief following a burial service. His wife and children were too distraught to talk about Awadallah, who was described as the "pillar" of the family. Awadallah did not know how to swim, family members said. Pat Smith, a spokesman for NY Waterway, said Awadallah was getting ready to take a boat to Downtown Manhattan to do work on a dock when he fell into the water. "This is the first serious accident involving NY Waterway in 16 years of operation, and it is still one tragedy too many," Smith said yesterday. "He has seven children and three still live at home." Smith also said Awadallah's two brothers also work for (Arthur) Imperatore family companies. When Weehawken police officers and Imperatore representatives took the bad news to the Awadallah family, Husam Awadallah's brother and father, as well as Samira, became so distressed that they could not breathe. The father was treated with oxygen at the apartment and Samira and his brother, Hasam, were both rushed by ambulance to a hospital, where they were treated and released. The response to the report of a man overboard was enormous, officials said. Rushing to the scene was a NYPD Harbor Patrol boat, helicopter and scuba team, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey helicopter and a U.S. Coast Guard boat, according to Weehawken Deputy Police Chief Robert DelPriore. North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue also sent its fire boat and fire trucks to the scene. Two and a half hours after he went into the water, Awadallah was found under one of the barges and the cause of death was determined to be drowning, said DelPriore. Upon returning from Husam Awadallah's Paterson burial last night, family members filled the small Hudson Avenue apartment and spilled out onto the sidewalk. "We still have not been able to absorb this, his mother and wife are still in shock," said Khalid Bahhur, Awadallah's nephew. "The saying, he would give you the shirt off his back, was about him. We have lost our family's peacemaker, the pillar of our family." Husam Awadallah was born in Palestine, but was living in Jordan when he moved to the United States and settled in West New York. For more than 20 years, he worked at the Wonder Bread Factory in New Brunswick, until its closing in 1995. Awadallah then went to work for Arcorp Trucking, which also owns the marina, and six months ago, switched to NY Waterway. The two companies are owned by the Imperatore family. Both his brothers, Hasam and Gassien, and his parents live in the same three-story apartment building on Hudson where Awadallah lived with his wife and family. Dionis Burgos, a neighbor of the Awadallahs for 25 years, stopped on her way home last night to offer her condolences to family members outside the building. "He would always say 'Hi,' and he was a very nice man with a beautiful family," she said. "I am in shock, my hands are cold," Burgos said, clasping her hands. According to Pat Smith, NY Waterway president Arthur Imperatore Jr. visited the family personally. "The company extends its deepest sympathies to the family on its loss and regrets this tragic accident," Imperatore said yesterday.
UPDATE, OSHA investigating accident that killed two at local plant By ROGER ADKINS The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing an investigation into an industrial accident that killed two Vienna men last week in Pleasants County. Fred Burkle, 55, and Joe Spiker, 26, died when a manlift they were operating toppled Friday, causing them to fall 45 feet to the ground at the Allegheny Energy Supply Pleasants Power Station. Stanley Elliott, area director of OSHA in Charleston, said Monday officials are attempting to determine why the lift fell. "There's only so many reasons a piece of equipment tips over," Elliott said. "It was either overloaded, there was a strong wind or they were on an improper incline." State police officials said the lift tipped over because it was on an embankment. Elliott said no one witnessed the accident and it will be difficult to determine exactly what happened. The two men were pronounced dead at the scene by Harvey Hatfield, Pleasants County medical examiner, said Janice Lantz, manager of communications at AEP's administrative offices in Monroeville, Pa. The accident occurred about noon as the men were in the bucket of a Genie Manlift and were painting near a line transfer station at the plant along West Virginia 2 at Willow Island, Lantz said. Trooper T.D. Nichols of the state police said the two men had just finished painting and were moving to another location. They were moving the machinery with the boom extended 45 feet in the air, he said. They approached an embankment, but the machine was unable to handle the grade, Nichols said. It became top-heavy and toppled to the ground with both men inside the bucket. Elliott said there were no witnesses to confirm the machinery was moving when it tipped. The machine is operated by controls in the bucket, Lantz said. It is mobile even when the boom is extended. The machine was fairly new, she said. Nichols said the accident did not appear to have been caused by an equipment flaw. The two men worked for Universal Painters Inc. of New Martinsville and had been subcontracted by Almega Co. of Pittsburgh for work at the plant, Nichols said. Lantz said AEP contracted Almega Co. for painting and general maintenance. The company had been doing work at the plant for a couple of months. The accident is under investigation by officials from the WVSP, OSHA and AEP. Trooper M.H. Bauso is investigating the incident.
UPDATE, Attached arrest equipment would have saved window cleaner's life For whatever reason, window cleaner Nigel Anthony Etchells, 21, did not apparently attach his safety harness to an anchorage point on the day he died in a fall through 15 metres from a third-floor Bradford window ledge, a decision or an oversight which cost him his life an inquest heard. Mr Etchells was fatally injured in the fall from Pennine House, Bradford, in May this year. Bradford Coroner's Court listened to the opinion of HSE's investigating inspector that: "Had the full arrest equipment been used correctly, then I believe the individual's fall would have been arrested by the equipment." Mr Etchells, who was sub-contracted for the work, was observed moving along the window ledge shortly before his unwitnessed fall, something that would not have been possible had the harness been attached. The inquest jury returned a verdict of misadventure.
UPDATE, Friend of worker killed at ALCOA gives his account of deadly fall by Jennifer Hodson, of The Daily Times Staff Rodney Martin, the worker killed in an accident at ALCOA Inc.'s North Plant Recycling Center Wednesday, was loved and will be missed, his co-worker Danny Boone said. Boone was working with Martin the night of the accident. ``Rod and I were real good friends,'' he said. ``He was a such a good guy and a good worker.'' Boone contacted The Daily Times Friday to tell his side of the story and to say there were perhaps some misunderstandings recorded in the police report. On the night of the accident, he and Martin were about to unload an old vending machine into a scrap metal bin when he received a page, Boone said. His uncle is in the hospital, and he thought the page might be related to his uncle's health, Boone said. He said he then stepped away for a few minutes to return the call. The page actually had come from ALCOA's North Ingot Department. ``I hollered at Rod and said, `Give me just a minute,''' Boone said. At this point, Martin apparently went ahead and backed up the truck carrying the vending machine and put the Tommy Lift into position, then waited for Boone to return, Boone said. Less than five minutes later, Boone was back at the site, he said. The truck door was open, the engine was running and Martin's favorite type of music, gospel, was playing on the radio, Boone said. ``He always listened to gospel music,'' he said. Boone did not see Martin around anywhere. His first guess was that Martin had walked over to a restroom area, so he went there and called out to him. When he got no answer, he continued looking for Martin for about 15 minutes, he said. When he still had not found his friend and co-worker, Boone drove his truck near the scrap bin area and shined his headlights at the bin. He said he saw ``a glimpse'' of Martin in the 18 to 20 inch opening between the Dumpster and retaining wall. ``I could barely see him,'' he said. ``There's no lighting in that area. No lighting at all.'' ALCOA Inc. spokesperson Mike Infante said the area is illuminated with 1000-watt, high-pressure sodium lamps. ``This level of illumination falls within acceptable industry standards,'' Infante said. The North Plant Recycling Center is a permanent outdoor recycling facility composed of a truck dock and segregated Dumpsters for collection of metal, wood and rubbish. The Dumpsters are positioned within the center's concrete foundation walls, which are designed to house such Dumpsters, Infante said. After Boone spotted Martin, he called 911 then returned to the site with other workers who were carrying flashlights. Boone said his theory is that Martin got everything into position to unload the vending machine, opened the truck door and, while waiting on Boone to return, walked around to the back of the truck. ``I think he tripped on something,'' Boone said. ``I really honestly do. It's just a freak accident.'' Martin apparently had fallen 8 to 12 feet head-first between the bin and concrete wall. Infante said investigations into the fatal accident are continuing. On Thursday, site visits were conducted by an ALCOA Inc. corporate health and safety professional, as well as a compliance officer from Tennessee's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Findings from these investigations are not yet available, Infante said. ``I'm dealing with it the best I can,'' Boone said of the loss of his friend. ``It's difficult but we'll get through.'' Martin attended New Hope Baptist Church in Maryville and was an avid golfer. Immediate survivors include his wife, Donna, and grown children Brad, Tina and Travis. Martin's family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Trinity Chapel, Smith Mortuary, Maryville. The family asks that donations be made to Gideon's Bible Fund in lieu of flowers.
Man dies from Sara Lee fall From staff reports, The Paris News A worker at the Sara Lee bakery on Loop 286 died from injuries suffered in a fall Friday. Steve Bryant, 39, was reportedly standing on scaffolding and painting a storage bin when he fell an estimated 20 to 25 feet late in the afternoon, officials said. He was an employee of Irving-based Tank Maintenance, Paris Police Department spokesman Todd Varner said. Bryant's drivers license listed a Mesquite address. He was taken to Christus St. Joseph's Hospital South. Bryant died at about 6:45 p.m., apparently from head injuries, Precinct 5, Place 2 Justice of the Peace Larry Moree said. He ordered an autopsy. "In a situation like that, I normaly order one to determine what actually happened," Moree said.
Fall from elevator shaft injures worker at PAC APPLETON — A 23-year-old man suffered a leg injury after he fell into an elevator shaft at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center about 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The man, who was working for a subcontractor on the project, apparently fell into the shaft and slid down several feet before striking a cart, said Dan Jahr, a battalion chief with the Appleton Fire Department. The man suffered an apparent broken leg and was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital.
Worker killed in 2nd accident at High Point construction site; Man fell through an opening in metal roof, hit concrete floor By Paul Garber HIGH POINT For the second time in less than a month, a construction worker has been killed at a construction site where a warehouse is being built in northern High Point. Charles Edward Weiss, 55, of Randleman, who was working on a sheet-metal roof, apparently lost his footing and fell to his death yesterday at the site on Pegg Road, authorities said. On Sept. 16, Jose Mayo Uyoa, 30, of Randleman was killed when a crane carrying more than 4 tons of metal construction materials buckled and fell on top of him. Lt. Jim Tate of the High Point Police Department said that Weiss worked for W-3 Decking, a subcontractor for Contract Erectors. Contract Erectors is a subcontractor for Samet Corp. of High Point, which is building the warehouse for Deep River West Co. Uyoa worked for Contract Erectors. Tate said that yesterday's accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. Weiss was walking along the edge of the sheet-metal roof, carrying a water-cooler, when he apparently lost his footing and fell through a 3-foot gap in the sheet metal, landing on a concrete floor. About 10 other workers were in the building at the time, Tate said. The N.C. Department of Labor is still investigating Uyoa's death, and investigators were on their way to the construction site to begin their investigation of yesterday's accident, Tate said. Yesterday's accident was the third fatal construction-site accident in the Triad in the past two months. Three people were killed in Greensboro at the site of a future Home Depot when an unstable L-shaped wall collapsed on them as they ate lunch.
Worker critical after fall FLEMING ISLAND -- A construction worker is in critical condition at Shands Jacksonville hospital after falling from scaffolding at an Eagle Harbor home construction site this morning. The man, identified by authorities as 44-year-old Jerry Griffin of Middleburg, was transported to Shands by helicopter at about 9:30 a.m. Griffin was working on the frame for a new home when he fell from a platform about 6 feet off the ground, authorities said.
Man hurt in fall from ladder CYNTHIA M. ELLIS, The Telegraph October 04, 2002 ALTON -- A 44-year-old Alton man suffered chest and head injuries in a fall from a ladder Thursday. Gary Cox was working on the porch stoop of a friend's house in the 600 block of Trube Street when he fell 8 feet to the ground shortly before 3 p.m., said Assistant Chief Gary Claxton of the Alton Fire Department. Elliot Fletcher, the owner of the house, said Cox had been doing repairs around the property where Fletcher's 87-year old mother lives. Fletcher said he was not at the house at the time Cox fell from the ladder and was not sure exactly what happened. "He is a really great guy," Fletcher said. Claxton said Cox fell backward from the ladder where he climbed up to work on the stoop and that the hammer Cox was holding landed on top of him. "He crawled to the basement and was sitting in a chair when we got there," Claxton said. Claxton said the Fire Department was dispatched at 2:59 p.m., and rescue workers placed Cox on a Kendrick Extrication Device, or "K.E.D." board, as it is commonly known. The board is a moldable device that paramedics use to immobilize victims with serious injuries at the scene. Cox was taken by Alton Memorial Ambulance to Saint Anthony's Health Center, then airlifted by ARCH Air Medical Service to St. Louis University Hospital. A hospital spokeswoman said Cox was in stable condition Thursday evening in the emergency room. Claxton said Cox had a 2-inch cut on his head and suffered injuries to the ribs.
UPDATE, Safety inspector looking into South Hills scaffolding accident Brian Bowling Daily Mail staff A federal safety inspector is investigating the Bedford Road scaffolding accident that injured five roofers Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the condition of three of the injured workers has improved over the weekend. Jerry Good, response team leader in the Charleston office of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said this morning that his office was starting to investigate the accident. On Saturday, the five roofers were working on a new home in the South Hills subdivision when the scaffolding collapsed about 3:30 p.m. At least some of the workers fell 30 to 40 feet during the collapse, according to the Metro 911 log. The Charleston Fire Department didn’t have any report on the accident this morning and the names of the workers weren’t available. Jimmy Young Builders is building the South Hills home. Jimmy Young said Blake Roofing of South Charleston was doing the roofing. “I didn’t know they were out there working Saturday,” he said. Young and his wife dropped by the job site Saturday evening so he could show her the progress they were making on the house. When he arrived after 5 p.m., however, he was surprised to find workers’ trucks parked around the site. Even more surprising, considering the presence of the trucks, was the fact that no one was around. Finally, a neighbor told him about the accident. “I still don’t even know what happened myself,” Young said. Young said he’s used Blake Roofing for years and, as far as he knows, the company’s never had an accident. The workers were taken to Charleston Area Medical Center where four were admitted and one was treated and released, spokesman Andy Wessels said. There was no answer at the phone number for Blake Roofing, which is also the listing for Michael Blake. Wessels said that a Mike Blake is one of the workers in the hospital, but Blake was not taking media calls today. The hospital has upgraded Blake and another worker from fair to satisfactory condition, which is effectively the last step before a patient is released. The two other workers are still in the intensive care unit but one has been upgraded from critical to serious condition while the other remains in critical condition.
Worker Rescued After Falling Into 15-Foot Pit NBC 6 News Team MIAMI -- Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue crews responded to the scene Monday when a worker fell into a 15-foot concrete-lined pit. The 30-year-old man was painting the inside of a sewage pump lift station on the 1100 block of NW 163rd Street when he reportedly lost his balance and fell off the ladder into the hole, which extends some 20 feet below the ground. The worker suffered neck and back injuries in the fall, according to Jeff Strictland of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Crews lowered a gurney into the hole and hoisted the man to safety without incident. He was listed in good condition at an area hospital Monday and is expected to make a full recovery. The lift station is owned by the city of North Miami.
Workers injured at house site Five people with serious injuries were taken to the hospital Saturday after they fell from scaffolding while they were working on a new house in South Hills. Capt. John Wilcox of the Charleston Fire Department said the department received a call at about 3:37 p.m. explaining the situation on Bedford Road. Wilcox said the house is three stories tall, and on a hillside. “There were serious injuries. Head injuries, broken limbs, broken backs. Nobody was walking around,” Wilcox said. He said they had an extensive scaffolding system erected while they roofed the house. As one man went up on the scaffolding, it “kicked out,” he said. The identities of the workers were unavailable Saturday evening.
WORKER FIGHTS FOR LIFE AFTER ROOF FALLS IN A foreman is fighting for his life after a roof collapsed on him at the old Meco Mining headquarters. He was airlifted to hospital with head injuries after the roof fell in at the disused factory in Northway Lane, Tewkesbury at 3.15pm yesterday. He is being treated in a trauma unit at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. Two police officers helped carry him to the air ambulance. Health and Safety Executive officer Steve Richardson issued a verbal prohibition order stopping work on the site and sent the other seven workers home. He said that he is now considering issuing a written prohibition notice, which means work must stop until the HSE decides that the site is safe again. He has also launched an investigation into the collapse. Mr Richardson said: "It's unclear exactly what happened and I will question those who were on the site. "It's impossible to say how long the investigation will go on for but everything will be fully examined." A County Air Ambulance spokesman said: "The injuries are serious, which is why the patient is being treated in a trauma centre but, at the moment, they don't seem to be life threatening." The factory is being demolished to make way for 110 new homes. A hospital spokesman said the man, who has not been named is "critical but stable".
Worker badly injured in fall Conal Mullen The Edmonton Journal A man was taken to hospital in serious condition Wednesday evening after he fell at a construction site on the city's south side. The incident happened at a construction site near 119B Street and 12th Avenue, said Chris Chodan, public affairs officer for Alberta Human Resources and Employment. He said the victim was unconscious and had serious injuries when he was taken to hospital. Chodan said the man worked for New Era Framing. Police and investigators from Alberta Human Resources and Employment were investigating the accident. Scrapyard boss fined after worker injured SCRAPYARD owner John Holland has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 after an explosion on his premises nearly killed one of his workers. Magistrates in Chippenham were told on Monday that David King, who had worked for Holland for 12 years, suffered a broken left leg and serious injuries to his right leg and kneecap in the blast. The accident happened in February at Holland Handling, at Braydon, near Malmesbury. Richard Stead, defending, said Holland, who admitted a charge of exposing his employees to the risk of injury, was deeply remorseful. "Great sorrow is felt by Mr Holland for the injuries caused to David King," said Mr Stead. "He (Mr King) has been an employee for 12 years and part of the family within the business. Mr Holland hopes that he will be returning to work at the business." The accident happened at the recycling and skip hire plant, when Mr King was cutting open an empty drum using an oxyacetylene torch. The gases from the torch and the empty drum reacted and caused an explosion that shattered Mr King's leg. At the time of the accident he was taken to Swindon's Princess Margaret Hospital and police told him he was lucky to escape with his life. Mr Stead said that if Mr King had taken the plug out of the drum to release the gases, the accident would not have occurred. "Mr King had done the procedure many times before but this time there was a more pressing matter as there was a hydraulic leak on an implement and Mr King wanted to cut the drum in half to collect the leaking oil," he said. But health and safety officer Frederick Tucker, prosecuting, said there were no written instructions in the company's manual and therefore it was responsible. "The company failed to have a risk assessment or method statement in their safety manual on how to operate the drums," said Mr Tucker. But he accepted that Holland had been very co-operative with the health and safety investigations and the company had no health and safety breaches in its 20-year history. Mr Stead said that the company's safety procedures had been run by Holland's brother Pete, who died in November 2000 from a rare bone marrow cancer. The safety manual had not been updated since his death. Magistrates said they recognised that Holland had taken steps since the accident to remedy the situation. "We have taken into account the circumstances of the events and that Mr Holland has shown co-operation with the health and safety executive," said magistrates chairman Mike Sutton. Holland was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,338.
UPDATE, Man who fell into wine tank suffocated BEE STAFF REPORTS ESCALON -- A 19-year-old Lathrop man who fell into a large concrete fermentation tank Wednesday died from asphyxia by atmospheric suffocation, the Stanislaus County coroner's office reported Thursday. Jose Padilla, a temporary worker at Canandaigua Winery for the past three weeks, was not supposed to be on top of the 29,000-gallon tank because it already had been drained of its wine, a company spokeswoman said. Padilla broke through a metal safety grate atop the tank, which is 14 feet high, coroner's deputy Kristi Herr said. He fell approximately 11 feet and landed on top of a thick pulp mixture of grape skins and seeds. Padilla last was seen at about 8 a.m. Wednesday. Fifteen minutes later, a worker noticed the missing grate, looked down into the tank and saw Padilla's body lying face down. "The fumes would have rendered him unconscious within seconds," Herr said. He was transported to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto and pronounced dead. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death. The winery remained open Thursday, but the tank was closed pending a report from CalOSHA.
Worker falls, then dies in SJ winery vat By ZEKE MINAYA, BEE STAFF WRITER ESCALON -- A 19-year-old Lathrop man died Wednesday morning after falling into a concrete fermentation tank at an Escalon winery, officials said. Jose Padilla had been employed at the Canandaigua Wine Co. for three weeks as a temporary worker, company spokeswoman Lisa Farrell said. "We're highly saddened by what happened," she said from the company's headquarters in upstate New York. She did not release any details of the accident, which is under investigation by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Farrell stressed that even though Padilla had not worked there long, he had been trained. "He was properly trained. We train all our employees," she said. Farrell said the winery is cooperating with the Cal-OSHA investigation. "We are looking into this accident, trying to determine what his assignment was and why he was on top of that vat," Cal-OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer said. The accident occurred at 8:15 a.m., he said. Padilla was standing on a grating over the 29,000-gallon tank when the grating gave way and he fell, Fryer said. Medical rescuers transported Padilla to a Stanislaus County hospital, where he died, San Joaquin Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Nelida Stone said. In July 2000, a worker at the Bear Creek Winery south of Lodi was found dead in a 20,000 gallon vat of red wine.
UPDATE, ROOFER DIED AFTER FALLING 30FT THROUGH SKYLIGHT Health and safety officials are to consider a criminal prosecution after an experienced Cleethorpes roofer fell 30ft through a roof panel to his death on a factory floor. Alan Gordon (45), of Thrunscoe Road, Cleethorpes, had been asked to check rain leaks on an asbestos roof at Coincheck Electronics Ltd, in Beverley. Workers at the factory, which makes bingo machines, furniture and shop display units, told an inquest how they reacted in horror as they heard a roof crack. They turned to see Mr Gordon falling through the air. He hit his head on a wooden pallet before hitting the floor receiving multiple cuts, bruises and fractures including extensive head injuries. Internal bleeding left him unconscious but still able to breath. Production workers crowded around as an ambulance was called and he was put in the recovery position. His friend, roofing labourer Thomas Ireland, rushed to his side. Mr Ireland told an inquest at Hull Coroners' Court, Mr Gordon was up on the roof with him and had warned him not to step on to the sheets. He said: "I just heard an almighty crash behind me. I turned around to where a translucent skylight was and saw him falling through it. He was two metres away. I ran on the roof hoping he that he was hanging on or maybe he had hit a roof beam. "When I looked he was on the floor." Production manager Dean Coleman said: "I heard the crash just in front of me. I looked up to see this guy dropping through the roof and hitting the floor. I got a first aider and someone to ring for the ambulance. Mr Gordon, who married his wife Donna in 1980, was an experienced roofer who had worked at the factory many times over seven years for a firm based in Brough, near Hull. The inquest jury heard Coincheck had a 50-page health and safety manual and would induct subcontractors on safety procedures when they were appointed. Rob Bowell, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, told the inquest that corrosion and brittle sheet roofing cost more than a dozen lives each year. He said there were thousands of similar sheet roofs in this country. He said they were gradually being replaced, but there are still many to be done. He said: "There have been a whole catalogue of events where these roofs of asbestos sheeting panels have simply shattered into a million pieces. They literally shatter to the touch after a few years." He confirmed the HSE had made an investigation and were still considering whether or not there were grounds for a prosecution to take place. Kenneth Peace, the chief executive of Coincheck Ltd, told the inquest his firm had sub-contracted out the regular repairs on the roof which was part sheeting and part metal. He said each firm and employee was taken through the health and safety manual relevant to their areas of work on the first occasion. He said the firm Mr Gordon worked for had been known to them for several years. He said: "We had no problems with the company at all. On the contrary they were very professional." Mr Gordon's wife, Donna, rushed to his side after the accident when he was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary suffering massive head injuries on August 30 last year. He was put on a ventilator but did not regain consciousness. A neuro-surgeon informed the family of his severe head injures and said there was nothing that could be done. Mr Gordon's ventilator was turned off on August 31 - the day after the accident. Mrs Gordon told the inquest in a written statement her husband had been a roofer since they were married 20 years ago. She said he was happy and contented and never had any falls at work before. She said she had last seen him at 10pm the night before and had missed him going to work the following morning. Coroner Geoffrey Saul returned a verdict of accidental death.
UPDATE, Witness said PCS worker 'lurched forward' before fall: Employee was trying to catch his hard hat By JUSTIN LANG Lake City Reporter There was at least one witness to a fall at PCS Phosphate that killed an employee last week, said Mike Gwynn, manager of public affairs. David Bowles, 46, died Friday, after sustaining injuries in a 21-foot fall from an elevated platform at PCS' Swift Creek Hemi plant Thursday. One witness to the incident was a chief operator, who was a supervisor during that shift, a PCS official who wished to remain anonymous. He also said the witness was walking beside Bowles at the time of the fall. The PCS official described the elevated walkways as wide concrete floors, completely surrounded by railings, of which there is a top and middle. He said the witness said Bowles made a noise and then lurched forward and as a result, his hard hat fell off. The witness said it looked like he was attempting to catch the hard hat. During the forward motion, the witness said Bowles went forward about 11 feet before going head first in between the top and middle railing, the official said. Bowles lived between Jasper and Jennings and was a native of the area. He started work at the Swift Creek Hemi plant in 1979, starting with PCS in 1978. He is survived by his wife Charlene and five grown children, ranging in ages from 18 to 27. Bowles was a chemical operator at PCS, a job which Gwynn said entails checking gauges and making necessary adjustments to keep everything within parameters. He said Bowles' job would require work on several floors. He would do things like, "go down and start a pump and take samples, depending on duties for the night." "That's part of the job, it wasn't like he was out there haphazardly," Gwynn said. "He'd been on that platform many times." Gwynn said that OSHA was at PCS on Tuesday to investigate, which included taking measurements and talking to witnesses. A PCS official said OSHA measured the railings and verified they are the correct dimensions, are painted a high-visibility yellow, lighting is up to standards and the floor is in good condition. He says that plant workers go through safety training ‹ in compliance with OSHA ‹ once a year and have work safety meetings once a month. PCS workers also have to wear safety shoes, which two pairs are provided by the company every year. The official said there are different types of safety shoes for the workers to choose from, but all have "aggressive" treads. He says that Bowles was working a 12-hour shift, which started at 6 p.m. and ended at 6 a.m. He also said there were about four people, including Bowles, working in the area of the fall last week. The witness stayed with Bowles ‹ who was not conscious ‹ after the fall until an ambulance and emergency workers could arrive, the official said. He said Bowles never regained consciousness. "These are unusual circumstances," the PCS official said. "There's nothing documented to even resemble this at all." Autopsy results and a full investigation into the death are pending. "It's going to be an involved investigation," Gwynn said.
CRANE CALLED IN FOR INJURED MAN A crane was used to lift an injured crewman off a cargo boat moored at Teignmouth docks. The man fell about three metres off a ladder on to the steel hold of the German registered Viper last evening. Coastguards and paramedics were called to the scene, and found the casualty was conscious but suffering head and facial injuries and broken bones. John Hook, head of Teignmouth auxiliary coastguards, said that in a joint operation with the ambulance crew, they eased the man on to their cliff rescue stretcher. Teignmouth Quay Company then called in one of their crane operators to lift the stretcher from the hold on to the quayside. The crewman was taken to Torbay Hospital by ambulance, and his injuries are not thought to be life threatening. "It was an unusual operation for us, but we worked closely with the paramedics and it went very smoothly," Mr Hook added.
Worker hurt in Marysville By John DeWeese, Herald Writer MARYSVILLE -- A lift overturned Wednesday afternoon during restoration work on the Marysville water tower, seriously injuring one worker as the basket he was in plummeted 30 feet to the ground. The worker, a 47-year-old Oregon man, was listed in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with head and other injuries, a nursing supervisor said. He was in intensive care Wednesday night. The tower, the tallest structure in downtown Marysville, is undergoing a $180,000 renovation. Witnesses said the lift was extended about 30 to 40 feet on the north side of the tower when it collapsed. The lift snapped two main power lines along Sixth Avenue and crashed down on a Ford Ranger truck. Power was cut to buildings in Comeford Park and nearby businesses and homes. The owner of the truck, Ernie Perrault of Marysville, said he was discussing a real estate deal at the John L. Scott Realty Building across the street when the accident occurred. He described hearing electric wires popping and a crunching of metal as the lift's basket smashed into his truck. "At first I didn't think anyone was in the basket," Perrault said. A work team from Snohomish County PUD took two hours to restore power. Marysville spokesman Doug Buell said the mayor decided to close the park overnight and post city employees to keep the site clear. Police also closed Sixth Street between State Avenue and Delta Avenue. Investigators are not sure what caused the collapse, but the lift's tire broke through a section of the sidewalk. Once the lift is removed, crews will assess if any water or sewer mains were damaged, Buell said. The lift operator worked for United Steel Erector, a Bellingham-based company subcontracting for Long Painting Co. City engineer Rob Nelson said the tower's restoration began three weeks ago and had been running smoothly. A state inspector made a preliminary investigation, Buell said, but it was too early to determine the cause of the accident. "It's hard to say at this point. There are a lot of parties involved," Buell said. Ron Larson, who works for Ready Trucking in Redmond, said he delivered the 125-foot Genie S-125 lift to the Marysville site. The lift has a computer system that controls the basket's movements and prevents operator error. In his opinion, it would be very unlikely that the lift could tip over unless it was placed on unstable ground. When the water tower was built in 1921, it was the primary source of water for the community. The tower has been unused for 26 years, but local historic societies donated most of the money to have it restored as a landmark, said Marysville chief administration officer Mary Swenson. Construction will continue as soon as a crane removes the fallen lift, Swenson added.
Painter on GWB breaks leg in tumble from platform A George Washington Bridge painter fell about 8 feet from one platform to another Tuesday, breaking his leg. Port Authority police spent more than an hour trying to rescue Antonio Araujo, 32, of the Bronx, who was blasting old paint from the north tower on the New Jersey side when he fell at 9:40 a.m., said Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman. His co-workers got him off the tower, moving him to the scaffolding below the lower level of the bridge, about 180 feet above the river, police said. One officer climbed onto the scaffolding to render first aid while waiting for Port Authority's Emergency Services Unit to respond from Jersey City. The officers secured him to a first-aid board and lowered him in a rescue basket to a construction elevator in the tower. Araujo was taken by ambulance at 11:20 a.m. to Hackensack University Medical Center. He suffered a compound fracture of the leg, Coleman said.
Man Dies In Springdale Power Plant Fall A worker died Tuesday at the Allegheny Energy plant in Springdale, WTAE's Paul Van Osdol reported. The man was working near the top of a 400-foot stack when he fell inside and landed on a platform, Van Osdol reported. The incident happened around 1:30 p.m., and the worker's body had not been recovered as of 6 p.m. The worker, Ronald Bush, 46, of Grayson, Ky., is an employee of Hamon Custodis, Inc., in Somerville, N.J., a company that designs, constructs and maintains reinforced concrete or steel chimneys. In November, a carpenter died in a fall of almost 300 feet at the plant, which is next to an old coal-fired plant that has been closed for about 20 years.
Electrical Contractor in High Court Today East Cape News (Grahamstown) By Cecile Greyling, Grahamstown The case of an electrical contractor who has been found to be in contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act will be heard in the Grahamstown high court today. This follows the death of Jeremy Buwa in May 1999, when he fell to his death from a 3 metre high scaffolding while he was erecting temporary lights in a lecture room at Rhodes University. Labour inspector Thobile Lamati of the Department of Labour found that the contractor, Electro Network, was in contravention of the Act. According to his report Buwa cast an electric conductor over a rafter when the scaffolding platform on which he was standing moved causing him to lose his balance. He fell on his head on the concrete floor. It was established from evidence gathered that: * the use of incomplete scaffolding was one of the causes of the accident; * the scaffolding planks were not firmly secured to prevent displacement; * as the deseased was working in an elevated position and because the scaffolding was not complete, he should have been provided with safety equipment such as a harness or belt; and * in as much as it was the deceased responsibility to see to it that the environment he was to work in was safe, it was also the duty of the supervisor to ensure that all precautionary measures were taken. Lamati's report was sent to the Director of Prosecution in the Eastern Cape who decided to institute prosecution. The provincial executive manager of the department of labour, Lindile Nxaqw, has sent out a strong warning yesterday that the department will not hesitate to bring employers who acted in contravention of the Act to book.
UPDATE, Injured workers still in a state of shock Dubai, A Staff Reporter Workers who evaded death on Sunday when the roof of a DEWA project building collapsed, lined the pavement in front of Rashid Hospital yesterday, waiting to visit their injured colleagues. "There were about 20 workers on the roof when it collapsed. I was on the ground passing material to them on a pulley when I heard the screams," said Ranjeet, one of the lucky ones to escape. "I think the construction material stacked on the roof may have been responsible for the structure's collapse. My first instinct was to run, and I didn't wait to see what was happening." Co-workers of those injured in the accident still seemed confused and under shock. With concern on their faces they were found sitting yesterday on pavements near the Rashid Hospital waiting for the visiting hours of the hospital to begin at 4pm. They still seemed unable to comprehend how something terrible like this could take place on a normal day. Hoping that the injured would be compensated, many expressed relief when they found an executive of the construction company visiting the injured. Raju, another worker, said: "I cannot think of anything but why the accident happened. I am just thanking God that although I was there, I chanced to walk to the other side of the accident site. I didn't know how to react. This is first time in my life that I saw something like this happen near me." Another worker, who asked not to be named, said that Rashid Hospital is letting in two workers at a time to visit the injured. "We were here yesterday but were not allowed to go in. So we turned up in groups today so that we would provide some moral support to those injured," he said. Some of the workers, who are from the same hometown as those injured, are also contemplating conveying the bad news to their family members, but have been unable to gather up the courage. Hari remarked: "I tried to muster up courage to break the news to family members of my co-workers who are also from the same hometown in Andhra Pradesh (south India). I just hope my colleagues get back to their feet as soon as possible. "It is a good sign that our companies are not neglecting us and people are visiting those workers who were injured. The police and other officers have been really courteous to us."
UPDATE, Roof collapse death toll rises to nine Dubai, Sunita Menon One worker who was not accounted for when the roof of the Dewa project building collapsed on Sunday, was dug up from under the debris yesterday by a rescue team. The man, identified as Kulwant Singh, an Indian, was reportedly dead when he was pulled out. "He could not have survived under all that construction material," said one rescue team member. The death toll from the accident has risen to nine with Singh's death. Lieutenant Colonel Jamal Al Marri, Head of the Bur Dubai Police Station, said a high-level committee has been set up to investigate the accident and find out why the roof of the structure collapsed. The accident occurred on Sunday morning at Dewa's second phase of "K" Station. The rescue units had suspended operations overnight when there was no hope that the man could be alive. They resumed the search operation early this morning. "There was some confusion in the morning as one of the companies claimed there were two workers missing. They later found out that one of the workers was not on duty when the building collapsed," said the source. The body of the worker was found late in the afternoon, minutes before the sandstorm hit Dubai. "We were planning to give up the search for the day because of the oncoming storm, when we found the body," added the source. All the nine dead and 17 injured in Sunday's accident are Indians, according to diplomatic sources. An estimated 150 Indian construction workers were at the site when the accident happened. The consulate of India officials are currently trying to get the home addresses of those who died. Speaking to Gulf News I.P. Mohanan, consul labour and head of chancery, said that most of the workers were masons and foremen. There was one Nepali worker also, he said. "We are trying get their addresses in India so as to inform their families." An extensive investigation is underway to look into the cause of the accident at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) project construction site. The accident happened when one of the steel roofs of a structure under construction caved-in. The injured are undergoing treatment at Rashid Hospital in Dubai. The consul labour said he could not visit the site of the accident on Sunday but visited it yesterday with the help of the police. "I spoke to a few workers and have met them in the hospital. We will provide all the necessary help." Asked whether the consulate will look into the speedy repatriation of the bodies, Mohanan said: "The bodies will be sent back by the individual construction companies, but they would have to approach the consulate to carry out certain paperwork. He pointed out that it could take some time to get the bodies repatriated, as a case has to be filed and the permission of the prosecution has to be taken. The bodies of the other eight workers have been identified as Lekhraj, Shiv Bhagwan, Harshai, Sadula Samuel, P, Laximaiya, Sujeet Singh, Shankar and R.K. Verma. According to sources, the main contracting company is Enel Power which sub-contracted the work to Belhasa Constructions. Other construction companies involved in the project are Dodsal, Bellai, C.K.K and Blue Diamond constructions. The source said that 12 workers from Dodsal were injured and that four were later discharged from hospital.
Power plant roof collapses in UAE In the United Arab Emirates at least 4 people were killed and 19 injured on Sunday when the roof of a power plant which is still under construction caved in. The state-owned news agency WAM quoted police as saying seven people were killed adding that six people were missing. Authorities at the plant in Jebel Ari, on the outskirts of the Emirate barred reporters from the compound and from the Dubai hospital where workers were being treated.
UPDATE, Construction worker's death ruled homicide By Patrick O'Shea, Times Staff 08/25/2002 PITTSBURGH - Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht on Friday changed the ruling in the death of a Moon Township ironworker from accidental to homicide and recommended that a major Pittsburgh construction company face criminal charges. Wecht recommended that District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. charge Dick Corp. with involuntary homicide after reviewing four days of coroner's inquest testimony into the death of Paul Corsi, 38, on Feb. 13 when a truss he was working on at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center collapsed. During testimony given June 5, 6, 25 and July 22, experts theorized that the collapse could be traced to improper use of bolts on the beam. Although Wecht said he could not find any individuals who met the legal requirement of negligence in the death, he said Corsi's employer was reckless. He said Dick Corp. managers failed to institute even a rudimentary safety inspection program and never appropriately instructed ironworkers on use of materials. It's unusual for a company to be charged with homicide, but Wecht said there is precedent in a 1980 Pennsylvania Superior Court case in which a school bus company was held criminally liable for homicide by vehicle when one of its buses hit and killed a 6-year-old girl. Zappala issued a statement saying his office will conduct a detailed review of the evidence offered by Wecht before deciding on whether to proceed with charges. Denny Watts, president and chief executive officer of Dick Corp., said in a written statement that he disagreed with Wecht's determination, and he urged Zappala to examine all facts before making his decision. "We stand behind our record as a company that puts safety first," Watts said. "Dick Corp.'s intent at all times is to protect workers, whenever possible, from the potential hazards of construction work." Watts expressed sympathy for Corsi's family and ironworkers Donald Lenigan and Walter Pesewicz Jr., who were injured in the collapse. He said the company has cooperated fully with authorities. Last month, the federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration fined Dick Corp. and Canada-based steel manufacturer Au Dragon Forge International $19,000 each for serious violations in the incident.
Teenager working on Kidman film impaled on spike A teenager working on Nicole Kidman's new film has been impaled by a metal spike after falling from a height of two metres. Paul Cojocaru was cleaning a tent on the set when he fell, according to Romanian daily Evenimentul Zilei. Cold Mountain is currently being filmed in Romania. The 17-year-old was taken to Floreasca Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, where surgeons operated to remove the spike. He is said to be out of danger but will be in hospital for a long time. An investigation is now being made into the how the accident occurred. This is the second serious incident to have occurred during the filming of Cold Mountain, which also stars Jude Law, Renee Zellwegger and Donald Sutherland. Three weeks ago a young boy trying to get a place as an extra in the film was crushed by a crowd of people, suffering multiple fractures to the head and shoulder.
Maintenance worker plummets to death AUSTIN L. MILLER, Staff writer OCALA — A maintenance worker servicing a 1,200-foot tall radio tower slid 400 feet to his death shortly after noon on Wednesday, Sheriff's Office officials said. Workers told Sheriff's Office spokesman Lenny Uptagraft that Ohio resident Roy Edward Brown, 43, was in a safety harness attached to a guidewire about 400 feet above the ground. He was working on a section of a radio tower owned by WOGK-FM, K-Country, at 3600 N.E. County Road 326, when the workers noticed Brown free-falling on a pulley down the guidewire, which was attached to the ground at a 45-degree angle. "As he was traveling down the guidewire, he tried to use his hands and feet to slow his momentum," Uptagraft said. Uptagraft said Brown crashed into a guidewire extension and then to the ground. He died at the scene. Brown was a maintenance worker for Midwest Communications Towers, an Ohio company that maintains such towers. Marion County sheriff's detectives and officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the cause of the accident. Uptagraft did not know how long Brown was employed at the company. Midwest officials and members of Brown's family on the scene did not want to comment. "The person worked for an independent contractor; the situation is under investigation," said Jim Robertson, WOGK's general manager, declining to comment further on the incident. Robertson said the tower was built several years ago.
UPDATE, OSHA Fines Georgia Contractors Nearly $61,000 Following Fatal Accident At Florida Worksite GULF BREEZE, Fla. -- Failing to protect workers from impalement hazards at a Gulf Breeze, Fla., drug store construction site may cost two Georgia contractors a total of $60,900, according to citations issued by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration yesterday. The agency began an inspection following an April 20 accident that killed a 32-year-old laborer who fell from a scaffold onto a protruding reinforcing steel bar, known as a rebar. The worker was employed by Canton, Ga.-based Chadwick T. Wallace, Inc., a subcontractor at the site where Cannon/Estapa General Contractors, Inc., also headquartered in Canton, was the general contractor. "Cannon/Estapa failed to take appropriate action even after sub-contractors on the job informed the general contractor that the protruding rebar needed to be covered," said James Borders, OSHA's Jacksonville area director. "Employers must take immediate action once they are aware of serious safety hazards that can cause injury or death." The general contractor was cited for a willful violation for not guarding the protruding rebar and a serious violation for poor housekeeping. Proposed penalties for the alleged violations total $50,050. OSHA issued three serious citations against Chadwick T. Wallace for not guarding the rebar to eliminate impalement hazards, not providing safe access to scaffolds, and poor housekeeping. The sub-contractor was fined $10,850 for the alleged violations. According to OSHA, neither employer had a safety and health program in place. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the OSH Act and regulations. A serious violation is one where there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard. Each company has 15 working days to contest the OSHA citations and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Inspection of the work site was conducted by OSHA's Jacksonville area office located at 1851 Executive Center Dr., Suite 227; telephone: (904) 232 2895.
Man in lift shaft fall rescued Aug 21 2002 Emergency crews were called to Stratford to rescue a man who had fallen down a lift shaft. Fire crews were called to a construction site on Alcester Road shortly after midday yesterday. Paramedics were already at the scene and the 29-year-old man was airlifted to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch. An ambulance service spokesman said he was suffering neck and back pain but had been fully conscious throughout his rescue. A Warwickshire fire and rescue spokesman said the lift shaft, at the site of the new school, was less than 6ft below ground level. The Health and Safety Executive is investigating. The injured man, who is from Derbyshire, was detained in hospital overnight.
UPDATE, Construction worker's identity confirmed A construction worker who died from a fall Monday has been officially identified as 45-year-old Robert Lenart. Lenart fell from the second story of a condominium complex under construction in Punta Gorda Isles. He had tossed a bag of nails to another worker when he lost his footing and landed on a concrete structure built to support an air-conditioning unit, a representative for Charlotte County Fire & EMS said. Lenart was a certified carpenter and roofer for Contract Construction Inc. of Port Charlotte. He was hired by the company July 29, an employee said. "It's a horrible thing," said Peter Taylor, owner of Taylor Contractors of Florida Inc., the firm that subcontracted the job to Contract Construction. "Nothing like this has happened before. The worst injury I ever had on a job was a broken leg." The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident, an OSHA spokesperson in Tampa said. Lenart, whose last known address was on Yacht Club Boulevard in Punta Gorda, lived with his mother, Mary Jane Ackerman, for a while after coming to the area about a year and a half ago, according to one of his mother's co-workers, Joanne Dillon. Ackerman is administrative assistant to Charlotte County Commissioner Tom D'Aprile. Lenart had four children who lived outside the state, Dillon said. He also had four brothers, three of whom live locally.
Tower fall leaves county man critical By BETH SMITH, Gleaner staff A water tower on Ridgewood Road in Spottsville was the scene of a rescue operation Monday after a Henderson County man fell about 30 feet inside the tower's central column. Robert Mabe, 19, was Lifeflighted to St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville, where he was listed in critical condition Monday night. The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. while Mabe and three others were doing some sand blasting and maintenance work inside the 100-foot tower, according to Rick Dizinno with Pittsburg Tank and Tower. Mabe was in the central column, also known as the riser, when he fell. A riser is "a means of access to the tank," Dizinno said. Mabe was working for a subcontractor -- James Darche -- who was hired by Pittsburg Tank and Tower, a Henderson-based company. Details about what caused the fall are still sketchy. But Larry Koerber with Henderson Emergency Management said the indications are that Mabe was told to evacuate the tower because of the approaching storm. He was coming down the ladder inside the riser when he fell, Koerber said. Tim Mahone, director of the Henderson Ambulance Service, said Mabe fell feet first and his legs and rearend "caught the impact." Emergency personnel stayed in contact with Mabe throughout the two-hour rescue operation, Mahone said. "He was conscious but in a lot of pain," Mahone said. "His legs were curled up under him." Spottsville Volunteer Fire Chief Steve Gilmore said that during the rescue, Mabe would answer general questions for emergency personnel. Gilmore said they just wanted to "keep him talking." Rescue workers were able to bring Mabe out through the riser's access door, Mahone said. Koerber said ropes were put around Mabe and emergency personnel hoisted him up past the access door in order to get him out feet first. This was the quickest way to get him out, Gilmore said. The other two options included pulling him back up the riser and out through the top of the tower or to cut into the riser, Gilmore said. Mahone commended the teamwork that enabled a smooth rescue operation. "Without everyone's help we wouldn't have been able to get him out," he said. Gilmore echoed Mahone's statement. "It takes a whole team for something like this." The Henderson City County Rescue Squad, the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, the Reed Volunteer Fire Department, the Henderson Fire Department's High-Angle Rescue Team and the Henderson's Emergency Management Agency also assisted at the scene.
PCS worker dies in fall: Company, OSHA investigating By JUSTIN LANG A PCS Phosphate employee has died after falling from an elevated walkway on Thursday, said Mike Gwynn, PCS manager of public affairs. David Bowles, 46, had been with PCS for 24 years and worked as an operator at the Swift Creek Hemi Plant complex. Gwynn said that Bowles fell about 21 feet from the walkway. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our employees," Gywnn said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. We're trying to determine exactly what happened." Bowles was airlifted by Trauma One to Shands at Jacksonville, where he died from injuries Friday, Gwynn said. PCS and OSHA have started an investigation. Hamilton County Sheriff Harrell Reid, said a deputy is compiling a report. The deputy went to the scene and spoke to witnesses. "I think it was purely accidental," Reid said. "We don't have any suspicion or belief it was anything other than an accident." In May of this year, another PCS worker was killed and another critically burned when a bulldozer accidentally hit a liquid propane storage tank hidden in the grass. The sparks flying from the bulldozer ignited the gas into a fireball which killed Larry Blair, 57, instantly. James Nelson, 54, received extensive third-degree burns from the inferno. Before that, the last fatality at PCS occurred in 1979, Gywnn said. James Borders, area director of the Jacksonville office of OSHA, was part of the investigation into May's death. "We issued citations regarding that issue," Borders said. "We're just waiting to see what the employers (PCS) response is going to be." He says PCS Phosphate has until Friday to either pay, request an informal conference or formally contest OSHA findings. "The employer did not safely store propane tanks," Borders continued. "A citation and notification of penalty. These are alleged violations and the proposed penalty was $5,250. These are just serious violations, as in they can result in serious injury or death." The citation was issued Sept. 4 and received by PCS on Sept. 9. Gwynn said he was unable to comment at this time about the citation and PCS' plan of action. OSHA also was notified of Thursday's death and went to PCS on Friday. OSHA investigator Jim Rowe was unavailable for comment. PCS, OSHA and authorities are not sure how Bowles' fall happened, but expect to have more information once an autopsy and thorough investigation are complete. "Our hearts go out to the family," Gwynn said. "The investigation will uncover exactly what happened."
UPDATE, Worker on roof falls 40 feet to death ARIZONA DAILY STAR A 33-year-old worker fell 40 feet to his death Monday morning while removing sheet metal from a roof at a Marana cement company, officials said. Clifford Dunagan of Douglas was pronounced dead at the scene of the 8:15 a.m. accident at the Arizona Portland Cement Company, 11115 N. Casa Grande Highway, said Katy Heiden, a spokeswoman for the Northwest Fire/Rescue District. Dunagan suffered massive head trauma and apparently hit the back of his head on a railing two floors below the roof, said Stuart Rodeffer, lead paramedic and firefighter on the first Northwest engine to arrive. Dunagan was wearing his safety harness, Rodeffer said, and a cherry picker was on hand as a secondary safety measure. But authorities weren't sure if Dunagan was tethered to a fixed object as he worked on the roof, a routine safety precaution. Plant manager David Bittel said Dunagan - who worked for Parsons Steel Erectors Inc. - was removing the metal roofing so the plant could replace a section of the cement kiln through the roof. He couldn't say more about the accident because of the investigation.
Emporia soybean plant death remains under investigation By Erin Adamson The Capital-Journal Authorities are investigating the death of a man who died when he fell from a catwalk Saturday at the Bunge Soybean Processing Plant in Emporia. Emporia Police Lt. John Koelsch said Steven G. Young, 50, of rural Olpe, fell about 30 feet from a catwalk while cleaning at the plant. The death appeared to be accidental. Young's aunt, Joy Barnes, of Topeka, said her nephew was working Saturday at a job he was unfamiliar with and standing on a catwalk that was missing a section of railing. Koelsch said he fell from a catwalk in the mid-section of the plant, in an area where railroad cars are loaded. Young was pronounced dead at the scene after being found between railroad tracks. The Emporia plant referred questions to Philippe de Lapérouse, spokesman for Bunge North America, who said the company wouldn't comment on the circumstances of Young's death until investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local authorities had been completed. "This is a tragic situation and everyone is obviously very upset within the company because we do pride ourselves on safety,"de Lapérouse said. Judy Freeman, area director for the OSHA, said the agency was investigating Young's death, as it does all workplace fatalities. Barnes said Young usually worked moving and loading railroad cars. On Saturday, she said, no soybeans were being processed and workers were instead cleaning the plant. Barnes said co-workers told the family that Young was standing on a moving catwalk with a piece of railing missing on one side. She said coworkers suspected Young stepped back too far and fell off of the catwalk. "My understanding is that he didn't wear a safety harness,"she said. An obituary submitted to The Capital-Journal indicated Young had been employed at the plant for 3 1/2 years.
Grand Blanc Twp.: Worker injured in fall from roof By David V. Graham, JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A construction worker was injured Friday when he fell two stories off the roof of a house under construction in the Pine Hollow subdivision on Canter Creek Trail in the southeast section of the township. gt. Rick Witham said Howard Travis, 49, of Flushing, was helping install a roof truss about 1:23 p.m. Friday when a truck holding the truss slipped in the mud, and he lost his footing. The man fell to the ground and suffered head injuries, a broken wrist and ribs and some spinal injuries. He was taken to Genesys Regional Medical Center in critical condition, but he has been upgraded to serious condition, hospital officials said. The accident is under investigation because the worker was not wearing a safety harness, police said.
Accident Kills Worker A team of investigators from three states is expected to arrive at Arizona Portland Cement tomorrow to look into a deadly accident at the plant. A worker fell about 50 feet to his death this morning as he was working on a roof at the plant in Marana. Clifford Dunagan of Douglas died at the scene. The Mine Safety and Health Administration will investigate the accident.
Injured rail worker awarded $6 million By Howard Pankratz, Denver Post Legal Affairs Writer Saturday, September 21, 2002 - A longtime Union Pacific employee who fell down a steep flight of stairs inside a locomotive was awarded $6 million Thursday at a trial in which the man claimed the railroad intentionally destroyed important evidence. The Denver jury took only two hours to return its verdict in the case of Frank Aloi, a 53-year-old freight conductor whose job it was to couple and uncouple train cars and throw track switches. Aloi claimed he was totally disabled from injuries to his shoulder, neck and lower back sustained during the fall. He also said he suffered a mild traumatic brain injury. "All I want is my health back," he said Friday. "The money has not cured me." He said he was informed of the verdict by his wife, Deb. "My wife was crying and saying it was $6 million. And I said, 'OK, but we have nothing to celebrate.' I still have a headache and still see the doctor about my knee and neck." Lou Jungbauer, Aloi's attorney, said the award is believed to be the highest ever returned in Colorado under the Federal Employers Liability Act, or FELA. Will Browne, lawyer for Union Pacific, said the verdict was "at the high end" of such verdicts. Browne said FELA verdicts tend to be high because railroad workers make good wages. Aloi earned about $65,000 a year. One of the jury instructions, called "spoliation," specifically alleged that UP intentionally destroyed documents generated during its own investigation of Aloi's fall on Aug. 27, 1998. Browne said the company will vigorously appeal the verdict to the Colorado Court of Appeals. Among the grounds is the fact that Denver District Judge Frank Martinez included the specific instruction. The instruction specifically told the jury that it could infer that UP's failure to produce documents meant that the evidence contained in the documents was unfavorable to the company. Jungbauer said the jury's verdict told him they were unhappy with how the company treated his client. "They were disappointed that the railroad not only destroyed the documents but then came in and tried to explain it away," Jungbauer said. "The second thing that bothered the jury is that Union Pacific would stand up in court and call this guy, who has put in 27 years of good service on the railroad, a fake and attack him in front of his family." Jungbauer said the jurors had no doubt that Aloi suffered the injuries. Browne said the "spoliation" instruction "is a red-hot button" issue. "The theory is one party willfully destroyed evidence and destroyed evidence for purposes of keeping it out of trial. That is the theory behind that jury instruction. We absolutely deny that, to my dying days," Browne said. At issue was a report written about the incident by Carol Townsend, the engineer on Aloi's train. Also lost was the defective mat that Aloi stumbled over on his way down the steps. Townsend said she wrote in the report that the mat was a stumbling hazard that put the crew in danger. Townsend said she didn't see Aloi stumble but "heard a racket" and heard Aloi say "Oh." Browne said that federal law only requires railroads to keep those records for 92 days. Browne said the lawsuit was filed in January 1999, at least 120 days after the accident. Browne said he was surprised how quickly the jury returned the verdict and by the amount. "The jury was out two hours - $3 million an hour. That's more than the ballplayers make," Browne said.
UPDATE, OSHA cites Denver contractor in death of worker at Keystone Jane Reuter KEYSTONE - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Denver in connection with the Aug. 7 death of a man working at a Keystone construction site. Miguel Mota, 25, of Commerce City, suffered fatal chest and head injuries last month when he fell more than 30 feet from the roof of an under-construction Keystone home. Mota was employed by Fowler and Peth. OSHA cited Fowler and Peth for failure to ensure the employee used an available anchorage point and for failure to ensure that four or more of its field employees understood the height at which fall protection is required. OSHA fined Fowler and Peth a total of $7,000 - $3,500 for each offense. Ric Peth, a co-owner in the 54-year-old company, said Wednesday he had just received the OSHA notification. "I don't really have any comment, as we're just beginning the administrative process with OSHA, and I'm not familiar with the process," he said. "The accident was certainly unfortunate, and our sympathies go out to Miguel and his family." Fowler and Peth has no previous OSHA citations, according to information filed on OSHA's Web site. Dillon-based Infinite Scope, the general contractor on the project, was not cited in connection with the accident. Infinite Scope owner Rick Emarine said Mota was delivering a load of roofing material from Fowler and Peth's Denver store and was on the roof unloading shingles when he fell. The home, at 410 Elk Run Circle on Keystone's River Course, is owned by Gary Coughlin of Illinois. "Fowler and Peth have a procedure where they carry their own anchor points and fall protection," Emarine said. "We had fall protection in various places on the roof. He probably needed to place his own fall protection in the area where he was working, and he didn't. "OSHA did a complete inspection and determined we have no violations. We're relieved about that, but we're still unhappy it had to happen on any job site here in the county. I've been building in this county for 30 years, and this is the first time a serious accident has ever happened. We feel bad for the guy and his family." Mota is survived by his wife and two children. The issuance of the citation does not bring the incident to a close, said OSHA Area Director Herb Gibson. "We can't go over the specifics of the incident because it's still an open investigation," he said. "The employer still has their rights to contest or comply with the citation." Gibson said OSHA has only one goal in any of its investigations: "The most important thing here is we want to ensure employers look at their work places and make sure employees are properly protected with guard-rail systems or fall protection."
UPDATE, Injured worker continues to improve, wife says By JIM PATTERSON, News-Times Staff A worker who was critically injured in a fall at Union Power Station nearly two weeks ago continues to improve, according to his wife. Shelly Dockins, wife of injured welder Donald Dockins, said that her husband's condition has been upgraded to stable and that other signs also bode well for his eventual recovery. "He's doing pretty good," Shelly Dockins said, speaking by telephone Thursday afternoon from the critical care unit at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. "He opened his eyes yesterday, and the cranial pressure is down. He's in stable condition." She added that her husband is scheduled for knee surgery Saturday morning. Dockins, 34, a welder for SNC-Lavalin, was seriously injured about 7:05 a.m. Sept. 7, after falling more than 55 feet from a tower. SNC-Lavalin Constructors, Inc., Dockins' employer, has until now been reticent on the accident, failing to return numerous telephone calls from the News-Times. Thursday morning, however, Mike Ranz, a senior vice president in SNC-Lavalin's Seattle office, broke the company's silence. Serving mostly to confirm information that had already been gathered from other sources - details such as the time and date of the accident - Ranz did supply one new piece of information: the fact that Dockins fell onto the metal awnings of a print shack, which "broke his fall." Following the accident, Ranz said, Dockins was treated on the scene by company safety officers, then by Pro-Med ambulance personnel. He was later airlifted to Baptist. Ranz offered no information on the cause of the accident. "The cause of the accident is still under investigation," he said. "There are no witnesses that we can identify at this point." Several anonymous callers have told the News-Times they saw Dockins fall, but none so far have given a statement for the record. Ranz said the company is providing crisis management and crisis counseling to Dockins' wife and children, adding that the El Dorado site and the company had also taken up a monetary collection for the family. According to Ranz, SNC-Lavalin's chief operating officer, John Gillis, has expressed his commitment to identifying the cause, saying that employee safety is of high priority.
Worker injured at Times building site By Times staff writer, St. Petersburg Times BROOKSVILLE -- A 49-year-old employee of a Clearwater-based electrical company fell at the site of the new St. Petersburg Times bureau under construction west of Brooksville on Thursday. Harvey Horner of Hudson was taken by ambulance to Oak Hill Hospital, said Lt. Joe Paez of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. Horner works for Morgan & Burt Electric Co., which was installing electrical wiring at the new building, Paez said. Horner was found collapsed at the site about 11 a.m. after a co-worker called out to him and he didn't respond, Paez said. Police noticed a cut above his eye and pipes on the ground. "He may have been hit (by a falling pipe), but the victim couldn't say what happened," Paez said. Horner was treated at the hospital and released.
Two men injured after fall from scaffolding by The Daily News staff Two men were taken to hospital after they fell off some scaffolding outside a Dartmouth home Friday. Ambulances took the men from the Hawthorne Street home after the 1 p.m. fall. Police estimate they fell about 71/2 metres. Their injuries weren’t life-threatening.
Man dies in work fall tragedy A KILWINNING man died in an accident at his Renfrewshire workplace on Friday. Andrew Bell, 40, of 31 Duddingston Avenue, Kilwinning, is believed to have fallen through flooring he was removing from an upper level of the Foxteq computer components factory in Renfrew. He was taken to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow where he later died. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.
UPDATE, Parents of sign collapse victims consider lawsuit By Camie Young, Staff Writer LAWRENCEVILLE — The loss of two sons has been hard on the Fowler family. The media spotlight on the situation has made it even harder. Nonetheless, Richard and Juanita Fowler are considering lawsuits after a billboard in Snellville fell, killing their sons, Josh and Anthony Fowler. Juanita Fowler confirmed Wednesday that she and her husband “were looking into the possibility” of lawsuits. A well-known Gwinnett County attorney, Gerald Davidson, has been hired, but neither Fowler nor Davidson commented further. They did not say to whom the lawsuits could be directed. On Aug. 1, a 35,000-pound billboard on Ga. Highway 124 in Snellville collapsed, killing three — Josh Fowler, 23, Anthony Fowler, 21, and Lance Stofiel, 26. All were working on the billboard at the time of the collapse. A fourth worker, Clyde Elrod, 37, was freed from the wreckage. The Fowler brothers owned their own company, Fowler Sign Company, while Stofiel and Elrod worked for Athens-based Stephens Electric and Lighting. “We are not planning on any lawsuit at this point in time,” Juanita Fowler said. “There’s more to this than meets the eye. When we are capable of making a statement, we will.” Fowler said she and her husband have been flooded with calls from local and national media but were not yet interested in discussing the situation. For now, the six remaining billboards that had been constructed in Snellville as part of a court settlement are on the ground while engineers study the structures. As part of the settlement, the city had to allow the construction of seven billboards for Trinity Outdoor LLC, including one that collapsed and one that has not yet been constructed, as well as one permit to ADvantage Advertising. Both companies have expressed sorrow for the collapse. Moreover, Trinity owners said they were close friends with the victims. Phoenix Structures constructed all seven of the billboards and hired the engineering company that is currently working with Snellville officials on the inspections. According to Linda Klein, an attorney representing Trinity, the company does not plan to sue Phoenix Structures at this time, although “Phoenix has a responsibility” to the advertising companies.
Small Scottish town has two fatal workplace accidents within 48 hours The small Scottish town of Renfrew has suffered two fatal accidents within 48 hours. At the weekend an eight-year-old boy died on a housing site and on Saturday Andrew Bell, 40, died of injuries he sustained in a fall at the premises of Foxteq. According to one account, Mr Bell fell through flooring being removed at the factory and died at the Southern General Hospital two days later. Both accidents involve scenarios being highlighted in recent HSE campaigns.
Fatal Scaffolding Accident Brings $159,350 in Fines For Three New York Contractors WASHINGTON, DC -- Improperly erected scaffolding and failure to train workers on the hazards of working with scaffolding which resulted in the deaths of five workers and injuries to ten more on October 24, 2001, has resulted in citations against three New York contractors – Nesa, Inc, Tri-State Scaffolding & Equipment Supplies, Inc., and New Millennium Restoration & Contracting Corp., – and $159,350 in penalties, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.“Aggressive action is necessary against employers who willfully disregard worker protections. This case resulted in the deaths of innocent workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These penalties should serve as notice to Nesa, Inc., Tri-State Scaffolding, and New Millennium Restoration to take immediate corrective action to ensure that no such tragedy occurs again under their supervision.” The scaffolding accident took place at 210 Park Avenue South in Manhattan, at a building that was undergoing restoration. Nesa, Inc. was the general contractor on the project; Tri-State Scaffolding was hired by Nesa, Inc. to build the scaffolding; and New Millennium was hired by a DPA, a subcontractor of Nesa, Inc., to perform the demolition and restoration work. The scaffolding, approximately 160 feet high from bottom baseplate to the top, collapsed at approximately 4:00 p.m. on October 24, killing five employees and injuring ten more. Approximately 300 police and fire rescuers responded to the collapse. Killed in the accident were Manuel Barrariso, 40; Ivan Pillacela, 30; Efrain Gonzalez, 26; Donato Conde, 19; and Cesar F. Tenesaca, 25. “Employers should take this enforcement action as a clear indication that OSHA remains committed to vigorous enforcement of construction safety standards,” said Assistant Secretary of Occupational Safety and Health John L. Henshaw. “The tragic deaths of these workers show us that some workplaces still remain are dangerous and unsafe, including places where Hispanic and other immigrant workers are employed. We are committed to assuring that all workers are provided safety and health protections.” OSHA has proposed two alleged willful and four alleged serious citations for Tri-State Scaffolding, with a proposed penalty of $146,600, for erection of a scaffold that violated scaffold safety rules; for erecting a scaffold not designed by a professional engineer; and other violations of scaffolding and worker protection rules. Serious citations, with a proposed penalty of $9,750, have been proposed for New Millennium Restoration, including failure to train employees on various hazards, failure to require personal protective equipment, and other violations of safety and health protections. Serious citations with a proposed penalty of $3,000 have also been proposed against Nesa, Inc., for not providing falling object protection and failure to brace scaffold frames. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. A serious violation is one where there is a substantial probability that death or serious harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard. The employers have 15 working days to contest OSHA’s citations and proposed penalties.
Man critical after falling from scaffolding A construction worker is reported to be in a critical condition after an accident on the site of a reservoir at Cumwhinton, Cumbria. According to one account, the man, aged 53, fell 10 metres from a scaffolding structure on to concrete below. He has serious head injuries.
Muscatine, Iowa Firefighter Dies While Fighting Blaze; 27-Year Veteran Succumbs to Injuries CHRISTOPH TRAPPE, Courtesy Muscatine Journal News MUSCATINE, Iowa - A 27-year veteran of the Muscatine, Iowa Fire Department lost his life during a Saturday night fire, marking the department's first death of an on-duty firefighter. Around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, firefighters responded to a house fire at the corner of East Sixth and Orange streets. Two firefighters were hoisted to the roof of the building to ventilate the house. One of them, Michael Kruse, 53, fell to his death through the roof, said Muscatine Fire Chief Steve Dalbey. He declined to release the name of the other firefighter who was on top of the roof. No other injuries were reported. "There was so much heat and smoke built up inside, so they cut a hole in the roof to relieve it," Dalbey said. "It seemed like things were happening all at once." Dalbey said he wasn't sure how and why Kruse fell through the roof. Dalbey said Kruse was the first on-duty firefighter fatality in Muscatine since the city started its full-time department in the early 1900s. Other firefighters pulled Kruse from the building and transported him to Unity Hospital where he died, Dalbey said. The building's roof was soon engulfed in flames. Many were in shock Sunday as the news sunk in about the death of this lifelong Muscatine resident. "He always had a smile on his face; we can't believe this happened," said Betty Kruse, Michael Kruse's aunt. "It was just one of those things. He would have been off this (Sunday) morning." "He was kind of a quiet guy, very dedicated to the fire service," Dalbey said. "When it came time to do work he was all business, very detail-oriented." Muscatine's central fire station was unusually quiet Sunday morning. "This is unreal," said Assistant Fire Chief Jerry Ewers, while another person stopped by to express his sympathies at the fire station. Counselors from the Quad-Cities came to the Public Safety Building to meet with firefighters for a critical incident debriefing Sunday morning, Dalbey said. Some people called the fire station throughout the day to express their sympathies. At least one area neighbor, Julie Stauffer, stopped by to drop off flowers, sticking out of miniature firefighter boots. Stauffer and her mother, Marlene Anderson, live at 608 E. Sixth St., their home of 41 years, which is across the street from the fire scene. They watched the smoke fill the midnight air. Their good friend, Darlene Adams, stood next to them. Adams lived at the ravaged building until two years ago. "I'm devastated," Adams said early Sunday morning, standing a half block away from the fire scene. "I owned it for like 18 years." She lived there for 37 and sold it to Connie Damerville, who lived at the brick building with her son, Don, according to the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross hosted Damerville and her son at Muscatine's Holiday Inn for at least Sunday and Monday night and provided vouchers for clothes and groceries, said Dave Carlson, the Red Cross volunteer who responded to the scene. "They were very distraught," Carlson said. "They had all their belongings in there and all was lost." Until about five or six years ago, Adams ran her Fitness in Motion, exercise shop out of the building's side that faces Sixth Street. Before that, a monument store operated out of the space while Adams and her family lived in the rest of the building. The majority of firefighters remained on the scene until 3:30 Sunday morning and the investigation into the cause of the fire and the fall continued throughout the day. The Muscatine fire and police departments and the Iowa State Fire Marshall's Office are investigating. Muscatine police blocked off traffic to the scene one block in each direction. Firefighters were fighting the fire from several sides and from the top, out of the ladder truck's bucket. Arrangements are pending at Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Funeral Home.
Worker injured after fall from school roof in Peabody By LINDA HALFREY, Staff writer PEABODY -- A 49-year-old construction worker from Maine was injured yesterday after falling 25 feet from the roof of a classroom wing at the site of the new Brown Elementary School. Michael Garneau was taken by ambulance to Salem Hospital. The hospital would not release information about his condition last night at the request of his family. Witnesses said the man broke several ribs, his wrist, and was suffering from lacerations to his head. The worker, who witnesses said was wearing a safety harness, was standing inside a metal bucket attached to a tall crane when he someone lost his footing and fell to the ground shortly after 3 p.m. "He was on the roof and he just fell off the edge of the building," said Jim Hardy, superintendent of the job site. Hardy works for AMG Construction of Stoughton, the general contractor hired to build the new elementary school. Hardy did not identify the man, saying he wanted to contact his family first. Co-workers found the man unconscious, face down on the ground, and immediately called for medical help. This is the first worker injured at the Lynn Street site, Hardy said, since work on the school began one year ago. "This is very unusual," Hardy said. Investigators from the office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration were called to the construction site, and will try to determine the cause of the accident. Co-worker Richard Leeber, of AMG, said he didn't see the man fall, but rushed over to his side before the EMTs arrived. "He was working with two other guys. We started at 7 a.m. and we were just finishing up," Leeber said. "I don't know what happened." "It's Friday the 13th," he added, shaking his head in disbelief. "You just never want to see anybody get hurt."
Worker hospitalized after roof accident A construction worker is being treated at Desert Regional Medical Center after falling through a skylight on Tuesday morning in Palm Desert. He'd been installing a new air conditioner on a building at Orr Property Management on the 42000-200 block of Green Way. The worker fell 19 feet and landed on concrete. He is in the ER being treated for trauma. The owner said the man has only been working for Palm Desert Air Conditioning for a week. He also said this is the first time anyone has fallen through a skylight.
UPDATE, Injured worker showing signs of improvement By JIM PATTERSON, News-Times Staff A construction worker who was critically injured in an accident at the Union Power Station Saturday morning is showing signs of improvement, according to his wife. "He's doing pretty good," said Shelly Dockins, wife of injured worker Donald Dockins. "We're better than we were, but we're not out of the woods yet." Dockins, 34, of Many, La., was injured early Saturday when he fell between 55 and 60 feet from a tower. Dockins is reportedly a welder for SNC-Lavalin Constructors, Inc., the company that is currently completing contract work on Union Power Partners' 2,205-megawatt power plant, located on U.S. 167 a few miles northeast of El Dorado. El Dorado Police Department dispatch reported receiving the initial 911 call at 7:27 a.m. and transferring it to Pro-Med Ambulance. Dockins was initially transported to the Medical Center of South Arkansas, then airlifted to Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. Reached by telephone on Thursday, Shelly Dockins said her husband is still listed as critical, but added his condition has stabilized. She said she has spoken with SNC-Lavalin's project manager, but has not been told exactly how the accident occurred. The company has been equally silent with regard to media inquiries. Several telephone calls to Mike Indivero, vice president of human relations for SNC, remain unreturned, and the company's local representatives have said that any comment must come from corporate offices. The News-Times contacted the Arkansas office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, but that agency also knows little about the accident. David Trigg, with OSHA, said a report is required only if the accident involves a power press or if it results in the death of an employee or the hospitalization of three or more employees. Late Thursday afternoon, the News-Times learned that BancorpSouth is accepting donations to benefit Dockins and his family, which includes two young children. Donations will be accepted by bank personnel and deposited directly into Shelly Dockins' checking account.
Fall leaves man in critical condition BLOOMINGTON -- A man who fell 30 to 40 feet from a ladder was in critical condition late Monday at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said. Dale Miller was taken from 621 E. Chestnut Street after a rescue call at 4:27 p.m. Monday, a rescue report said. His age and address was not available. Miller was on a ladder on top of a screened-in porch, and the ladder was leaning against the second story. Miller, who was doing work at the residence, was found on the ground by the ambulance crew with a back injury and breathing problems.
UPDATE, OSHA Fines Georgia Contractors Nearly $61,000 Following Fatal Accident At Florida Worksite GULF BREEZE, Fla. -- Failing to protect workers from impalement hazards at a Gulf Breeze, Fla., drug store construction site may cost two Georgia contractors a total of $60,900, according to citations issued by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration yesterday. The agency began an inspection following an April 20 accident that killed a 32-year-old laborer who fell from a scaffold onto a protruding reinforcing steel bar, known as a rebar. The worker was employed by Canton, Ga.-based Chadwick T. Wallace, Inc., a subcontractor at the site where Cannon/Estapa General Contractors, Inc., also headquartered in Canton, was the general contractor. "Cannon/Estapa failed to take appropriate action even after sub-contractors on the job informed the general contractor that the protruding rebar needed to be covered," said James Borders, OSHA's Jacksonville area director. "Employers must take immediate action once they are aware of serious safety hazards that can cause injury or death." The general contractor was cited for a willful violation for not guarding the protruding rebar and a serious violation for poor housekeeping. Proposed penalties for the alleged violations total $50,050. OSHA issued three serious citations against Chadwick T. Wallace for not guarding the rebar to eliminate impalement hazards, not providing safe access to scaffolds, and poor housekeeping. The sub-contractor was fined $10,850 for the alleged violations. According to OSHA, neither employer had a safety and health program in place. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the OSH Act and regulations. A serious violation is one where there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard. Each company has 15 working days to contest the OSHA citations and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Inspection of the work site was conducted by OSHA's Jacksonville area office located at 1851 Executive Center Dr., Suite 227; telephone: (904) 232 2895.
Firefighter Falls Into Lava Tube During Rescue Injured Man, Critical, Flown To Oahu Story by The Hawaii Channel Hawaii -- A Big Island firefighter was injured when he fell about 100 feet down a lava tube Wednesday. It happened while crews were searching for some hunters who got lost in the Captain's Trail area in Glenwood. Officials said the area is not for hiking because of the thick underbrush and numerous lava tubes. He apparently slipped into a large crack in the ground that was obscured by brush, officials said. The 41-year-old firefighter was flown to the Queen's Medical Center on Oahu. He was last reported in critical condition. He has a number of internal injuries to his liver, kidney and lungs. He also has fractures to his pelvis, back and ribs. The firefighter is from the Waiakea unit of the Hawaii County Fire Department. The three hikers eventually found their way out on their own and were not hurt.
AIRLIFT FOR OIL WORKER An OFFSHORE worker was airlifted to safety today after breaking his arm in a boat accident. The 38-year-old slipped on the deck of the Havila Sky support vessel 142 miles off the coast of Aberdeenmthis morning. An RAF search and rescue Sea King helicopter was scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth to take him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Rescuers Deal With Precarious Situation After Construction Accident Rescuers had a difficult situation on their hands today after a construction worker was injured in downtown Miami. The injured 32-year-old man (pictured) reportedly fell and broke his leg at the site at 240 N.E. 13th St. where the new performing arts center is being built. Because the man was several stories up, rescuers lowered him down the side of the building before taking him to the hospital. Southbound traffic on Biscayne Boulevard in the area near 14th Street was partially rerouted.
Worker killed in construction accident at hospital Police and federal officials last night were investigating a construction accident at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that resulted in the death of a worker about noon yesterday. The worker, Heywood Parker, 50, a subcontractor working at the site, was delivering supplies for the expansion of the South Tower on 34th Street in University City when he fell 50 to 80 feet, and was severely injured when he landed on the ground, said a Children's Hospital spokeswoman. Parker was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he died of his injuries. Additional details were not available last night. In addition to separate investigations being conducted by Philadelphia police and the construction company, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating.
Worker badly hurt in building site fall An ironworker was in critical condition last night after plunging 30 feet at an accident-plagued midtown construction site. Joseph Gaffney, 37, of Matawan, N.J., suffered a spinal fracture in the 2:15 p.m. fall from the 22nd floor to the 20th floor of 300 Madison Ave., near 42nd St. On Aug. 23, two workers were killed there when an elevator fell 19 stories.
UPDATED, Company fined after director dies in fall COASTAL Grains has admitted failing to ensure the safety of one of its directors who plunged 70 feet to his death from a gantry. COASTAL Grains has admitted failing to ensure the safety of one of its directors who plunged 70 feet to his death from a gantry. Tim Mallen, 55, was helping workers at the Belford-based company repair the damaged elevator when the platform he and a colleague were standing on collapsed and sent the pair crashing on to the concrete floor below. Mr Mallen was vice-chairman of Coastal Grains the non-profit making farmers' co-operative set up to help businesses in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders by storing and drying grain. He was also farms manager for the Duke of Northumberland and lived on the Hulne Park estate in Alnwick with his wife, Jane. He has a son Simon and daughter Claire. Mr Mallen's colleague, Denny Winter, 24, of Hilltop Cottage in Chatton, sustained a punctured lung, severe internal bleeding and a badly broken arm and had to undergo emergency surgery at Newcastle General Hospital. He is now recovering but is still receiving treatment for his injuries. Coastal Grains directors were fined £8,750 and ordered to pay £2,437 costs after they pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of employees at Alnwick Magistrates' Court on Monday. The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive which has investigated last September's accident. The court was told how Mr Mallen had called into Coastal Grains on a Saturday morning to find the main belt of the grain elevator had snapped. He and his son, Simon, initially tried to use a rope to lift the snapped belt back to the top of the elevator but soon realised it was too heavy. They then decided to attach the rope to a Telehandler farm loader which had been used in the past to winch damaged belts back on to machines. Health and safety inspector Shauna Rank told magistrates how the rope became snagged so Mr Mallen and a colleague went on to the platform to investigate but failed to find anything. However, when the Telehandler started pulling again, the elevator structure collapsed and the pair were thrown to the ground. Mrs Rank admitted the procedure had been carried out safely on numerous occasions but said the company had failed to provide a written procedure for the repair of the machinery. In mitigation, Coastal Grains claimed to have an exemplary safety record and, previously, 18 broken belts had been repaired in the same way. However, the firm admitted having no written procedure and said it would never undertake the repair work itself in the future.
UPDATE, Pierce Discovers Unauthorized Weld Caused N.C. Aerial Collapse HEATHER CASPI, Firehouse.Com News Pierce Manufacturing officials discovered that the aerial collapse in Cary, North Carolina earlier this summer was due to an unauthorized cut and weld job on parts that Pierce purchased from another company. Pierce spokeswoman Kirsten Skyba said Pierce had acquired a parts package from supplier Nova Quintech in Canada, which they used in a few of their Sky-Arm aerials. After extensive analysis, investigators have determined that the Cary aerial had two unauthorized cuts and incomplete welds on the aerial handrails in the base section. Skyba said the section has two layers of steel. Both layers were mistakenly cut, and then only the outer layer was welded back together. "It was absolutely not to spec. There should have been no cuts or welds," Skyba said. The area was ground flush and painted, making it undetectable to Pierce during inspection, she said. After a chemical analysis, investigators determined that the cuts were made by a cut-off wheel which Pierce does not use in its production process, so the cuts could not have been made by Pierce workers. Skyba said the flaw in the aerial is an isolated case. Pierce only used the Nova Quintech parts in the first few Sky-Arms they manufactured, and all 21 of Pierce's Sky-Arms, owned by fire departments nationwide, passed a precautionary inspection this summer. None of the others had the cuts. Skyba said Pierce is presenting its findings to authorities in Canada, although Nova Quintech no longer exists. They are also communicating their findings to sales representatives in case of any customer concerns. Skyba stressed that the defect was caused by parts and procedures that are not part of Pierce's normal production circumstances. Cary firefighters were operating their 1999 Pierce 105' aerial with a Sky-Arm at a structure fire on Tuesday, June 4, when it suddenly collapsed and dropped the two firefighters in the basket about 12 feet down onto a parking lot. They sustained minor injuries.
Two workers badly hurt in fall at farm Two workmen suffered serious injuries this afternoon when they fell more than 20ft through the roof of a cow shed at a farm near Newport. They landed on the concrete floor of the shed at Flashbrook Manor, a few miles north of Newport on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border. One of the men, aged 36, was airlifted to North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary in Stoke with serious head injuries. His workmate, aged 38, was taken by ambulance to Telford's Princess Royal Hospital with suspected chest, rib and hip injuries. They were working on repairs at a cow shed, whose corrugated roof appeared to have given way at around 12.45pm. The isolated farm is on the road between Newport and Knighton. Bob Lee, of Staffordshire Ambulance service, said crews from Shropshire, Staffordshire and a helicopter from the County Air Ambulance had been scrambled to the scene. He said: "The two workmen were working at a cow shed and they have fallen through the roof, plummeting 20ft. "One of the men was taken to the North Staffs Infirmary by helicopter with serious head injuries. His colleague was also badly hurt and was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital with suspected hip, chest and rib injuries." Mr Lee said one of the men appeared to have fallen headfirst onto the concrete base of the building. He was in a serious condition when emergency crews arrived. Mr Lee said the ambulance services' response to the incident was an excellent example of how they co-operated over calls on their borders.
UPDATE, Company fined after machine fall By Simon Dudman A Coventry telecommunications company has been fined £7,500 and ordered to pay £2,000 compensation after a worker climbed inside a punch press machine to free a sheet of metal and fell. The man suffered "serious" bruising to his head, ribs and legs and had to take six weeks off work to recover from his injuries. The incident happened on February 19 of this year at the premises of Viasystems EMSUK Ltd, in Uxbridge Avenue, Copsewood, Coventry. The company, formerly part of the Marconi group and bought by Viasystems in 2000, was charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 with failing to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of its employees. The company, which employs about 200 people, pleaded guilty. It was also ordered to pay £3,140 court costs. Munera Sidat, prosecuting for the HSE, told the court how the worker had at first tried to free the sheet by climbing up a set of mobile ladders, reaching in with a pole. When this attempt failed, he climbed over a 6ft 5 in safety fence and into the machine. Miss Sidat said: "He was in the machine and was kicking the sheet of metal which was jammed. He had one foot on the sheet and was kicking it with the other when the machine suddenly moved and he fell. "The machine was never designed for people to climb into, yet this had become common practice by the operators and the ladders and pole were next to the machine for such incidents. "No risk assessment was carried out for this practice, which shows a major flaw in the management process." David Egar, in mitigation for Viasystems, told the court that the company was currently in financial difficulty following a downturn in the market and asked magistrates to consider this when determining a fine. He also told the court the machine had not been used since the incident and full health and safety training had been carried out by all employees following the accident. He said Viasystems put health and safety at the top of its business agenda but did not fully appreciate the risk of the action described in court. "They are guilty of simply not being aware, rather than ignoring a dangerous practice", he said.
Accident occurs at local sawmill The Ouachita County Sheriff's Office is investigating an industrial accident that occurred around 10 a.m. today at Gaston Lumber Company on Ouachita 67. One person was reportedly injured in a fall at the facility. Additional details were not available at press time.
HORRIFIC ORDEAL FOR GAS WORKER BY SEAN KENNY AND KEVIN PEACHEY A man today spoke of the terrifying moment he impaled himself on a metal spike. Gasman Michael Summerhayes, 57, lost his footing as he stepped over a small chain link fence. He landed on a hooked metal spike which went five inches into his left side just under his ribcage. Firemen used a heavy duty electric saw to cut through the spike before ambulance crews took him to hospital. Mr Summerhayes, a former ambulanceman from Bakersfield, underwent a 90-minute operation at the Queen's Medical Centre to remove the spike. His condition is described as "comfortable". The accident happened after Mr Summerhayes had read the gas meter at the Acorn Day Centre, Hyson Green, at 9am on Thursday. Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Summerhayes said: "When I fell I did not feel the spike go in, but when I could not get up I realised it was inside me. "I am glad I have got a little bit of weight on me as it gave me some protection." His recovery is all the more remarkable as he had a triple heart bypass operation five years ago. His wife Val, 48, said she thought he had suffered a heart attack when she heard the news. "He was lucky because it was only a couple of inches away from his major organs," said the Boots supervisor. "He stayed calm because he did not want to upset me." Mr Summerhayes is hoping he will be fit enough for their holiday in Florida in five weeks. The day centre caretaker and a first-aider helped Mr Summerhayes immediately after the accident. Station Officer Keith Elliot, from Central Fire Station, and five colleagues worked quickly to cut him free. Mr Elliott said: "A three inch diameter post punctured his left side just below the ribs with a small piece of steel which came out of the side of the post. "He was in a lot of pain but he had been given painkillers and oxygen and he was on a drip." Mr Elliott added: "Speed is of the essence in these circumstances. "We had to support him as he was on his knees and hanging on the post." Mr Summerhayes remained calm, thanks to his 15 years' experience as a Nottingham ambulance driver. An ambulance spokeswoman said: "He was probably in a considerable amount of pain, but when we arrived he was still fully conscious and able to answer questions." Following the accident, the city council sent a service manager to the day centre to carry out checks. The council has also asked the Health and Safety Executive to investigate the accident.
Man dies after site accident The accident in Londonderry is being investigated. A workman has died in hospital after falling 100ft in an accident at a building site in Londonderry. It happened at a new Debenham's department store under construction at Foyle Street in Derry at 1130 BST on Tuesday. The victim died in hospital after suffering chest and leg injuries when a staircase collapsed at the site. Police along with Health and Safety Executive officers have been carrying out an investigation into the incident. The name of the dead man has not been released yet.
Worker dies after falling from roof PUNTA GORDA -- A 46-year-old worker died while being airlifted to Lee Memorial Hospital after an accident at a construction site Monday morning. Authorities said the man fell from the roof of a two-story house being built on Mediterranean Drive by Taylor Contractor of Florida Inc. The owner of the company, Pete Taylor, declined to release the worker's name until the man's family had been notified. He called the accident "very sad." The worker fell while tossing a handful of nails to a co-worker on the ground, about 20 to 25 feet below, said Dee Hawkins, spokeswoman for Charlotte County Fire and Emergency Services. "Apparently he lost his balance," she said. The man fell onto a stem wall, a concrete block wall about 2 feet high that goes under an air conditioner. "He had multiple fractures and injuries and he was bleeding internally," Hawkins said. "We worked on him for about 30 minutes before BayFlite picked him up." She said the man carried no identification. "The other workers didn't know his last name and they seemed to think he was having hard times," Hawkins said. "He rode a bicycle to work." Punta Gorda police worked the accident but could provide no further information.
SAILOR INJURED IN FALL A crew member from a boat at anchor in Torbay was taken to hospital after falling from a ladder on to the deck of the pilot boat. The 47-year-old second engineer, hurt his back in the 10ft fall, at 10.40pm. He was returning to the MV Hemina from shore leave when the incident happened. The man was taken into Brixham harbour where a waiting ambulance put him on a spinal board and took him to Torbay Hospital. The man is not thought to be seriously hurt. Berry Head coastguard attended at Brixham harbour.
Needle not liable for worker's injuries OLYMPIA (AP) -- The Space Needle Corp. can't be held liable for injuries to a worker severely hurt by the tower's elevator during preparations for New Year's Eve fireworks in 1997, the Washington Supreme Court has ruled. Jeff Kamla was rigging fireworks on the Space Needle's 200-foot platform about a third of the way up the building when a descending elevator passing through the narrow utility area snagged his safety line. He suffered major injuries and was pensioned off as permanently disabled by Pyro Spectaculars, the company that puts on the annual year-end display at the Space Needle. But Kamla sued the Space Needle Corp., arguing that the building's managers should have provided a safer work environment. A King County Superior Court rejected the case, saying the fireworks contractor was Kamla's employer, not the Space Needle Corp. The high court agreed last week.
Workman Dimitrios Mardikis, 60, fell to his death Workman Dimitrios Mardikis, 60, fell to his death near the Presidential Palace in central Athens yesterday morning when a crane, supporting the platform from which he was painting the facade of a block of flats, collapsed. Another workman was severely injured. The accident occurred on the corner of Irodou Attikou and Lykeiou streets.
Man impaled on scaffolding A 60-year-old man was airlifted to hospital today with serious chest injuries after a piece of scaffolding pierced his chest. It is believed the man, who has not been identified, was cutting branches from a tree in his front garden at Friston when he fell and landed on a piece of scaffolding. Steve Wright, 44, a self employed builder, witnessed the accident from a neighbouring house and rushed to the victim's aid. "I saw him on the scaffolding and I kept watching him for some reason. He didn't look safe up there and I had a premonition something was going to happen. "He was using a chainsaw to cut branches but fell and hit the scaffolding. The scaffolding went one way and the chainsaw went the other, he fell and landed on a spike which went through his chest." Mr Wright rushed to help the man who had already pulled the piece of metal from his chest. Mr Wright continued: "He was making gurgling noises and I immediately went to call an ambulance." During that time Mr Wright said the man disappeared from the scene of the accident and he later found him slumped in a chair in his house. On advice from ambulance staff Mr Wright tried to stop the flow of blood from the wound by holding a towel against his chest. "Thankfully the ambulance was here very quickly," he said. Paramedics took the man by ambulance to the village green where the air ambulance was waiting for him and he was then airlifted to Ipswich Hospital. The accident happened just before 10am in Donkey Lane, Friston.
Kansas firefighter lucky to be alive after fall down slope TILLER -- A 50-foot, head-first tumble off a steep mountainside in the Tiller Complex fires sent a firefighting soldier on a helicopter flight to a Medford-area hospital Tuesday. Sgt. Scott Urban, 25, with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery of Ft. Riley, Kan., abruptly ended a tour of duty in Douglas County with a slip and long fall that was stopped short of a potentially bad end by the trunk of a fallen tree, fire officials said. "His doctor says Sgt. Urban is one lucky guy," said Capt. Sherri Reed, spokeswoman for Task Force Destroyer, the 540-soldier strong firefighting contingent. "He slipped in loose gravel and ash on a nearly 70-degree slope. He is in stable condition." He suffered bumps, bruises and muscle strain, Reed said. Urban was part of mop-up operations on the Little Boy and Big Bend fires, located about 25 miles east of Tiller near the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness Area. The rest of Urban's unit will ship out Friday, ending a 14-day assignment on the Tiller Complex. Despite the mishap, officers with Task Force Destroyer say it's been a good experience. "The soldiers have gotten to see a different part of the country and learn about firefighting," said Maj. John Cotton while on a fire line visit. "For a lot of them it is their first time in the mountains. Now, it's back to training at Ft. Riley."
UPDATE, GG Bridge Worker Identified San Francisco-AP- The construction worker who died while working on the Golden Gate Bridge has been identified as a 42-year-old Cotati man. Kevin Scott Noah fell about 60 feet yesterday while working on the bridge's earthquake retrofit project. Officials say Noah's safety harness failed and he fell to the ground at the south end of the bridge. Noah and a second man were working inside the South Anchorage House when Noah apparently slipped off scaffolding. The retrofit project was put on hold yesterday while the accident was investigated by the California Highway Patrol and the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Authorities say there have been no other deaths or serious injuries since the project began five years ago.
Jay man dies in roofing accident By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP - Managing Editor A Jay man was pronounced dead Wednesday morning after falling from a rooftop where he was working. James Darrill Starling, 61, of Morristown Road, was pronounced dead on arrival by medical technicians who arrived on the scene at approximately 9:15 a.m. According to Escambia County Sheriff Tim Hawsey, deputies responded to 326 Stick City Road, near a landfill on Jay Road. Upon arriving on the scene, deputies and emergency personnel from the Dixonville Volunteer Fire Department and D.W. McMillan Ambulance Service found Starling laying on a concrete slab. "He was working on a new house that was under construction," Hawsey said. "It looks like he was working on the roof when he lost his footing and fell." Witnesses on the scene told investigating deputies that Starling landed head-first on the concrete slab. He was working on a tin roof that was about 11 feet from the ground. It is unknown whether Starling ever gained consciousness after the fall. Starling was transported to D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital by ambulance and later was moved to the Department of Forensics in Mobile for an autopsy. "There will be an autopsy performed," Hawsey said. "In vocational deaths there needs to be an autopsy due to the number of agencies that could be involved." Investigators feel the fall was most likely an accident. "We feel very strongly that this was an accident and all of facts and evidence of the preliminary investigation support that," he said. "We will wait for the official results from the lab and continue with the investigation."
Workers Sent Home After GG Bridge Fatal Accident SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District officials say the fatal fall of a construction worker today has temporarily halted all work on the seismic retrofit project on the famous span. San Francisco police were notified that a 42-year-old worker had fallen to his death around 9:15 a.m. The accident happened toward the southern end of the bridge near Fort Point. A spokesman for the local engineering contractor involved -- Shimmick Construction Co. of Hayward -- said about 50 workers were sent home today and grief counselors have been called. He said work might resume as early as Wednesday, but no decision has yet been made. "We're all devastated by this,'' said Scott Fairgrieve, who serves as chief financial officer for Shimmick, adding that "nothing remotely like this'' has ever happened at the company. Fairgrieve said the 42-year-old carpenter who died was a resident of the greater Bay Area. He had been employed just a short time by the joint venture Shimmick formed with giant Japanese company Obayashi Corp. to undertake the $160 million retrofit job. Construction began last summer and is expected to continue for another year and a half. The accident victim, whose name has not been released, was strapped into an upper torso harness while standing on some scaffolding, according to Fairgrieve, but the device apparently "did not operate properly.'' He said the worker was inside a hollow, concrete anchor house where the job included adding structural steel and strengthening concrete footings. The enclosed structure rests on the land, where the bridge suspension cables from above feed down to connect with an anchor below. The man fell, reportedly some 60 feet, and landed inside the anchor house, Fairgrieve explained. Source: KTVU/Fox2 and Bay City News
Worker Crashes to Death At Aflao Aug 13, 2002 (Accra Mail/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Kojo Olu Papa Kuwornu, 32, died on arrival at the Aflao Central Hospital on Friday after crashing from a height of 35 metres following the collapse of a platform he and a colleague were standing on while working on a silo at the Diamond Cement Limited (DCL) at Aflao. Raymond Akakpo, 33, who was on the platform with Kuwornu, however, escaped death when his safety belt hook remained firm on an iron bar. He was suspended in the air until he was rescued with a crane. A source close to the company said Akakpo and Kuwornu; experts in constructing industrial infrastructure were erecting the platforms around the silo to serve as a support to enable them to lay beams to roof the silo. The source said though the deceased was also wearing a safety belt, his hook gave way and he crashed on the concrete floor of the silo. Akakpo, who was traumatised and is on admission at the Aflao Central Hospital from chest pains, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on Saturday, that the platform collapsed under them when they tried to lift a board from a crane. He said they both wore safety belts hooked to pillars but said he could not explain how Kuwornu got detached and fell. Mr Chitti Babu, Managing Director of the DCL showed the safety devices the company has to police investigators and the press and stressed that it is the policy of the company to insist on their use. The body has been deposited at the Hospital Morgue for further investigations.
Injured construction worker rescued after fall By ROMA KHANNA, Houston Chronicle Emergency crews rescued a construction worker who fell and was knocked unconscious at a construction site at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The man was doing metal work on a platform about five feet off the ground when he fell and lost consciousness. "He only fell a few feet but he was unconscious," said Ernie DeSoto, spokesman for the Houston Airport System. "At first the other workers thought it might be from the heat, but then they couldn't revive him." The man was taken by LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. He was working on the federal inspection services building, which will house several federal agencies such as the Immigration and Naturalization Service and Customs, at North Terminal Road and John F. Kennedy.
OSHA investigating death of Keystone construction worker Jane Reuter KEYSTONE - Investigators from the Denver office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Thursday began looking into circumstances surrounding the death of a man doing construction on a Keystone house Wednesday. Miguel Mota, 25, suffered chest and head injuries when he fell more than 30 feet from the roof of the home. He was pronounced dead at Keystone Medical Center about 3 p.m. Wednesday. Mota, of Commerce City, is survived by his wife and two children. Mota was a member of a construction crew working at the Elk Run Circle house on Keystone's River Course. He was employed by Denver-based Fowler & Peth, according to OSHA officials. OSHA spokeswoman Chris Corrigan said it's too soon to talk about the case. "We're not at liberty to speak about the inspection until it is closed," she said. "Normally, we have a six-month statute of limitations. I don't believe it will take nearly that long, but it could. We know it's residential construction related." Fowler & Peth, in business since 1948, has no OSHA violations in Colorado, according to OSHA's Web site. Nevertheless, Summit County Coroner Dave Joslin said, OSHA is requiring an autopsy. Joslin did not know if Mota was wearing a hard hat and safety harness but hinted the worker was lacking some required restraints. Workers at Fowler & Peth's Denver offices said little. "We're very upset about losing an employee and friend," said a company employee who declined to give her name. "We're shocked and grieving."
Scaffolding Fall Injures Construction Worker A construction worker was injured while working on scaffolding Thursday, according to Ann Arbor police. The incident reportedly happened around 10 a.m. in the 3000 block of Broadway Street. The scissor-scaffolding tipped over and the man fell 27 feet to the ground, police said. The man suffered a broken leg and bruised ribs. He was transported to the University of Michigan Hospital and is listed in fair condition. No other information was available.
UPDATE, Painter killed in deadly Capitol Hill accident By Tricia Manning-Smith, KING 5 News SEATTLE - A deadly accident on Seattle's Capitol Hill leaves one man dead Sunday. A painter fell to his death, hitting power lines on the way down. "The right side of his hair was on fire, his foot was on fire, he wasn't moving," said Francis McGrody, witness. "We're all standing going, 'Holy crap. What are we going to do now?'" The painter from Seattle was apparently electrocuted as he fell four stories to his death. It appeared he wasn't even ready to perform the job he was attempting. The worker's boss told KING 5 News the man wasn't even supposed to be on the boom. At the time the man was painting the side of a building. It was his first day on the job. Before chaos erupted on the scene, John McDaniel looked out his window from across the street. "It didn't look good," said McDaniel. "I was just looking up there. I was thinking, 'Maybe they know what they're doing. Oops. I guess not.'" Neighbors described hearing a loud hum then what sounded like a sonic boom. Mike Staczek looked out and saw billowing smoke. "I ran down with the only fire extinguisher I could find," said Staczek. Witnesses said the boom lift was ablaze, its tires blown out. And on the ground lay a 48-year-old man. "He was just laying there," described McGrody. "Part of you wants to be a spectator, the other part wants to go help the guy, but there's a wire on the ground." It all happened shortly before noon. The painter was up in the air more than 40-feet. Authorities said he was operating the boom by himself from the lift when his head came into contact with a 26,000-volt power line. Investigators are determining why the painter came so close. "The WAC code requires that you remain 10 feet away from high voltage, 600 volts or up," said one city worker," said Gene Brehmeyer, L & I Investigator. Investigators say the line may have jolted the painter several times before he plunged to the ground. L & I investigators say the investigation may take up to three weeks. If the painting company is found negligent, they could face a penalty. Power was knocked out to about 3,800 Seattle City Light customers. Power was expected to be fully restored Sunday evening.
Billboard Collapse Kills 3 in Ga. By Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press Writer SNELLVILLE, Ga. –– A 35,000-pound billboard collapsed at a suburban Atlanta shopping center Thursday, killing three construction workers who were crushed by the falling steel. A fourth worker was pulled from the wreckage and hospitalized in good condition, authorities said. "We heard this big crash, so we looked over and we saw this huge sign just fall," witness Truly Scott told WAGA-TV. "There was blood everywhere. It was awful to see." The billboard, roughly 30 by 60 feet, was under construction when it collapsed just before noon at the shopping center. It crashed onto two cars and into the side of a one-story building below. No one else was hurt. The workers who died fell 40 feet as the sign buckled. They were identified as brothers Josh, 23, and Anthony Fowler, 21; and Lance Stofiel, 26. The injured worker was identified as electrician Clyde Elrod, 37. The billboard was designed to switch among three advertisements using rotating boards. Structural work on the billboard was complete, and the crew was doing electrical work, Gwinnett County fire Lt. David Dusik said. Dusik said authorities did not yet know why the structure collapsed. The city of Snellville, about 20 miles east of Atlanta, issued a statement blaming the accident on a federal court decision that threw out the city's restrictions on tall billboards. Two advertising companies had sued to overturn the restrictions.
Two companies involved in billboard's construction were fined for pervious safety violations; Snellville mayor blames judge for OK'ing signs By LARRY HARTSTEIN and ANDREA JONES, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writers Two companies involved in the construction of the billboard that collapsed Thursday in Snellville killing three workers -- including two brothers -- have been fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the past. Buford-based Trinity Outdoor was fined more than $2,200 after a worker fell more than 20 feet from a billboard and broke both his ankles in April 2001, said OSHA spokeswoman Linda McClaughin. The fines stemmed from charges the company didn't have gear to protect workers from falls or first aid available. They were classified by OSHA as serious violations. Phoenix Structures, of Athens, Tenn., was fined $600 for safety violations after an incident in March 1997. In related developments, the city of Snellville is blaming faulty manufacturing in Thursday's billboard collapse. And the mayor is blaming a federal judge for forcing the city to allow billboards in the first place. Mayor Brett Harrell has called an emergency City Council meeting to seek backing for his efforts to remove the signs. He said he will demand that six billboards in Snellville similar to the 35,000-pound structure that collapsed be dismantled and that businesses underneath them be closed until that's done. "I don't see that I can allow them to stand," he said amid the devastation. "We've got a public safety issue that, in my mind, takes priority. Hopefully, those other billboards can be brought down quickly so the businesses can reopen." The collapse happened shortly before noon at a strip shopping center at Ga. 124 and Dogwood Road, near Ronald Reagan Parkway, as a work crew was doing finishing work on the newly erected sign. Josh Fowler, 23, of Loganville, his brother Anthony Fowler, 21, and Lance Stofiel, 26, of Buford were killed when the 60-foot sign gave way. Clyde Elrod, 37, of Athens was injured. He was taken to North Fulton Regional Hospital, where he was in satisfactory condition Friday morning. "It looks like it was a manufactured defect," said Jeff Timler, Snellville's director of planning and development. The welding on the side did not hold." Harrell issued a blistering statement less than two hours after the accident. "This tragic loss of life was brought about as a result of a recent court decision based on a lawsuit filed against the city by Trinity Outdoor LLC and Advantage Advertising LLC," the statement said. In that decision, written by District Judge Clarence Cooper, "the court threw out in its entirety the city's prior sign ordinance as unconstitutional. The prior ordinance, with its appropriate restrictions, would have prevented this tragedy." Snellville's 1993 sign ordinance banned large roadside billboards. The two billboard companies filed suit last year, claiming the ordinance unfairly restricted free speech. Cooper struck down the city ordinance last November as unconstitutional and instructed Snellville officials to "negotiate in good faith" with the billboard companies. Under a settlement reached in December, the city allowed eight of the 13 proposed billboards, with a maximum height of 60 feet apiece. The city also adopted an ordinance limiting the height of other billboards to 15 feet. Cooper declined to comment Thursday afternoon. A member of his staff said Snellville officials had the option of waiting for a ruling on whether billboards could have been prohibited under the zoning ordinance. But instead the city negotiated a settlement. The billboard that fell was the sixth of seven Buford-based Trinity planned. Morgan Hudgens, Trinity president and co-owner, said company officials are "grieving really bad over these deaths." "There is a full investigation, and we're supporting it all the way," he said. State Rep. Ralph Hudgens (R-Hull), who co-owns another billboard company with his son Morgan, said the accident was "an absolute tragedy" that likely resulted from a manufacturing flaw. "They are engineered to withstand up to 80-miles-an-hour wind," he said. "The only other one that has ever fallen that I know of was in Tuscaloosa, [Ala.,] when a tornado hit it." The president of Phoenix Structures, the Tennessee company that made the billboard, was in Florida for a meeting and flew to Atlanta when he heard about the accident. "We are just terribly stricken by this," President David Kearsley said. "It's too early to know why it happened. This is highly unusual. We've had signs fall before, but it was because of storms and other things." The billboard's electrical system was inspected Thursday morning, Timler said. The foundation was inspected last week, he said. Harrell's proposal would likely close a few Snellville companies adjacent to these signs on U.S. 78, Ga. 124 and Ronald Reagan Parkway. Harrell couldn't say how many businesses might be affected, but he wanted to limit it to just a few. Gwinnett Primary Care & Physical Medicine, which leased a corner of its property to Trinity for one of its billboards, is one such business. "We really hope they wouldn't [shut us down] because we all have to have paychecks," said Sandy Tolleson, the clinic's office manager. "But if there's a real safety issue, yeah, we'd be concerned about that. We don
2 workers injured in fall from scaffold MILFORD — Two workers suffered shoulder and back injuries when they fell 12 feet from a scaffold that collapsed outside an Edgefield Avenue home Thursday, fire officials said. The scaffold set up at 5 Edgefield Ave. gave way at about 12:45 p.m., Fire Chief Louis LaVecchia said. It is not known what caused the scaffolding to collapse, and the incident is being investigated by police and fire officials. A worker still at the scene Wednesday declined to comment. The two men, ages 26 and 40, were treated at Bridgeport Hospital. Fire officials did not release their names. One man suffered mostly cuts and bruises, while the other suffered a broken shoulder, said John Cappiello, a spokesman for Bridgeport Hospital.
UPDATE, Lions Set Up Fund For Ford Field Worker The Lions have established a memorial fund for the family of Gjon Gojcaj, the painter killed in an accident at Ford Field, the team said Wednesday. Gojcaj, 42, was a father of five from Macomb Township. Lions' Chief Operating Officer Tom Lewand said that donations can be made at any Comerica Bank branch. Gojcaj was killed Tuesday inside Ford Field when the hydraulic lift he was working on at 150 feet in the air collapsed and crashed down. Gojcaj's death was ruled an accident, according to preliminary police investigation. The team met with union leaders Wednesday morning to go over safety issues. Work resumed after being halted on Tuesday following the tragedy. The Lions said that the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) is leading an investigation that is expected to take several weeks. "The most important job that every man and woman working on Ford Field has is to go home at night. Nothing else comes close," said Lewand. The Lions said that MIOSHA is leading an investigation that is expected to take several weeks. The team said that it will not comment on the probe as investigators look into the mishap, but will cooperate. Gojcaj's co-workers at Ford Field said Wednesday that he died a hero. They said that even as the lift began to collapse, Gojcaj yelled out a warning so that nobody else would get hurt. Tradesmen took empty paint buckets and circulated them among themselves Wednesday, soliciting donations, according to Lewand. The construction workers set an undisclosed fundraising goal among themselves described as "substantial." "He was a good son, a good father, a good husband, and a good person," Kole Gojcaj said about his eldest son, Gojcaj. Gojcaj worked for Thomarios Painting, which is based in Akron, Ohio, but also reportedly had a Detroit address. Consumer and Industry Services spokeswoman Maura Campbell said that the state inspected Thomarios at Ford Field on July 2 and July 3, and issued two citations. Campbell said it's not yet known whether those citations, which had to do with the way the company set up scaffolding, were related to Tuesday's accident. The citations were mailed to the company on July 23.
UPDATE, Lions suspend company after painter's death By David Shepardson / The Detroit News DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions suspended the use of a painting subcontractor at Ford Field Wednesday, one day after a painter died in a 150-foot fall. The team is re-evaluating whether it would continue to use Thomarios Painting Co. of Akron, Ohio, said Tom Leward, the team's chief operating officer. He defended the team's safety record in building the $315 million, 65,000-seat stadium, set to open on schedule Aug. 24 in an exhibition game against Pittsburgh. "Nothing is more important than safety," Lewand said. The steel trusses near the roof that Gjon Gojcaj was painting may not be painted by the time of the Lions' first game, as the Lions investigate the accident. A state construction safety officer also is conducting an investigation that is expected to last several months. Gojcaj, 42, a father of five from Macomb Township, had worked on the site for only a month when he plummeted to his death Tuesday morning. The hydraulic crane on which he was standing tipped over, sending him into a concrete section of the stadium that will house the first tier of seats. Gojcaj, an ethnic Albanian who emigrated from Yugoslavia, was eulogized Wednesday morning at a 20-minute memorial service attended by about 800 workers at Ford Field. Funeral arrangements are pending, said his cousin, Jason Gojcaj. On July 23, Thomarios Painting was issued two serious citations by the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services for failing to take proper safety precautions involving painting at the site. The company was fined $1,750. Thomarios Painting hasn't yet responded to the citations issued by the state, said Kalmin Smith, deputy director of the state agency. The company has three weeks from the date of the citation to contest or pay the fine, he said. Workers passed paint buckets during the memorial service and made donations to the fund. Donations may be made to the Gojcaj family fund at any Comerica bank branch in Metro Detroit.
UPDATE, Safety officials probe death at Ford Field Painter falls 150 feet as crane tips, witnesses say By David Shepardson / The Detroit News DETROIT -- State safety officials are investigating a dramatic accident Tuesday that killed a 42-year-old Macomb County painter at the Ford Field project. Gjon Gojcaj plummeted 150 feet to his death when a hydraulic crane apparently tipped over, sending him into the first tier of seats around 10 a.m. Tuesday, workers said. A cousin, Jason Gojcaj, said the victim was an Albanian immigrant and the father of five children, who had worked on the stadium project for a month for the subcontractor, Thomarios Painting of Akron, Ohio. "We want to know why this happened and whether the equipment was set up right," said Gojcaj, who lives in Warren and is also a painter. "This shouldn't have happened." The Detroit Lions halted work on the project and late Tuesday couldn't say whether the accident would push back the stadium's opening, which is set for a exhibition game Aug. 24 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. "We are going to be working through the night on the investigation," Lions spokeswoman Risa Balayem said. Work was to resume this morning, she said. She wouldn't comment on whether the Lions were satisfied with the performance of the painting subcontractor or would continue to use the company to complete the job. The accident inquiry is being conducted by a construction specialist from the state Department of Consumer and Industry Services, which oversees workplace safety. He interviewed witnesses and inspected equipment Tuesday afternoon. Last week, that agency fined Thomarios Painting $1,750 and issued two serious citations for failing to maintain safety procedures for painters following a July 2-3 inspection at Ford Field. The company allegedly violated a fall-protection rule for employees performing touch-up painting of structural steel 150 feet above the stadium floor. Safety lifelines, harnesses designed to prevent injury in the case of a fall, were not up to state requirements. In the second violation, scaffolds also were not up to code because gear known as softeners or slings were not in place. Thomarios Painting executives didn't return calls seeking comment. At the time of Tuesday's accident, Gojcaj was painting metal trusses while he was harnessed to a steel basket, fellow workers said. That equipment was not directly related to the June 23 citations, said Kalmin Smith, deputy director of the Department of Consumer and Industry Services. The state's investigation could take several months, Smith said. Officials will check whether the crane was set up correctly and whether it was stabilized properly with down-riggers, which prevent it from tipping. "It was a terrible sight. This is a terrible tragedy," said Mark Mariani of Wyandotte, an iron worker. The Lions are returning from the Pontiac Silverdome after a 28-year absence from downtown Detroit. Before 1974, the Lions played at Tiger Stadium. The $315 million venue is being built behind the Tigers' new home, Comerica Park. At Ford Field, there have been just three accidents among the hundreds of subcontractors working on the project, with only one involving an injury. A employee for Colosanti Inc. fell on Oct. 1. The company was fined $900 for one citation. Migard Corp. had an accident on March 16, 2000, that resulted in 11 citations and a $3,000 fine. Ferguson Enterprises had an accident on April 30 that resulted in 6 citations and a $2,100 fine. Ken Johnson of the general contractor, Hunt Jenkins, White/Olson LLC of Indianapolis, said the company had no comment.
Worker killed at Detroit Lions new stadium ALEXANDRA R. MOSES, Associated Press Writer A painter at the Detroit Lions' new stadium was killed Tuesday when a hydraulic lift he was on fell into the first tier of seats. Other details were not immediately released, but police Lt. Janice Butler confirmed the death of the worker at Ford Field. Brian Dye, another painter at the stadium, said the machinery tipped over and the basket the man was sitting in fell into the seats upside down. Construction was shut down for the day and was to resume Wednesday, said Tom Lewand, chief operating officer for the Lions. The 65,000-seat stadium is scheduled to open next month when the team plays host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an exhibition game. The Lions are returning downtown -- from the Pontiac Silverdome -- for the first time since 1974 at the new $315 million venue. Ford Field includes a giant glass wall, revealing the Detroit skyline, and the old Hudson's warehouse, built in 1920. The Super Bowl is scheduled for the stadium in 2006. High winds caused a crane to collapse during construction of Miller Park, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1999, killing three ironworkers. A 450-ton piece of roof dropped in that accident and caused $100 million in damage to the stadium. As a result, the park's opening was delayed by a season.
Man impaled on ladder after it collapses under him A 66-year-old man was undergoing surgery at an Athens hospital yesterday to remove a section of a metal ladder upon which he impaled himself while doing a household chore. Firemen had to remove a metal rod from the stomach of G. Matthaios after the ladder gave way and he fell onto the rod which was apparently supposed to have stabilized the ladder.
Worker falls from power station chimney An employee of a contractor has fallen to his death from a chimney at Eggborough power station, Selby. David Jamieson, 56, was employed by the steeplejack company Pendric from Edinburgh who were contracted to install a lining to the tall gas flue. A spokesman for British Energy said: "It is impossible to say exactly what happened. But it would seem that the injuries are consistent with a fall."
UPDATE, Stadium workers: Safety was ignored By CINDY SWIRKO, Sun staff writer The son and several co-workers of construction employee James Sudak, who died in a Wednesday accident at the University of Florida football stadium, said safety standards were ignored by the project contractors. "Nobody on the job liked the way it was set up and the way things were being done," said Victor Sudak, himself a construction worker on the project. "Instead of going our way, the safe way, we did it the way we were told by others and now my father is gone. Now we have this." Sudak, 45, died Wednesday afternoon at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, where a press box is being renovated and facilities expanded. Turner-PPI Joint Venture is the project contractor. Sudak was an ironworker for Summit Erectors Inc. of Jacksonville, a subcontractor on the stadium project. Police said Sudak was setting a concrete column when a steel brace hit him and knocked him off a ledge. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating. Turner-PPI spokeswoman Terry Kuflik said Friday that "any statements relating to this will be made by OSHA." She would not comment further. Turner-PPI project manager Tom Maurer did not return phone messages Friday. Maurer said Wednesday the accident was the first since construction began last year. A sign at the site said 46,324 man hours had been worked without an accident. James Sudak was working at a height of more than 95 feet and fell about 60 feet, landing on another ledge, said several co-workers who said they wanted anonymity for fear of losing their jobs. The co-workers said Sudak was plumbing the column when the brace - which weighs about 450 pounds - came loose from its bracket because it was not bolted to a specified torque. They added that a cable barrier along the ledge over which Sudak fell was not up at the time. Instead it was put up immediately after the accident. "The brace slid out from behind the bolt because the bolt was not secure or tight enough. It hit him in the back of the head," said one worker. "There are precautions that could have been taken. This man doesn't have to be dead." Those precautions include safety walls, harnesses and secondary lifelines - anchored cables with a tether long enough to allow workers to move freely but short enough so they would not fall far in an accident. The workers said Turner-PPI is taking risks to meet the schedule. Not taking the time to fully secure materials and equipment, install lifelines and erect protective barriers everywhere they are needed is evidence of that, they said. Construction began about a year ago and is set to be completed in time for the first game of the 2003 season. OSHA officials said they would not comment on the case until the investigation is complete, which could take several months. Construction workers who spoke to The Sun about their safety concerns said they have voiced those concerns to OSHA investigators. Victor Sudak was working at the site when his father died. He returned to Gainesville briefly Friday for interviews with UPD investigators.
Worker Falls Off Roof To His Death; Occupational probe launched, police say By John Moreno Gonzales and Keiko Morris, STAFF WRITERS First he heard the "thump." Seconds later he was peering through an open skylight at his brother's body on the floor below, Selvin Orozco told Nassau police. He and his brother, Ronnie Orozco, 22, of Hempstead had been repairing the roof of a single-story building at Sen. John D. Caemmerer Park in Searingtown about 11 a.m. Thursday when Ronnie fell 15 feet to his death. Emergency workers rushed him to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Police said that Ronnie fell onto a tile floor, striking his head. The Nassau County medical examiner's office concluded that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The brothers had been working for Triple "A" Contracting, a roofing and siding business in Garden City Park that was hired by the Town of North Hempstead to fix the building's roof. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident, police said. A woman with the company said that no one was available to discuss the accident, but Ronnie's family said that he had been working at the company for about a year, doing mostly roofing jobs for $15 an hour. Ronnie Orozco was happy with his pay, though he had no health insurance, and felt that the job site was safe, said his cousin Roberto Orozco, 25. However, Roberto, who said he also had worked for Triple "A" on a regular basis, added that when roofing work was performed there were no harnesses or other equipment to prevent them from falling. Roberto said he now feared that he and Selvin have not only lost a loved one but also their jobs. The OSHA investigation, he said, meant that Triple "A" would likely not hire them again. "He [the employer] only tried to help us," Roberto Orozco said. "It's not his fault." Ronnie felt his supervisors treated him fairly, his cousin said. His only complaint was that the work was outside and under the sun. The company has promised to help pay for Ronnie's funeral expenses, Roberto said. Ronnie had a talent for soccer, his cousin said. On Sundays the brothers and other family members would go to a Hempstead park and play soccer until the sun fell. "He was the best soccer player of us all," Roberto said. Ronnie worked hard, his family said, and sent money home to his parents, Hector and Olivia Orozco, who are in Guatemala. Another brother, Wilmer Orozco, said that it was Ronnie's dream to return to his homeland someday.
Construction worker killed at Florida football stadium A construction worker, helping to renovate the University of Florida's football stadium, fell to his death Wednesday. James Joseph Sudak, 46, of Jacksonville, was working at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium when he was apparently hit by a piece of steel that knocked him to a platform 60 feet below, campus police said. Sudak died at the scene. Sudak's son, Vic, was also working at the site when the accident occurred around 1:50 p.m. Work was immediately stopped and construction employees were sent home. Officials were not certain when work would resume. Occupational/Safety and Health Administration officials are investigating. The construction at Ben Hill Griffin is part of a $50-million project that is adding new skybox seats, a new press box and other facilities.
Factory worker dies after being submerged in chocolate vat HATFIELD, Pennsylvania - A candy factory worker died after being submerged in a 1,200-gallon (4,542 liters) vat of liquefied chocolate, police said. Yoni Cordon, 19, of Philadelphia, was discovered in the vat by co-workers at the Kargher Corp. on Tuesday, authorities said. Police said they believe Cordon had been working on a platform near the opening of the vat, which is used for mixing and melting chocolate. Nobody saw Cordon fall and it was unknown how long he was submerged before he was found, Hatfield Township police detective Patrick M. Hanrahan said. Hanrahan said foul play was not suspected and the death was being investigated as an accident.
Two seriously injured in workplace accidents A teenager who started a new job as a refuse collector just four days ago, was last night in a critical condition in hospital after being crushed under the wheels of his truck. The 17-year-old from Siggiewi was standing on the platform at the rear of the rubbish lorry when he lost his balance. Police said he fell to the ground and tumbled into the path of the truck’s tyres as it turned a corner in Fgura. The accident happened shortly after midday during a rubbish collection round in Censu Busuttil Street. He was rushed to the casualty department at St Luke’s Hospital and was given life-saving treatment. Police said the teenager was then transferred to the Intensive Therapy Unit where he was under close observation by medical staff. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, another Siggiewi man was seriously hurt after falling down a shaft in St Julian’s. The construction worker was carrying out maintenance work between the Hilton Hotel and the Portomaso Tower at 1.10pm yesterday. It is understood he lost his balance and fell from a height of around two storeys. He was rushed to St Luke’s Hospital by ambulance. Duty magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima appointed a number of court experts to assist in on-site inquiries.
Worker Rescued After Falling 10 Feet Into Sewage Rescue Team Uses Ropes, Pulleys To Lift Employee ALLIANCE, Ohio -- A man who fell more than 10 feet to a sewage-covered floor lay motionless for an hour as firefighters worked to rescue him. Tim O'Neill was climbing a ladder inside a sludge tank when he slipped and fell. The 12-year worker at the Alliance Wastewater Plant had been cleaning the sides of the tank, used to stabilize bacteria in solid waste. Rescue workers had to use a system of ropes and pulleys to lift O'Neill through the 3-foot opening at the top. Rescue workers quickly rinsed him with a fire hose after he was pulled from the tank. Paramedics said the fall left him with possible ankle and back injuries. He was in satisfactory condition Tuesday at Aultman Hospital in Canton.
UPDATE, State investigates fall from roof at David Douglas High TRACY JAN The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division is investigating a July 2 accident at David Douglas High School in which three workers were seriously injured after falling 30 feet through a roof. Three workers from McDonald & Wetle Inc., a Portland-based roofing contractor, were installing a new rubber covering on the slightly sloped gym roof when they fell. Alvaro Gutierrez-Olmos, Gerardo Abad and Richard Hooten were taken to OHSU Hospital. Gutierrez-Olmos, 40, was treated for back and neck injuries and a twisted knee; Abad, 42, sustained a punctured lung, fractured ribs and cuts on his head and lips; and Hooten, 42, had leg, arm and head injuries, according to the men's employer and Don Berg, an OR-OSHA safety enforcement manager. The men, who have worked for McDonald & Wetle for more than a year, have been released from the hospital and are expected to recover fully. "We're just happy they're recovering well and getting healthy again," said Gordon Childress, senior project manager for Baugh Construction, the re-roofing project's general contractor. The roofing contractor had been working on the 40-year-old gym roof since school ended in mid-June, said Courtney Wilton, David Douglas director of administrative services. The re-roofing of the high school gym and north wing is among many remodeling projects being paid for with a bond passed by voters in 2000. The accident pushed the project's completion back several weeks to the end of August, Wilton said. A volleyball camp scheduled in the gym starting in mid-August will be moved to another gym. Wilton said the men were standing atop a wood and concrete composite roof panel and pushing a roll of rubber roof covering up a slope when the accident occurred. Wilton speculated that at least one of the rectangular roof panels slipped off its support and fell. The cause of the accident is unclear, but state investigators expect to finish their examination of what went wrong in several weeks, said Kevin Weeks, OR-OSHA spokesman. "These types of accidents are extremely uncommon," Weeks said. "We want to find answers as to why these gentlemen were hurt so seriously on the job." Weeks said accidents of this magnitude, in which workers fall and are seriously injured during a roofing project, occur about once every four years in Oregon. In the past 12 years, the state has cited McDonald & Wetle on 19 serious violations where workers could be injured or killed as a result of a hazard, Weeks said. Until the investigation is complete, Weeks said he does not know who is responsible for the accident. In response to the accident, the David Douglas School Board last week approved the installation of metal scaffolding below the gym roof as a precaution to break any future falls. The scaffolding should be in place by the end of next week, Wilton said.
Canonsburg ironworker dies in Lawrence Co. fall BY MATT UMSTEAD, THE OBSERVER-REPORTER A 27-year-old Canonsburg man died Tuesday after a bridge beam dislodged and knocked him off construction scaffolding at a demolition project on Route 422 in Taylor Township, Lawrence County, state police in New Castle said. A fourth generation ironworker, Troy Lee Pedigo was pronounced dead at 1:52 p.m. at St. Francis Hospital in New Castle. An autopsy showed Pedigo died from respiratory paralysis caused by a cracked spine, police said. Pedigo had been wearing a safety harness but had disconnected the device to retrieve a tool when the beam hit him about 1 p.m., police said. His wife, Andrea, 25, said he had fallen about 80 feet. Pedigo, a son of Lee and Pam Smith Pedigo of Claysville, was employed by Alvarez Co., which is demolishing the Mahoningtown bridge on the Route 422 bypass, police said. He was a member of Ironworkers Local 3 in Pittsburgh. Andrea Pedigo, who is expecting a child in October, said her husband's father was working on the job with him. "I just pretended he didn't do that," said Pedigo, explaining how she dealt with her husband's dangerous occupation. Andrea Pedigo said she met her husband, a 1993 McGuffey High school graduate, at Fairmont State College. They had been married for three years.
Ladder plunge builder 'died of head injuries' by Jane Reader TRAGIC builder Kenneth Roberts died of massive head injuries after plunging from an unsecured ladder, an inquest jury heard. The 41-year-old father-of-four fell head-first on to a concrete floor as he dealt with last-minute jobs on a Ferndown building site. District coroner Sheriff Payne heard that Mr Roberts had been discussing work with contracts director Phillip Rook just minutes before the fall. Mr Rook, who was responsible for health and safety at the site, denied witnessing the fall but Mr Roberts' colleague, Neil Herbert, claimed that Mr Rook must have seen it happen. The Bournemouth inquest heard that health and safety regulations demand that ladders are "footed" by another person standing on the ground. They should also be tied. There was also evidence, from the Health and Safety Executive that the ladder, owned by self-employed Mr Roberts, had, at some time before the accident, lost its safety feet, which might have prevented it sliding across a concrete floor. Mr Herbert told Mr Payne he believed Mr Rook saw the fall. "To watch somebody go up a ladder without anybody holding it is not good. There should be somebody holding it so accidents like this don't happen." Mr Herbert added: "Mr Rook said he wasn't there but he was. Why would somebody say that?" When asked if Mr Rook could have left the scene of the accident before it happened, he replied: "Not unless he was wearing a cape with an `S' on the front of it." Mr Rook told the inquest: "I left Ken to carry on and I stood outside the unit. I heard a crash and then I returned to the unit." The inquest heard that Mr Roberts, of Phelipps Road, Corfe Mullen, and Mr Herbert had been sub-contracted to carry out roofing work at the site in Nimrod Way by Poole-based Stansmore Builders for whom Mr Rook is employed. The accident happened at 12.20pm on Friday March 8. Mr Roberts was rushed to Poole Hospital and then transferred to the neurological unit at Southampton. He died two days later. Mr Payne told jurors that the lack of safety feet on the bottom of the ladder was the most likely explanation for the ladder slipping across the concrete floor. They returned a verdict of accidental death.
UPDATE, Premier warns about safety after fourth construction worker killed at Olympic Village By LISA ORKIN, Associated Press Writer ATHENS, Greece - Premier Costas Simitis on Tuesday warned construction companies they could be expelled from the Olympic Village building site if they do not bolster safety measures following the death of four workers this year. Workplace safety at one of the few Olympic projects ahead of schedule was just one of the problems discussed at a Cabinet meeting, which focused on Athens' efforts to make up for time lost to delays. Officials also confirmed the government will go ahead with plans to cancel or scale-back some sports venues. Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said Athens will not build a new Olympic boxing ( news - web sites) venue, but instead use an existing facility. Government spokesman Tilemahos Hitiris also confirmed a series of venue cuts were discussed — including one of two planned seaside beach volleyball courts, a hockey stadium, and a baseball diamond. Hitiris said Athens 2004 organizers and the International Olympic Committee ( news - web sites) had all agreed on such cuts. "Essentially the decisions have been made and all members agreed," Hitiris said. According Hitiris, Simitis' warning on workplace safety came after Olympic Village officials said they would take legal action against construction companies which do not follow regulations. Simitis also warned construction companies they could also face temporary suspensions for minor safety infractions, Hitiris said. The Olympic Village has been showcased by organizers as an example of how Athens has made up for delays that threatened to derail the Olympics. About 1,500 workers at the village called a 48-hour strike after a 32-year-old Romanian man was killed on Monday after falling off a crane. He was the fourth construction worker to die on the site this year. There have been complaints that construction companies have not been taking adequate safety measures in their effort to make up for construction delays at the village, to house 17,300 athletes and Olympic officials. Hitiris quoted Simitis as saying that when safety "measures are not upheld, then the contractor now and in the future will be expelled." According to Hitiris, about 85 percent of the people helping build the village are unskilled foreign workers who have little experience in construction. "It is the fault of the contractors. They not carry out the measures of protection ... that is why these accidents have occurred," Hitiris said. Greece's largest labor union, or GSEE, condemned what it described as the "indifference" to safety shown by contractors and said it was supporting the strike. "GSEE denounces this unacceptable situation that costs human lives, especially at a project that concerns the Olympic Games ( news - web sites)," the union said in an announcement. Four Greek construction consortia are building the village's residential zone and they been promised bonuses of 14,673 euros (dlrs 14,810) for every section that is delivered ahead of schedule. A state-run company, Olympic Village 2004 AE, has oversight of its construction. Workers representatives have repeatedly complained of poor conditions, including a lack of drinking water, toilets and a general lack of oversight by officials. Some workers have complained they have no contracts, overtime pay or benefits.
Two men injured in scaffolding's collapse at Winfield By FOSS FARRAR, Traveler Staff Writer WINFIELD -- Two men working on metal scaffolding were seriously injured Sunday afternoon when the scaffolding collapsed, and they fell 30 to 35 feet to the ground. The accident occurred at a residence at 1502 East 11th, the Winfield Fire Department reported.Anton Busch III, 28, of Winfield, and his father, Anthony Busch II, 55, of Dodge City, were treated at William Newton Hospital before they were flown in separate Eagle Med helicopters to Via Christi Medical Center-St. Francis Campus in Wichita. Both were in serious condition this morning, a hospital spokesperson said.Both men suffered head injuries, cuts and bruises to the face, and injuries to the arms and extremities, the Winfield Area EMS reported.The accident occurred shortly before 3 p.m. Two fire units with five firefighters, one EMS unit with three medical workers, and four Winfield Police Department officers responded."A family member, the wife of the older gentleman, was there and witnessed the (scaffolding) collapse and called 911," said Capt. Darryl Littrell, of the Winfield Fire Department, one of those who went to the scene. Mrs. Busch and her husband Anthony had traveled from Dodge City to help their son put vinyl siding on the house, Littrell said. "We're not sure exactly what failed or how (the scaffolding) went down, but both of the men fell with it," Littrell said. There was a lot of scaffolding, and only one section collapsed, he added. Emergency personnel were on the scene about 10 minutes, Littrell said. They found the older man under a pile of scaffolding, and the younger man sitting on the back porch. "We had to remove scaffolding to gain access to the older man," he said. "However, he wasn't pinned down by scaffolding. None of it actually touched him. "When scaffolding collapses, typically you can get people wrapped up in it. Fortunately, in this case, he wasn't actually entrapped." Both men were alert and conscious at the scene, Littrell added. Within 20 minutes of being taken to William Newton Hospital, they were on their way in separ ate helicopters to Wichita.
Man falls to his death on construction site An HSE investigation is underway after a man in his 30's fell 12 metres to his death on Monday afternoon from the 3rd floor of a construction site at Auchterarder High School in Tayside Region.
Athens Olympic Village Worker Dies By LISA ORKIN, Associated Press Writer ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Olympic Village officials demanded that construction companies bolster safety measures or face legal consequences after a fourth worker was killed in an accident on the building site. About 1,500 workers at the village called a 48-hour strike after a 32-year-old Romanian man was killed on Monday after falling off a crane. He was the fourth construction worker to die on the site this year. There have been complaints that construction companies have not been taking adequate safety measures in their effort to make up for construction delays at the village, to house 17,300 athletes and Olympic officials. The Olympic Village is one of the few construction projects for the 2004 Games that is ahead of schedule, and has been showcased by organizers as an example of how Athens has made up for years of lost time. The government has been working overtime to make up for delays that threatened to derail the Olympics. Greece's largest labor union, or GSEE, condemned what it described as the "indifference" to safety shown by contractors and said it was supporting the strike. "GSEE denounces this unacceptable situation that costs human lives, especially at a project that concerns the Olympic Games ( news - web sites)," the union said in a statement. Four Greek construction companies are building the village's residential area and they been promised bonuses of more than $12,000 for every section that is completed ahead of schedule. A state-run company, Olympic Village 2004 AE, is overseeing the construction. Representatives for workers have repeatedly complained of poor conditions, including a lack of drinking water, toilets and a general lack of oversight by officials. Some workers have complained they have no contracts, overtime pay or benefits. In a letter to company inspectors on the building site, the general manager of Olympic Village 2004 AE said there was "insufficient" implementation of safety measures. "An investigation of the serious accidents until now have shown that beyond the human factor they are particularly due to ... insufficient application of the required measures and safety regulations," Constantinos Lazarides said in his letter. He added that efforts by contractors to prevent such accidents are "deemed inadequate," and authorized company inspectors to take action — including lawsuits — to ensure safety measures are implemented.
Dome worker falls, breaks leg By Michael Bratcher, The Oklahoman A construction worker installing molding Friday on the interior of the state Capitol dome fell from scaffolding, landing about 10 feet below on a wooden platform. Officials said David Holiday, 46, suffered a fractured leg and minor injuries. He was conscious and alert when the Oklahoma City Fire Department arrived. John Jamison, head of Capitol Dome Builders, said the dome's interior or exterior did not sustain any structural collapse. "He is alive and well, and the good Lord has looked after him," Jamison said after Holiday was taken by the Emergency Medical Services Authority to OU Medical Center. Holiday was installing decorative molding on the inside shell of the dome when he fell. Jamison said Holiday was part of the interior finishing crew from Nemecek Interior Construction of Edmond and had recently rejoined the project. Jamison said they do not know the cause of the accident. The area where Holiday was working was sealed off from weather elements, so Friday's rain was not a factor. A team from Capitol Dome Builders is investigating the accident. Work ceased in that area for the rest of the day Friday. This was the first accident reported on the dome project site. As many as 45 workers are on site at one time. Jamison said the biggest problem emergency crews faced was getting the victim from the dome to the ambulance. Fire Capt. Richard Kelley said emergency workers could not find any stairs leading to Holiday. The crew was faced with a maze of scaffolding and wooden platforms. The workers used a stokes basket, a stretcher with short walls along all four sides, rope and the scaffolding to lower Holiday about 40 feet to an exit from the dome. He was strapped onto the basket; one firefighter rode with him to the exit. Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said after Holiday was lowered, he was carried up a narrow construction stairway and out over the old Capitol roof. Workers placed him on an exterior construction elevator to get him to the ambulance. Stanaland said the call was received at 11:56 a.m. Stanaland said no one was concerned about Holiday falling to the Capitol floor. A wooden deck separates the dome from the structure's old roof.
Worker dies in fall from roof
By Gordon Jackson, Times-Union staff writer
ST. MARYS -- A construction worker was killed yesterday when he fell from the roof at Durango Georgia Paper Co. The victim, a 55-year-old man from Sanderson, Fla., was wearing a hard hat and safety harness before the 2 p.m. accident, said Camden Fire/Rescue Chief Mark Crews. The victim, whose name was not released yesterday because his next of kin had not been reached, apparently removed his safety harness while working on a building he was helping erect. He apparently stepped backward and plunged 25 feet to his death, Crews said. The man was declared dead at the scene, Crews said The man was employed by John Lloyd Construction Co. in Nassau County, said Lt. Roxana Bordenkircher, a detective with the St. Marys Police Department. The death was ruled accidental, she said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate, Bordenkircher said. No one from John Lloyd Construction could be reached for comment. Jim Johnson, a spokesman with Durango Georgia Paper said the construction workers were building a new facility near the No. 3 paper machine warehouse when the accident happened.
Construction worker hurt in fall at Town Square site
A local construction worker suffered a broken leg in the second major accident at the Brentwood Town Square construction site in recent weeks. According to police, Michael J. Miller, 40, of Finleyville, underwent surgery yesterday at Mercy Hospital after falling approximately 30 feet from a beam. Police said Williams was positioned atop a beam around 7:20 a.m. yesterday when the accident occurred. "A bolt holding the beam fell out and the beam detached from the secured position," Brentwood police Chief Robert Butelli explained. Yesterday's accident comes just two weeks after three construction workers were seriously injured in an electrical accident at the same work site. On June 25, three workers suffered serious burns when a crane carrying a 40-foot piece of scaffolding collided with an electrical wire. Dale Haslett, 28, of West View, is currently recovering from second and third degree burns over 60 percent of his body at Mercy Hospital Burn Unit. Joseph Scott Taylor, 34, of Charleroi, and Chris Guty, 22, of Uniontown, were treated for burns and released shortly after the June 25 accident, reports stated. Miller was listed in serious condition following surgery, Mercy Hospital spokeswoman Linda Ross said, and is expected to make a full recovery. Butelli said police don't suspect foul play in either accident, but the Brentwood chief said there will be an investigation of the site to prevent additional injuries to workers.
UPDATE, Authorities release details about accidental death
By CHRIS BENDER, Gazette staff writer
The death of a man at a construction site Monday on Burton Hill Road is being ruled an accident, but the Beaufort Police Department will conduct an investigation. Henry Martin, 41, of Gaston, was working on man-made scaffolding when he fell about 25 feet, according to Lt. Carol Smalls, police department spokeswoman. Smalls said Tuesday that police are in the process of doing a follow-up investigation, but there are no signs that foul play was involved. The building is planned to be the new Earl's Body Shop, Smalls said. According to reports, Martin was standing on the scaffold made of plywood while installing insulation. Martin stepped on an unsecured piece of plywood and fell, Smalls said. Martin had been working at the site for more than a week, according to Millard Turner, general superintendent for Earl's Body Shop. Turner said he's worked with Martin on and off for the past 10 years. "He was a very hard worker," Turner said. "If I asked him to get up on the roof, he'd do it without complaining." Turner said he'd contacted Martin about coming down to work on the site because of his experience as a roofer. "His father was a roofer C and that's where he learned it from," Turner said. "He was an extremely good roofer, though he usually worked on residential buildings rather than commercial buildings." Martin was extremely well mannered and easy to get along with, Turner said, and even agreed to work on July Fourth last week. When emergency responders reached the scene, they found the man unconscious and unresponsive. He was rushed to Beaufort Memorial Hospital then transported to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah.
El Dorado man dies in fall from roof
By JIM PATTERSON, News-Times Staff
SMACKOVER - A local construction worker was killed Wednesday afternoon when he fell from the roof of a house in a Smackover subdivision. According to Union County Coroner Kyla Scharbor, Kendall Stuart Ball, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:11 p.m. Wednesday. She said he had reportedly fallen approximately 30 minutes earlier. According to Scharbor, Ball, an employee of McKinnon and Ball Construction Company - which is partially owned by his father, Ricky Ball - was working on the decking of a new house in the Pleasant Oaks subdivision when he apparently lost his footing and fell backward from the roof. Scharbor said Ball's death has been ruled accidental. "It was an accident," she said. "Just a bad, bad accident."
Worker dies after fall at St. Vincent construction site
Staff Report
A 47-year-old construction worker fell to his death Wednesday, while on the job building the new St. Vincent pediatric hospital. Robin Cleveland was working atop 30-foot-high scaffolding at the site on West 86th street, when the accident occurred. John McGoff, Marion County coroner, said Cleveland was taken to Methodist Hospital with traumatic chest injuries. Hospital officials said Cleveland died just before 11:30 a.m. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday morning, McGoff said. Gwynn Perlich, vice president of clinical and non-clinical services at St. Vincent, released a statement which said: "We at St. Vincent regret that the unfortunate incident occurred. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family." The new $24 million facility is expected to open at the end of this year.
Builder recovering after fall
A CONSTRUCTION worker who was injured after he fell from lifting equipment was last night said to be recovering well in hospital. The 54-year-old man was working on a barn at Upton Farms in Red Lodge, near Mildenhall, when the accident happened on Monday afternoon. He fell on to a concrete floor and it was feared he had suffered serious injuries to his head, a fractured pelvis, arm and leg, a possible punctured lung and internal abdominal bleeding. The East Anglian Air Ambulance was called and gave the man oxygen before flying him to West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds. Chris Mannion, who owns the firm contracted to build the metal-framed barn at the farm, said the victim – a sub-contractor – was recovering well in hospital and was expected to be allowed home in the next few days. He believed the extent of his injuries were not as serious as at first feared: "He has a broken wrist, broken ribs and a cut to his head. He seems to be very chirpy and I think he is mainly being kept in hospital for observation." Mr Mannion said he understood the sub-contractor, who was leading the team of workmen building the barn, fell 10ft from a scissor lift but the reasons for the accident remained unclear. He said it had been reported to the Health and Safety Executive. A spokeswoman said the incident would be looked at and experts would then decide whether a full investigation was required. Monday's accident on the farm at Red Lodge came only days after a farmworker suffered severe hip and leg fractures when a one-tonne straw bale fell on top of him from a fork-lift loader. Doctors gave the 66-year-old a general anaesthetic at the scene of the accident at Birds Farm, Thorpe Morieux, near Bury, on Friday, before he was airlifted to West Suffolk Hospital. He was yesterday transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he was believed to be in a stable condition. The accidents happened as the Health and Safety Executive launched a new television documentary series highlighting safety issues in the workplace.
Man fights for life after 35ft fall at homes site By Geraldine Baybutt
A man was fighting for his life today after plunging 35ft off scaffolding.
The worker suffered massive back and chest injuries and possible broken ribs after the fall at a former hospital site near Preston. The accident happened shortly before 3.30pm yesterday when the workman fell off scaffolding at the former Whittingham Hospital. The man, who is believed to be in his 40s, was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital by ambulance where he is undergoing emergency treatment. It is believed the victim was working on a housing development at the site when he fell. A Lancashire Ambulance spokesman said the man, who has not been named, was treated by paramedics and then driven to hospital. Security staff refused to comment about the accident on site today. The Health and Safety Executive is expected to investigate the incident. Whittingham Hospital once catered for mental patients. However, the hospital has closed and the site now houses a number of specialist mental health units.
Sports Authority fined in falling death of employee
By Paul Ruppel, Staff Writer
Ray Campion, 18, of Ambler, died in an on-the-job accident in February of 2001 at the company's Montgomery Township store. Attorneys from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and The Sports Authority recently agreed to a settlement on safety citations stemming from the falling death of an 18-year-old employee last year. The Florida-based company has already paid $18,010 in fines. On Feb. 18, 2001, Ray Campion Jr. of Ambler was elevated 12 feet atop a storage rack in the Montgomery Township store with the aid of a lift truck to retrieve an 87-pound weight bench for a customer. But he fell backward to the floor and died of his injuries later that night. George Tomchick, area director of OSHA's Allentown office, explained that the agency's investigation led to four "serious" safety citations against The Sports Authority, totaling $25,200 in fines, for: ( A hinged railing on the lift truck's attached platform that would not lock into the designated place due to structural damage. ( Protective harnesses or belts not used when an employee was working on a platform more than 4 feet high. ( Operators of the lift truck not trained in the safe operation of powered industrial trucks. ( And leaving the lift truck unattended without the lifting mechanism lowered and the power shut off. The Sports Authority filed a formal contest to the citations, and attorneys for both sides settled before going to court. That agreement reduced the severity of the first citation, dropping its fine to $1,000, and slightly reduced fines for the last two, Tomchick said. The Sports Authority mailed the $18,010 check before an OSHA commission gave final approval June 17, he said. Frank Bubb, general counsel for The Sports Authority, said soon after the accident the company increased its focus on safety, instituted more staff training and stepped up measures of assessing compliance. In the company's 15-year history, this was the only employee death Bubb could recall from accident or injury. "We obviously do everything we can to ensure the safety or our customers and employees," he said. The Campion family did not return a phone call seeking comment on the outcome of OSHA's investigation. When the fines were first announced last summer, Ray Campion Sr. said he thought The Sports Authority got a "slap on the wrist." He did not indicate whether the family would pursue civil litigation, saying only, "What can I do? Nothing is going to bring my son back." Tomchick said the outcome of OSHA's investigation at no time precluded the family from suing on their own.
Coast Guard helicopter rescues two Punta Gorda workers who fell
A Coast Guard helicopter rescued two city utility workers Friday who fell from a dam and were kept from drowning in a raging creek by their safety cable. James A. Moss and Clarence W. Lehew dangled in Shell Creek for more than an hour after they fell from Hendrickson Dam, about 75 miles south of Tampa. They were removing a plywood extension on the 500-foot long, 4 1/2-foot high dam when Moss fell, officials said. Lehew tried to grab him and also fell. "Besides holding onto my tether, I was basically trying to grip the rock through my tennis shoes," Moss told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He said he struggled to keep his head above water while he balanced on the jagged rock below. "It was very intense - the most intense thing I've ever done in my life," said Moss, describing a "full column" of water pushing against him. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Clement said the swift current and jagged rock made a boat rescue almost impossible. "We had only one option and that was to take them straight out in a helicopter," Clement said. The Coast Guard helicopter arrived about 75 minutes after the men fell, and rescue swimmer John Rice was lowered by cable. "The current was just overwhelming," Rice said. "To actually maneuver was a task in itself." Rice fastened a rescue strap under Lehew's arms and they were hoisted to the helicopter. By the time they had been reeled in, Moss had disappeared under the water. He said he was able to find a small air pocket, and Rice was able to find him. Rice grabbed Moss by his life jacket and pulled him out of the water, Moss taking a large breath when he reached the air. They were lifted to the helicopter. "He was pretty much on the brink," Rice said. "He was on the last legs right there." Both men were taken to a hospital and released. Information from: Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Three workers seriously injured by nearly 70-foot fall at Lincoln Square site
by Jeff Switzer, Journal Reporter
BELLEVUE -- Three construction workers were in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center after a construction elevator they were working on plunged as far as 70 feet to the ground yesterday morning. The accident happened at Lincoln Square, a 41-floor hotel and 27-floor hotel-condominium tower being built on Bellevue Way across from Bellevue Square Mall. The three men were atop an exterior elevator -- described as a four-man hoist -- used for shuttling workers and small equipment to upper floors of the unfinished 27-story hotel-condominium tower. The men were dismantling the equipment on top of the elevator just before 8 a.m. as part of a project slowdown when something gave way, said Mary Costello, spokeswoman for Bellevue Master and Bovis Lend Lease, contractors for the project. The elevator crashed to the ground, causing serious injuries to the men: A Renton man, 30, was rushed to surgery for a broken back; a Seattle man, 28, had a broken pelvis; and a man from Frenchtown, Mont., had two broken legs. The injuries are not life threatening, but still required the men to be kept in the intensive care unit, said Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg-Hanson. Bellevue Fire crews used the site's 150-foot construction crane to gently lift the men from the elevator roof to the arms of paramedics below. ``It was an awkward situation, and thankfully we had the crane operator to help out,'' said Fire Department Spokesman Todd Dickerboom. ``It made for a real smooth operation to get them out.'' Without the crane, the rescue might have taken an additional 15 to 20 minutes, he said. State Labor and Industries officials are investigating five companies in connection with the accident: general contractors Bovis Lend Lease and Bellevue Master LLC; Northwest Tower Crane Service, employers of the injured men; Cupertino Electric, which was preparing to remove the hoist elevator power; and Champion Hoist, Houston-based owner of the hoist elevator. ``It's our responsibility to take the slice of time up to the accident -- and work back to determine what happened and if any health and safety violations occurred,'' said Steve Pierce, spokesman for Labor and Industries. The companies can face citations and fines if violations are discovered. The investigation can take up to six months. The state has no records of serious safety violations for any of the companies under investigation. Lincoln Square has been plagued by problems since the start. It made news this month when developers announced they would suspend work on the $360 million project for at least six months. The project has had three general contractors and four project managers. Also, there was a construction accident there in September when a concrete pour collapsed, though no one was injured.
Worker Falls To His Death On Decatur
A man working on a building fell to his death Thursday morning in the French Quarter. Police said the man, whose identity has not been released, was laying brick at about 9 a.m. at an empty building in the 300 block of Decatur Street, when he fell and was decapitated. Another worker called police when he found the man's body. Investigators are trying to determine why the man wasn't wearing a safety harness. "I spoke with a man who has worked with him for at least a year and he said he was very cautious and always wore safety equipment while he was working," NOPD spokesman Sgt. Paul Accardo said. Police are classifying the death as an accident, but the investigation is ongoing.
UPDATE, OSHA investigating painter's fall in water tower By Tim Hrenchir, The Capital-Journal
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating an accident last week in which a painter fell inside a water tank at the top of a water tower southeast of Topeka. Judy Freeman, area director of OSHA's Kansas office in Wichita, said Tuesday that the agency was looking into circumstances of the fall, which occurred June 18. Shawnee County Sheriff's officials identified the man hurt as Larry Johnston, 26, of La Cygne, in Linn County. Johnston remained a patient Tuesday at St. Francis Health Center, where information about his condition wasn't being released. Firefighters said the accident occurred as Johnston was among men painting inside the Shawnee County Rural Water District No. 8 tower at 3901 S.E. Stubbs Road. The men were employees of J.F. McGivern Inc., an independent contractor hired by the district. No one else was hurt. Firefighters said it appeared something broke or failed before Johnston fell about 45 feet from scaffolding where he was painting near the top of the water tank to the bottom of the tank, suffering injuries that included a broken left leg. Johnston wore a harness, which had been hooked to the scaffolding and apparently swung him into a pipe that runs upward in the middle of the tank. A firefighter said Johnston struck the pipe near the bottom of the tank. It wasn't clear how long the OSHA probe would take. Freeman said the agency has a six-month statute of limitations. OSHA records available on the Internet show the agency fined J.F. McGivern Inc. $500 in 1993 and $175 in 1990 after finding violations during planned site inspections.
UPDATE, Pierce Wraps Up Report On Aerial Collapse
HEATHER CASPI, Firehouse.com News
Pierce Manufacturing officials have completed their follow-up measures regarding the aerial collapse in Cary, North Carolina earlier this month. Pierce spokeswoman Kirsten Skyba said they finished inspecting the 21 Pierce sky arms owned by fire departments nationwide, and found all of them in proper condition. "They all passed with flying colors and are in full operation," she said. Skyba said this confirms that the defect on Cary's 1999 Pierce 105' aerial with a sky arm was an isolated case, caused by human error during manufacture. Pierce's official report determined that a weak area near the base of the ladder was created during the vehicle's welding and assembly process. On Tuesday, June 4, Cary firefighters were extending the ladder over a burning structure when it suddenly collapsed. The two firefighters in the basket dropped 8-12 feet down into the building's parking lot and sustained minor injuries. Pierce dispatched a replacement for the Cary Fire Department to use while they replace the aerial on their original vehicle. Cary PIO Susan Moran said they expect to get their vehicle back in about two months, and they are pleased that Pierce took full responsibility for the collapse and the replacement of the ladder. "We continue to have confidence in Pierce," she said. "They have moved quickly and comprehensively to solve this problem. We're just very fortunate that no one was permanently injured." Moran said the two injured firefighters are now ok and back at work.
Fall kills local worker
By Gleaner staff
A 51-year-old Henderson man died in an accident Friday afternoon at Taubensee Steel and Wire in Henderson. Larry Zollinger, a maintenance technician, suffered what Taubensee General Manager Todd Swanson called a "fatal fall" sometime between 1 and 2 p.m. at the plant, where Zollinger had worked for more than a year. "Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Zollinger," Swanson said. Details of the accident were not immediately known. Swanson said that the company was cooperating with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to fully investigate the accident. According to Swanson, there had been no lost time accidents at the plant in more than a year. Taubensee Steel and Wire, located on Ohio Drive, produces steel wire for the appliance industry.
UPDATE, Second man dies from fall
HARRODSBURG -- A worksite accident has claimed a second life.
Jim Bob Horn, 20, of Mercer County died late Wednesday, apparently from injuries he suffered when he fell between 25 and 30 feet inside a water tank. David Ransdell of Ransdell Funeral Chapel said personnel at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington notified him about 4:30 a.m. Thursday. Ransdell said it was his understanding that Horn died before midnight. Co-worker Jessie B. Barnett, also 20 and a Mercer County resident, was declared dead at the scene of the accident by Deputy Hopkins County Coroner Dennis Mayfield. Horn was still alive and was flown to Owensboro Mercy Hospital Wednesday morning and then on to the Lexington Hospital Wednesday afternoon. Both men worked for Currens Construction Co. of Harrodsburg. The men were working inside a water tank in Morton's Gap, a city in Hopkins County. They were standing on suspended scaffolding, the type often used to wash windows outside skyscrapers and unlike semi-permanent tubular scaffolding, said Hopkins County Coroner John Walters. He said a cable holding the scaffolding either broke or came loose and the men fell 25 or 30 feet to the bottom of the tank. They were not wearing safety harnesses. Ransdell Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mercer man dies in fall inside water tank
By ANN R. HARNEY, Staff Writer
HARRODSBURG -- A Harrodsburg man, Jessie B. Barnett, was killed Tuesday morning in an accident inside a water tank in Morton's Gap. A co-worker, Jim Bob Horn, was seriously injured and he is listed in critical condition this morning at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center in Lexington. He was flown first to Owensboro Mercy Hospital Tuesday morning and on to the Lexington hospital Tuesday afternoon. Barnett was declared dead at the scene by Deputy Hopkins County Coroner Dennis Mayfield. The exact time of the accident is unknown, Hopkins County Coroner John Walters said today. They were last seen between 7 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. CST. They were working for Currens Construction Co., also of Harrodsburg. Walters said the job foreman was not at the site; he was moving a piece of equipment to another location. "When he came back, he looked in the tank to check on them and found them lying at the bottom of the tank." The two men, both 20 years old, were standing on scaffolding, painting the inside of the water tank, Walters said. The scaffolding is the type often used to wash windows outside skyscrapers. It is not like semi-permanent tubular scaffolding. The only other person around was another worker who was outside sandblasting the exterior of the tank. A cable holding the scaffolding either broke or came loose and the two men fell 25 to 30 feet to the bottom of the tank. The accident is under investigation by Kentucky State Police, the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Hopkins County Coroner's office. Walters said the men were not wearing their safety harnesses, which, he said, was unusual. "For some reason, they didn't have them on," Walters said. OSHA "will do an autopsy on the scaffolding," Walters said. OSHA representatives were on the scene Tuesday and will be back Monday. "We should know something then. We will be on the scene with them and we will be finding out why (they weren't wearing the harnesses)."
40 injured in a building collapse in Hyderabad
Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
As many as 40 people were injured, eight of them grievously, when the roof of a building under construction at Bharat Dynamics Limited collapsed in Hyderabad on Monday night. Construction labourers were working at the site when a portion of a newly-laid roof slab and scaffolding came down. About 40 labourers were injured. They were immediately shifted to the nearby DRDO-Apollo Hospital, where the condition of two of them is stated to be serious. "There are no deaths. Most of the labourers sustained only minor injuries," a police official said.
Firefighters rescue man after water tower fall By Tim Hrenchir, The Capital-Journal
A painter was rescued by firefighters after he fell an estimated 45 feet Tuesday afternoon in a water tower southeast of Topeka. Topeka firefighters removed the man from the tower through a manhole in the side of the tower about 80 feet in the air, then lowered him to the ground in a platform atop a firetruck ladder. The condition of the victim, whose name wasn't immediately released, was considered serious as he was taken by helicopter ambulance to St. Francis Health Center.
UPDATE, Failure to Protect Tower Construction Workers Brings New Braunfels, Texas, Firm $44,100 in OSHA Fines DALLAS -- The failure of a New Braunfels, Texas, communications tower erector firm to provide appropriate hoisting equipment and training for its employees has resulted in citations and proposed penalties of $44,100 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA has cited The Waylon Group Ltd., doing business as Texcom Services with two alleged safety violations, following its investigation of a May accident in which two workers were killed and one was seriously injured. All three fell approximately 200 feet while being lowered from the tower by a single rope. The Labor Department agency cited the company for one alleged willful violation for failing to use appropriate equipment to hoist the workers, contrary to guidelines established by OSHA and the tower erection and servicing industry for personnel hoisting. A willful violation is defined as one committed with an intentional disregard of or plain indifference to the OSHA Act and regulations. An alleged serious violation was issued for failing to train employees to recognize jobsite hazards. A serious violation is one that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees when the employer knew or should have known of the hazard. Texcom Services employs about nine workers. The company was erecting a Verizon Wireless tower near the intersection of Highways 21 and 77 near Lincoln, Texas. Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call the nearest OSHA office. OSHA's toll-free hotline may be used to report workplace accidents, fatalities, or situations posing imminent danger to workers. The number is 1-800-321-6742. The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the area director, or to contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Coroner's inquest recommends more safety training for man-lift operators
SAINT JOHN, N.B. (CP) -- A coroner's inquest has recommended more safety training for man-lift operators, as well as improved sensors to help prevent deaths on the hydraulic lifts. The inquest in Saint John was looking into the death of Richard Johnston, 22, who died while working at the Irving Oil refinery two years ago. The Alberta man suffered fatal head injuries when he was thrown from the basket of the hydraulic man lift after the machine caught on a pipe. The inquest jury said late Monday there should be more training for man-lift operators. It also said there should be sensors on the basket of the man lift to help prevent them from colliding with objects in the air. During the hearings, a safety officer with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, testified the incident resulted from the failure of the operator of the man lift to recognize what was happening and respond appropriately. The operator, who works on the ground, told the inquest he had received fewer than five minutes of hands-on training on the job site before he was given a certificate to run the machine. Dave Griessen, a spokesman for the provincial Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, said the recommendations will be taken seriously. But he cautioned that sensor technology can't necessarily solve all safety problems. "We'll talk to the manufacturers about that. It can be complex because you don't want to create unsafe situations if you have automatic shutdown devices when such sensors go off," he said.
Company fined $8,300 after worker harmed
A Hawke’s Bay company was sentenced today after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH). Fruit Packers (HB) Cooperative Limited were sentenced to pay $8,300 after a worker sustained multiple fractures to both feet after falling over three metres on to a concrete floor. $7000 went to the victim. “In this case the worker lost his balance and fell off the unguarded edge of a mezzanine floor to the concrete ground below,” said Murray Thomson, Service Manager, Hawke’s Bay-East Coast, OSH. “The company failed to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employee. “There were no suitable means in place to prevent employees from falling onto the concrete floor. “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.”
VDOT investigates construction deaths at 'mixing bowl'
By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press writer
SPRINGFIELD - For the first time in its history, the Virginia Department of Transportation suspended work on a construction project to investigate three deaths that have occurred on the Springfield Mixing Bowl project. "This is a time to regroup and find out the root cause of the accidents," said Lynda South, VDOT spokeswoman, said Wednesday. The agency's safety officers became particularly concerned when two fatalities occurred in the past two weeks, she said. The work stoppage, first reported in the Northern Virginia Journal, began Friday and ended Wednesday with the return of some crews. More were due back on the job Thursday. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Virginia Department of Labor also are investigating the accidents. The most recent fatality occurred last week when a 24-year-old North Carolina man working for Cress Welding, a subcontractor for Shirley Contracting, fell 100 feet into a drainage ditch when his safety harness snapped. On May 23, a Lane Construction worker fell to his death from a scaffold onto the CSX train tracks. And in October, a Shirley Contracting employee was crushed by a piece of heavy equipment. As many as 400 workers are at the project site at any given time, said Steve Titunik, VDOT's spokesman on the Springfield Interchange Project. Titunik said VDOT never considers deaths on the job to be acceptable, but said the fatalities don't necessarily indicate a systemic problem. "We don't think we have a safety problem here," he said. "You have 400 employees working in an environment that is inherently dangerous." The $700 million Mixing Bowl project began in 1999 and is scheduled for completion in 2007. It includes 50 bridges and overpasses and is designed to untangle the congested intersection of Interstate highways 95, 395 and 495, which intersect at the Capital Beltway. It has been plagued by cost overruns _the original cost estimate when work began was $350 million and is the subject of a congressional audit and a Virginia State Police investigation. Mike Post, president and chief executive officer of Lorton-based Shirley Contracting, said VDOT's decision to temporarily halt work was prudent. He said full-time safety managers meet daily on the project to ensure proper procedures are in place. "The safety program is aggressively enforced and employees can be terminated for safety infractions," Post said. Lane Construction, the other major contractor on the project, referred questions to VDOT.
Ironworker killed in construction accident
David Peterson
An ironworker involved in a project to install a new burning unit at Xcel Energy's Black Dog power plant in Burnsville died late Friday when he slipped from a beam. Patrick Collins, 48, of Bloomington, fell about 25 feet when he at the end of the workday, family members said. "His hard hat came off as he was falling, and it was a head injury," said his daughter Erin, 21, of St. Paul. The company is removing the coal burning unit that has powered the plant and installing a natural gas burner to replace it, said company spokesman Paul Adelmann. Collins worked for an outside firm hired by Xcel, he said. "We are deeply saddened by this loss," Adelmann said. "An investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events." The accident occurred about 2:40 p.m., he said, and Burnsville police and firefighters responded. Collins was taken to a nearby hospital and died about 5 p.m., he said. Burnsville authorities said they couldn't release information until next week. The plant is located along the Minnesota River. Collins was a graduate of Bloomington Jefferson High School and a volunteer firefighter in that city, his daughter said.
UPDATE, 'Isolated' Manufacturing Error Caused North Carolina Ladder Collapse
HEATHER CASPI, Firehouse.com News
Pierce Manufacturing officials have determined that Tuesday's aerial collapse in North Carolina was caused by an isolated incident of human error during the vehicle's manufacture. Officials said the unit was a 1999 Pierce 105' aerial with a sky arm. Cary, NC firefighters were extending the ladder over a burning roof Tuesday afternoon when it suddenly collapsed and dropped two firefighters 8-12 feet down into the structure's parking lot. The two firefighters who were in the bucket sustained only minor injuries. They have been released from Western Wake Medical Center and are doing well, according to a city press release. Pierce's top engineers arrived in North Carolina Wednesday morning to assess the scene of the accident, and transported the damaged ladder truck back to Appleton, Wisconsin for further inspection. Pierce officials expect to complete their investigation within a few days but have already found most of their answers, said Kirsten Skyba, vice president of communications at Pierce. "First and foremost we're very relieved and thankful no one was seriously injured," she said. Skyba said the initial investigation indicates there was a failure near the base of the ladder due to human error during the vehicle's welding and assembly process. She said this is the first time Pierce has encountered such an error, and they believe it is an isolated incident. However, they are notifying all sky arm owners nationwide of the potential defect and will be doing precautionary inspections on site. All owners will be contacted by Thursday afternoon to set up an inspection, Skyba said. "We're taking our response very seriously," she said. There are 21 Pierce sky arms owned by fire departments nationwide. Skyba added that Pierce is dispatching a replacement for the Cary Fire Department to use while the aerial is replaced on their own vehicle. Old Apex Road in Cary reopened Wednesday after the ladder truck was removed from the scene of the collapse. Investigation into the cause of the fire at Garden Supply Company is still underway.
UPDATE, Use of wrong nuts tied to truss collapse
Coroner holds inquest on accident that killed convention center worker
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Construction workers at the convention center used the wrong type of nuts to fasten into place a huge steel truss, which later collapsed, killing one ironworker and injuring two others, according to testimony at a coroner's inquest yesterday. Robert Elmendorf, a metallurgist hired after the collapse by the convention center general contractor, Turner-P.J. Dick-ATS, told the inquest that he thinks the use of the wrong nuts played a significant role in the Feb. 12 collapse at the new David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. It created "a dangerous and threatening condition," Elmendorf said in answer to a question from Deputy District Attorney Edward Borkowski. Two ironworkers who worked on the collapsed truss testified they were unaware they were using the wrong nuts. Paul Corsi, an ironworker from Moon, was killed when the four-story truss fell. The accident is under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is expected to issue a report in August. The truss that collapsed was the 13th in a series of 15 steel support trusses that run from Penn Avenue to the river and form the principal north-south support for the building. Elmendorf said each steel truss is connected to a concrete caisson or base by eight threaded rods -- each one 18 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Each of the eight rods is fastened to the truss and concrete caisson by two pairs of nuts, two at each end of the rod. One nut is 2 inches thick, made of hardened steel and is black in color. The other nut is a 3/4-inch locking nut, silver in color. But ironworkers who assembled the 13th truss testified yesterday that they were not supplied with the 2-inch-thick black nuts. Instead, they used 1-inch-thick nuts to fasten the rods in place. Use of the 2-inch, hardened-steel bolts provided a lot of locking power, Elmendorf said. Use of a 1-inch nut would not have provided as much strength to hold the truss in place, he said. Elmendorf said the 1-inch shiny nuts, which are not heat-treated, would have a "lower hardness" than the proper 2-inch-long nuts, which were strengthened and blackened by heat. He said the shorter nuts also would have "less thread engagement" with the rods and thus would provide less strength than the longer nuts. Asked directly by Borkowski about the cause of the collapse, Elmendorf said, "The most significant thing I have seen was that there were no 2-inch, heat-treated nuts found at the caisson joint at line 13." One of the injured ironworkers, Matthew Abate, told a coroner's inquest that he went into a Dick Corp. construction trailer at the work site and picked up what turned out to be the wrong type of nut. Abate, who was hired by the Dick Corp. out of the ironworkers union hall, said he'd never had any training by his employer on which nuts to use to attach to the threaded rods. He said the day of the collapse was the first time he had ever been told to go to the construction trailer to pick up the connecting rods and nuts. Borkowski asked if Dick Corp. had ever given him training on which type of nuts to use, and Abate said he had received no such training. Later at the hearing, another ironworker, Dorsey Morehead, also said the crew had been given no training. "I was never told what size nuts to use on the rods," Morehead said, adding he had never been assigned to fetch the rods and nuts from the construction trailer. It wasn't clear yesterday why the wrong-sized, 1-inch nuts had been placed in a bucket in the construction trailer instead of the proper 2-inch, blackened nuts. Lawyer Efrem M. Grail, representing Dick Corp., and lawyer Robert C. Klingensmith, representing Williams company, listened to the testimony but declined comment later. Abate said that when the giant beam fell, he was left dangling by a harness from a "manbucket" high above the construction site. Fortunately he managed to lower himself to the ground safety. Corsi was crushed by the falling beam, however, Borkowski asked several ironworkers who worked on the convention center job if they felt "pressured" to work fast and get the project done quickly. They said there is always some sort of pressure in construction projects, but no one felt pressure to work unsafely. Presiding at the coroner's inquest is Pittsburgh lawyer Michael George. He said his job is to review the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Corsi and then decide the cause and manner of the death, which for now is considered an accident. If the death were to be ruled a homicide, George said he would then have to determine "whether someone should be held responsible." Present at yesterday's inquest were the victim's father, Paul Corsi Sr. of Aliquippa, and his sister, Christine Corsi. They said they wanted to learn more about the circumstances of Corsi Jr.'s death and to make sure that no effort was made to blame Paul Jr. for what had happened. They briefly addressed reporters, with Corsi Sr. saying "We miss our son and wish we could bring him back." Greg Yesko, a spokesman for the Sports & Exhibition Authority, said after the hearing that the new convention center is safe and that all the truss-caisson connections were checked after the Feb. 12 collapse and "certified" as being done properly.
Mixing bowl worker dies, falls 100 feet from bridge
By Sarah Bruyn Jones
An unidentified construction worker fell to his death today while working on the Springfield Interchange. Preliminary reports reveal the worker may have fallen from as high as 100 feet while working on a new bridge that will connect traffic traveling from the inner loop of the Beltway to Interstate-95 south, officials said. The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m., causing investigators to remain on the scene into the evening rush hour. A Virginia Department of Transportation official said first reports indicate the worker was wearing a safety belt when he fell, but for an unknown reason the safety wire broke. Investigators from Fairfax County, VDOT and others continue to search for the cause of the fall and why the safety line failed, along with other clues about the accident. The bridge the worker was working on will reach heights up to 120 feet from the ground when it is completed. Reports indicate the worker was near the apex of the current structure. This bridge is part of phase four of the seven-phase project being built by VDOT. This is the third death since work began on the mixing bowl, and is the second in two weeks. On May 23, Paredes Portillo, 38, died after falling approximately 25 feet while working on scaffolding. Portillo was not wearing a safety belt when he fell. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is conducting an investigation into that incident, and will more than likely become involved in this most recent tragedy as well.
Worker Dies After Fall From Trash Truck
A sanitation worker died Wednesday morning after falling from a trash truck in Clay County. Danny Coleman, 28, of Middleburg died at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, where he was taken by air ambulance with injuries suffered when he fell while riding on the rear platform of a Southland Waste Systems Truck. It happened when the truck hit a bump on an unpaved road and Coleman was throw off. The truck was driven by an employee of Seaboard Waste Systems, which is described as a sister company of Southland. Clay County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident, trying to determine how fast the truck was going at the time. Last Friday, a Southland Waste Systems employee was killed in Jacksonville when a trash truck backed over him.
Firefighters Injured as Aerial Falls at North Carolina Fire Scene
HEATHER CASPI, Firehouse.com News
Two Cary, North Carolina firefighters sustained minor injuries Tuesday when their ladder truck suddenly collapsed at the scene of a structure fire. "We have a lot of confidence in the apparatus we purchase. We inspect it annually," said Cary PIO Susan Moran. "Obviously everybody was shocked at what happened." Firefighters had responded to a blaze at the Garden Supply Company on Old Apex Road at about 3 p.m. and found the roof heavily involved. They parked their ladder truck, a Pierce manufactured in August 1999, on the road in front of the burning building. The structure sat above them on a hill. "The ladder was being extended over the hill," Moran said. "Just before it got over the building the ladder collapsed and fell to the ground." The two firefighters in the basket were dropped 8-12 feet down to the parking lot. Officials said the unit was a 1999 Pierce 105' aerial with a sky arm. They were conscious and alert after the accident, and walked over to the rescue squad on their own, Moran said. However, they were taken to Western Wake Medical Center for observation. Moran said other people had been standing under the ladder moments before it fell, but luckily moved just in time. No one else was injured. Officials have yet to determine the cause of the collapse. Two supports that that hold the ladder to the turret simply crumpled, Moran said. Pierce officials were flying out to investigate the scene early Wednesday, she said. Although the Cary Fire Department has another Pierce ladder truck, it has a different configuration so they aren't going to pull it out of service, Moran said. She added that firefighting efforts were not hindered after the ladder truck collapse because of the strong mutual aid on scene from the Apex, Morrisville, Western Wake and Fairview Fire Departments. The fire was brought under control before 4 p.m. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Mixing bowl worker falls to his death
By Sarah Bruyn Jones
A Vienna man was killed May 23 after he fell 25 feet while working on a section of the Springfield Interchange project. Paredes J. Portillo, 38, was working on scaffolding for a bridge on the Capital Beltway when he lost his balance after being struck by some materials that were being unloaded, officials said. He landed on the gravel just beside the Norfolk Rail railroad tracks. A railroad flag man and rescue personnel attempted to revive Portillo, but they were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple injuries, police said. The accident occurred about 2 p.m., approximately four miles west of the interchange of interstates 395, 495 and 95. Portillo was wearing a safety harness, but it was not secured to a cable. Investigations by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are being conducted to determine why the belt was not secured to a steel cable, as required by state regulations. According to those regulations, a worker who is more than 6 feet off the ground must be attached to a tie line. Fairfax County rescue and police units also arrived on the scene and are investigating the incident. Normally, there are three measures to ensure safety regulations are followed during construction. The individual is trained in proper procedure, plus there is the contractor's foreman and a VDOT safety inspector, said Steve Titunick, project communications director for VDOT. A VDOT safety inspector arrived at the scene just after Portillo's fall, said Larry Cloyed, assistant resident engineer for VDOT. Inspectors travel between several sites throughout the day to make sure regulations are being properly enforced to prevent accidents. "We try to be very diligent in regards to safety, but you can't be everywhere at every point on every site. We simply don't have enough inspectors to have someone at every site," Cloyed said. The scaffolding Portillo fell from was in the early stages of being built, according to a VDOT official. Portillo was putting wooden boards down to construct the scaffolding, which was being used to help construct the bridge over the railroad tracks. The bridge construction is part of phase five of the seven-phase Springfield Interchange project and is being completed by Lane Construction. Lane Construction officials spent most of Friday discussing the accident with workers, but Cloyed said the fatality should have minimal interference with the overall project. Portillo is the first construction worker to die working on phase five of the project, and is the second death to occur since construction began. In October 2001, a Shirley Construction worker was killed working on an aspect of phase four of the project. "This is a dangerous business we're in, and we try to take every precaution to ensure the safety of our workers and the public," Cloyed said.
Man Falls Off Scaffolding At Six Flags
AURORA, Ohio -- A maintenance worker fell off a scaffolding Tuesday morning at Six Flags, NewsChannel5 reported. The worker was conducting routine maintenance in the loading area of the X-Flight rollercoaster when the accident happened at about 7 a.m. His identity has not been released. The man was LifeFlighted to MetroHealth Medical Center. His injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. Officials said the man was conscious and talking after the accident. His current condition is unknown. It's also unknown what caused the accident. The amusement park and the ride are open. The ride was tested for safety before it reopened.
Worker falls to his death
By MICHELLE RHODES, Staff writer
An Arlington man was killed Monday morning, May 20, on a McKinney construction site after falling through the roof of the office complex he was helping to build. David Kelly, 41, was standing on the roof of the building in the 2000 block of Rosebud Boulevard and fell through a skylight, plummeting almost 30 feet onto a concrete slab. Kelly was taken to North Central Medical Center in McKinney where he was pronounced dead. Westcliffe Inc., a Carrollton construction company, is general contractor for the project. A company official said Kelly did not work for Westcliffe. She said there were several independent contractors working on the building, but she said she did not know the name of Kelly's employer. The general superintendent at the site refused Wednesday to comment on the incident.
Safety investigated after tank fall death
RENTON -- The state Department of Labor and Industries is investigating the death of a worker who fell from a water storage tank under construction at a residential development east of Renton . William Larry Ostler, 59, died after falling about 80 feet from the top of the tank. Ostler, a welder, was an employee of T. Bailey, Inc., an Anacortes-based contractor building the tank at Port Blakely Communities' 500-home Woodside residential development. Ostler was a resident of Elma, Grays Harbor County ; not Renton , as had been previously reported. The King County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death an accident, and King County Sheriff's deputies are conducting an investigation. The state Department of Labor and Industries will try to determine if there were any workplace safety violations involved.
Leap to safety as scaffolding falls By SAM HALSTEAD
A WORKER was hurt after leaping to safety when scaffolding surrounding an aircraft carrier collapsed around him at Rosyth dockyard. A second worker was also injured as the 30ft-high scaffolding around HMS Invincible fell. The Health and Safety Executive confirmed today it had launched an investigation into the accident at Rosyth’s number two dock. A dockyard spokesman said today the worker suffered ankle injuries after jumping six feet off the falling structure. Another worker on the ground was hit by equipment and taken to hospital for treatment for minor injuries, he said. The spokesman added: "The scaffolding came down as it was being dismantled. "They sustained minor injuries. They were treated at the scene. One worker was taken to hospital." The HMS Invincible aircraft carrier was undergoing a refit in the dry dock at the time of the accident just before noon last Wednesday. The scaffolding - which can reach up to 50 feet high - was being brought down level by level when it fell. It was being dismantled ahead of the flooding of the dry dock in eight weeks. The spokesman refused to speculate on the cause of the collapse until the HSE had completed its report. Glasgow-based Pyeroy Limited, the scaffolding contractor, was unavailable for comment. HSE ordered work on the carrier to stop immediately after the accident, although it has since allowed work on the vessel to resume. An HSE spokesman said: "We are investigating the incident. An inspector was there on Wednesday and Thursday. "There were minor injuries. There was a partial collapse of scaffolding." A Royal Navy spokesman was reluctant to comment on the accident. "This is a matter for the contractors," he said. A Fife Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said today: "There was a person trapped, but he was released by the time we got there." She said one worker was taken to Queen Margaret Hospital , with minor injuries. HMS Invincible is one of the Royal Navy’s flagship vessels. It is scheduled to leave Rosyth in January after the completion of further work when the dock is flooded. Built in 1973, the 210 metre-long carrier ship was launched four years later by Her Majesty the Queen. It is one of three Royal Navy aircraft carriers and the first of the "invincible class" of anti-submarine warfare carriers. The 20,000-tonne carrier served with distinction in the Falklands War in 1982 and was the launching pad for bombing raids during the Bosnian campaign in 1995. Her FA2 Harriers have also patrolled the no-fly zone in southern Iraq . When in action, HMS Invincible hosts a range of fighters and helicopters including the Sea Harrier, RAF Harrier GR7 and the Sea King AEW helicopter. Rosyth Dockyard has four docks for vessels undergoing refits. Number two dock is 260 metres long, 33 metres wide and around 13 metres deep. The scaffolding accident is not the first safety scare at Rosyth Dockyard. Workers demanded safety assurances after a nuclear submarine broke from its moorings during tests on its engine and propeller shaft, two years ago. A power surge during trials caused HMS Sceptre, a Swiftsure-class Fleet Type submarine, to break free and shunt 30ft in a refitting basin. Workers panicked as the 3500-tonne vessel powered into the dock at high speed during the testing of its main engines and prop shaft, tearing and bending steam pipes used in the generating system. In 1995, there was a sabotage attempt on the Royal Fleet auxiliary ship Bedivere at Rosyth. The saboteur opened a tank of inflammable gas and led a pipe down nine decks to a space between the double hull.
UPDATE, Building Owner Cited in Collapse
By William Murphy, STAFF WRITER
The owner of an East Side building where one worker was killed and six others injured in a collapse Thursday has been cited for failing to maintain a safe work site, the Department of Buildings said Friday. The summons was issued to NWE Corp., the owner of 33 E. 61st St., according to Ilyse Fink, a department spokeswoman. She said department records show the company owner is Pasquale Granato, who is better known in food circles as Fabio Granato, part owner of Serafini and several other Manhattan restaurants. There was no answer to several telephone calls to businesses and a home telephone number in Granato's name. The Manhattan construction company doing the work, Tamco Corp., had the proper permits, Fink said. "The investigation is continuing. One preliminary area of inquiry is overloading of bricks. We're looking at less than great construction practices," Fink said. NWE was cited for "failure to safeguard public and property affected by construction operations, overloaded 4th floor front with concrete block causing a pancake collapse to cellar." The Buildings Department issued an immediate stop-work order and directed the company to meet with the department's Manhattan borough commissioner before entering the building or resuming work. Fink said the violations carry a fine of up to $5,000, but the typical fine is $1,500. Antonio Roman, 41, of East Harlem, who worked for Tamco, died about 90 minutes after the collapse. Two of the injured remained in critical condition Friday night; the others were still in serious but stable condition.
Workers saved after platform collapse at Lesner Bridge
By STEVE STONE AND MATTHEW ROY, The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH -- Five workmen were rescued Friday after a platform under the Lesner Bridge collapsed, spilling two of them into the water and leaving the others dangling in harnesses. All were rescued in under an hour and reported to be well. ``It was 49 minutes from the first 911 call to getting the last guy on the boat,'' said Ed Brazle, a spokesman for emergency medical services. ``That's pretty good. We're happy with that.'' The accident happened about 4:30 p.m. while the men, employees of Megaco Inc. in Lorton, were doing bridge maintenance for the Virginia Department of Transportation. The crew was using a platform attached to a hydraulic lift, extended from a truck parked on the bridge, Brazle said. What caused the platform to break from the lift was unclear. The two men who fell into the water were recovered by passing boaters. The other three men were left hanging from safety harnesses and ropes. One was able to lower himself to a concrete platform along a set of bridge pilings, where he waited for rescue. ``I was hanging from a rope,'' said Kevin Collins of Virginia Beach. ``It hurt so bad.'' The other two men -- one on each side of the span -- were stuck swaying in the air. Police closed all lanes of the busy span, creating lengthy traffic snarls while fire crews and a technical rescue team moved in. Firefighters first maneuvered a rescue boat against the currents to rescue Collins from the piling platform. Other firefighters then were lowered from the bridge on safety lines. They then lowered the dangling workers, one at a time, to the fire boat. ``It was difficult only because of the winds and the unusual location,'' Brazle said. The five men were taken to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital for checkups, and Brazle said all appeared fine except for scrapes and bruises. The crew had been at work on the bridge for about three weeks, Brazle said. They were sandblasting and resurfacing the bridge structure. Megaco specializes in lead paint abatement, painting, sandblasting and masonry restoration. The platform the men had been on was left underwater. Crews located it and were trying to recover it to make certain it did not pose a hazard to boats.
UPDATE, Two killed in steel mill collapse Iscor confirmed on Thursday that two maintenance crew members had been killed and two others injured when a structure collapsed at Iscor's Saldanha steel mill on the Cape West Coast. The company said the accident occurred at 9am during planned maintenance of the filtering system of the hot strip mill at the plant. Iscor's head of corporate affairs, Phaldie Kalam, said a hired maintenance team of 15 under the supervision of a Saldanha staff member was performing routine cleaning operations at the hot strip mill at the time of the accident. "Initial reports indicated that five individuals working in the pit below the filtration system were trapped when parts of the structure collapsed. Two of the maintenance crew were rescued and taken to hospital, but sadly two other members of the crew have lost their lives in the incident." The names of the dead have not yet been released as the company was still notifying their families. Kalam said the two injured crew members taken to the local Vredenburg Hospital are in a stable condition. "Our priority right now is to locate the last member of the crew, still believed trapped. The company will then institute a full investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident," he said. The Saldanha Steel mill is currently not in production due to the relining of the Corex plant.
Deadly collapse sends workers plummeting at restaurant site
by Braden Keil, Zach Haberman, Maria Malave and Bridget Harrison
One worker was killed and six others seriously injured yesterday when a makeshift floor collapsed and buried them in rubble at an East Side brownstone being renovated to house a fancy restaurant. The accident occurred at 3:12 p.m., as workers piled cinder blocks on the top floor of the four-story, century-old building at 33 E. 61st St. - where the owners of the tony Serafina chain are working feverishly to have a new Asian-fusion eatery ready for fall. In all, 18 workers were swallowed up in the collapse. Eleven managed to stagger from the building with only minor injuries even though they were coated with debris. But seven others were rushed to Bellevue and New York hospitals in critical condition. ntonio Roman, 41, of Harlem , died later at New York Hospital . "It was like boom, boom, boom, the sound of a huge implosion," said Joe DeNaloli, 46, concierge at 667 Madison Ave. , a commercial building across the street from the brownstone, which has been under renovation since January. "Cement blocks shot out of the windows, iron beams came blasting through the glass. There was a big cloud of dust, and I could see people falling," he said. Pandemonium gripped the East Side block - home to the posh restaurants Serafina and Aureole - as dozens of firetrucks rushed to the scene and firefighters and paramedics, battled to pull dazed workers from the debris. Horrified Serafina diners next door rushed from their tables, some to take cover, others to help the injured men. "Some people were running away from the restaurant, others ran to help. One man ran out and carried a worker covered in debris away then lay him down. He was coughing," DeNaloli said. The building, which previously housed Gertrude's and Brown's restaurants, was bought by top restaurateurs Vittoria Assaf and Fabio Granato of Serafina last October. They planned to transform it into a sparkling, Far East-style showplace called Geisha. "This is not good. I don't know how something collapses from the inside," said horrified Granato, who rushed to the scene. "I think they were overloading some bricks, and they put them in the same spot, and then the weight overloaded." Andy Goff, 39, a painter who is working at the Regency Hotel on the block said, "For two days, they've been loading blocks onto the third floor. There was too much weight up there. It didn't look safe, it looked like an accident waiting to happen." Louis Maldonado, 47, a chauffeur at 667 Madison Ave. who parks his car on the block every day, said many people on the block had been concerned about the builders' working practices. "We knew it was going to happen, we just didn't know when," he said. A spokesman from the city Buildings Department said the permits had been issued for a complete demolition and renovation - and that the accident was still under investigation. In the meantime, buildings officials issued a stop-work order for the site. A representative of the contractor, Tamco Corp. of Manhattan , would not comment. Additional reporting by Erika Martinez and Ed Robinson
Worker falls off roof, trapped in trench
Sharon Stahl, Mercury Staff Writer
AMITY -- A construction worker fell off a house roof Thursday morning and landed in a four-foot trench, where it took rescue crews two hours to free the man.Richard Gokey was building a home on Guldin Road when he apparently slipped from the roof. "He fell about 30 feet from the roof," said Amity Fire Chief Kevin Neiswender. "He was conscious the whole time." Gokey was wedged between the dirt and the cement footer in the trench.Initially, Amity Fire Co. had the trench secured while the medics were inside the trench taking care of Gokey. Firefighters shirred the walls of the trench to prevent a possible second collapse. When rescue workers arrived, they decided to dig away a portion of the trench that was away from the patient, then slide him to that opening and lift him out. "Those decisions were made collectively between Neiswender, station chief Rich Seirocinski, and medical command," said Terry Bechtel, a firefighter with Goodwill Rescue. The victim was conscious and alert and rescuers reported that he was in good spirits. "It was a successful rescue with the collective effort of everyone who was there," said Bechtel. No rescuers were injured. Rescue crews carefully removed an area of dirt, then slid Gokey to the opening and lifted him out of the trench on a backboard. Gokey appeared to have a leg fracture and shoulder injury, according to Neiswender. His injuries did not appear life-threatening. He was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital Center because his vital signs indicated possible other injuries. Assisting at the scene were Monarch, Oley, Stonersville, Mount Penn and Pottstown fire departments.
Fast-acting firefighters save Edison worker's life
By Gordon Wilczynski, Macomb Daily Staff Writer
A 43-year-old Detroit Edison contractor who fell off a 70-foot utility pole could have died if not for the quick action of Macomb Township firefighters, officials said Wednesday. Kenneth Dean Jones was working on the pole about 600 yards from Macomb Township 's main fire hall on May 8 when he fell off the newly installed pole. Fire Capt. David Myny and Firefighter David Nowak saved the man's life by quickly responding and inserting a tube into his airway to help him breathe, Fire Chief Ray Ahonen said. Medstar ambulance personnel quickly responded and rushed Jones to Mount Clemens General Hospital where he remains in serious condition. Jones fell off the 70-foot pole while he was climbing to the top, said Ahonen. Instead of dialing 911, an Edison employee ran to the fire hall to inform firefighters of the accident. "This guy was ready to die," Ahonen said. "He was turning blue from the chest up, but our guys, who are extremely competent, did a phenomenal job." Ahonen said Jones fell on chunks of hard blue clay that had recently been removed to install the pole. The chief said the victim's spine was broken in three spots.
UPDATE, Worker’s deadly fall still under investigation
By DENES HUSTY III Co-workers and loved ones remained in shock over the death of a worker Monday who plunged 18 stories to his death inside a Naples condominium garbage chute. Police said the man’s name was Daniel Hincapie, 29, of Naples . “It’s a tragedy,” said John Schallert, vice president of Spectrum Painting & Restoration Co. Schallert said Hincapie’s co-workers were still in shock over his death. He declined further comment, saying the accident still is being investigated. An investigator from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration was on the scene Tuesday. Hincapie and a crew from the company were on the roof of the Esplanade condominium pressure cleaning the roof Monday afternoon when the accident happened. Hincapie fell through the roof covering the garbage chute that runs the height of the 18-story condominium, Sgt. Neal Schaefer said. The man plummeted about 180 feet into an open trash container on the first floor of the condominium. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Hincapie’s co-workers didn’t immediately notice what happened because the noise made by the pressure cleaning equipment. After a few minutes, they noticed he was missing and saw the hole in the chute cover, investigators said. The workers called the condominium manager. He and the workers searched the building and found Hincapie’s body in the trash room, investigators said. A crisis and grief counselor was called to the scene to console Hincapie’s co-workers and his girlfriend, who was notified of his death. “Sudden death is especially traumatic. You don’t get a chance to say a last ‘I love you,’ a last chance to say ‘goodbye,’ ” said Beth Knake, who counseled Hincapie’s fellow workers and his girlfriend. The accident investigation could take anywhere from a few weeks to six months to complete, said Roger Alcorn, assistant area director for the federal worker safety agency. Anyone found to be violating federal safety regulations in the case could face fines ranging from $7,000 to $70,000, he said.
UPDATE, Russian Space Accident Probably Caused by Blast May 15, 2002 08:00 CDT
The roof collapse that killed eight people at Russia 's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan was probably caused by a blast from an air tank, an investigator said Tuesday. Interfax quoted Gennady Migmetov saying that an object probably fell on a tank of compressed air in a rocket stored at the site, which then exploded and set off the collapse on Sunday. A government commission investigating the causes of the accident at the Russian cosmodrome should make its final conclusions public late Tuesday, Migmetov said. Seven Kazakh repairmen and a Belarus colleague were killed in the accident. Constructed in the 1950s, Baikonur served as the launch site for Sputnik, the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth. Russia and Kazakhstan signed a 1994 agreement which recognizes the Central Asian republic's territorial claim on Baikonur but leases the cosmodrome to Moscow for 115 million dollars (132 million euros) a year. Last month, a top Russian general said the military would continue using the Baikonur cosmodrome as a satellite launch site until at least 2011 before switching operations to Russia .
Steel workers trapped under scaffolding
May 16 2002 at 01:48PM , By Lauren Kansley and Steven Otter Three Saldanha Steel workers are trapped in shallow water under tons of scaffolding and construction rubble after a filtration system collapsed on Thursday. It is understood five people were working in the filtration pit, with another 10 on the scaffolding above the hole, when the scaffolding came down, trapping five workers. Some of those who had been on the scaffolding were able to free themselves, leaving five people trapped. Rescue workers then pulled another two from the pit. Immediately workers began pumping ankle-deep water from the pit. Wilderness Search and Rescue and police sniffer dog teams were sent from Cape Town in a bid to find people under the rubble. Johan Benders of the police dog unit said a border collie rescue dog called Sparkie had picked up a faint scent in one part of the pit and rescue workers were desperately trying to clear rubble from that area. Wayne Smith of Metro Rescue said: "The area had to be cleared before rescue workers could begin searching for the men". The head of corporate affairs for Iscor, Phaldie Kalam, said the 15 involved were casual workers doing general maintenance. The entire plant was closed for a routine maintenance check at the time. Kalam said the two rescued workers had been pulled out by an on-site team equipped to handle emergencies. A worker at the West Coast steel mill said the plant was now in chaos, as various rescue teams co-ordinated their efforts.
Man Dies After Falling Into Machinery
Accident Happened At Cargill Plant
UPDATED: 9:03 a.m. EDT May 16, 2002
AKRON , Ohio -- A man was killed Thursday in an accident at an industrial plant in Akron . Police said the victim apparently fell into some machinery overnight at the Cargill Plant at 2065 Manchester Road on Akron 's southwest side. Officials are looking into the incident. The identity of the man is not being released yet.
UPDATE, Worker cheats death A small noise, then a 70-foot plunge
By CRAIG SCHNEIDER and DOUG PAYNE, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writers
Moments before plummeting 70 feet inside a massive sewer shaft Tuesday, Bwyangi Means heard a noise. It wasn't that loud. But it was a bad sign. He was pouring concrete inside the shaft about 6:30 p.m. , doing what he had done many times before. Suddenly the wall holding his platform made that noise. Then it collapsed. Means was hurled downward, along with a shower of concrete, wood and steel. During a three- to four-second plunge he sensed the end of his life speeding toward him.Somewhere along the way, the 28-year-old construction worker separated from the wood-and-steel platform, which had been bolted to the shaft wall. Not only was the concrete bottom of the 200-foot shaft frightening, but there also were heavy timbers, concrete and steel crashing down around him. Means remained conscious even after the tremendous thud of striking bottom. Two of his fallen co-workers lay not far from him. Means couldn't tell from his vantage point, but his friends weren't moving. From the bottom of the shaft, Means, also unable to move, heard his supervisor calling down to him."He kept saying they're going to get me out. They're going to get me out. Hang in there," Means said. He blacked out, only to be awakened to the thwup-twhup-thwup sound of whirling helicopter blades. He had been hoisted to the surface. A helicopter was airlifting him from the south Cobb County construction site to Atlanta Medical Center . His two friends remained at the bottom of the cavernous pit. They were dead.
The rescue
Inside the shaft it was hot, humid and dark. The rescue and recovery effort was gruesome and frustrating. Members of the Heavy Rescue Unit, a specially trained squad created to deal with emergencies involving this massive underground sewage project, arrived about 6:45 p.m. and plunged again and again into the hole.For the next three hours, members of the rescue unit and Cobb firefighters -- working an hour on, an hour off -- swapped shovels, crowbars and other equipment as they strained to free the bodies of Reginald Washington and Jose Enrique Lezama from the rubble on the floor of the shaft. "Even when you're told you've got people buried in concrete, the magnitude of what you're going to see doesn't quite hit you," said Lt. Chris Sobieski, a member of the Heavy Rescue Unit. Riding a yellow gondola down into the damaged shaft Tuesday night, "I was trying to look at the walls to get a visual picture in my mind of what had fallen and what we had." He did not expect what they found."There was no sure footing," he said. "Everything -- all the beams, all the concrete -- was kind of askew. There was rebar sticking up. You had to be careful where you stepped. You didn't want to step and fall on a piece of rebar."Rebar is the steel reinforcing rods buried in concrete to increase its strength. The bottom of the shaft was littered with the rods, pieces of the collapsed platform and piles of hardening concrete. "That's what made the process so hard," he said. "We weren't just chipping concrete, we'd be chipping and would come across something else and have to cut through that." For wood, they used chain saws. For steel, they used an "exothermic torch." For concrete, they used jackhammers and special concrete saws. Rescuers spotted the two still bodies, sticking out of a pile of debris that had fallen from the walls of the shaft. They had to dig through a wide pile of hardening concrete, a foot thick and weighing 180,000 pounds, said Fire Department spokesman Lt. Dan Dupree. Progress in removing the bodies was slow. Every few minutes the crews tangled with some new obstacle, a huge piece of timber or more metal. Closer to the bodies, they used small trowels and their bare hands "out of respect" for the victims. Lezama's body was brought to the surface at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday; Washington 's body was recovered at 8:05 a.m. Wednesday.
The aftermath
By Wednesday afternoon, Means, the injured worker, and Sobieski, the fatigued rescuer, were both doing better. Means was awake but foggy as his brother visited his hospital room, where his recovery time was marked by the rhythm of a morphine drip. His mother and father, Stella and Otis Means, sat in the waiting room greeting visitors, several of them from the construction site. Work has stopped on the massive 9.5-mile sewer tunnel, which runs perpendicular to the 200-foot-high shaft. The other hospitalized worker, Raul Gomez, 23, of Norcross was released Wednesday. "You look good," said Means' brother, Kimany Means, 29. "A lot better than yesterday." Kimany Means touched his brother's left leg, making sure the feeling was still there. Bwyangi Means suffered a separated shoulder, several broken vertebrae and cuts and bruises, his brother said.Sobieski knows he'll be ready to go again if his specialized rescue unit is called upon. "Everybody deals with it individually and in their own way," he said. "I try to become very focused. You can get distracted, overwhelmed, if you just sit there and concentrate on that. I tell myself, 'My main job is to get down here and get this person out as quickly as I can.' "You can't carry the tragedy of every body you see or you just wouldn't be able to do the job. "Means isn't so sure whether he could return to the shaft. "I don't know if I can ever trust a wall like that again," he said. Everyone seems amazed he's alive, even Means himself. He doesn't recall anything in the shaft that might have slowed his 70-foot fall. Only one thing explains it, he said. "God had me."
Scaffold collapse in sewer shaft kills 2, hurts 6 in Cobb
By SAEED AHMED and LATEEF MUNGIN, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writers
A scaffolding collapse threw a crew of eight workers into a tangle of steel and setting concrete Tuesday at a south Cobb County sewage treatment plant. Two were killed and six injured. The men were building the concrete walls of a circular 200-foot-deep shaft, working 130 feet below the surface, when the scaffolding failed shortly before 6:30 p.m. , sending all eight workers to the bottom, according to Cobb County Fire Lt. Dan Dupree. The bodies of the two dead men were buried in the hardening mixture, and emergency workers rushed to bring in 300 pounds of sugar to counteract the setting of the wet concrete.Heavy timbers, steel and other dismantled material also clogged the shaft, which is 110 feet in diameter. One body -- that of an Atlanta man -- was recovered at 10:20 p.m. Rescuers were trying to remove the second man from hardened concrete early this morning. Neither of the dead men had been identified late Tuesday night. Both were 38 years old. One is from Newnan and the other from Atlanta . Both were employed by Archer Western Contractors Ltd. The six workers who survived the accident were removed from the bottom of the shaft by crane. Of the survivors, one was rushed by helicopter to Atlanta Medical Center with a head injury and was listed in critical condition early Wednesday morning. Another was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance with an injured shoulder and was listed in stable condition. The four other workers were injured but didn't require hospital treatment. Gwinnett County Fire Chief Randy Robinson, who was on the scene helping with the rescue, said, "It's a mess down there. One of the worst I've seen." Robinson, a 28-year veteran, said the debris in the shaft hampered efforts to reach the second body. The workers were helping build a $128 million project known as the Chattahoochee Interceptor, begun last summer and expected to be completed over the next two years. The 9.5-mile-long tunnel goes underneath east Cobb and will carry sewage to an expanded treatment center on South Atlanta Road at the Chattahoochee River , said Robert Quigley, spokesman for the Cobb County government. The accident Tuesday occurred at the R.L. Sutton treatment center. "Right now we're treating it as a structural collapse situation rather than a cave-in," Dupree said. The men were working in a shaft perpendicular to what will be the end point of the main tunnel. Sewage is to be pumped up from the tunnel through the shaft, then treated. Archer Western Contractors Ltd. is responsible for the construction of the shaft where the accident occurred, county officials said. Quigley said it was too early to tell what caused the scaffolding to collapse. Federal investigators were to examine the site after both bodies were recovered. Firefighters from Gwinnett County were brought in to assist. "It's going to be a long, drawn-out affair," Quigley said. Police had set up an area on the site for family members to congregate. About a dozen people had arrived by 9:30 p.m. to see whether their kin were among the injured or dead. Carlos Martinez, 29, hurried to the scene as soon as he heard. His brother had been working on the project. "I'd like to know if he's all right. I'd like to know if my brother is dead or alive," said Martinez , of Forest Park . Minutes later, he spotted his 27-year-old brother Francisco, through a chain link fence. He was safe. He later learned that Francisco was on the scaffold that collapsed, but stepped off it just moments before it collapsed. "This was my brother's second day on the job, and trust me, he's not coming back to work tomorrow," Carlos Martinez said later. Monday night, the brothers had talked about how deep the hole was and that Francisco was scared to work inside it. Dock Putnam, 43, of Smyrna , a contract worker who knew some of the men in the crew, also rushed in after hearing about the accident on television. He knows that tunnel engineering by definition is a risky business. "I work with these men. I want to find out what happened," Putnam said. The men, who earn an average of $15 a hour, are contract workers from around the Atlanta area, he said. Putnam was carrying a white hard hat caked with concrete Tuesday night. He said once workers descend into the tunnels, they almost always come out covered with concrete. He also said he wasn't surprised by the accident because he believed it was only "a matter of time" before something like this happened. "Normally, when you have a project so big in scope, some type of accident is bound to happen," Putnam said. The Cobb County Water System started construction of the tunnel in September 2000 to relieve some of the strain from two other sewer lines that are near capacity. The deep tunnel method is being used to minimize disruptions to the community and the environment, according to the project's Web site. What would have been 15 miles of traditional sewer lines have been reduced to a 9.5-mile direct path between the Indian Hills subdivision drop shaft and the R.L. Sutton Water Reclamation Facility. The 18-foot-diameter rock tunnel is about 49,600 feet long and runs at depths of 110 feet to 350 feet below ground. Staff writers Jim Galloway, Doug Payne and Bryan Long contributed to this article.
Jury awards man $6.1 million for factory accident By EMILY KERN, Westside bureau
PORT ALLEN -- A West Baton Rouge Parish jury awarded $6.1 million to a man who fell into a pit of boiling acid water while on the job at Cinclare Central Factory. Judge Sharah Harris of 18th Judicial District Court presided over the trial. Robert Lewis Jr., 32, had been employed at Cinclare's for only a few days when, on Nov. 1, 1999 , he went to get a drink of water from a fountain near the factory's back door, the lawsuit contends. After getting the drink, he walked through the back door and slipped into the pit, Lewis claimed in his lawsuit. Lewis "struggled to keep his head above water" and "furiously dog paddled to the bank," the suit says. He "crawled onto the side of the pit and ran back into the factory," where a co-worker took him up to the fourth floor to get first aid, the petition said. He later was taken to the Baton Rouge General Medical Center emergency room and transferred to the burn unit. Lewis suffered severe burns on 85 percent of his body and now is unable to care for himself, the lawsuit says. According to the suit, the day after Lewis was injured someone erected a fence around the pit and a warning sign. The jury found that Cinclare Central Factory was 50 percent liable for Lewis' injuries, Louisiana Safety Consultants Inc. was 40 percent liable, and Lewis was 10 percent liable, said attorney Rick Stolzle, who represented Lewis. But because the state's worker's compensation law does not allow an employee to sue an employer, Lewis will receive only 40 percent of the money awarded, Stolzle said. Stolzle said his client had already settled with Cinclare for an undisclosed amount of money. The verdict form shows that the jury awarded Lewis approximately $566,000 for past medical expenses, $2 million for future medical expenses, $250,000 for past mental anguish and distress, $750,000 for future mental anguish and distress, $800,000 for past physical pain and suffering, and $500,000 for future pain and suffering. The jury also awarded Lewis approximately $33,000 for past loss of earnings and income earning capacity, $230,000 for future loss of earnings and income earning capacity, $50,000 for past loss of enjoyment of life, and $1 million for future loss of enjoyment of life and scarring and disfigurement. Stolzle said this case was the worst burn case he had seen in 25 years of practice. "It was a complicated case," he said, but the jury listened intently during the weeklong trial. Local attorney Tony Clayton assisted in the trial, Stolzle said. Ronald G. Olivier of Louisiana Safety Consultants in New Iberia referred all questions to his attorney, Kevin Landreneau of Baton Rouge . The consulting company's role was to "advise, plan, consult and monitor" the factory's owners and employers regarding safety procedures and practices, the lawsuit says. According to the petition, "Olivier failed to use reasonable care to warn employees of the danger and to take reasonable action to protect against the danger." Landreneau said he thought the case was well litigated on both sides, but he said he was disappointed with the verdict. He said the jury did not get its instructions until midnight Friday, which he said is unusual, and reached its verdict shortly after 4 a.m. "I believe there are numerous appealable issues in this case," Landreneau said.
Man dies after falling into machinery
It is reported that a man in his 50's has died after falling into machinery at the Stowe Woodward factory in Glenrothes, Fife, which produces roll coverings for the papermaking industry. It has yet to be established whether he died from head injuries in the fall or from a sudden illness at that time.
Window cleaner dies in fall It is reported that a window cleaner has died after falling 25 metres while working on an office building at the weekend. The accident occurred at the Pennine House block in Bradford on Saturday morning.
by ALAN CROWELL Staff Writer, Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc
CANAAN - Family members remember a 41-year-old Canaan man who fell to his death at a Massachusetts construction site as a devoted family man and a hard worker. Clinton L. Lord died Wednesday after falling more than 25 feet from the steel skeleton of a middle school being built in Dorchester, according to a report from the Thursday edition of The Boston Globe. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death. Lord was working for Zichelle Steel Erectors of Leominister, Mass., a subcontractor for Peabody Construction of Braintree, the site manager. Zichelle was fined $13,000 and cited for 11 violations at a Taunton job site last year. One of the citations came after an inspector reportedly saw an employee walking on a steel beam 36 feet above the ground without a safety harness. Other violations include workers failing to wear hard hats and problems with electrical wiring at the site. A family member said Friday that Lord was an iron worker whose profession took him all over the nation and even out of the country. Despite often working far away, Lord was home almost every weekend, according to his brother-in-law, Chad Corson, of Topsham. "He worked real hard for his family. Even at home, he was always outside working on something. He loved being home with his family," said Corson. Lord had two grown children and two teen-age daughters. Originally from Alabama, Lord liked living in Canaan at his home on the Battle Ridge Road and had many friends in the area. "He befriended everybody he met," said Corson. He said his brother was a "weekend farmer" who raised pigs and other animals and enjoyed hunting. The funeral is scheduled Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Skowhegan Federated Church on Island Avenue.
Workers hurt while building stage in rain
By EMILY HEFFTER, Staff Writer
After last year's Nashville River Stages event, patrons complained that the crowds made the experience miserable. This year, organizers vowed to do better. But the changes they made - mostly organizational - were not enough to keep several problems from cropping up. Two construction workers were injured Friday evening while building the Clear Channel Stage near the Metro Courthouse in the rain, said Susan Elmore, a spokeswoman for Clear Channel Communications, which organized the event. Elmore, who works for a public relations firm in Houston, did not have details of the accidents last night. Local organizers would not comment on the accidents and initially said construction on the stage was called off because of rain. One worker fell and had to go to a hospital, Elmore said, and another was treated at the site.
Worker Critical After Fall From Fuller Warren
A construction worker is in critical condition after falling from the Fuller Warren Bridge to the ground Thursday morning. About 10:30 a.m. , Michael Paugh, 48, fell an estimated 50 feet to the ground and landed face down near the Riverside end of the bridge. He was taken by ambulance to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center , but his condition is not yet known. Officials said Paugh was wearing a harness, but he'd unhooked it to use the bathroom. "He came out of the bathroom ... don't know what happened after that," construction manager Ray Davis said. "He obviously wasn't tied off when he went into the bathroom." Work on the bridge was suspended for the day as safety measures are assessed and the accident is investigated. Paugh worked for Balfour Beatty, the main contractor building the new Interstate 95 span over the St. Johns River . Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Mike Goldman said the project is 95-percent complete, and this is the first serious mishap. Balfour Beatty was cited five times by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for violations with the Fuller Warren project -- all in 1999 -- and fined more than $12,000. One of those citations was for non-compliance with fall protection and scaffolding guidelines. According to OSHA's online database, the company has more than 100 citations nationwide since 1996, and 70 fines.
Indians among five workers killed in UAE building collapse
Mon Apr 22, 3:29 AM ET
DUBAI (Reuters) - At least five expatriate workers were killed in the United Arab Emirates when the roof of a building they were constructing caved in on them, newspapers reported on Monday. They said at least eight other workers were injured in the accident on Sunday in Sharjah, one of the emirates that make up the UAE federation. The newspapers said the roof's scaffolding collapsed when the workers were pouring cement onto it. Rescuers battled through the night to remove the bodies from underneath the rubble and hardening cement. The dead workers were identified as Egyptians, Pakistanis and Indians. Expatriates, mainly from poor Asian and Arab countries, form the bulk of the workforce in the oil-rich UAE.
Man Blown Off Roof By Wind Gust
A man died after a wind gust blew him off the roof of a building Wednesday. Police said that Bernard Taylor, 52, his son, Dean Taylor, and a co-worker were installing metal sheeting on the roof of a one-story commercial building at 161st Street and Foster when a gust of wind picked up the sheeting and blew Bernard Taylor off the roof. The man's son and co-worker were also hurt, but not seriously, according to emergency crews. The pair were taken to a hospital for treatment. The workers were employed by Midwest Associate Builders. The owner told KMBC 9 News' Brenda Washington that the company has a very good safety record, and he fully supports an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for Wednesday. Winds are expected to gust between 45 and 50 mph.
Roofing worker plunges 15 metres through fragile panel
A roofing contractor's employee has sustained serious injuries when he fell through a roof panel, possibly a rooflight, on the premises of Lynx Express Deliveries of Bothwell, Lanarkshire. It is reported that his fall on to concrete below left him with head and spinal injuries. According to Lynx Express the man, aged 34, was employed by Larkhall based contractors Taymore.
Two construction workers die in 18-storey plunge
Wet concrete sweeps pair down condo's elevator shaft
Jonathan Bjerg Moller, Michelle Warren and Peter Edwards, Staff reporters
Two construction workers died yesterday after falling 18 storeys when a concrete wall collapsed on top of them. The two men, aged 24 and 40, were working inside the elevator shaft on the 16th floor of a luxury condominium on Lake Shore Blvd. W. near Park Lawn Rd. just before 3 p.m. when a concrete form collapsed on the floor above, pouring wet concrete on top of the workers and sending them plunging into the basement two storeys underground, police said. Police released the name of one of the victims, 24-year-old Mark Daponte of Mississauga. The name of the other victim, who police said is not from the GTA, was being withheld pending notification of family. "There was concrete being poured into a form," said coroner Dr. Trevor Gillmore. "It would appear that concrete had leaked from the form to the area below, where they were working, causing them to fall." A worker at the scene, who declined to give his name, said it was the last piece of concrete to be poured on the site. Many of the workers had been working together for months, building the Nevis Luxury Waterfront Living complex, a Shiu Pong Group development. "It's a miracle nobody else was injured," said Detective Michael Duchak. "They're just absolutely shocked. To view the devastation in there is horrible." The accident is a sobering prelude to tomorrow's annual Day of Mourning, started by the labour movement in 1984, which honours workers killed or injured, or who have become sick due to work-related events. Police said the 24-year-old victim's father and brother also worked at the site. There are conflicting reports about where they were when the accident happened. Duchak said both men were off-site and returned shortly after the tragedy, but Victor Ferreira, of Local 183 of the Labourers International Union and a friend of the two deceased, said the father, a construction foreman, was nearby and heard the accident. "His father was on the roof. All they heard was a loud bang," Ferreira said. Like the many red-eyed construction workers who gathered beneath the unfinished skeleton of the condominium yesterday afternoon, Ferreira knew the two men and was devastated by the tragedy. "Words can't describe it, I feel like I lost my own brothers," said Ferreira, "They were two great, great, great guys." A couple of other men had to cling to scaffolding to keep from falling down the shaft, Ferreira added. Last night, investigators were still interviewing witnesses as worried spouses began to arrive at the scene looking for their partners. One worker said the father was still on site but was in shock. "He's feeling it, he's not feeling it," the worker said. "I really don't think he knows what's going on." "We're speechless, it's just too much," another worker said. Ferreira called it the worst accident he has seen in 18 years of construction work. He said he would welcome a coroner's inquest into the deaths and couldn't understand how the men fell so far when there is scaffolding installed every four or five floors to keep workers from falling down the shaft. Duchak said some workers were complaining that, because of the Ontario public service strike, proper inspections had not taken place in recent weeks. "Some people have expressed concern because inspectors usually come on site once or twice a month," he said. Investigators and structural engineers from the Ontario labour ministry were quickly brought to inspect the site. Police said there were fears for the structural integrity of the condominium due to the damage. Meanwhile, rescue workers were bringing in spotlights and equipment to remove the bodies. "They're encased in concrete down at the bottom and it's hardening," he said.
Construction worker dies in Panhandle accident
Tuesday, April 23, 2002, Associated Press
GULF BREEZE — A construction worker died when he apparently fell off scaffolding and was impaled on a steel rod used to reinforce concrete, Santa Rosa County sheriff's deputies say. Thomas Vega, 32, who resided in Mexico , was found dead Saturday at the site of a Walgreen's drug store he was helping build. Vega was employed by the Chadwick T. Wallace Co. of Canton, Ga. Other employees had completed work for the day and were gathering tools when Vega fell, although no one witnessed the accident, deputies said.
Chelmsford: Workman falls from scaffolding
by Charlotte Potter, Brought to you by the Evening Gazette
A workman had a lucky escape after falling 13 feet from scaffolding at a school. Steve Wade was working on the new sports hall at Boswells School , Burnham Road , Springfield , Chelmsford , when he fell from a large area of scaffolding onto a part below him at about 11.30am yesterday. It took rescuers an hour to lower him to the ground using ropes and a fork lift truck because the aerial ladder could not find a hard enough area to steady itself on. Mr Wade, 39, of Colchester , was taken to Broomfield Hospital by Essex Air Ambulance, But today it was confirmed he suffered minor injuries - no broken bones - and was later discharged. He was being sub-contracted through Hutton Construction, Birch. A spokeswoman for the company said: "The accident is being investigated and has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive." Headteacher Kevin Arkell said: "All our thoughts are with Mr Wade and we wish him a speedy recovery." Published Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Scaffolding collapse claims five Sharjah |By Eman Abdullah
Rescuers fought a battle against time to free workers trapped under a mound of rapidly-hardening cement after a construction site accident that killed five men and injured eight others. The workers were buried when an intricate scaffolding collapsed as 40 cubic metres of cement was tipped on to it on the building site at Al Liyyah. They plunged 15 metres to the ground and the wet cement and steel bars cascaded on top of them. Until late in the evening, rescue teams toiled in vain to reach three workers trapped under the debris. During the afternoon they were able to see and talk to two of the three entombed men – but sadly by late evening it was announced by police that they had died. It was feared that the third man had also perished. Rescue work was continuing into the early hours of this morning, as teams were unable to pinpoint the location of the third man under the debris. During the day rescue workers had to remove all the intact scaffolding and steel supports from the huge room to get to the cement, which was hardening, and to remove the tangled web of steel bars which had collapsed. The workers who had been on the scaffolding were trapped under mounds of cement and twisted steel, said Col Saleh Ali Al Mutawa, Commander in Chief of Sharjah Police. Col Al Mutawa was at the accident site, where a Planning and Survey Department building was being constructed near the new Water and Electricity Department building. He attributed the cause of the accident to poor support from the steel framework prepared for pouring the cement. He said all those responsible - engineers, consultants, contractors - who approved the plans "will be put in custody and investigated to determine each one's area of responsibility with regard to the accident". He said Sharjah Police was notified of the accident at 12.35pm and police teams were in place within 10 minutes. Al Buhairah Police Station was asked to begin an immediate investigation, he said. "Some of the workers had half their bodies stuck in the cement and between the steel bars. Others were buried under the debris," he said. Sharjah Police sought the help of Dubai Police and the Civil Defence Department in Sharjah to help rescue as many workers as possible before the cement hardened. At around 2.30 p.m. nine workers were removed. Two were taken to Al Qasimi hospital, and the other seven to Al Kuwaiti hospital. Doctors from Al Qasimi hospital were rushed to the site to give some of the trapped workers anaesthetic while they were being cut out of the mangled wreckage. About 50 rescue and medical staff from different departments joined the efforts. Lt Younes Mohammed Sharif Abdul Rahman from the Crisis Department of Dubai Police Operations General Administration, claimed the accident was brought about by negligence. "We received notification at 1.45 p.m. and a specialised team was rushed to the site," he said, pointing up the need for inter-emirate cooperation in crises such as this. "We are working to soften and break the cement and cut the steel bars." Two of the dead were removed in the afternoon. One was sent to Al Kuwaiti Hospital and the other to Al Qasimi Hospital.
Construction worker dies from fall from HillsboroBeach condo
Friday, April 19, 2002 , Associated Press
HILLSBORO BEACH — A construction worker died Thursday when he fell down a ventilation shaft of a nine-story condominium under construction. Workers at the site of the Ocean Grande discovered the body at the base of the ventilation shaft shortly before noon , the Broward County sheriff's spokesman Jim Leljedal said. The 48-year-old man, whose name wasn't immediately released, died upon impact, possibly falling from the top floor where he was working, Leljedal said. No foul play was suspected, but Hillsboro Beach police, Broward sheriff's investigators and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating.
Construction Worker Falls 40 Feet from Forklift
WJLA
A construction worker in Rockville has been takento an area hospital after falling about 40 feet from a forklift. The accident happend around 7:20 a.m. according to Montgomery County Fire Department spokesman Pete Piringer. Emergeny crews and a helicopter rushed to the scene to take the victim to the hospital. The unidentifiedman was working with a constructioncrewin the 800 block of Grand Champion Drive in the King Farm development. Piringer says the construction worker has suffered "traumatic injuries."
Man Killed In Ventilation Shaft Fall
Miami Heraldand WPLG Click10.com
A man was killed Thursday when he fell down a ventilation shaft. According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, the 48-year-old man, whose name is not being released, was working on construction at the nine-story Ocean Grande condominium in Hillsboro Beach . He had been working on the top floor of the building. No one saw him fall, but co-workers found his body at the bottom of the shaft. Sheriff's spokesman Jim Leljedal said the man died on impact and no foul play is suspected. Hillsboro Beach police, Broward Sheriff's investigators and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (news - web sites) are investigating.
Differing accounts of worker's death spark BlairCounty inquest
Friday, April 19, 2002 , By Tom Gibb, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. -- Maybe it happened just the way a handful of Richard Simmers' co-workers said: He was intoxicated at work, fell from a one-story roof near the company headquarters and landed on his head. Or maybe there was more truth in a story that authorities heard later -- that the 38-year-old father of one was hurt in a scuffle with at least one co-worker. And there was at least one other version to choose from: that fellow workers at Wohler Construction Co. in nearby Duncansville carried Simmers by the arms and legs for some reason, then somehow dumped him on his head. At an inquest next month, Blair County Coroner Patricia Ross and District Attorney David Gorman expect to start untangling the story of what killed Simmers. Ross said the inquest may determine whether Simmers' death Nov. 6 was accidental or a case of manslaughter that witnesses are trying to cover up. "It could well be an accident," Ross said. "But this is the perfect case for an inquest. The stories don't necessarily match the injuries found." A six-person jury would hear the case, then render a decision that is advisory as Gorman ponders whether to charge anyone. What the jurors will hear are differing accounts of the injury as well as experts' opinions on whether the accounts jibe with the injuries Simmers suffered. The jury will hear that Simmers' wife arrived Oct. 21 to pick him up from work and found him unconscious. Sixteen days later, in Altoona Hospital , Simmers, who also went as Resch-Simmers, died from effects of bleeding in his brain. In those two weeks, Simmers was on and off a ventilator. But at his most lucid, he never rose beyond a mental twilight and could not fill in the missing information. "He was never fully aware," Ross said. As Simmers' family heard rumblings that the death was not accidental, Ross wrestled with inconsistencies -- like why, if Simmers tumbled from a roof, he suffered fatal internal injuries but few external wounds. "It's like being told there was a car crash, finding the car with no damage to the outside but finding the person inside beaten up and dead," Ross said. "It seems something's not right." Simmers' family, which pushed for the inquest, could find it a messy affair. Information is likely to surface about his own criminal record, Ross said. That record includes a 2000 drunken driving case where police found him piloting a truck while his blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. And in another case five years ago, he told police he "flipped out" and battered a 4-year-old boy for whom he was supposed to be caring. That case got him 60 days in jail.
Scaffold collapse injures 3 workers
By KRISTEN A. TURICK, The Bristol Press April 17, 2002
BRISTOL -- Three men were taken to the hospital with injuries after the scaffolding on which they were working in Forestville collapsed Tuesday morning. According to police, 51-year-old Andrew Aubin and 52-year-old Camille Albert, both of Terryville, and 42-year-old Mark Stevens of Bristol were installing siding on a Kenney Street residence when the scaffolding they were standing on broke around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police estimated the men fell approximately 20 feet to the ground. According to police, the center of the three supports that held the scaffolding broke at approximately 16 feet off the ground, causing the two pieces of scaffolding and the three men to fall. According to police, Aubin sustained injuries to both hands and wrists and lost feeling from his chest down. He was transported to Hartford Hospital by Life Star helicopter, where he was listed in stable condition. Albert sustained lacerations to his arm and head and may have received internal injuries in the fall, police said. Stevens reportedly received a laceration to his head. Both men were transported to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford by Bristol EMS, where they were admitted in stable condition. Police said the incident was not a criminal matter and closed their investigation.
OSHA investigating 2 workers' deadly mishaps By BILL HANNA and DEANNA BOYD, Star-Telegram Staff Writers
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating two incidents in which workers fell to their deaths in the past week. On Friday, a 41-year-old Irving man was killed when he fell headfirst about 20 feet from a boom while working in the parking lot at a southwest Fort Worth shopping center. Jorge Delcampo was pronounced dead at 10:16 a.m. at Harris Methodist Fort Worth. He worked at BJ Waldrum Services of Grand Prairie, according to OSHA officials. Lt. Kent Worley, a Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman, said the accident occurred in the 4600 block of Bryant Irvin Road shortly before 10 a.m. "It appears he was changing lights in the light standards in the parking lot with the boom truck when somehow he fell out," Worley said. On April 5, a systems technician working on a television signal problem in Burleson fell from a basket attached to a truck, striking his head against an awning before hitting the ground in the 100 block of Ellison Street , said Capt. Doug Sandifer of the Burleson Police Department. Officers said the basket was 18 feet above the ground and the basket door was open when they arrived, Sandifer said. The worker, Jurica Miskovic, 45, of Fort Worth , died Sunday at Harris Methodist Fort Worth. Miskovic, who was described as very popular with his coworkers, fled wartime conditions in Bosnia about five years ago, said his wife, Jasna Miskovic. After a brief stay in Germany , the couple immigrated to Fort Worth , and he had been working for Charter Communications about four years. "They took my high school sweetheart; we had been together 30 years," Jasna Miskovic said. During his time in Fort Worth , Miskovic developed a love for country music and even made a trip to Branson , Mo. , his wife said. Terry Kennedy, Charter's group vice president of operations, said the company is cooperating with OSHA officials. "We honestly do not know what occurred," he said. OSHA will complete its investigation in both deaths in about 45 days, said Dean Wingo, OSHA's area director. "Our interest is to investigate the accident, to find out what happened and to determine if there were things not in compliance with OSHA regulations," Wingo said. "Falls from heights are one of the leading causes of deaths in the workplace. Falls from roofs are probably the leading cause, followed by falls from scaffolding and then falls from some type of equipment."
UPDATE, Fitter, 63, fortunate to survive six-metre fall Norman Heaton, 63, was working at the former Huddersfield mill premises at the Minerva Works for his employers Woolcombers (Scourers) Ltd of Bradford when he sustained serious injuries in a fall while dismantling a wool blending bin in February 2001. The six-metre fall left him with broken ribs and a punctured lung. Woolcombers pleaded guilty to failing to meet the requirements of health and safety legislation in the circumstances of Mr Heaton's accident and was fined £14,000 at Huddersfield Magistrates' Court with £1,305.75 costs. Mr Heaton received compensation of £5,000. HSE's Howard Whittaker, prosecuting, explained why the accident was preventable with proper risk assessment and forward planning and said: "It is only fortune that has prevented a fatality."
UPDATE, Fatal Scaffolding Accident Brings $159,350 in Fines For Three New York Contractors
WASHINGTON, DC -- Improperly erected scaffolding and failure to train workers on the hazards of working with scaffolding which resulted in the deaths of five workers and injuries to ten more on October 24, 2001, has resulted in citations against three New York contractors – Nesa, Inc, Tri-State Scaffolding & Equipment Supplies, Inc., and New Millennium Restoration & Contracting Corp., – and $159,350 in penalties, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Aggressive action is necessary against employers who willfully disregard worker protections. This case resulted in the deaths of innocent workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These penalties should serve as notice to Nesa, Inc., Tri-State Scaffolding, and New Millennium Restoration to take immediate corrective action to ensure that no such tragedy occurs again under their supervision.” The scaffolding accident took place at 210 Park Avenue South in Manhattan , at a building that was undergoing restoration. Nesa, Inc. was the general contractor on the project; Tri-State Scaffolding was hired by Nesa, Inc. to build the scaffolding; and New Millennium was hired by a DPA, a subcontractor of Nesa, Inc., to perform the demolition and restoration work. The scaffolding, approximately 160 feet high from bottom baseplate to the top, collapsed at approximately 4:00 p.m. on October 24, killing five employees and injuring ten more. Approximately 300 police and fire rescuers responded to the collapse. Killed in the accident were Manuel Barrariso, 40; Ivan Pillacela, 30; Efrain Gonzalez, 26; Donato Conde, 19; and Cesar F. Tenesaca, 25. “Employers should take this enforcement action as a clear indication that OSHA remains committed to vigorous enforcement of construction safety standards,” said Assistant Secretary of Occupational Safety and Health John L. Henshaw. “The tragic deaths of these workers show us that some workplaces still remain are dangerous and unsafe, including places where Hispanic and other immigrant workers are employed. We are committed to assuring that all workers are provided safety and health protections.” OSHA has proposed two alleged willful and four alleged serious citations for Tri-State Scaffolding, with a proposed penalty of $146,600, for erection of a scaffold that violated scaffold safety rules; for erecting a scaffold not designed by a professional engineer; and other violations of scaffolding and worker protection rules. Serious citations, with a proposed penalty of $9,750, have been proposed for New Millennium Restoration, including failure to train employees on various hazards, failure to require personal protective equipment, and other violations of safety and health protections. Serious citations with a proposed penalty of $3,000 have also been proposed against Nesa, Inc., for not providing falling object protection and failure to brace scaffold frames. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. A serious violation is one where there is a substantial probability that death or serious harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard. The employers have 15 working days to contest OSHA’s citations and proposed penalties. U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc)from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7773 or TTY 202-693-7755.
UPDATE, Contractor fined over roof fall A roofing contractor employed by Woolworths to undertake work on their premises in Brunstane, Edinburgh, has been fined £1,000 for failing to meet the requirements of health and safety legislation in the circumstances of a serious accident. An employee of Glasgow-based CPS 2000 Ltd fell over 6 metres through the building roof when it gave way beneath him in August 2000. His injuries were serious and the fall could easily have cost him his life. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how the man was working without the benefit of a scaffolding structure or harness. An HSE spokesman commented on the prosecution: "The man is lucky to be alive. He was very badly hurt. This was an accident waiting to happen. Firms must test the roof to check it is capable of support. There was no system in place to make sure the worker’s weight was spread evenly. Falling from height is one of the leading causes of injury and fatalities in the construction industry. We are determined to stamp it out."
Construction worker falls off rooftop
Apr 5 2002 12:00AM By
By KATHRYN GILLICK REGISTER-PAJARONIAN STAFF WRITER
A construction worker who plummeted 15 feet to the ground while working on a new bookstore at Monte Vista Christian School was taken by air ambulance to San Jose Medical Center Wednesday afternoon. Howard Enns was working on the roof of the new building when he fell off around 1:20 p.m., according to California Department of Forestry firefighter of Pajaro Valley, Jim Galassi, who was one of the first emergency workers on the scene. Enns was having trouble breathing and was quickly bruising on his back and shoulders, Galassi said, which was a sign Enns should be flown to a trauma center by air ambulance. "Fortunately we had Corralitos [CDF Fire Department] come - they were they were right behind us - and they set up a landing zone," Galassi said. The Calstar Bell 222 helicopter landed on the school's football field. American Medical Response ground ambulance administered immediate aid and took Enns from the construction site to the helicopter. Calstar flight nurses Rose Gaither and Tim Castelli teamed up with AMR paramedics and fire personnel in the rescue operation. Paramedic Brad Cramer described Enns as "conscious and talking." The campus was quiet other than the construction because the students are on spring break until Monday. The small, one story library is currently being sided and roofed.
UPDATE, Hurt worker sues district, contractor
By Joseph Spector, Democrat and Chronicle
(April 3, 2002) — A worker injured while climbing a ladder at Mount Morris Central Schools is suing the school district and its general contractor for $1 million, claiming they were negligent. Gordon DeCillis, 50, of Honeoye, claims he suffered multiple injuries on April 12, 2001, when he was working at a construction site at the Livingston County school, according to a lawsuit filed in the Livingston County Clerk's Office. "The defendants failed or neglected to make reasonable inspections of the property to assure that safety procedures were followed," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit names the school district and Rochester companies LeChase Construction Corp. and LeChase Construction Services LLC -- general contractors for the school's building project. The school district is nearly finished with a $25 million school building project started in 2000. DeCillis was hired as a subcontractor on the project, said his attorney, Denis Bastible. DeCillis has lost wages, suffered a fractured left ankle and had surgery for a hernia because of the fall, Bastible said. Bastible said that according to state law, a property owner and a general contractor for a construction project are liable for injuries suffered at a work site. "What I'm seeking is my client's protection under the labor law of the state of New York," he said. The defendants "have to provide safety devices to ensure that nobody is falling from a ladder on their job sites," Bastible said. James Maslyn, a lawyer representing the school district, said the lawsuit is meritless. "We have some serious issues as to both the liability and damages being claimed against the district," he said. DeCillis filed a notice of claim against the district and LeChase in June. After a settlement could not be reached, the lawsuit was filed last month. The school district and LeChase are working on written arguments against the lawsuit, Maslyn said. Bastible said it appears the case will head to a civil trial. "There was no indication there would be a settlement on this at this point," he said.
Tower worker falls, dies PLAINVIEW - A 28-year-old man plunged to his death Thursday as he was working on 300-foot-tall cellular tower near Plainview. Justin Andrew Culbreth, hometown unknown, was pronounced dead about 3:30 p.m. near the Voicestream Wireless cellular tower just north of Plainview, Hale County Sheriff Chief Deputy Richard Sims said. Culbreth was installing equipment on the tower when he fell. "There was another guy working about 30 or 40 feet below him who tried to catch him, but there was no way he could," Sims said. Culbreth was wearing a safety harness when emergency personnel found him, but Sims said it was unknown if the harness was connected to the tower by a safety line at the time of the accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident along with the sheriff's department.
5 Killed in Taiwan Temblor
Cranes and scaffolding at a high-rise office building site crashed to the ground, killing five construction workers, after a powerful earthquake jolted Taiwan yesterday. More than 200 mostly minor injuries were reported across the island as the quake started fires, shattered windows and cracked walls. Taiwanese officials said it registered magnitude 6.8, but the U.S. Geological Survey estimated it higher, at 7.1. Two cranes fell from the 60th floor of a building under construction in downtown Taipei . Television news footage showed the cranes tumbling from the top of the structure, bringing steel beams and chunks of concrete down with it. Police identified the victims as two crane operators and three other workers. About 10 people were hurt by falling debris, including a woman whose hand was severed when part of a crane came crashing down on her car. "I pulled over my car and ran for a few steps before I saw a falling steel beam smashing another car, right in front of me," taxi driver Wang Tien-tse told the TVBS television station. The building under construction — the Taipei Financial Center — will be Taipei 's tallest when completed, at more than 100 stories. Elsewhere in Taipei , buildings rocked, cracks appeared in walls and frightened people ran from homes and churches.
UPDATE, OSHA fines Pasadena Tank Corp $258,000 Modern Bulk Transporter, Mar 1, 2002
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed fines of $258,000 against Pasadena Tank Corp for an Aug 23, 2001 , accident that killed a worker at a Houston TX construction site. The company had 15 days from February 15 to contest or pay the fines. OSHA cited the Houston-based firm with six alleged willful and serious safety violations for failing to protect workers by providing an inadequate fall protection system. The violations allegedly occurred in which an employee repairing the rooftop of a storage tank fell 56 feet to the ground when the rooftop collapsed. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations. “The employer knew about the unsafe working conditions, but continued to place workers at risk,” said John Lawson, OSHA Houston North area director. “A similar incident happened two years ago when two employees fell to their deaths from a storage tank. This company's continued failure to protect its workers from falls is simply unacceptable.” The company was also cited with two alleged serious violations for failing to train workers and protect workers from falling objects. A serious violation is one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.
OSHA fines companies for wall collapse
By Tamara Ford The Herald, (Published March 29 2002)
Two construction companies have been cited for serious safety violations and fined as the result of a February accident at York Technical College that killed one worker and injured four others. The investigation by the S.C. Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the contractor, Clancy & Theys Construction Co., and subcontractor, General Masonry, failed to brace "all masonry walls over 8 feet in height to prevent overturning and collapse" at the construction site of York Tech's science and technology building. On Feb. 4, Larry Craig Jr., 33, of Rock Hill died and four other construction workers were injured when a concrete block wall collapsed onto a nearby scaffold. High winds, with gusts exceeding 30 mph, buffeted the work site that day. The OSHA report, sent to the companies March 20, says the masonry wall under construction and the wall to the workers' rear that collapsed onto the scaffolding were not adequately braced given their height of more than 40 feet. Clancy & Theys was fined $5,000 and General Masonry was fined $1,500. The maximum penalty for the violation was $7,000. "We don't agree with that, and we'll more than likely appeal," said Ron Mikels, spokesman for Clancy & Theys, the Raleigh, N.C.-based general contractor for the York Tech project. A General Masonry official could not be reached for comment. Nearly two months after she lost her son in the construction accident, Linda Craig said Thurs-day she misses him dearly. "I don't want to blame nobody," said Linda Craig. "I just feel like if that wall would have been secured, my son would have been sitting here with me now." Larry Craig's sister, Tammy Starnes, said she did not think that General Masonry was fined enough. Craig was a brick mason working for Charlotte-based General Masonry. "It really upsets me totally," Starnes said. "I just don't feel that this was right. It really hurts me to know that they were fined $1,500. I just wish that my brother would not have went to work that day." OSHA spokesman Jim Knight said OSHA's penalties are based on a company's size, along with its good faith and history. Knight said the employers would have up to 20 days to either pay the fine and correct any procedural flaws or to file an appeal for a hearing with the state OSHA review board, an independent body. Knight said it could take up to six to eight months before the review board would reach a decision. Mikels said the $7.5 million science and technology project at York Technical College remains on track to be completed by fall 2003. The 44,000-square-foot building will house science labs and classrooms, five new distance-learning classrooms, the Educational Technology Center and TV station WNSC, a regional station of the S.C. Educational Television Network. Contact Tamara Ford at 329-4067 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Man Dies In Fall From Talleyrand Crane
A shipyard worker fell to his death from a crane at the Jacksonville Port Authority's Talleyrand dock Wednesday. The man fell from one of two large cranes that load and unload containerized freight at the Jaxport facility. His identity has not been released. "Those cranes are very big and spacious," JPA spokesman Robert Peek said. "There are gangplanks up there; there are rails up there; there is an elevator that takes you up. They are fairly sizeable pieces of machinery." As is customary, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investing the death.
Colchester: Workers hurt after cinema scaffolding fall
Brought to you by the Evening Gazette
Two builders were hurt when they fell from a scaffolding tower on the site of Colchester's new cinema. The pair were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating the accident at the Head Street site on Tuesday afternoon. A spokeswoman said: "The HSE will be visiting the site on Thursday to investigate. "However, their understanding so far is that a mobile scaffold overturned resulting in minor injuries to two people working on the scaffold. "There was no danger to members of the public." Jamie Woodward, of sub-contractors SDC Builders, said: "SDC take safety on their sites very, very seriously. It's being fully investigated to make sure a similar occurence doesn't happen again." Sam Walker, a director for Licet Developments, which is developing the former Post Office site, said yesterday's accident was the first reported there in the 12 months work has been going on. He added the two men, who were working on plasterboard partitions there, are expected back at work in the next couple of days. Both men were taken to hospital for checks: one had banged his head, the other had jarred his legs. The first was released yesterday and the second was sent home today. Published Thursday, March 28, 2002
UPDATE, State levies fines to Mary's River Lumber for safety violations
By Lisa Curdy -- Daily World writer
After months of investigation, the state Department of Labor & Industries has assessed a $1,800 penalty against Mary's River Lumber Co. in Montesano. The fine comes in the wake of a "serious violation" of state safety standards steming from an accident that claimed the life of a mill worker on Jan. 2. A second accident on the same day was also investigated, but no violations were found. Benchman Carl Butterfield, 63, fell 12 feet through a gap in a second - story floor while changing the head rig saw blade at 11:30 a.m., according to Brad Kirkbride, the mill's chief operations officer. He was pronounced dead at Grays Harbor Community Hospital. "At this work site, the opening for changing the head rig saw blade had no protection for employees d from falling to the lower level," according to L&I's citation and notification of penalty dated March 12. Butterfield's accident came three hours after Cergene "Shell" Clark, 32, was run over by a forklift, Kirkbride said. His left leg was amputated just below the hip at Harborview Medical Center after being airlifted there. No violation was issued in connection with Clark's accident. Following the fatal accident, the state agency inspected the Western red cedar lumber mill between Jan. 2 and Feb. 21, according to documents. Mary's River Lumber Co. has until April 3 to either pay or appeal the fine, said L&I spokesman Bill Ripple. Mill Superintendent Terry Smith said that decision is up to the corporate office. "This is our first serious violation," Smith said. Kirkbride was out of the office and unable to comment on Friday. In addition to the fine, a general violation was also issued for an electrical switch box and an electrical outlet not being properly covered, according to the citation. No fine was issued. During the past 10 years, Labor & Industries has inspected the mill 10 times. The last violation cited by L&I was found in 1999. "We found four serious violations related primarily to machine guarding and lock - out/tag - out," L&I spokesman Bill Ripple said. He explained that lock - out/tag - out means that a piece of equipment must be locked or tagged so a person working on it wouldn't be exposed to an inadvertent start up. For those four violations, the mill was fined $1,980, Ripple said.
Worker falls 16 feet from scaffolding in North Lauderdale
By Wanda DeMarzo
A Lake Worth man working at a construction site in North Lauderdale fell about 16 feet from a scaffold early Friday morning. Catalino Flores, 44, was working at a site on the corner of McNabb Road and Southwest 81st Avenue at about 8:30 a.m. when he lost his balance and fell, said Broward County Fire Rescue spokesman Todd LeDuc. Flores sustained injuries to his neck and abdomen and was airlifted to Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale where he is listed in stable condition.
One person killed in accident at Warrior River Steel
From Staff Reports, Published March 22, 2002 8:44 PM CST
CORDOVA - Details were sketchy and company officials refused to release any information, but one person reportedly died Friday morning in an industrial-type accident at Warrior River Steel in Cordova. Cordova police were dispatched to the scene, as well as a representative from the Walker County Coroner's Office. Unconfirmed reports said one person was killed in a fall. The victim's identity was not released pending notification of next of kin. The accident is currently under investigation. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are expected to be on the scene to look into the accident.
ST. PAUL: Painter dies in fall at library
BY LISA DONOVAN, Pioneer Press
A decorative painter lay fatally injured and alone overnight in the downtown St. Paul Public Library this weekend before his worried wife found him, according to the man's employer. After apparently falling from a ladder or scaffolding, Raymond Tatar was found unconscious but breathing Sunday morning inside the library, which is closed while undergoing a two-year $15.9 million renovation. He died Sunday night at Regions Hospital. Janice Tatar, concerned when she couldn't contact her 46-year-old husband, had driven about 320 miles from the couple's northwestern Illinois home to find out what became of him. "We don't know most of the details, but we know it happened sometime Saturday and he wasn't found until Sunday morning," said Jacqueline Beeken, CEO of New Millennium Inc., of Suttons Bay, Mich., the company that employed Tatar. The firm was restoring the historic library's ceilings. It is the third time in recent weeks that a Twin Cities worker has died in a construction-related fall, and the Minnesota Occupational Health and Safety Division is investigating each death. Tatar wasn't scheduled to work Saturday and his bosses in Michigan believed he was taking the weekend off. But Beeken said she later learned the painter had told members of the construction management team in St. Paul that he was working Saturday afternoon. Tatar was last seen by some other workers about 2:30 p.m. Saturday inside the library, which has been closed since 2000 and is scheduled to reopen this fall. "He must have had something he felt he needed to finish," Beeken said. Paul Oberhaus, whose Bloomington-based Cost Planning Management International is managing the project, declined to comment. He also declined to say whether regular rounds are made at the construction site. Tatar's wife was the first to become concerned. From the family's home in Savanna, Ill., she placed several calls to her husband Saturday, and when she didn't hear from him she got on the road. "She drove up from Savanna, to see what the problem was, I guess. And she went to the job site and found his truck there," Beeken said. She asked a maintenance worker to look around, but the man saw no one. So Tatar's wife asked if she could look around. Together, they went in and searched again. This time, they found Tatar at the bottom of some stairs, Beeken said. Initial police reports stated he might have fallen four flights, but details were not available Monday from the St. Paul Fire Department, which responded to the accident. Considering the severity of Tatar's head injuries, Beeken said it's not clear whether he could have survived if he had been found and received immediate medical attention. Janice Tatar could not be reached for comment. Raymond Tatar was the supervisor of a small crew and was meticulous about safety, Beeken said. But on Saturday, he was working alone and wasn't wearing the safety belt required when working on ladders and scaffolding - both in violation of company policy. "He was our safety officer, he was our job site supervisor, and he stressed safety continuously. So why he was on a ladder, why he was alone, we just don't know and never probably will," Beeken said. "He was just an excellent, excellent employee and we are going to miss him," she said of Tatar, who had worked for New Millennium Inc. since May 2001, but had been a painter since 1975.
Father of five killed in quarry accident
HSE and police investigation underway
A father-of-five was crushed to death after falling 90ft into machinery at a quarry, officials said today. Keith Ronald Branston, 51, is believed to have fallen on to a conveyor belt, which dragged him into the equipment at the Leicestershire site. The worker, from Syston, Leicester, fell from a platform into the machinery at Mountsorrel Quarry on Tuesday, said a spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The spokesman added: "The death was reported to us yesterday afternoon. It appears that the guy fell from a working platform in the quarry into some machinery. The Health and Safety Executive are launching an investigation into how and why he fell. "There will be an inquest and the HSE will look at the circumstances surrounding the incident." The quarry owners, Lafarge Aggregates, said Mr Branston was a working for a sub-contractor at the site when the accident happened. Production director John Close said: "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of a man working for a sub-contractor at Mountsorrel Quarry. Our sympathies go out to his family and friends. "The accident happened at around lunchtime on Tuesday when the man was carrying out routine repairs to a walkway alongside a conveyor belt. The police and Health and Safety Executive were informed immediately and a full investigation into the cause of the accident is now being conducted." Mr Branston had two daughters and three sons. His older brother, Mick Branston, 61, of Wanlip Road, Syston, was today too distressed to talk about the tragedy. FEEDBACK - To provide comment or feedback on this article - click here <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> Article by Max Herd - 14/03/2002
Construction worker dies in fall at College of St. Catherine
Published Mar 13, 2002
A 26-year-old sheet-metal worker fell four stories to his death Tuesday from the roof of the main administration building at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul. Todd Wiley of Red Wing fell at about 7:30 a.m. and died at Regions Hospital about an hour later, the St. Paul Fire Department said. Wiley, part of a three-worker crew from M G McGrath Inc., was finishing work on the gutters and eaves of Derham Hall, said college spokeswoman Julie Michener. At noon Tuesday a service was held in the college chapel to honor Wiley. Michener said about 200 people attended, including his relatives and co-workers. Ken Berres, a project manager with McGrath, said it was the first fatal accident the company has had at one of its work sites since it was founded 17 years ago. He said he did not know what effect, if any, the recent icy conditions had played in the accident. He said he also did not know if Wiley's safety equipment failed, or if he simply slipped from the roof. Workers normally wear safety devices, including full-body harnesses, while working above the ground, Berres said. The crew was just starting the workday when the accident happened, he said. Company officials met with safety investigators following the memorial service. Wiley was nearing completion of his apprentice training, which normally takes about five years, Berres said. He said Wiley had worked for McGrath during that time. "He had three weeks to go," Berres said Tuesday. -- Heron Marquez Estrada
UPDATE, Bay Bridge Scaffold Called Unsafe
3/13/02
SAN FRANCISCO -- State safety monitors says Bay Bridge construction crews have to stop using work platforms like the one that killed a worker in January. The platforms won't be allowed back on the span until they can be proven safe. The action came just days after a scaffold manufactured by the same company that made the bridge equipment plunged from the John Hancock Center in Chicago. Three people were killed. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration ordered contractor Robison-Prezioso to pull platforms made by Beeche Systems of Scotia, New York. Cal OSHA ordered the platforms tested and proved safe before the equipment can be used again. Caltrans officials say removing the platforms will cause minor delays to the earthquake retrofit project. The platforms are made of aluminum tubing and plywood scaffolding. They're used to hold crews working above traffic. A painter was crushed January 4th when a platform collapsed as it was being moved. Source: KTVU/Fox2 and Associated Press
Fall from pole fatally injures Madison man
By AMY CALDER Staff Writer, 2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
SKOWHEGAN - A Madison man died at a Lewiston hospital Friday afternoon after falling when the top of a pole he was climbing broke, according to police. Michael Finley, 41, was on Monkey Speedway, a road off Bigelow Hill Road, when the accident occurred, according to Deputy Police Chief Rick Bonneau. Bonneau said Finley was helping to connect power to sap pumps for a maple syrup operation when the accident occurred. "They were running a power line for that," Bonneau said. "I don't think he was in any way affiliated with a company." He said Finley plunged about 25 feet to the ground. "The top of the pole snapped off and he fell a fair distance and suffered significant injuries," Bonneau said. Finley was taken by ambulance to Redington-Fairview General Hospital and was flown from there to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Bonneau said. An official at the state Medical Examiner's Office in Augusta said Friday night that Finley died of head trauma. Cynthia Walker, 65, witnessed the accident from a nearby cemetery on Monkey Speedway, which is a dirt road off Bigelow Hill Road. Walker said she was pulling wreaths up from the frozen ground around some gravestones when she heard a noise and turned to see the pole snap off and a man fall to the ground. "It was horrible, horrible," Walker said. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." She said another man, Jeremy Steeves, was at the accident scene, where the victim appeared to be unconscious. "Jeremy called an ambulance," she said. "I went over and I put my jacket over him (Finley)." Walker then went to the end of Monkey Speedway to wait for the ambulance so she could direct it to the scene. She said the incident left her shaken. "I can't seem to get my life back in balance," she said. "All I can see is his face. Poor, poor man." Amy Calder - 861-9247 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
3 construction workers hurt when scaffolding beam breaks
Three men installing siding on a Wormleysburg apartment building fell about 25 feet yesterday when their scaffolding collapsed
Thursday, March 07, 2002, By Dan Sheehan Of The Patriot-News
Police said Kenneth Hollinger, 37, of Mount Joy, suffered a severe back injury and punctured lung in the collapse, which happened shortly before 9:30 a.m. at one of two 33-unit apartment buildings under construction on Rupley Road. Hollinger was flown by Life Lion helicopter to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. His condition was unavailable late yesterday. His co-workers, Ivan Chapman, 33, of Millersville, and Donald Keller, 45, of Elizabethtown, were taken to Hershey Medical Center by ambulance. A hospital spokeswoman said Chapman was in fair condition. Keller's condition was unavailable, but his employer, Doug Pryer of East Pete Exteriors in Lancaster County, said he had been treated and discharged. Police said the men were at or near the third floor of the three-story building when a support beam on the wooden scaffolding snapped. They landed on a dirt area. "It could have been a lot worse" had there been other workers below them or had they landed on concrete, said Howard Dougherty, chief of the West Shore Regional Police Department. Dougherty said the incident appeared to be accidental but is under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA, which generally investigates workplace fatalities, is also called in for incidents involving injury to three or more workers. An OSHA spokesman said the agency must file a report within six months. Ron Frank, commissioner of the West Shore Bureau of Fire, said the Department of Labor and Industry and the borough would be involved in the investigation. Pryer said the workers, who have been with the company about four months, were using OSHA-approved scaffolding that had been inspected. "We follow all safety regulations as far as the setup," he said. Jim Eichelberger, who lives in a neighboring townhouse, said he had just walked outside when he heard a boom. "I grabbed some blankets that I keep in my truck and ran up to see if I could help," he said. "They already had a first-aid kit out. They were well prepared." The apartments have been under construction since last spring and should be completed in May, said project manager Jim Linn of Lancaster-based Rendina General Contractors. Dan Sheehan may be reached at 975-9784 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Fall from radio tower kills worker
A 30-year-old worker fell to his death Sunday morning during the construction of a communications tower in northwest Baker County. Five employees of SBA Network( Steve Bailey and Associates) of Johnson City, Tennessee were constructing the new communication tower on Jack Dowling Circle when foreman Michael William Perry , 30, of Ocala, Florida, fell nearly 190 feet. The crew had started working on the tower the morning of February 24 about a hour before the accident occurred. They were hoisting a jib, a 40-foot slim section of metal that is used to bring each 20-foot section of the tower, up to the tope so they could add another section of the structure. It was attached to a shackle at the top of the tower. As the jib reached the top of the tower, the worker on the top unhooked the top section and Perry who was near the bottom of the jib unhooked his safety harness to move positions. He started to move and rehook himself on the other side of the tower when the jib apparently broke away and fell. Perry was knocked off the tower and fell to the ground as pieces of the tower landed on top of him. Fire and rescue personnel responded along with police, but Perry was pronounced dead at the scene. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was at the scene of the accident Monday morning investigating the death. The tower will be part of a new statewide system for law enforcement agencies and be used for 911, police and emergency communication. It will be 320 feet high after completion.
UPDATE, OSHA still reviewing how wall collapsed By Wendy Bigham The Herald, (Published March 4‚ 2002) As construction continues on the science and technology building at York Technical College, so does the investigation into what caused a two-story wall to collapse on Feb. 4, killing one worker and injuring four others. A spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said this week that investigations of this kind can take as many as six weeks to complete. Jim Knight of OSHA said findings might not be available for another two weeks. Investigators have talked with the injured workers and with management and rescue workers to learn what workplace procedures were in place at the time of the accident, Knight said. OSHA does not provide preliminary reports on any investigation, he said. Larry Craig Jr., 33, of Rock Hill died and four other construction workers were injured when a concrete block wall collapsed onto a nearby scaffold. High winds, with gusts exceeding 30 mph, buffeted the work site that day. Since the accident, there have been no additional precautions for employees working at the York Tech site, said Ron Mikels, spokesman for Clancy and Theys, the Raleigh, N.C.-based general contractor for the project. Workers continue to follow OSHA regulations, Mikels said. If cited by the state agency, the employer would have up to 20 days to either pay a penalty for any OSHA citations and correct any procedural flaws or file an appeal for a hearing with the state OSHA review board, an independent body set up by the state to hear employer appeals of OSHA citations. Clancy and Theys has indicated that the $7.5 million science and technology project remains on track to be completed by fall 2003. The 44,000-square-foot building will house science labs and classrooms, five new distance-learning classrooms, the Educational Technology Center and TV station WNSC, a regional station of the S.C. Educational Television Network. York Tech President Dennis Merrell said college officials are considering an appropriate memorial to Craig and his family. Contact Wendy Bigham at 329-4068 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CTA worker dies in fall from `L' tracks Published March 6, 2002 CHICAGO -- A Chicago Transit Authority maintenance worker died Tuesday after falling 20 feet from an elevated train track while working at a storage yard at 63rd and Throop Streets. George Blue, 49, of the 1300 block of Jamie Lane, Homewood, apparently slipped on ice and fell at 2:20 a.m., said Officer Carlos Herrera, a Chicago police spokesman. CTA spokeswoman Maria Toscano said the incident is under investigation. Blue was found lying on the ground by a CTA manager, who called police, CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said. He was pronounced dead at 3:58 a.m. at Cook County Hospital, a spokesman said. Blue had worked the overnight shift cleaning CTA cars for more than 23 years so he could spend days with his family, his son, Darren, 22, said. Over the years, Blue had watched over his three children during the day while his wife, Linda, taught elementary classes in the Chicago Public Schools, his son said. The couple had lived in Homewood for about 10 years. Blue is the third CTA worker in less than a week to fall from an elevated track. Two workers were injured when they fell from tracks in the Loop at Lake and Wells Streets last week. That incident was still under investigation.
Scaffolding collapse at casino leaves window washers hanging
Published in the Asbury Park Press, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTIC CITY -- Two window washers were stranded 140 feet up Wednesday after their scaffolding broke outside a casino. The unidentified men, employees of Clean and Polish Window Cleaners, of Rockville, Md., were working on windows outside the 14th floor of the Tropicana Casino and Resort when one side of the scaffold gave way about 12:45 p.m., Deputy Fire Chief Fred Sacco said. Held in place by body harnesses connected to the roof, the two hung in place for about an hour, Sacco said. Neither was hurt. Their identities weren't immediately available. "The one guy was still on the scaffold when we arrived. He climbed up and into a window. The other guy, we hooked him up to another line and lowered him down." The rescue was delayed by about 15 minutes while firefighters lowered a two-way radio to the second man, who spoke Spanish. That was necessary because he was resisting firefighters' efforts to raise him up, disconnecting him from a safety rope, before lowering him, Sacco said. "He thought we were lifting him up to the roof, so he kept putting more tension on the line. We wanted to tell him what we were doing," Sacco said.
Accident injures man in police station construction
A 30-year-old Wichita construction worker was injured at about 10:32 a.m. Monday, while working on the new Derby Police Station. Derby Police Lt. Tom Prunier reported Rufino Martinez fell while working on a scaffolding about six or seven feet from the ground. Reports indicate someone bumped into the scaffolding causing the accident. Martinez landed on the front of his face. Sedgwick County EMS transported Martinez to Wesley Medical Center where he remained a patient until Wednesday afternoon. Calls were placed to the Sedgwick County EMS Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, but no one was available to answer questions concerning the nature of Martinez 's injuries. Victoria French.
Worker hurt as scaffolding is hit
By Christy Tuer
A workman was taken to hospital with serious head injuries today after he fell 15ft to the pavement when a lorry struck the scaffolding he was working on in Shrewsbury town centre. The man fell from the platform outside The Hat Box at the top of Wyle Cop when the lorry collided with the scaffolding at about 8am today. Rush hour traffic came to a standstill elsewhere in the town as it was diverted around the outskirts by police. He was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital with serious head injuries but a spokesman for the Shropshire Ambulance Service said the injuries were not thought to be life threatening. Another man also fell from a lower level of the scaffolding but was not believed to need hospital treatment after sustaining leg injuries. A spokesman for Shrewsbury police said it appeared the lorry had been driving down Dogpole to Wyle Cop this morning when it collided with the scaffolding. Both men had been working on the town centre's CCTV system on the corner of the Hat Box and Bratton House. Wyle Cop, Castle Street, St Mary's Street and Dogpole were all closed to traffic going in and out of the town centre and police diversions were set up around the town. The police spokesman said Wyle Cop was likely to be closed for a considerable time until the scaffolding had been dismantled. He added that the men were not from Shropshire and had come to work on the surveillance system from Photoscan, in Sunbury, and Baxall, in Manchester. No one was available to comment from either firm today. Two fire engines and the incident commander from Shrewsbury were also called to the scene.
Death fall from scaffolding Graeme Oliver, a 39-year old scaffolder in the employ of Scotdem Ltd, has fallen 15 metres to his death when he fell from a scaffolding structure on a demolition site in central Glasgow collapsed. He was engaged on the demolition of a derelict building as part of a city centre regeneration project on a site adjacent to the location of a building collapse only last year. There has since been speculation that one of the scaffolding boards the man was standing on has failed. Scotdem declined to comment upon the incident now subject to HSE investigation.
Driver falls off roller, dies
CONSTRUCTION worker Seah Quee Hoy, 52, was supposed to complete his work on a 50-m stretch of road along Jurong Port Road on Friday. But while driving a steam-roller that day, he fell off after losing control of it and died. Police said the accident happened at 9.20 pm. The steam roller swerved and mounted a kerb after Mr Seah lost control, and he was thrown off his seat and onto the pavement. The unconscious man was taken to National University Hospital, where he died shortly before 10.30 pm. The police are appealing for witnesses. Anyone with information should call them on 1800- 547-1818.
Two injured in house collapse
25.02.2002, By AMIE RICHARDSON
Two men are in hospital with serious injuries after the second home in two weeks collapsed during renovation work in Auckland. Part of a villa in Leighton St, Grey Lynn, dropped from its foundations yesterday morning, sinking 2m and landing on the digger levelling the ground in front of the house. Independent contractor and digger driver Jack Haere, aged 34, had to be pulled from the debris. He was in a serious condition in Auckland Hospital last night and is understood to have a deep cut to his stomach. His co-contractor, Api Waititi, was taken to Middlemore Hospital with a broken leg. On February 14 Jon Keith Lockett, 21, died when a house being moved by his father's company, Affordable Foundations, collapsed and crushed him. The house was being shifted from the front of a Hillsborough property to the back. His co-worker Kevin Sorraghan, 41, broke an ankle. Mr Lockett's death was the fourth in the building industry this year. Yesterday in Grey Lynn, owner Vena Tallon was the only person inside the home when it fell. Mr Tallon said he hired Mr Waititi to make some alterations after putting the work out for tender. "It doesn't seem to be negligence but they have just underestimated the weight of the house and the job. "Fortunately nobody has died. With what they're doing, it is so critical to get it right. They can't miss anything out. It's deadly serious." Police said they had not discovered exactly how the accident occurred and were waiting for an assessment by Occupational Safety and Health officials. Senior Sergeant Mark Benefield said police were concerned about the accident occurring so soon after the collapse in Hillsborough. However, yesterday's incident was quite different. He said the workers were lucky to survive the accident. Mr Tallon's daughter Jeanette Tallon, 26, who has lived in the house all her life, said the work was to have provided better access for her disabled 4-year-old daughter Marieka. Her family were having breakfast in Ponsonby when the accident happened. Her cousin's partner alerted the family after seeing emergency services outside the home. Ms Tallon said she was devastated by the accident. The house had been a home for not just the seven people who lived there, but also for the rest of her extended family. Neighbour Joanne Clark, who was in her back garden, heard a loud crash and immediately called emergency services before running out to the front of the house. "I started to sweat and my heart beat faster." She said she knew the family well because her partner had lived next door for about 20 years. "They're such lovely people. That's the most heart-breaking thing." The house was insured.
UPDATE, Worker's Death at Construction Site Leads to $258,000 in OSHA Penalties for Pasadena Tank Corp. of Houston
DALLAS - Failure of the Pasadena Tank Corp. to protect workers from fall hazards resulted in the death of a worker at a Houston construction site and has led the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue citations against the company, with proposed penalties totaling $258,000. OSHA cited the company, headquartered in Houston, with six alleged willful and serious safety violations. OSHA began its investigation Aug. 23, 2001 when an employee, who was repairing the rooftop of a storage tank, fell 56 feet to the ground when the rooftop collapsed. The employer knew about the unsafe working conditions, but continued to place workers at risk, said John Lawson, OSHA Houston North area director. A similar incident happened two years ago when two employees fell to their deaths from a storage tank. This company's continued failure to protect its workers from falls is simply unacceptable. The company was cited with four alleged willful violations for failing to protect workers by providing an inadequate fall protection system. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the OSH Act and regulations. The company was also cited with two alleged serious violations for failing to train workers and protect workers from falling objects. A serious violation is one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard. Employers and employees with questions regarding safety and health standards may contact the OSHA Houston north area office at (281) 591-2438, or OSHA's toll-free hotline at 1-800-321-6742, to report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers. Pasadena Tank Corp. has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the area director, or to contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Construction Worker Breaks Ankles In Fall; Washburn Fell 25 Feet
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A construction worker broke both ankles after a gust of wind knocked him off a roof, authorities said. Greg Washburn, 26, fell 25 feet and landed on his feet on a concrete slab, Paul O'Leary, a spokesman for the Emergency Medical Services Authority, said Monday. "If he had landed on anything else it probably would have killed him," O'Leary said. Washburn, of Noble, was working about 1:30 p.m. on a building in southwest Oklahoma City when the wind hit him. He was standing near the edge and slipped, then slid off the roof. Winds were estimated at 27 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, a National Weather Service meteorologist said. The gust would be enough to cause a man standing on a roof to teeter and fall, the meteorologist said. Paramedics at the scene said wind was a factor, O'Leary said.
UPDATE, Va. Man Survives Peanut Pile Fall
Sat Feb 16, 3:23 PM ET, By SONJA BARISIC, Associated Press Writer
NORFOLK, Va. - Trapped beneath tons of unshelled peanuts in a warehouse, Floyd Goodman Jr. refused to panic. Instead, he slowed his breathing to conserve what little oxygen there was. And he prayed. "I was saying 'Lord help me. This is not the way I would like to go. Lord, I know that's not the way you want me to go,'" Goodman recalled Friday during a telephone interview from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he was listed in good condition. Two days earlier, the 52-year-old, 15-year employee of Golden Peanut Co. had sunk into tons of peanuts when he stepped off a beam. "Basically, I got sucked in," Goodman said. "I knew there was nothing I could do." Goodman said he wound up in a squatting position - protected only by a pair of goggles and paper dust mask he was wearing when he fell. Pushing against the peanuts to make room for his body helped a little, he said. Still, "The peanuts mashed against my chest, my head," he said. "The peanuts were pressing on me." Firefighters and company employees worked for more than 90 minutes to free him. "Yes, I'm here!" Goodman said he yelled to help rescuers find him. "When I hollered, my breath got short, so I knew it was time to stop hollering. I had to try to think to slow my breathing down." Goodman said he feared he might be buried alive. "I knew they would find me," he said. "I was afraid they wouldn't find me in time." So, he prayed, telling God he had a sick friend and daughter who needed him, and a family that had grieved enough after his stepfather recently died. "All I could do was pray and pray and pray," he said. "Every time I moved something, it felt a little tighter. All I can say is, the Lord gave me the strength to my shoulders to try to breathe a little longer." Goodman's daughter, Natasha, said her father would remain in the hospital through the weekend for tests to determine if he had a mild heart attack during the ordeal. But Goodman discounted concern about the pain in his left arm. "If I don't feel for it, it's not there," he said of the discomfort. "I feel wonderful - I do." The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to investigate the accident.
New Zealand actor killed on set in Beijing
One of New Zealand's best known actors has died from injuries sustained in a fall while on location in the Chinese capital, Beijing. China correspondent Tom O'Byrne reports Kevin Smith was considered one of the country's hottest movie star prospects. "An agent speaking on behalf of the family said Kevin Smith died of head injuries in a Beijing hospital 10 days after falling several stories from a building. The 38 year old star of stage and screen in New Zealand had been in China working on a movie following his recent success in the hit Xena-Warrior Princess. A spokesman for the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing confirmed Mr Smith's family had been with him when he died. No to other details of the accident have been released, nor has there been word of whether the Chinese authorities are investigating. Mr Smith's agent Robert Bruce says the loss of the actor is being felt across New Zealand, as the well known Mr Smith had just been picked to act alongside Hollywood star Bruce Willis in an action adventure film. Tom O'Byrne Beijing." 17/02/2002 06:37:55 | ABC Radio Australia News
Worker survives being buried in tons of peanuts
A Golden Peanut Co. employee survived a fall Wednesday into tons of peanuts stored in a warehouse in Suffolk, Va. With no word from 50-year-old Floyd Goodman more than an hour after he fell off a catwalk and disappeared into the mountain of legumes, rescuers feared the worst. But eventually they made contact and dug him out from under 12 feet of peanuts, Fire Capt. James Judkins said. Goodman was taken by helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he was listed in good condition. Firefighters said there have been five similar incidents in Suffolk. All ended in fatalities. Quick thinking may have prevented Goodman from becoming the sixth, Judkins said. The peanut worker was able to pull a dust mask over his face and cup his hands over it.
UPDATE, OSHA begins collapse probe
By Dave Copeland, TRIBUNE-REVIEW, Thursday, February 14, 2002
Investigators said Wednesday that it could be months before they determine what caused a 165-ton truss to topple and to crush an ironworker at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center construction site. "We really don't know what the cause was," Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey said after touring the Downtown site yesterday afternoon. "We have some ideas, and we know where the failure was, but we don't know why the failure did occur." Determining what caused the accident will be the focus of the investigation being conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA guidelines require the federal agency to complete its investigation within six months. Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, who toured the site with Roddey yesterday, said there is no evidence of a design flaw with the convention center. Both men stressed that the fatal collapse Tuesday was not caused by pressure put on workers to meet deadlines. With the American flag lowered to half staff atop the partially completed building yesterday, OSHA inspectors began interviewing witnesses and inspecting the site where the collapsed truss killed Paul Corsi, 37, of Moon Township. A half-dozen Pittsburgh homicide detectives took measurements and pictures at the scene and interviewed everyone who witnessed the collapse. All of the information they collected will be turned over to the Allegheny County Coroner's and District Attorney's offices for review, said city assistant police Chief William Mullen. "We look really for any criminal aspect to all of this," Mullen said. "We're concerned with seeing if there's any gross negligence involved, and that's it." Sports & Exhibition Authority Executive Director Steve Leeper said it is too soon to determine when workers will be able to return to the job site. He said he doesn't expect any lost time to have significant impact on the remainder of the construction schedule. "Some of the workers came in today (Wednesday) and just determined it wasn't appropriate for them to continue work, and, frankly, we respect that," Leeper said. "It's very likely most of the trades will be back on site tomorrow (Thursday), but, obviously, some of the trades won't be able to start work because of the fact that the site is presently being investigated." Leeper used a news conference yesterday to squelch widespread speculation about the cause of the accident. "There could be a number of different reasons for why that steel collapsed. We're going to wait until we get all of the information before we come out with a final view on that," he said. Leeper said he expects "broad" insurance policies purchased by the authority to cover any additional costs for the $331.7 million project. He said it is too soon to determine if the fallen truss could be repaired, or if a new one would need to be fabricated. The collapse of the 13th of 15 trusses has baffled construction officials, who said each of the previous 12 trusses had been installed in the same manner without incident. Shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday, Corsi, Donald Lenigan, 41, of Mt. Washington, and Walter Pasewicz, 39, of West View, were standing on the 13th truss and attaching floor beams that would connect it to the 12th truss. The truss was anchored to the convention center's foundation caissons at 18 of 27 connection points. Workers had completed the installation of all 14 of the second-level floor beams and were installing the fifth or sixth floor beam on the third level when the accident occurred. Murphy said the trusses aren't fully secured until the cables that make up the building's signature roof are wrapped around each truss. The cables run north to south over the roof of the building in a groove on each truss to help reinforce the truss's connection to the building. Cables have been applied to the first eight trusses. "Understand, that when you're dealing with 160 tons of steel, there are inherent pressure and stresses put onto that until the whole structure is put together," Murphy said. "There was stress on certain points of this truss, and, for whatever reason, there was a failure at those pressure points - that's what we're trying to understand." Police detectives said the workers they interviewed spoke of hearing several loud pops like "shotgun blasts" before the steel structure began to fall. Police collected several broken bolts for analysis. When the truss gave way, Lenigan and Pasewicz were saved by their safety harnesses, which were connected to the 12th truss. But Corsi, whose harness was fastened to the falling truss, was thrown to the ground and crushed by the falling steel structure. The steelworkers involved in the collapse were wearing a four-point safety harness as required by OSHA, Roddey said. The harness is like putting on a jacket, said Ed Selker, assistant area director of OSHA. Straps wrap over the wearer's shoulders and under the legs attaching to a belt around the waist, while a rope attaches to the back of the harness. Both Lenigan and Pasewicz were treated at Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side. Lenigan was released Tuesday, and Pasewicz returned home yesterday. Both men declined comment yesterday. "I'm just not ready to talk about it," Lenigan said. Roddey and Murphy said it appeared as though all three men followed appropriate safety procedures. Each truss is about 100 feet long and 90 feet tall and is designed to support each of the convention center's three levels and the cable stay roof. They were fabricated by the ADF Group in Terrebonne, Quebec, and assembled on site. Murphy said investigators do not believe there was a problem with the steel used to make the trusses. ADF Group officials did not return telephone calls yesterday. Almost all of the 600 people working on the project opted to take yesterday off. Others arrived at the site in the morning to talk with grief counselors provided by Dick Corp. Five Dick Corp. workers were killed in October, when a box truck veered out of control at a work site near the Vanport Bridge on Route 60 in Beaver County. Prior to that, the company had not lost a worker on a Pennsylvania job site since May 1992, when Donald E. Whitmer, 25, fell 70 feet off a bridge that the company was repairing in Charleroi, Washington County, according to OSHA records. Dick Corp. was ordered in 1996 to pay a $400,000 settlement to Whitmer's widow and her son. "The Dick Corp. has a tremendous safety record," Roddey said, citing a recent OSHA safety award for work at PNC Bank's Firstside Operations Center, Downtown. Jillian Costic, manager of the Pittsburgh RV Show, said she expects the accident won't have an impact next Tuesday - the move-in date for her show. The Pittsburgh RV Show will christen the first phase of the convention center. The show opens to the public Feb. 23. "I'm really, really sorry about the accident, and that's what it was - an accident," Costic said. "Those guys are hard workers and dedicated and wonderful people. I feel horrible for the families." A second phase of the convention center is scheduled to open in October. The third and final phase - where the accident occurred - is expected to open in March 2003. The first event in the fully constructed convention center will be the 2003 Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show. "We are very sad that, on this building we are so excited about, we now have this tragedy to contend with," Murphy said.
Collapse kills worker
By Marisol Bello, David Conti and Erik Siemers, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
Steel construction at the city's new riverfront David L. Lawrence Convention Center has been halted temporarily as federal inspectors try to find out why a three-level steel frame collapsed Tuesday afternoon, crushing to death one worker and injuring two others. Paul Corsi, 37, of Moon Township, died in the collapse that occurred shortly before 3 p.m. as he and fellow ironworkers were fastening the beams near the 11th Street entrance at the Downtown construction site. It was the first fatality in the nearly $1 billion in high-profile construction projects in the city spawned by Plan B, which includes two new sports stadiums on the North Shore. The $331.7 million convention center is to be the final jewel in the crown. Teams of investigators from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the Sports & Exhibition Authority and Dick Corp., are trying to determine the cause of the collapse. Corsi was an ironworker for the Dick Corp., one of two companies in charge of erecting the steel frame of the building. He stood on truss No. 13 when the beams rippled and crumbled to the ground in an earth-shattering boom. His body was trapped under the rubble for at least three hours as rescue crews and construction workers worked to pull out his remains. Paramedics and witnesses said Corsi, who was wearing a safety harness, "rode the steel as it fell to the ground." Two other workers were taken to Allegheny General Hospital, North Side, but there were conflicting reports about how they were injured. Greg Yesko, a spokesman for the SEA, said Donald Lenigan, 41, of Mt. Washington, was working on a truss that did not fall, but his harness kept him from falling to the ground. Meanwhile, an Allegheny General spokesman identified Walter Pasewicz, 39, of Beechview, as being the other worker who was injured. The hospital said Lenigan was treated and released for a leg injury. Pasewicz was admitted to Allegheny General in fair condition for evaluation of back and other injuries. Relatives of Pasewicz and Lenigan did not want to discuss the accident last night. Witnesses, police, construction site managers and officials from the SEA said ironworkers had been installing a truss, which is made up of several pre-assembled beams. As the workers fastened it to the foundation and to a third-floor beam, the truss buckled and collapsed. Engineers can't explain what caused the truss to fail, said John Stanich, senior vice president for Dick Corp., during a news conference. "The whole section came down together," said Steve Leeper, executive director of the SEA, which owns the convention center. "It is a long section of structured steel that is a major support of the building. "They were literally, I believe, just pulling the section of the steel structure up. I don't think anyone can speculate the cause of what happened." As the metal twisted and shards crashed to the ground, the men below scattered. An aerial view of the site shows the heavy beams fell 110 feet straight down in a twisted steel wreck. The accident occurred on the easternmost edge of the almost 400,000-square foot building. It was part of the final phase of construction, just west of the Fort Wayne railroad bridge. The area under construction is to contain administrative offices and meeting rooms. Leeper was touring the completed portion of the building, set to open Feb. 23, when he heard the crash on the opposite end of the site. He was in the secondary exhibit hall when "we heard a noise that was not commonly heard on a construction site."
He and other SEA officials have said there have been only a handful of minor injuries since construction began in the spring of 2000. "We've had a very good record to date on all of our projects. It's very difficult today to find out we lost someone," Leeper said. He said there would be no steel construction at the site today. At least two federal inspectors from OSHA were on the scene an hour after the incident. Agency officials will not release any information until they finish their investigation, which could take up to six months, said spokeswoman Leni Uddydack-Fortson. "OSHA will inspect every part of the site over the next 24 to 36 hours," Leeper said. Firefighters, rescue crews and Dick Corp. personnel streamed into the site as construction workers left for the day. Teams from Equitable Gas Co. took measurements along an access road and under the Fort Wayne bridge to check for any leaks. As daylight turned to dark, emergency crews set up lights in the area of the crash. At 6 p.m., crews huddled around an area surrounded by large steel girders about 30 yards from the river bank. Above them, a safety harness hung from a line connected to the steel structure of the convention center. Construction workers carrying food coolers left the site quietly, some alone, in pairs or groups of three. Several said they had been ordered by the "big guys" not to comment on what happened inside. Others said they saw the metal skeleton twist and collapse all at once. Leeper said the accident will not affect the scheduled public opening of the first part of the revamped convention center, which will host a recreational vehicle convention Feb. 23 through March 3, The trucks are expected to be moved in next Tuesday. Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show executive director John DeSantis said the accident wouldn't impact his scheduled March show either. Mayor Tom Murphy yesterday expressed his condolences to Corsi's family and the workers at the site. "In all of the construction we have had in Pittsburgh over the past few years, we have prided ourselves on our strong safety record," he said in a statement. "Today is a tragic reminder that we can never be too vigilant in our efforts to protect our workers." Roger Peters, senior vice president of the Pittsburgh-based Dick Corp., said the cause of the crash had not yet been determined, but he said, "Our sympathies go out to the victim's families and to the others who were injured. First and foremost, safety is our biggest concern at any site." Yesko said the company, one of about 50 working on the construction, had an excellent safety record, with only a handful of minor injuries, ranging from sprains to broken ankles and wrists. Officials from Iron Workers No. 3, who represent workers at the site, would not comment yesterday. Workers will be offered grief counseling when they report to work today, Dick Corp. officials said.
2 hurt when church roof frame collapses
By Rudolph Bush, Tribune staff reporter, Published February 12, 2002, 5:21 PM CST
Part of an unfinished addition to a West Side church collapsed on two construction workers today as they attempted to erect trusses for a new sanctuary. High wind was a contributing factor in the collapse of several large wooden beams that were to frame the roof of a new sanctuary at Kedvale New Mount Zion Baptist Church, 1305 S. Kedvale Ave., said a spokeswoman for the Chicago Building Department. Mark Moore, 34, was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital at 10:30 a.m., where he underwent X-rays for a possible broken shoulder bone, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was in good condition, but was expected to remain in the hospital overnight for observation. A second man sprained his ankle and was treated and released from St. Anthony Hospital, officials said. Inspectors from the Building Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration plan to investigate, officials said. A city inspector at the site today said at least one wall of the sanctuary would have to be rebuilt because the collapse made it unstable.
Pontotoc man dies after falling into silo; Storage bin was about two-thirds full with soybeans.
By Sandi P. Beason, Daily Journal
PONTOTOC - A Pontotoc man died Friday afternoon after a nearly six-hour effort to pull him from a soybean-filled silo. John Bramlett, 60, owner of Bramlett Grain and Trucking Company, was working inside a silo about two-thirds full of soybeans Friday morning when he fell. "He called us on his cell phone," said Pontotoc Police Chief Larry Poole. After getting the call, rescue workers were immediately sent to the scene. City and county rescue workers assisted, along with the Tupelo hazmat team and private citizens. "Those beans are just like quicksand," Poole said. "Every time we tried to pull him out, he went in deeper." Bramlett was pulled from the silo by Pontotoc rescue workers shortly after 3:30 p.m., and taken to Pontotoc Hospital. Rescue mission Tupelo Fire Chief Mike Burns said Friday's rescue effort was difficult because it was a confined space entry. "You've got to imagine what was happening," he said. "In the center of the silo, the beans were pulling down. You had a vortex that went down and as the sides (of the silo) came open, the beans on the side went down. It was sort of a volcano shape. "We still had mounds and mounds of beans near the center after we got the sides open and beans started pouring out." Burns said rescue workers were down inside the silo on top of the soybeans. "If we had not been suspended on ropes, a step would have been three or four feet down quick," he said. "We were suspended with ropes to the point where if anything happened, we could be pulled back out." Although backhoes and even shovels were used to remove the beans, Burns said the silo was about two-thirds full when he arrived and work was slow. As beans were removed, the dust created a potential explosion hazard, he said. "Our biggest concern was oxygen deficiency," Burns said. "We had to wear air lines." Burns said the 20 rescue workers from Tupelo arrived on the scene just after 10:34 a.m., and the victim was found just after 3 p.m. "The rescue team was back in service at 3 p.m., but some of the special operations teams guys stayed over a little longer," he said. "They had located the victim at that time."
Fatal accident
A worker has died of his injuries when he fell from a vehicle he was standing on. Alexander Craig, 38, a scaffolder, is reported to have been blown off balance by strong, gusting winds in Rothesay at the weekend.
Man Dies After Falling Five Stories
Saturday February 02 06:12 PM EST
A 24-year-old construction worker from Langley Park is dead after falling five stories from a commercial building. DC fire spokesman Alan Etter says the man was part of a crew doing some renovations at 575 Seventh Street, Northwest. Paramedics on the scene say the man was badly hurt but conscious when they found him. He went into cardiac arrest when he was placed into the ambulance. Etter says the unidentified man was pronounced dead at Howard University Hospital. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.
Seven die as 120mph winds batter Britain
Frank Urquhart
SEVEN people were killed and Scotland's transport system was thrown into chaos yesterday as hurricane-force winds reaching 120mph battered the UK. The winds left a trail of devastation in their wake from the Borders to the Northern Isles, leaving thousands of electricity consumers without power. Tens of thousands of commuters were also affected as all train services were cancelled at one point. Edinburgh to Glasgow, and Glasgow to Aberdeen services resumed at 5:30pm but were cancelled at about 7pm due to a dangerous tree in the Bishopton area. It was not known when they would resume. The deaths included a man who was killed when a tree fell on a car in the grounds of a hotel in Dunkeld, Perthshire. A woman in the car was also seriously injured. A lorry driver died when his truck overturned on the A77 at Monkton, in Strathclyde, and another trucker died in Glencoe when his vehicle was blown off the road and hit a bridge near the White Corries ski centre. In England, a man was killed when his articulated lorry toppled on the A1 near Catterick, North Yorkshire. A woman passenger was also killed when a lorry was blown down an embankment on the A1(M) in County Durham. In North Tyneside, the driver of a HGV was killed when it rolled down an embankment between Seaton Burn and Gosforth Park. A woman, believed to be in her 40s, died after she was hit by a piece of stone gargoyle that fell from a church while she was walking through the High Ousegate area of York. But it was Scotland which bore the brunt of the storms. As the conditions worsened, with fallen trees and other debris affecting every rail line in the country, Railtrack, in consultation with the main train operators, suspended all services for a time. A spokeswoman for Railtrack said: "It is the first time in living memory that this has happened but the decision was taken on the grounds of safety." On the Tay Bridge, a wind speed of 110mph was recorded at one point during the day, with gusts reaching more than 120mph in parts of the Highlands - including the summit of Ben Nevis. At one stage yesterday, almost 100,000 people in Scotland were left without electricity - 50,000 in the Scottish Power area and 38,000 Scottish and Southern Energy consumers - after overhead cables were brought down or badly damaged in the storms. Power companies had to wait until the storms abated before repair crews could work in safety. Ferry services to Ireland and the islands were also badly disrupted and flights from a number of Scottish airports were delayed or cancelled because of the exceptionally strong winds. Buildings in Aberdeen, Dundee and Stirling suffered structural damage, and a pupil at Culter Primary, in Aberdeen, had a lucky escape when he sustained only minor injuries after being hit by the covering of a water tank, blown off the school roof. A train driver also escaped with minor injuries when a tree struck a GNER train at the Stanley junction between Pitlochry and Perth. The storms and heavy rain also brought fears of flooding to parts of Scotland. Last night, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued flood warnings for rivers in Perthshire, Inverclyde and North Ayrshire. The agency also warned of higher than usual tide levels in coastal areas around the country.
LAW & DISORDER: Construction worker dies in scaffold fall
By Dana Treen and Dan Scanlan , Times-Union staff writers
A 45-year-old construction worker died yesterday at the Shands Jacksonville hospital after he fell from a scaffold at the YMCA in Mandarin Thursday and landed on a steel rod sticking out of the ground. Eldon White of the 4000 block of Moncrief Road was walking on top of a scaffold at the Williams Family Branch YMCA about 4:15 p.m. when he fell about 8 feet, hitting his head, Sgt. Rick Parker said. The construction crew is adding a new lobby to the 10415 San Jose Blvd. YMCA.
Investigation under way after accident
Saturday, January 26, 2002, 1:24 AM, By Robert Baun
Federal officials launched an investigation Friday into the cause of a construction accident near Fort Collins that left six people injured, including four workers. The accident occurred Thursday afternoon at 4709 E. County Road 40, where DMD Construction was raising a post frame building for a riding arena. The structure collapsed at 3:32 p.m., and four workers fell 30 feet from the roof. Two workers were treated for minor injuries, while two other workers remained hospitalized on Friday evening. One of the hospitalized workers is scheduled for surgery today, said Dennis Swenson, a co-owner of Fort Collins-based DMD. "The other one should be up and walking by Sunday or so," Swenson said. The worker scheduled for surgery is Bret Phillips, 31, a family member confirmed on Friday. Dionne Phillips said her brother broke his pelvis, his left wrist and shattered his left elbow. Names of the other injured workers were not disclosed. An investigator for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, inspected the accident site on Friday. "We checked all our bracing - it was in accordance with the way we do things," Swenson said. "I can't put a finger on what it was that happened." Details of the investigation will remain confidential until the agency issues a final report, said Jackie Annis, acting area director at OSHA's Denver office. Swenson called the collapse "a freak thing. Like I told OSHA, we've built 1,300 buildings over the past nine years and never had something like this happen. It's just a mystery." Wind is a possible culprit. "One guy said a little gust of wind came up," Swenson said. "In the stage of framing we were at, it can affect things." The building was about halfway through construction, he said. DMD plans to return to work Monday on the building.
Employer blamed for worker's fall from ladder
A CONSTRUCTION worker from China fell 2 m when the ladder he was on slipped on the newly cemented floor at an MRT worksite because its legs did not have rubber caps that would have prevented it from doing so. Mr Wang Jian Zhong, 35, then a plasterer, fractured his right wrist when the fall happened at the site of the People's Park MRT station on Nov 21, 2000. Because of the accident, he still suffers severe pain in his wrist, which is permanently stiff. Yesterday, after a hearing on who was liable for what happened, Judicial Commissioner Lee Seiu Kin said that Mr Wang's employer, sub-contractor Fu Xing Lai Engineering & Construction, was the only one responsible. How much the company will have to pay Mr Wang will be assessed later by the Assistant Registrar. The unemployed father of one is asking for more than $250,000. He said in his affidavit that he arrived here in January 2000 and started working for the company on Feb 12 that year. About nine months later, on Nov 21, he and a colleague went to the store to get ladders and found just two there. Neither had rubber caps on their legs. When he told foreman Na Li Jiu about the danger of using the defective ladders, he was told to proceed with the job. But 10 minutes after starting work, the base of the ladder slid backwards and he fell, landing on his right hand. He was warded for two weeks and given medical leave until October last year. The subcontractor, which denied liability, claimed the accident was due solely to Mr Wang's negligence, saying the man had obtained a ladder without first checking to see if it was in good condition. Mr Wang's lawyers were Mr N. Srinivasan and Ms G. Prasanna Devi, while Mr Pascal Netto acted for the subcontractor.
Judith Gap man dies in accident on Rocky Boy
Tim Eberly
Jan 24 - A Judith Gap man died Tuesday afternoon during a logging accident on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. Steve Thomas Butorovich, 27, fell while transferring logs at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday onto a transport truck, said Rocky Boy police investigator Stan Gardipee. The accident occurred on Sandy Creek Road, one mile east of the western border of the reservation. Butorovich likely died instantly when he landed on a steel platform connected to his truck, Gardipee said. The impact crushed his spinal cord and forced it into his brain, the investigator said. Butorovich, a trucker and loading operator for Judith Gap-based Miller Trucking Inc., was on a one-day assignment to transport logs from Rocky Boy to Townsend. Butorovich and Marshall Aamold, his co-worker, had been working for about an hour before the accident. I didn't see the accident, said the 46-year-old Aamold, who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Butorovich for 15 to 20 minutes before tracking down several local men to call authorities. I just saw that he wasn't on his truck anymore. He'd fallen off the seat of the loader. Aamold discovered Butorovich's body sprawled across the platform. Butorovich fell to 8 to 10 feet from a seat elevated above the truck to coordinate the collection of logs. Gardipee said Butorovich's seat was broken, but the mechanic from Miller Trucking, John Hershberger, disputes that. The seat is not broken; it's bent, Hershberger said today. I looked at the seat this morning and the seat was in good condition. Nobody knows exactly what happened. Butorovich, who was single, weighed 460 pounds and was nicknamed Tiny. He had a lot of weight behind him when he fell, Gardipee said. Hershberger said he may have stood up to observe the logs, and when he sat down against the back of the seat, it may have bent underneath him. A couple weeks ago, a bolt loosened from a hinge on the seat, so there was an ongoing deal to make sure it was working, Aamold said. Hershberger said it had been repaired and was in perfect condition. We're dealing with it from the safety aspect, Hershberger said. It's my driver that lost his life. I do the service on all the trucks, so it's been hard. We're kind of walking around in a daze. Doctors in Missoula performed an autopsy on Wednesday, and found alcohol was not a factor in his death, Gardipee said. Butorovich and Aamold had been working together for a year and a half. He was a fun man to be around, Aamold said. He just enjoyed life. He was just that kind of guy. After Aamold's CPR on Butorovich proved unsuccessful, Aamold drove five miles and asked some men, who were cutting firewood, to call 911. He could not get service from his cell phone. I wish that things were different, Aamold said. I just wish I could have done more for him. Butorovich had two sisters, and one of them, Susan Miller, is married to the owner of Miller Trucking, Tony Miller. He could not be reached for comment. Miller Trucking is a log-hauling company with eight trucks and seven employees. Butorovich had been employed there for about five years. He loved what he did, Hershberger said. He was where he wanted to be. Judith Gap is 131 miles south of Havre, on the northern edge of Wheatland County.
Suspended Workers Rescued From Building
Wednesday January 23 08:22 PM EST
What started out as a building-condition survey Wednesday at City Center Square ended up as a rescue of three stranded workers and an Occupational Safety and Health Administration Investigation, KMBC 9 News' Peggy Breit reported. Three people were on a swing stage 25 floors up were making their way down the exterior when something went wrong. "One of the motors wouldn't stop, and the other motor couldn't quite keep up with it, so they tried to hit the emergency," rescued worker Flora Calabrese said. "That didn't stop it. We unplugged the power in the middle. That didn't stop it. We were starting to get (really) out of tilt. Finally, the safety brake kicked in, and it stopped us." The swing stage stopped, but the three workers didn't have a way to get down. Firefighters arrived and went up to the 24th floor of the Cooling and Herbers law firm. "(I) followed them, and they went right into my office and there (are) three people right outside my window all waiting to be rescued," building tenant Jim Cooling said. After first considering pulling the three up to the roof on ropes, they decided to call a glass company in to remove a pane and pull the workers through, Breit reported. "(I) stepped over and got a lot of hands helping (me) up and through there," Calabrese said. Calabrese thought for a while that her safety harness might get in the way. "I thought I was going to get caught up on the rope and kind of be hanging from that rope, but I didn't think I was going to fall to the ground or anything like that," Calabrese said. Cables, ropes and harnesses are all required for jobs such as the one Calabrese has to ensure workers' safety, Breit reported. OSHA is among the many groups investigating what happened. The faulty motor had been checked and OK'd for use prior to the accident, Breit reported. Two men with Calabrese were running the swing stage, she said. Calabrese said she has been doing this kind of work for 10 years, and she said it is the first time anything like this has ever happened to her. The incident lasted less than 30 minutes, Breit reported.
HOME SAFETY Ridgeland man dies in fall from tree
Published Mon, Jan 21, 2002
RIDGELAND -- A man died Saturday morning after he fell from a tree, said Jasper County Coroner Martin Sauls. Dan Maney, 57, of Carters Mill Road was trimming a pecan tree in his yard with a chain saw, Sauls said. Maney was cutting a limb when it hit him in the head, causing him to fall out of the tree and land on his head, Sauls said. Sauls said he fractured his skull and was killed on impact.
UPDATE, Bay Bridge safety plan reviewed
Outcome to determine if three contracting firms can continue their work
By Guy Ashley, Published Tuesday, January 22, 2002, CONTRA COSTA TIMES
SAN FRANCISCO -- State transportation officials huddled Monday to review a proposed safety plan that will determine if three contracting firms will be allowed to continue their work on a $170 million Bay Bridge seismic retrofit project. Caltrans announced last week it had ordered the project's contractor, a joint venture of California Engineering Contractors and Modern Continental Construction Co., to submit a plan showing how it will increase worker safety on the project after a Jan. 4 accident in which a painter was killed. A key part of the order requires the companies to show that the painting subcontractor, Robison-Prezioso, is qualified to use mobile work platforms of the type involved in the accident that killed 33-year-old Darryl Clemons of Oakland. The companies collaborated on a safety plan submitted to Caltrans late last week, leading to a series of meetings that began during the weekend and continued Monday, said Jeff Weiss, a Caltrans spokesman. Clemons was among several employees moving a platform when the 18,000-pound structure buckled in the center, pinning him between its outer edge and the underside of the bridge's upper deck. The death was the latest in a series of accidents connected with the 3-year-old project to retrofit the bridge's western span. Clemons' father, also a painter on the project, was badly injured in February when he fell more than 80 feet onto the platform below the bridge roadway. State investigators later cited Robison-Prezioso after determining 57-year-old James Clemons was not wearing a safety harness when the accident occurred. In September, a 3-ton panel used by the painting company accidentally fell onto the bridge roadway, killing a passing motorist. Weiss said it is unclear when engineers for Caltrans will decide whether the safety plan is adequate. If Caltrans finds it inadequate, the agency has warned it will terminate its contracts with the companies and turn over control of the project to a bonding company. Officials for the contracting firms could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
S.A. Zoo Employee Injured
Monday January 21 02:56 PM EST
An employee at the San Antonio Zoo was injured Monday after he fell off a six-foot wall. Zoo officials said a horticulturalist was working on a wallaby exhibit, which was empty at the time, when he tripped and fell off a six-foot wall, zoo officials said. The man fell on his back and was transported to Metropolitan Methodist Hospital where he was being treated for minor injuries.
Earthquake in Turkey Kills One
Monday January 21 8:11 PM ET
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - A construction worker was killed Monday when an earthquake tossed him off a scaffolding in the western city of Izmir. The 4.7-magnitude quake sent people running into the streets in panic. It struck at 4:36 p.m. and was centered in the town of Manisa, about 30 miles north of Izmir, seismologists at Istanbul's Kandilli Observatory said. There were no reports of injuries or damage besides the single fatality. Private NTV television said terrified people gathered in Izmir's square when the quake shook buildings. The temblor was felt in the cities of Aydin and Denizli, further south. Most of Turkey lies on the active North Anatolian fault. Ruptures in the fault caused two massive quakes in 1999 that killed 18,000 people and devastated large parts of northwestern Turkey.
Man falls to his death at Carroll's
By:Mark S. Price, The Sampson Independent (01/12/2002)
WARSAW - An accident at a plant near Warsaw claimed the life of an employee when he was tragically killed after falling from a grain elevator early Friday morning. WARSAW - An accident at a plant near Warsaw claimed the life of an employee when he was tragically killed after falling from a grain elevator early Friday morning. Mark O. Bradley, 44, of 190 Thomas Luke Road, Jacksonville, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics after responding to the 7:19 a.m. call of an accident at a feed mill owned and operated by Murphy-Brown, LLC. A spokesman from Emergency Services in Duplin County said, "When the call came in there were unconfirmed reports that a man fell between 25 to 30 feet from a grain elevator to his death." The plant's public information officer said, "Murphy-Brown and its employees are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Mark's family and friends." He also said, "A grief counselor is being provided by the company to assist its employees in dealing with this loss." The company's safety department is working diligently with OSHA and the Duplin County Sheriff's Department to thoroughly investigate the accident. Further details of the accident investigation will be made available by the Duplin County Sheriff's Department at the conclusion of the investigation.
Mark S. Price can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 17 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Window-Washing Deaths Tied To Same Company
Monday January 14 11:57 PM EST
A man who was washing windows on top of a building fell four stories to his death Monday, KMBC 9 News' Emily Aylward reported. It was windy when Michael Beck, 34, was working in the Pine Ridge business park off Interstate 35 in Lenexa. While strapping cables to wash windows, he fell. Many people saw the accident, and others said they did everything they could to help. Vikki Streeter said she saw Beck set up, and well before lunch, she was convinced that something went wrong. "I was on the other side of the office, and I heard a loud thump hit the window," Streeter said. Police said the window washer somehow slipped. People in nearby buildings saw Beck laying down cables to repel down the windows, then witnesses said he mis-stepped at the edge of the roof. "He did not look good. You could tell that his injuries were very serious," Streeter said. Winds were recorded up to 30 mph Monday, Aylward reported. "It's traumatic for witnesses and the victims to see anything of that magnitude happen," Streeter said. The company the man worked for, Quality Window Cleaners, has seen plenty of it recently. In July 2000, the company had three men fall six stories at Research Medical Center. Two were badly injured, and one man died. Quality Window Cleaners, which is based in Holden, Mo., did not return KMBC's phone calls. Beck apparently worked for the company for several years.
Worker injured in fall; Contractor drops 40 feet after his harness snaps
By Victoria Cherrie, JOURNAL REPORTER
A contractor was in satisfactory condition at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center after falling 40 feet from a water-storage tank yesterday, officials said. Andrew Kalos, 30, landed on his feet and was able to walk away from the site. The accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. near the intersection of Shattalon Drive and Bethabara Road. Kalos, who works for Brickwood Contractors in Manassas, Va., was strapped near the top of the tank when his harness snapped and he fell, witnesses said. "I turned to say something to him and he did a Road Runner on me," said Bill Pybus, an engineer from AEC Engineering. He and Kalos had been checking the paint on the tank and were on their way down when Kalos fell, Pybus said. Both men had gear for rappelling and safety, he said. Kalos fell about 40 feet. He hit the side of the tank and landed on his feet about a foot from a thick concrete slab and a metal pipe that extends from the tank's interior, Pybus said. "He's very lucky," he said. Kalos complained of severe leg pain but declined to be taken by ambulance to the hospital, said Sgt. Brian Blakley of the Winston-Salem Police Department. A co-worker took Kalos, the site foreman, to the hospital, Pybus said. The men have been working on the water-storage tank since July when the city-county utility department hired Brickwood to paint and repair it, said Ron Hargrove, a utilities-plant engineer for the department. The $243,000 project, which is near completion, will also bring the tank into compliance with new codes, he said. Hargrove said he was not aware of any other problems on the site or with the contracting company. The company is not required to report the accident. Only fatal accidents or accidents involving three or more people who are injured and hospitalized must be reported to the N.C. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Division, said Greg Cook, a division spokesman.
Officer hurt in fall from window
By MICHAEL ELIASOHN / H-P Staff Writer
NILES -- A city police officer helping evacuate people from a fire at a three-level city apartment building was injured when he fell from the top floor. Another officer taking part in the evacuation also was injured. A few hours later, Niles Township firefighters were extinguishing a fire in an apartment building under construction in that municipality. The city fire, reported at 2:15 a.m., was at North Niles Villa, 1819 N. Fifth St. The township fire, reported at 5:25 a.m., was at Berrien Woods Apartments, 1900 E. Main St. The injured police officers were Chad Mitchell and William Emral, both of whom were treated at Lakeland Hospital, Niles, and released. Police Chief Richard Huff said Mitchell was in a hallway and to escape the fire, ran to the open air stairwell and tried to swing over the edge of a balcony. His hands slipped and he fell to the ground below. Half of the first level of the building is below ground so the building height equals that of a two and a half story structure. Emral suffered smoke inhalation while on the second floor. Fire department Lt. Donald Wise said the fire started in a first floor apartment near the door, then went out into the hallway. He said the male occupant, name unavailable, and a neighbor unsuccessfully tried to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher before calling the fire department. "That's why it's so important to call us first," he said. Wise said investigators from the fire and police departments were unable to find an exact cause, only that it is "not suspicious." Kathy Rapach, regional manager for the owner of North Niles Village, said nine apartments in the 16-unit building were occupied and there are eight buildings in the complex. "We are trying to place the residents (in other apartments)," she said. "I think we can take care of them and we're thankful they are all OK." Wise said damage to the building, which appears repairable, was estimated at $100,000 to the structure and $50,000 to contents. In addition to smoke and fire damage, he said there was water damage on the first and second floor -- the latter from an occupant leaving a faucet on, causing water to come through the ceiling -- and some third floor damage from having to cut holes in the ceiling to make sure the fire hadn't spread into the attic. Berrien Woods Apartments manager Theresa Gipson said the building that burned was one of nine under construction at the complex. Nine other buildings are occupied. She said the building exterior was complete and workmen were ready to start installing drywall on the inside. The building would have been done in about two months.
2 workers hurt when roof collapses
Published January 10, 2002
EVANSTON -- Two construction workers were slightly injured Wednesday afternoon when the roof collapsed on an Evanston home that was being renovated. One of the workers jumped from the second story as the roof fell at about 2:30 p.m. Another worker suffered a broken leg from the falling debris, said Evanston Fire Department Cmdr. Ken Dohm. The workers were in fair condition in St. Francis Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said. The workers were part of a construction crew that was putting an addition on an 85-year-old house in the 1600 block of Greenleaf Street, authorities said. The roof collapsed when its weight shifted and knocked out the supports that were holding it up, Dohm said. "It was like an explosion," said Alvetta Pertiller, who owns a small store next to the collapsed house. "When I went outside to look, I couldn't believe it."
Construction worker in critical condition after fall from roof at I-69 welcome center
By Nikki Sattler-The Reporter
BRANCH COUNTY -- A 21-year-old construction worker was in was in critical condition Tuesday evening after suffering head and other injuries in a work-related accident. Greg Homan of Vicksburg, who is employed by Kalamazoo's Frederick Construction Company was working on the roof of the Michigan Welcome Center on northbound I-69 Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The worker fell from the roof, a fall of about 12 feet, and sustained substantial head injuries. LifeCare Ambulance was at the scene, assisted by the Branch County Sheriff's Department. Due to the worker's head injuries, as well as other injuries sustained in the fall, he was airlifted by Air Care to Kalamazoo's Bronson Hospital, where he remained Tuesday. Frederick Construction Company is contracted to work on part of the Welcome Center construction project. The Welcome Center is managed by the Travel Michigan Bureau, which manages all Michigan Welcome Centers and is in charge of contracting companies for such projects. Officials at Frederick Construction Company were unavailable for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Worker falls to death down lift shaft
A construction worker has died of injuries sustained when he fell down a lift shaft on an Edinburgh construction site. The man, named as Gary Auld, 45, fell through 15 metres on the site where flats are under construction at Queens Quay in Leith. He died at the scene. Mr Auld was sub-contracted to the principal contractor, Morrison Construction, for whom a spokeswoman confirmed the details of the accident. She said: "As a company which gives highest priority to safety, we are of course carrying out a thorough investigation into what has occurred and are working closely with the police and HSE to establish the precise circumstances surrounding this tragic accident."
UPDATE, Cal OSHA Investigation Fatal Bridge Accident
1/08/02
A spokeswoman for the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration said today it would take about six months to determine what caused a fatal accident on the Bay Bridge on Friday. Susan Gard, spokeswoman for the state agency that investigates work-related accidents, said today that CalOSHA has hired a Hayward metallurgical laboratory to determine what caused an 18,000-pound traveling painting platform on the lower deck of the bridge to buckle, killing 33-year-old Darryl Clemons of Oakland and injuring three other workers. "Hopefully we'll determine what caused the failure on the structure, and determine a way to prevent future failures,'' Gard said. Once a determination has been made, Gard added, CalOSHA will examine what -- if any -- penalty should be levied against Robinson-Prezioso, the subcontractor that employed the painters. Gard said that in the course of the two-year-old Bay Bridge retrofit project, Robison-Prezioso has been cited for not adhering to laws that require employees to wear proper respiratory equipment and lead exposure. Robison-Prezioso was fined $26,100 in July for failing to ensure that employees were adequately tied off, Gard said. Coincidentally, that fine came when Darryl Clemons' father, James Clemons, who was also a painter, fell from a platform and was critically injured, Gard said. The California Department of Transportation has halted all retrofit work on the Bay Bridge indefinitely and CalOSHA has issued an order barring Robison-Prezioso from operating the three remaining platforms until the investigation is complete. Gard said that although the investigation of the accident will focus primarily on the collapsed scaffolding, CalOSHA could also extend its investigations if it finds problems with any of Robison-Prezioso's operating procedures.
Tops Supermarket Collapses, Injuring Workers
NewsNet5, Wednesday January 09 01:42 PM EST
Part of a Tops Supermarket being built in North Olmsted collapsed Wednesday morning. Police said that a scaffolding collapsed at the construction site on the Brookpark Road extension. A handful of workers sustained minor injuries. The Tops market was formerly Ames in North Olmsted.
UPDATE, Company under scrutiny that employed worker killed when Bay Bridge scaffold collapse
By Paul Glader, ASSOCIATED PRESS, January 4, 2002
SAN FRANCISCO - The company employing a worker crushed to death Friday on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has been fined $194,335 in the past year for earlier accidents and violations on the earthquake-retrofit project, including a serious injury suffered by the dead man's father. "Even though each one of these accidents is separate in nature, there is an overall safety issue in this project that needs to be addressed," said California Division of Occupational Safety and Health spokesman Dean Fryer. "That is of great concern to us." Night and day, nearly 200 workers are suspended 300 feet above San Francisco Bay on the double-decker bridge. They replace rivets and sandblast paint on the western span as more than 270,000 vehicles a day zoom past between Oakland and San Francisco. "We know this kind of work is dangerous, but we just can't accept this loss of life," said Jeff Weiss, spokesman for the state transportation department, which hired Robison-Prezioso Inc. to paint the bridge as part of a $170 million, five-year seismic retrofit. Darryl Clemons, 33, of Oakland died when an 18,000-pound aluminum work platform, known as a "traveler," buckled in the middle as it was being moved and he was pinned against the bottom of the upper deck by one of the edges. Three other workers suffered minor injuries. The four men and James Clemons, the dead man's father, all were employed by Robison-Prezioso. James Clemons, also of Oakland, was seriously injured Feb. 28 when he fell 90 feet from scaffolding while working with a painting crew. Fryer said he had not been wearing his harness, and the company was fined $26,100 for not training workers in proper safety measures. "I didn't want him to go back on the job after his father got hurt," Vida Clemons, Darryl Clemon's wife, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "But he said he needed to work to survive, for his family." The Santa Fe Springs-based company paid another $168,235 in fines last May when safety inspectors found bridge workers had high levels of lead in their blood and the company failed to provide respirators for workers sandblasting old paint from the span. On Sept. 26, a 5,400-pound piece of equipment fell and crushed a pickup truck, killing motorist Anthony Menolascino, 47, of San Jose. The investigation Friday's accident could take as long as six months. "We want to look at maintenance logs, training logs and take a closer look at the scaffolding," Fryer said. Few companies do industrial painting and sandblasting, according to Caltrans spokesman Jeff Weiss, and Robison-Prezioso may be the most inexpensive. "This is a very challenging project," said N. Randy Gordon, project manager for Robison-Prezioso. "The allegations Cal-OSHA has thrown out in the past are just that - allegations." Gordon said the scaffolding was made specifically for the bridge project and was inspected daily. He said Darryl Clemons, a painter like his father, had worked for the company for about a year. He described him as a "good hard worker, one of our better guys." The accident happened on the lower, eastbound section of the span about 12:45 a.m. The crumpled platform was removed from the bridge and the span was reopened to traffic around 7:20 a.m.
Millworker, 32, loses left leg in wake of accident
By Lisa Curdy - Daily World writer
1) Cergene Clark, 32, of Elma, was in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle today after his left leg was amputated just below the hip. The Mary's River Lumber Co. worker was hit by a forklift Wednesday. It was a tragic day at the mill. 2) Later in the day, benchman Carl Butterfield was killed when he fell 12 feet while changing a saw blade. An autopsy determined he died from a severed back due to a blunt impact to the torso, Coroner Ed Fleming said today. "Shell" Clark, who had worked at the mill since 1997, was struck by the forklift while walking along a road inside the mill compound. Millworkers have speculated that the forklift driver at first didn't even realize he had hit Clark. "A forklift is a very big and heavy machine," said Brad Kirkbride, the mill's chief operations officer. "It's very possible he may not have even known the forklift hit him." The manager declined to name the forklift driver, and said he hadn't talked to him personally. The mill uses forklifts to transport lumber around the yard, Kirkbride said. State Labor & Industries investigators were at the mill Wednesday and Thursday. "We have opened an inspection with Mary's River," L&I spokesman Bill Ripple said Thursday. "We're required to investigate all occupational fatalities. "We'll basically find out if the employer is doing what's required under the law." A longtime friend of Clark's, David Davis of Elma, said today he was at the hospital with him all day Wednesday. "I'm going up again in a few minutes. He's still in real bad shape." "Big" is how Davis described Clark. "He's 6 - 3, 375 pounds," Davis said. "He's very funny, very kind and very big hearted. He'd do anything for anybody." Clark and Davis both volunteer for the Twin Towers Search & Rescue unit, based out of Elma. The Search & Rescue unit was named before Sept. 11, and didn't help in New York, Davis explained. Clark's wife, Terri, has been devastated by her husband's accident, Davis said. An account for Clark's medical expenses has been set up at Simpson Credit Union in Elma and McCleary under the account name of Cergene Clark, Davis said.
Man building his own home is buried when garage collapses
Friday January 04 07:04 AM EST, by LINDA MAN - The Kansas City Star
Firefighters used chain saws and power saws to extricate a man from a collapsed garage when the walls and ceiling trusses fell on him Thursday. Another construction worker also was injured. A witness said the owner of Mid America Custom Design Inc. was on top of the uncompleted garage, building his own home, when the trusses gave way from under him. Officials said the collapse occurred shortly before 4 p.m. at 1106 S. Outer Belt Road, on the west side of Route H, between Levasy and Oak Grove.
Scaffold Collapse Kills Calif. Man
By WILLIAM SCHIFFMANN, Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - One worker was killed and two others injured Friday when an 18,000-pound section of scaffolding collapsed on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The three men were working to strengthen the span in the event of an earthquake, according to California Department of Transportation spokesman Colin Jones. The accident happened on the lower, eastbound section of the span at about 12:45 a.m. The names of the victims were not released. The man who died was crushed by a movable platform attached to the bottom of the upper deck, said Jeff Weiss, another Caltrans spokesman. The platform is 30 feet wide - it spans three lanes of traffic - and 60 feet long, he said. The two injured workers were taken to hospitals, but were not seriously hurt, officials said. The bridge, which connects San Francisco and Oakland and carries several hundred thousand motorists a day, reopened around 7:20 a.m. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, along with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In September, a 5,400-pound piece of equipment also involved in the earthquake retrofit project fell from the side of the bridge and crushed the cab of a pickup truck, killing the driver. In February, a worker was badly injured after falling 90 feet from scaffolding secured to a bridge support tower.
3 Die in 100-Foot Fall in Arkansas
FORREST CITY, Ark. (AP) - Three men replacing guy wires on a cellular telephone tower plunged 100 feet to their deaths after a rope used to hoist them to the top of the structure broke. The men, part of a four-person crew, were killed Wednesday afternoon, Sheriff's investigator Glenn Ramsey said. The crew worked for Allstate Construction Co. of Wagoner, Okla., and was replacing the guy wires on a 250-foot tower owned by Alltel Corp. The dead were identified as Brian Barnes, 23, and John Seabolt, 26, both of Muskogee, Okla.; and Jamie Anders, 27, of Hattiesburg, Miss. Ramsey said he was told the rope hoisting the men up the tower was tied to the front of a pickup truck driven by the crew's foreman, who backed up, lifting the men into the air. The foreman, identified as Barnes' uncle, Forest Barnes, 50, of Muskogee, was not injured. David Bates, assistant area director with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Little Rock, said safety investigators traveled to the site Thursday morning. He said OSHA has regulations on how to hoist workers but he wasn't sure which rules would have applied.
Roof crew members injured in collapse
The brothers and their nephews were helping build a clinic when one truss broke and the whole structure fell.
By JENNIFER FARRELL, Times Staff Writer, St. Petersburg Times, published December 27, 2001
SPRING HILL -- It was supposed to be a quick job for some extra cash over the holidays. But the first day of work proved treacherous Wednesday for a construction crew from Brooksville -- all relatives -- when roofing materials they were installing on a planned pain management clinic on Mariner Boulevard collapsed, sending two brothers and their three nephews to the hospital. "One of the trusses broke and it all collapsed," said Benigno Rojero. "I was up there too, but I jumped." Rojero said his brothers Antonio and Gerardo, 34 and 42, were airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, along with his nephews, Jose Martinez, 20, and Rafael Rojero, 28. Another nephew, Manuel Rojero, 28, suffered a hand injury and was taken to Oak Hill Hospital, he said. Rescue workers said the men suffered multiple broken bones and teeth, while one of Manuel Rojero's fingers was severed in the accident at the corner of Mariner and Bali Lane. Bayfront officials said the men taken there were still being evaluated late Wednesday, but their condition was listed as "non-life-threatening." Oak Hill officials declined to release Manuel Rojero's condition. According to Benigno Rojero, the men were helping frame the concrete-block building's roof, installing wooden trusses with the help of a crane. All five were standing among the trusses, securing them, when one broke, toppling the others. John Carter of Brooksville was also working at the site Wednesday afternoon. He heard the noise, then looked up. "I saw it snapping at the bottom," he said. Rojero said he and his family had a week off from their regular jobs at Brooksville-based Nichols Masonry Inc., so they decided to help with the roofing project as a way to make some extra money. Representatives of Tampa-based Precise Construction, the firm putting up the building, did not return a call for comment Wednesday.
Handyman critically injured in roof collapse
CAPE COD TIMES
OSTERVILLE - A handyman was critically injured yesterday morning when a porch roof collapsed on him.The accident occurred at 8 East Main Road, at the intersection of Main Street across from Armstrong-Kelley Park, shortly after 10 a.m. The injured man was identified as Ken Nielson, 53, of Needham, according to the Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills Fire District. Nielson suffered "multiple trauma," according to a firefighter, when the roof over a first-floor deck collapsed. Nielson was taken by ambulance to a parking lot at Dowses Beach, where a MedFlight helicopter flew him to Brigham & Women's Hospital. He was listed in critical condition last night. Barnstable police and building commissioner Peter DiMatteo are investigating, along with firefighters. Nielson was alone when the collapse occurred. Three tree workers across the street heard the crash and rushed to help Nielson from the wreckage. Lucas Hanson, 19, of Sandwich, Langston Knipler, 25, of Sagamore, and Brady Yacek, 23, of Marstons Mills ran across the street and lifted the roof off Nielson. The house was owned by the Williams family until earlier this year, when it was sold to Jonithan Sloan of Weston.
Elevator-shaft accident fatal
By MARSHALL WHITE
A 47-year-old elevator repairman was killed in an accident at Artesian Ice Co. on Monday. Thomas D. Frazer of Overland Park, Kan., was pronounced dead at Heartland Regional Medical Center, said Cmdr. Jim Connors with the St. Joseph Police Department. Mr. Frazer, an employee of Dynatron Elevator Repair of Kansas City, was working on an elevator at Artesian Ice's facility at 2700 S. Missouri Highway 759, Mr. Connors said. It was a tragic accident and investigators are trying to find out what happened, said Dick DeShon, president of Artesian Ice. Mr. DeShon has been with Artesian Ice since 1957. He said the company has had only a few work-related injuries and this is the first fatality at the site. Another Dynatron employee said Mr. Frazer was working on the second floor of the cold-storage portion of the facility. According to a police report, he opened the door to the elevator shaft about 11 a.m. and stepped into the shaft. Mr. Frazer fell one floor, and his leg was impaled on scaffolding installed in the elevator shaft, Mr. Connors said. His leg was bleeding profusely, and he asked the other employee to go for help, Mr. Connors said. Paramedics responding to the scene found that Mr. Frazer had stopped breathing, Mr. Connors said. Police do not suspect foul play in the incident, but police and the medical examiner investigate all unattended deaths. The case also will be investigated by the federal Occupational, Safety and Health Administration. The body was released by the medical examiner about 12:45 p.m., after the family was notified, Mr. Connors said.
OSHA levies fines in death of worker
From staff reports, Lake City Reporter, December 1, 2001
Lake City paving company Anderson Columbia is facing a $77,000 penalty from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the Aug. 7 death of an employee in which the company is accused of failing to provide protection from fall hazards. The company was cited for one alleged willful violation with a $70,000 proposed penalty for failing to provide an adequate seat and seat belt for an employee working in the back of a truck. The additional $7,000 penalty would be for an alleged serious violation for failing to properly secure materials being transported in the same compartment as employees. Anderson Columbia officials did not return repeated phone calls Friday afternoon about the penalty. According to OSHA, the accident occurred when the employee was placing traffic warning signs along U.S. 41 near White Springs, where the company was installing pipelines. The employee reportedly would sit next to remaining signs in the bed of the truck as the driver slowly drove to the next location to place a sign. As the driver approached the final location, he looked in his rear-view mirror and saw his co-worker laying in the road. An OSHA investigation determined that the employee fell from the truck bed as he tried to reach for a sign that was caught by a gust of wind. He died from massive head injuries four days later. "To prevent this type of needless tragedy, OSHA standards require employers to provide employees with adequate seats and seat belts when they are transported in, or work from, vehicles," said James Borders, Jacksonville area director for OSHA. Borders said Anderson Columbia's written policy requires employees to ride on the seats provided and use seat belts, but company officials did not enforce the rules. A willful violation is defined as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of OSHA and regulations. A serious violation is defined as one where there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard. Anderson Columbia has 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Board.
Man in stable condition after falling from ladder
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
The condition of a Key West man who fell 15 feet from a stepladder Tuesday was upgraded, although he is still being closely watched. Julius "Skip" Everett, 44, was trying to get through a hatch to the roof of the Mel Fisher Museum, 200 Greene St., to change a flag when he fell. "He is in neuro-surgery ICU, but his condition is stable," said a spokesperson at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Everett had been in extremely critical condition when he was flown to the Ryder Trauma Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital after he apparently fell on his head after removing a plywood hurricane shutter. Two workers in the room said they saw him at the top of the 15-foot ladder with one foot braced on a beam and one foot on the ladder. Neither of the workers actually saw Everett fall, police said. One worker administered cardio-pulmonary resuscitation while the other called 911. Everett initially had no pulse. Key West Police Officer Jeff Williamson took over the CPR until paramedics arrived. Everett may have suffered a broken neck.
Suit filed in MWA worker's death
By Christopher Schwarzen, Telegraph Staff Writer
Nearly one year after the death of a Macon Water Authority employee, his family filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court for unspecified damages. Vanessa Jones, 48, and her children - Channing, Erin and Danielle - are seeking damages against the Macon Water Authority for violating Walter Frank Jones' civil rights. Jones, 56, died Jan. 19 after falling 55 feet down a pit at the Town Creek Reservoir water treatment plant. Specifically named in the suit as defendants are each authority board member, former executive director Gene Holcomb and several supervisors, including Chester Stewart, who worked with the crews at Town Creek that week. Not included is the authority's Safety Coordinator Bob Meloche. Jones, through her attorneys Greg Dobson of Macon and Thomas Moore of Birmingham, Ala., contends the authority knowingly violated her husband's civil rights by not training him properly to remove sand from interceptor pits at the plant and knowingly allowing him to work with faulty equipment and under hazardous conditions. Moore says evidence suggests the boom truck, which lowered a bucket to be filled with sand up and down in the pit, had the wrong cable attached to it, and that it wasn't being used properly by crew members. Authority supervisors and crew members, including Jones, were riding the bucket up and down in the pit instead of using a safety ladder and harness system. A Macon Telegraph investigation after the accident indicated the men were not trained to use the safety equipment and that often safety equipment was not provided while the work in the interceptor pits was completed. Crew members also said work conditions were harsh, including limited lighting and work breaks. Lifting heavy sand into buckets for hours caused fatigue, and that is why they rode the bucket instead of climbing the ladder 60 feet. Three other investigations subsequently initiated by the water authority confirmed there had been inadequate safety training and improper usage of equipment at the work site. The Jones family is receiving workers' compensation benefits following Jones' death. Those payments will stop once a total of $125,000 is received. But the family says that's not enough to cover the mental and economic losses incurred by Jones' death. State law prohibits suits against employers in such accidents, requiring all settlements to be under the workers' compensation laws, but Moore said he thinks federal law allows a civil rights claim. He said other such cases have been successful, but gave no examples Monday. Water Authority attorney Warren Plowden said he received the suit and was turning it over to the authority's insurer. He said another attorney will probably be hired, but his office also will be involved. "I don't think they have a case in federal court," he said. "We'll see." Holcomb, who said he had not seen the suit yet, wouldn't comment, other than to say: "I'm not surprised." Frank Amerson, board chairman and acting director, couldn't be reached by telephone for comment. Holcomb came under fire from the board following the accident for lax training procedures. An e-mail from Meloche to Holcomb warned of several safety violations that Meloche has witnessed, urging Holcomb to make changes before someone died. The violations Meloche witnessed were not at the site of Jones' death. The e-mail, obtained by The Telegraph, was dated just days before Jones' accident. Holcomb eventually took full responsibility for the accident and was suspended without pay for three days. Other staff members also were suspended without pay. Since the accident, the authority has revamped its training procedures and programs. A federal judge had not been assigned to the case Monday, but could be as early as today. Moore said he expects the case to come to trial within a year. The attorneys for Vanessa Jones have requested a jury trial. Jones says it will be difficult to walk into a courtroom and see the authority members there, but she plans to be strong. "Nothing can replace the love I've lost," she said of her husband, to whom she was married 23 years. Economically, her husband's lost income has hurt the family also, she said. Even though she works, it has been difficult to make the house and utility payments. She receives $187.50 a week in workers' compensation benefits. Her youngest daughter also receives a similar check.
UPDATE, FATAL ACCIDENT AT MT. PLEASANT, S.C., MARINE TERMINAL LEADS TO PROPOSED PENALTIES TOTALING $62,500
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Using a faulty scaffolding design and failing to protect workers from fall hazards which contributed to the death of an employee at a Mt. Pleasant marine terminal have resulted in 12 serious citations with proposed penalties totaling $62,500 for two contractors, the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced today. The fatality occurred at the Wando-Welch Terminal on the morning of May 30 at a jobsite supervised by Konecranes America, Inc. Five employees of a sub-contractor, Palmetto Industrial Construction, Inc., were preparing to refurbish a crane owned by the South Carolina State Ports Authority at the time of the accident. The workers were on a crane, 125 feet above the wharf, building a scaffolding platform that would be used during refitting of rail lines that ran along the length of the crane boom. Two workers, who were wearing safety harnesses but were not tied off, had just finished stowing a metal scaffold plank onto the existing scaffold platform. "While stepping onto a smaller scaffold, one of the workers fell into the Wando River and drowned," said Atha. "Several factors contributed to this tragic accident, but clearly, if this worker had been properly tied off, he would not have fallen." OSHA issued eight serious citations against Palmetto Industrial Construction, Inc., with proposed penalties totaling $34,650 for alleged violations which include failing to: construct a scaffold that could support four times the estimated load weight; use scaffold-grade planking; provide safe access to the scaffolding, and establish and maintain an effective fall protection program. Konecranes America, Inc., received four serious citations with proposed penalties totaling $28,000 for similar alleged scaffolding violations. The two companies have 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The accident investigation was conducted by the federal OSHA office located at 1835 Assembly St., Room 1468, Columbia, S.C.; phone: (803) 765-5904
Sheraton fall still under scrutiny The case raises key safety issues for the construction industry.
By Melanie Payne -- Bee Staff Writer, Published 5:50 a.m. PST Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001
Shirley Bohannon booked a room last Tuesday on the 21st floor of the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Sacramento. She didn't stay there, she just wanted it to be empty. "No one belongs in that room that day because they have no idea what was taken from me there that day. I couldn't think of someone in there," she said, as her voice cracked. A year ago her husband Phillip and his co-worker Renato Alcala fell from that room to their deaths. Bohannon, co-workers say, fell as he reached to save Alcala. It wasn't a hotel room then. It was the 21st floor of a hotel construction site where Bohannon, 33, and Alcala, 21, were working. At about 3:20 p.m. Oct. 30, Alcala called for the elevator to pick up the work crew heading home for the day. Less than two minutes later Bohannon was dead, his body on J Street. Alcala was lying on construction hoist bracing several floors below. Three days later, he too, was dead. Those are the facts everyone agrees on. The men fell. How and why is not as clear. Cal-OSHA says the access door for the elevator was faulty. Others say the men were horsing around and crashed into the door with such force they ripped off the hinges. One worker later changed his story. Others believe the issue of horseplay is moot, that the door should have withstood it. It's a nuance that could mean a great deal of money when trying to establish legal blame for the deaths. But there are broader issues raised by construction experts who say that understanding what went wrong -- and correcting it -- will save lives. They raise the issue about whether Cal-OSHA, the state's occupational safety agency, should be changing its role from finding fault and levying fines to seeking changes in procedures and equipment. "These doors are used in construction sites all over the western United States and they should be fortified," says Robert Buccola, the attorney pressing a lawsuit for Bohannon's widow and two children. Buccola denies there was horseplay and lays the blame squarely on the door. He said the metal plate that stopped the door from opening either wasn't in the right position or wasn't the right size. The door was worn, old and flexible, he said. The hinges weren't tight. There were gaps where the door didn't line up. Attorneys for the defendants -- Sheedy Drayage Co., who erected the elevator, and Hensel Phelps Construction Company, the primary contractor, wouldn't comment on the case, citing the ongoing litigation. An issue of safety The Bohannon lawsuit claims that the doors on each of the landings "appeared to be safe and sturdy" but they weren't. As a result, when Alcala leaned against the door on the 21st floor, it buckled, popped open and sent the two men to their deaths, Buccola said. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health couldn't substantiate the horseplay allegation. According to the Cal-OSHA report, there was one reason the men died: The elevator door failed. The elevator ran outside the building and was put up at the construction site as a temporary structure to move workers up and down. When the lift was at the doorway, a lever inside the carrier was released, allowing the door to swing open into the building and the workers to walk into the carrier. According to the OSHA report, pressure from Alcala leaning on the door popped it open and out -- in the opposite direction it usually swung -- and into thin air. The doors were not supposed to give more than one inch when pressure was applied to them. But when OSHA tested the same make and model door, it gave just over an inch and failed the inspection, the OSHA report said. That wouldn't have been enough for the men to fall out, but a heavy sustained pressure made the door move significantly more, OSHA inspectors found. "It shouldn't matter from a safety point of view if you fall against it because you slipped or you fall because someone shoved you. It should stop you regardless," said James Platner, the associate director of the Center to Protect Workers' Rights, a health and safety research group affiliated with the building and construction trades department of the AFL-CIO. "If it's not able to stop you, then it's a problem. Because certainly people assume it will stop them from going over the edge and it's fair to assume that," Platner said. Debating OSHA's role It's unfortunate, Platner said, that it takes a fatality to find out the doors failed. But that's how dangerous situations get changed, he said. The OSHA fines won't do it, Platner said, because the fines aren't high enough. The "fear of getting sued" is an "incentive" to make the job safer, but not OSHA fines, Platner said. In this case Sheedy Drayage, Hensel Phelps and Decorator's Inc., the company that Bohannon and Alcala worked for, were each fined $36,000 in April, Cal-OSHA records show. All three companies are appealing the fines. That's one criticism of OSHA investigations, says Platner. Their investigations "focus on compliance. Was there a rule broken that caused this?" They fix blame and punish with a fine. A better tack, Platner says, is to call for OSHA to investigate fatalities the way the National Transportation Safety Board investigates plane crashes: not looking to ascribe blame but seeking a root cause of an accident and determining what can be done to make sure it won't happen again. Cal-OSHA's Len Welsh, the special counsel for regulatory development, disagrees. He said that the agency does have a preventive role, but that it is obligated by law to investigate safety complaints and accidents, uncover violations and fine the companies that have them. Cal-OSHA has targeted industries with high injury rates, like agriculture and construction, for special emphasis, Welsh said. "We have a lot of mandates," he said. "We have limited resources and we have to prioritize them." If OSHA finds a hazard, they suggest a rule to cover it. That proposal is opened for public comment. The Cal-OSHA staff then summarizes the comment and proposes a standard to a seven-member governor-appointed board, which votes whether to make it a rule. It's a lengthy process. If there were an imminent danger, Cal-OSHA could institute an emergency rule, but there's no indication that there's a pattern of door failures or that people are in imminent danger of falling through them, Welsh said. A dangerous job Falls are the most common way a construction worker dies on the job. While overall deaths on-the-job are declining, deaths from falls are on the rise. Last year, 734 people died from falling on the job, up from 721 the year before, and the highest annual total ever recorded by the Department of Labor. Also in 2000, the construction industry had 1,182 deaths, the highest total of any industry group. Seven percent of the nation's workers are in construction, but they account for 20 percent of those killed on the job. Some of that has to do with the nature of the work, says Greg Zigulis, associate director of the Construction Industry Research and Policy Center at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Construction sites and their work force are temporary. People working on the first floor one day can be on the 21st floor the next. It's difficult for supervisors to observe every worker at every stage of the job. It's difficult to set up standardized safety programs. Zigulis and his colleagues, William Schriver and Tom Cressler, reviewed every fatal construction worker accident in the country that OSHA investigated from 1991 to 1999. Although they agreed that falls were the major cause of the deaths, they couldn't recall that any of the deaths were caused by falls because the elevator doors failed. That's not to say that the door Alcala and Bohannon fell through wasn't defective, however. People are used to looking at accidents as one thing causing an event, Zigulis said. It's like dominoes falling; one starts it and they all go down. "The more current way to model the process is to think of a parallel set of dominoes where a number of things can trigger them falling and that ultimately leads to an incident. It's hard to say something is 100 percent an employee's fault or 100 percent management's fault." For that reason the conflicting stories coming out of this investigation aren't unusual. Donald Schroeder, Sacramento's assistant fire chief, was almost immediately on the scene where Bohannon and Alcala fell. He'd been around the corner when the accident happened. He told Cal-OSHA that he was there in about 20 seconds. Schroeder, according to a statement he gave Cal-OSHA, was near four or five construction workers, about 30 feet from Bohannon's body, when he asked the group, "What happened?" One person said "they were just goofing around, like horseplay." Schroeder turned to another worker and asked, "Was it horseplay?" and he "nodded in agreement," the statement said. An investigation by Angeline Deuel, a Sacramento deputy coroner, provided more detail. She wrote in the case summary that Bohannon and Alcala were "indulging in horseplay by pushing and shoving each other." Bohannon "apparently grabbed Alcala in a bear hug and the two men hit hard against the secured elevator hoist door." The door "buckled with the pressure causing the three heavy hinges to pull loose in a zipper like effect and the door to swing outward." Deuel said that she got her information from the fire department and Cal-OSHA but didn't interview any of the witnesses. Cal-OSHA's investigators interviewed Bohannon and Alcala's co-workers over the days and weeks following the accident. To a person, they were adamant: There was no horseplay. One of the workers who told Schroeder and the police about horseplay, according to Cal-OSHA investigators "changed his story." As the Cal-OSHA investigator wrote: "...the witness said the word horseplay was improperly used by him. It was pointed out to him that he further reinforced horseplay as rough housing, grab-assing and goofing around. This witness only now would allow that the term horsing around applied only at the gang box for the tool storage in another room farther back and away from the elevator door. He stated now that he was 'mad' at the loss of his best friend and in shock and had misused the word horseplay." Placing blame J. Clark Kelso, a professor at the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, says the ambiguities of this case make it ripe for settlement. When "both sides have some uncertainty" they are even more motivated to settle, Kelso said. The plaintiffs' uncertainty is with the issue of horseplay and the doctrine of comparative fault, Kelso said. If someone is acting unreasonably, he might be considered partially negligent and that could reduce an award. But, Kelso said, "you actually have to be acting unreasonably. And I have some doubts that horsing around is unreasonable." And even if the jury does believe that Bohannon and Alcala were partially at fault, there's still the issue of the door failing OSHA standards, Kelso said. For Shirley Bohannon however, there is no ambiguity, no comparative fault, no partial negligence. Her husband died a hero, trying to save his friend. "I found it typical that he was the only one that grabbed out for him (Alcala). It was just Phil. He would have done it for any one of them. And he would have done it over again," she said. "He always put other people before himself."
SMUD Worker Killed In Fall From Power Pole
A Sacramento Municipal Utility District employee was killed Tuesday night when he fell from a power pole in Wilton. The worker was one of several in the area trying to restore power to the few hundred remaining SMUD customers in Sacramento County still without power. SMUD officials, who did not identify the worker, said he died at about 9 p.m. The man was working on a pole on Hobday Road in Wilton, a rural town in the southeast area of the county, SMUD officials said. The cause of the fall was not immediately known. SMUD officials said about 260 customers were still without power, but that crews were ordered to stop working following the accident until Wednesday morning. SMUD crews have been working around the clock since Saturday's storm knocked out power to 51,000 customers.
Worker fell from ladder into razor wire
By BRIAN DENEAL
HARRISBURG - An Illinois Youth Center worker was injured at the corrections complex shortly after 2 p.m. Monday when he fell from a ladder into razor wire. Joe Jackson, the center's chief engineer, was working near the roof of one of the buildings. "He was on a ladder and fell down and hit the razor wire," Illinois Department of Corrections Chief Communicator Sergio Molina said. "He was treated there at the facility until the ambulance was called to take him to the local hospital." Jackson was taken by ambulance to Harrisburg Medical Center and was later transferred to St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville. He remained there in serious condition Tuesday morning, according to a hospital spokesman Molina said he had just received word of the incident Monday afternoon and did not know the details of Jackson's injuries.
Kansas representative injured in fall
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas state Rep. Gene O'Brien remained hospitalized Tuesday in serious condition after falling at a concrete company in southwest Missouri. O'Brien, D-Parsons, was injured Sunday when he fell about 12 feet from scaffolding and landed on a concrete floor at Psi Ready Mix in Branson, said Trevor Hale, spokesman for Taney County Ambulance District. It was not immediately clear how the accident happened. Psi did not immediately return a call to The Associated Press Tuesday. O'Brien was in the neuro-trauma intensive care unit at St. John's Regional Health Center in Springfield, a hospital spokeswoman said. No other details were released. O'Brien is in his second term. He owns O'Brien Ready Mix, which has Kansas offices in Parsons, St. Paul and Oswego. Kansas House Minority Leader Jim Garner, D-Coffeyville, said he knew nothing of the accident, but said he was concerned for his fellow lawmaker.
Bridge Inspector Dead In Charlestown Accident
A construction accident in Charlestown early Thursday morning resulted in the death of one worker and injuries to another when a 25,000 pound truck with a platform tipped over on its side. Both men were standing on a platform connected to a large truck, which was parked on Cambridge Street underneath Interstate 93. They were inspecting a bridge when the truck tipped over, send the men hurtling 80 feet to the ground. NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that the accident occured just outside Sullivan Square about 12:30 a.m. The street was closed for five hours while crews worked to rescue the accident victims and clear the scene. The truck was parked on Cambridge Street, which is elevated, so instead of falling 50 feet to the street, the men fell an additional 30 feet to the ground below the elevated roadway. One witness said it appeared that the truck's stabilizers, which maintain its balance when the platform is extended, were not properly deployed on both sides, which may have caused the entire vehicle to tip over. The vehicle was rented from Colvin Equipment Rental Co. on Prospect Street in Waltham, Mass. The worker who died at the scene has not been identified. The second was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Both were contracted by the Massachusetts Highway Department of inspect the bridges on the elevated expressway. Boston and State police investigators are looking into the accident.
UPDATE, Engineers In Bridge Accident Face Charges
One Worker Drowned In Detroit River
Posted: 10:49 a.m. EST November 9, 2001
WINDSOR, Ontario-- Two Canadian engineers who designed the scaffolding that collapsed on the Ambassador Bridge face negligence charges. Domenic Cugliari and George Snowden are accused of being negligent in the design of the scaffold. They were charged Thursday under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. They are scheduled to appear in court Dec. 14. Three workers fell from the bridge into the Detroit River when the scaffolding collapsed last November. Jamie Barker, 28, drowned in the river. The two other workers were pulled to safety. Four other workers were left dangling from their harnesses for several hours after the collapse. Ontario Ministry of Labour spokeswoman Moira McIntyre said that the charges are the first to be brought under a 1990 amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which refers specifically to engineers or architects. The charges each carry a maximum fine of $25,000 and one year in jail. Cugliari and Snowden work for Construction Control Inc., a consulting company based in Woodbridge, Ontario. According to the company's Web site, Construction Control was founded in 1972 and has worked on more than 20,000 construction projects.
Oil mill worker pulled from pile of cotton seed
By: Jeff Piselli, News Editor, November 08, 2001
A Helena, Ark., man buried chest deep in cotton seed was saved during a dramatic rescue Wednesday at Delta Oil Mill in Jonestown John Hanley, 56, was listed in serious condition this morning at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis. Hanley, who works in one of the mill's 22,000-ton-capacity seed houses, was discovered missing by a coworker at about 3 p.m., according to Plant Manager Scott Middleton. "We have two guys working at all times up there, and they holler back and forth to each other to make sure everything is all right," Middleton said. "When John didn't respond, his partner reacted perfectly and started looking for him. After about 10 minutes, when he couldn't find him, he ran to the end of the building and called for help on the radio." A rescue team from the oil mill discovered Hanley unconscious and buried up to his chest in cotton seed. He had fallen more than 20 feet from a catwalk that spans the top of the building. Mill employees dug Hanley out of the cotton seed and waited for paramedics to arrive. The Coahoma County Volunteer Fire Department was also called to assist in what would prove to be a challenging rescue. When Bobo firefighter Jerry Mills arrived, "the Emergystat (ambulance service) crew were working on him and had already started an I.V.," he said. "We had to dig the seed out from underneath the victim and strap him to a backboard before we could lift him out." Mill employees cut away part of the steel catwalk so the makeshift stretcher holding the still-unconscious Hanley could be lifted by rope to the catwalk in the first phase of the extrication. Meanwhile, other firefighters marked a nearby landing zone for the Hospital Wing rescue helicopter that would carry Hanley to Memphis. As law enforcement, fire, medical and emergency management personnel poured onto the scene, it became obvious that a lot of manpower would be required to get Hanley down the narrow walkway from the top of the seed house to the ground. Fifteen rescuers helped bring Hanley down the steep incline in the county's rescue stretcher. "We tied ropes to the stretcher and hauled him out," Mills said. "We worked to the end of the seed house with two firefighters behind and three in front. That way, if somebody fell, there would be somebody to catch him and we wouldn't drop the patient." Transferring the basket stretcher from a 10-foot-tall roof at the bottom of the stairs to the ground presented another problem. It was solved when Sheriff Andrew Thompson came up with the idea of using a nearby forklift to lower the stretcher to the ground. Emergystat paramedics and flight nurses from the Hospital Wing worked on Hanley for about 20 minutes, stabilizing him prior to moving him to the helicopter. Placing a breathing tube down his throat proved difficult because Hanley was beginning to regain some consciousness and was fighting the effort. "John, how many fingers am I holding up?"asked one flight nurse. "If you can tell me how many fingers I'm holding up, we won't have to put in this tube." A cheer went up from nearby rescuers when Hanley indicated he saw two fingers. Less than two hours after the initial call for help was made, Hanley was flying toward The Med. Exhausted paramedics and firefighters sat on the ground. "I'm just waiting for some feeling to return to my legs," said Paramedic Angie Parker. The rescue capped "by far the worst day I've had since I've been in this business," Middleton said. Another oil mill employee, Frank Wilson, 55, also of Helena, had severely injured his hand in a piece of machinery earlier in the day. While complimenting everyone involved in Hanley's rescue, Middleton said safety issues would be revisited. "Any time something like this happens, we sit down and reassess our procedures. If there are any changes we can make to make things safer, we certainly will," he said.
Worker hurt when roof trusses fall
Wednesday, October 31, 2001, By Bryn Mickle, JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Burton - A construction worker was seriously injured Tuesday when a row of 40 roof trusses collapsed at a church fellowship hall. The man, 23, was tying a roof truss about 4 p.m. when the truss he was standing on failed, plunging him under a rain of falling 40-by-80-foot wooden trusses behind Bethel Assembly of God church, 6029 Lapeer Road. "It acted like a domino. They all went down," Burton Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Johnson said. The man fell next to a 3-foot-high pile of plywood sheets, which Johnson said absorbed the impact of the falling beams and saved the man from further injury or even death. "If he had landed 3 feet in any other direction, he would have been crushed or impaled," Johnson said. The man was taken to Hurley Medical Center in Flint with suspected internal injuries and injuries to his skull, chin, torso, hip and legs. The victim was one of five construction workers with a St. Charles contracting firm building a brick fellowship hall and multipurpose room behind the church. The other workers were outside the building when the trusses fell. Work on the $250,000 addition began in July, and the roof was expected to be shingled this weekend, said Ronald Sarbo, senior pastor. Sarbo said people at the church joined hands and asked for protection Tuesday morning before the day's construction began. "From tragedy comes triumph," Sarbo said. "It could have been very severe. It could have been his life." Sarbo said he was unsure what caused the trusses to fall, but said there were sheets of plywood piled on top of the trusses. The collapse did not affect the church building, and services will not be interrupted, Sarbo said. The Genesee County urban search and rescue team was called, but Burton firefighters already had used its own equipment to reach the man and stabilize him when the team arrived.
Worker hurt in fall from scaffolding in state Senate
The Associated Press
A worker was injured Wednesday when he fell about 20 feet from scaffolding used for renovations to the state Senate chamber. The accident occurred about 8:20 a.m. The employee of United Anco of St. Louis was taken to a Jefferson City hospital, said Randy Allen, director of design and construction in the state Office of Administration. "It's still under investigation," said Mike Clifford, an Anco official based in Indiana. "We have a management team on the way from St. Louis. There were no broken bones." Clifford declined to release the name of the worker. The scaffolding was being dismantled after workers had completed remodeling the ceiling of the Senate chamber, which has been undergoing renovations for several months.
OSHA investigating worker's fall at church
RIVERTON - Federal authorities are investigating a construction accident at a local church that left a contractor's employee injured Monday, police said. Patrolman Bryan Norcross said officers were called to the Central Baptist Church in the 300 block of Main Street at 9:49 a.m. and found that construction worker Michael Cardoza, 27, of Camden had fallen about 10 feet from a scaffolding. He was apparently working on brickwork on the church's facade when he fell, Norcross said. Cardoza was complaining of back pain and was transported to Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center in Camden. He was treated and later released, a hospital spokeswoman said. Norcross said Cardoza may have lost his balance when he stepped on boards stacked on the scaffold. He identified the man's employer as Gallo Inc. of Cherry Hill. Officials at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration office in Evesham confirmed yesterday that they are investigating. Wednesday, October 31, 2001
UPDATE, Investigation begins as collapse death toll rises to six
By Eddie Luk
THE Buildings Department has begun an investigation into whether the contractor demolishing the Yau Tong industrial building that collapsed killing six workers violated work procedures. The probe was announced yesterday as searchers found the body of the last of the four men trapped in the debris. Rescuers believe it could take up to two days to recover their bodies. The dead also included a man who was pulled from the rubble shortly after Monday's collapse, and a critically injured 45-year-old worker who lost his fight for life last night. Director of Buildings Leung Chin-man said his department would investigate seven possible factors in the collapse of the Asia Trade Centre at 19 Sze Shan Street, which also injured nine people. The probe, to last three to four weeks, would try to find out whether: The structure was unsafe before demolition; Structures had been added before demolition; Overweight machines were on the building's platforms;Concrete parts supporting the structure had been removed during demolition;The contractor and workers followed the demolition plans approved by the Buildings Department;There was insufficient supervision and Piles were removed or disturbed before demolition.``We are determined to prosecute if the investigation reveals that any parties did not follow demolition procedures approved by the department,'' Mr Leung said. Recommendations would also be made on ways to prevent future collapses. Two industrial buildings next to the demolition site remained cordoned off yesterday, for fear that the remains of the Asia Trade Centre could collapse further. Bulldozers and rock-crushers were working to clear debris. Meanwhile, the Buildings Department inspected 48 other demolition sites to check for hazards. The Asia Trade Centre, which formerly housed dyeing and electronics factories, collapsed inwards at about 11.12am on Monday. Three of the injured have been discharged from United Christian Hospital. Four others, aged 35 to 73, were in a stable condition last night.
SDA contractor seriously injured by collapse of lamp post
By Jamari Mohtar
A contractor for the Singapore Democratic Alliance was seriously injured when a lamp post collapsed while he was putting up an election poster. This happened in front of Block 282 Tampines Street 22 while the SDA candidates were having their walkabout there. Forty-year-old Yip Kum Hong sustained broken neck and leg injuries. "He was using a ladder to lean against the lamp post. So he just climbed up to tie the notice and then the whole lamp post collapsed together with the worker," said Johnny Tan, a witness. SDA candidates who were campaigning in the area rushed to help with one of them accompanying Mr Yip in the ambulance. The others continued their walkabout to the nearby Tampines Mart.
Collapse kills three, two missing
By Eddie Luk, 30 October 2001 / 02:27 AM
The ruins of the six-storey Hoi Pan Industrial Building at Yau Tong that collapsed as it was being demolished. RESCUERS were searching desperately early today for two men missing in the ruins of a building that collapsed, killing three workers and injuring nine people - two of them critically. Passing pedestrians fled the shower of rubble and scaffolding as the six-storey industrial building, under demolition in Yau Tong, collapsed inwards at about 11.12am, blanketing the surrounding area in a cloud of thick dust. Some of the 13 workers in the building were hurled from the fifth and sixth floors. A 43-year-old construction worker, surnamed Siu, was pulled out by firefighters from the debris within minutes of the collapse. But he was certified dead on arrival at United Christian Hospital from head injuries. Two othrs, unidentified early today, were found dead late last night. A 45-year-old worker, surnamed Yuen, and a 35-year-old, surnamed Nguyen, were in a critical condition. Two others - one of whom needed brain surgery - were in a serious condition and two were in a stable condition. Three people with minor injuries, including a passer-by whose toes were struck by falling rubble, were treated and discharged. The wreckage of the Hoi Pan Industrial Building at 19 Sze Shan Street remained unstable last night, raising fears for the safety of rescue workers who toiled under floodlights with life detectors in the hunt for the missing workers. Demolition of the 30-year-old structure, which formerly housed dyeing and electronics factories, began on Saturday. Director of Buildings Leung Chin-man said it had complied with all requirements, and all precautionary measures had been taken. He said such a collapse, coming just two days after the start of demolition, was rare. A bulldozer working on one of the upper floors plunged to the ground amid piles of broken concrete as the structure disintegrated. A worker at a nearby building, giving his name only as Mr Chan, said he suddenly heard a loud bang, then saw the structure collapse. Li Tam-kwai, a security guard at another building, said he saw several workers on the sixth floor plummet to the ground. ``A big cloud of dust surrounded the area,'' Mr Li said. ``Some of the debris was thrown far from the building.'' Demolition contractor Chong Tai could not be reached for comment on the collapse or compensation for victims' families. Fire Service Kowloon East Senior Divisional Officer Lee Tin-ping said officers were worried about the safety of rescue workers. ``There are difficulties in searching for the remaining victims as other parts of the building may collapse at any time,'' he said. ``We have to ensure that the rescue operation is conducted safely.'' Firefighters used two trucks with ladder platforms to pluck injured victims from the ruins. They paused during the rescue work in the afternoon to study copies of the demolition plan in an effort to ensure firefighters' safety and help pinpoint those missing. A spokeswoman for the Labour Department said a joint investigation into the tragedy would be set up with Buildings Department.
UPDATE, Firm Fired After Scaffold Collapse
By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS, Associated Press Writers
NEW YORK -- The company that constructed the 14-story scaffold that collapsed at a Manhattan office building, killing five construction workers, was fired after officials learned of the firm's troubled past. Ten other workers, a pregnant bystander and 15 firefighters and police officers also suffered injuries after the scaffold collapsed. City officials said Thursday the scaffolding was constructed without a required permit. Police said a heavy concrete load placed on the structure may have caused part of the scaffold to sway and buckle, eventually leading to the collapse. Authorities responding to the accident had to call in rescue teams from the World Trade Center, two miles away. Buildings Department spokeswoman Ilyse Fink said the department has yet to find a cause and is still investigating the collapse. She said Nesa Roofing and Restoration, which hired Tri-State Scaffolding and Roofing to construct the scaffold, hadn't obtained the required permit. The leasing agent for the office building, Stephen Green, fired Nesa on Thursday after reporters called asking about the firm's troubled history, said Gerald McKelvey, a spokesman for Green. Constantine Stamoulis, one of Nesa's owners, was arrested in May for allegedly hiring someone to impersonate him at a city examination required to obtain a Special Riggers license. The license allows the holder to hoist or lower up to 1,200 pounds of material by rigging set up on a building's exterior. Stamoulis pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in June and paid a $250 fine and served 10 days of community service, said Barbara Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office. None of the owners of the company, including Stamoulis, returned telephone calls for comment. A message left at Tri-State's office in Deer Park, N.Y., also was not returned.
Five killed in New York scaffolding collapse
October 25, 2001 Posted: 5:27 AM EDT (0927 GMT)
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A scaffolding structure at least 12 stories high collapsed in a courtyard behind a Park Avenue office building Wednesday, killing five workers and injuring at least 11 others. "This is a very serious collapse," said New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who arrived on the scene -- about 1 1/2 miles northeast of the wreckage-strewn site of the World Trade Center twin towers collapse that resulted from September 11 terrorist attacks -- about two hours after the accident. Witnesses said the scaffolding was supporting workers who were repairing brick inside an exposed airshaft, or vestibule area, in back of the building and several stories up. The scaffolding started to shake at one point, and workers began jumping to get out of the way as it collapsed into a pile. Just after 4 p.m., police responded and were informed by the construction crew that 18 workers were in the rear of the location when a brick facade gave way, causing the scaffolding to collapse. Several men who escaped with scratches and bruises said others were beneath lower planks of the scaffolding when it collapsed and did not appear to have escaped. Two men were brought out on stretchers, and an active rescue operation stretched out for six blocks as police and firefighters brought in heavy equipment. Some rescue workers were diverted from the World Trade Center site to assist. One rescuer has been injured seriously and a firefighter on site has injured his hand.
Worker impaled on shovel
From AAP, 17oct01
A MELBOURNE workman has had emergency surgery after falling from a ladder and being impaled on a shovel. Ambulance service spokesman Paul Holman said the worker, aged in his early 50s, slipped from a ladder and fell onto a shovel, which impaled his groin and pierced his abdomen. The accident, which Mr Holman described as "freak event", happened at a house in Balwyn North in Melbourne's east about 8.30am (AEST). Mr Holman said the man was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with about 30cm of the shovel handle still protruding from his body. "He has just undergone emergency surgery and it (the shovel) appears to have missed all major organs, so he is extremely lucky," he said. "It's just an amazing escape, because it was certainly a freak event." Mr Holman said the man was climbing a ladder in a trench when he slipped and fell back into the trench and onto the shovel. Comment is being sought from the hospital.
Man killed, 1 injured in scaffold collapse
Published October 18, 2001
CHICAGO -- One man was killed and another injured Wednesday in the second fatal scaffolding accident in two days in the city. Gezim Luli was pronounced dead at Mt. Sinai Hospital at 11:52 a.m., according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office. A 30-year-old man was in critical condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital, a nursing supervisor said. The three men were doing rehabilitation work on a West Side building in the 0-100 block of North Pine Avenue when the scaffolding gave way at around 11 a.m., police said. On Tuesday, an employee of a glass company was killed and three other workers were injured after they fell two stories from a scaffold at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, police said. The men in Tuesday's accident worked for Service Glass Co., which had been hired to repair a broken window at the Baumgarten Pavilion on the hospital campus, a hospital spokeswoman said. The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration sent investigators to both scenes, officials said.
Welder dies in fall
Posted: 8:50 PM (Manila Time) | October 16, 2001, By Philip C. Tubeza, Inquirer News Service
A WELDER on Wednesday fell to his death from the 20th floor of a building under construction in Manila. Paulino Lorenzana, 34, a Fuji Reynolds welder and a resident of Upper Bicutan, Taguig, fell while he was on his way to lunch, said investigator SPO4 Rodolfo Rival Jr. of the Western Police District-homicide section. Lorenzana suffered a head injury and a dislocated leg after losing his balance and falling from the 20th story of the unfinished Moldez Tower on Padre Faura corner L. Guerrero Street in Ermita, Rival said. Lorenzana did not fall all the way down to the ground floor but landed on the 12th floor, Rival said. Lorenzana died while undergoing surgery at the Philippine General Hospital. His body was transferred to the Tres Amigos Funeral Parlor for autopsy.
UPDATE, OSHA looks into death of worker on bridge
By Jennifer Acosta, Staff Writer, October 12, 2001
Officials from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration are investigating the death of a man at a Holt construction site Wednesday. OSHA spokeswoman Ramona Morris said inspectors are looking into the death of 44-year-old Bobby L. Wade Sr. of Moundville, who fell from a bridge while he was working on a portion of the Tuscaloosa County Eastern Bypass project, which will link McFarland Boulevard in Northport with Interstate 20/59. “We sent someone out today, and basically, it's under investigation,” Morris said. “We're just waiting to get preliminary findings. … We just do an investigation of the facts and make a determination on whether citations are appropriate.”Mark Hearing of the Tuscaloosa Metro Homicide Unit said there is no suspicion of foul play in Wade's death. “Nothing in our initial investigation indicates anything other than accidental,” Hearing said. Engineers with the Alabama Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the construction of the Eastern Bypass, said few details about the incident were available Thursday. “I understand he was tying some reinforced steel off when it happened,” said David Kemp, a construction engineer. Representatives from R.R. Dawson Bridge Co., the main contractor on the project, could not be reached for comment Thursday. If OSHA finds the bypass construction site unsafe, R.R. Dawson and the state could face penalties. “It can be anywhere from $5,000 to $70,000, depending on the conditions at the site and the circumstances surrounding the event,” Morris said.
Beach worker dies after fall at naval shipyard The Virginian-Pilot, October 11, 2001,
PORTSMOUTH -- A 35-year-old civilian under contract to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard died Saturday at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital from injuries he suffered on Friday after falling from scaffolding adjacent to the amphibious assault ship Saipan.Andrew Bacs Jr., 35, of Virginia Beach, died of head injuries after falling from an undisclosed distance about 10:30 a.m. Friday, according to Steve Milner, a spokesman for the shipyard. The accident was confirmed by Milner on Wednesday.Bacs was employed by Sunbelt Rentals, a subcontractor to United Coatings Corp. of Portsmouth, which was under contract by Earl Industries Inc. of Norfolk, Milner said. An investigation is being conducted by the Occupation Safety and Health Administration.No cause of the accident was given.
Fall on boat fatal to Portageville man
10/12/01 PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A tow boat operator found dead on the floor of his engine room died from injuries suffered in an accidental fall, New Madrid County coroner Tim Clayton ruled Wednesday. Clayton said the body of John Singleton of Portageville was found between 9:30 and 10 p.m. Tuesday by an employee. Singleton used his boat to move barges on the Mississippi River for Bunge Corp. Clayton said Singleton apparently had forgotten the keys to the boat and was crawling from the deck into the engine room through a porthole. The coroner said he apparently missed his footing and fell, suffering fatal head injuries.
Second man falls at construction site
By CASEY MOORE, October 10, 2001
Another man fell Monday at the VanLandingham Lumber Co. warehouse construction site where another construction worker died last month. Construction worker Otis McGee, 46, of Third Avenue in Columbus was working on the roof of the new lumber warehouse on South Jackson Street. McGee is employed by J & L Metal Roofing. McGee's co-workers heard a sound, then turned to find him missing, according to the Starkville Police Department reports. There were no witnesses to the 12:59 p.m. accident, police reports state. McGee was treated by paramedics and transported to Oktibbeha County Hospital. He was later transported to the Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus, where he is expected to recover, police officials said. This was the second incident involving a worker falling at the new lumber warehouse. On Sept. 20, Jorge Melo, another construction worker, fell from a steel beam while reaching for some bolts. Melo later died at Oktibbeha County Hospital from injuries suffered in the fall.
Worker Killed When Telephone Pole Falls
Freak Accident Kills Roseville Telephone Employee
SACRAMENTO -- A Roseville Telephone employee was killed Wednesday when the pole he was climbing snapped at the base and fell into Greenback Lane. The worker was climbing the pole near Fair Oaks Boulevard shortly before 11 a.m., witnesses reported, when it began to tip. The pole then broke and fell into traffic. The man, whose identity was not immediately known, was killed in the fall, said Capt. Pat Ellis of the Sacramento Metro Fire Department. Ellis said it appeared the base of the pole was rotted out, but that the exact cause would not be known until officials from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health and Roseville Telephone completed an investigation. Roseville Telephone investigators on the scene declined immediate comment.
Worker killed at casino job site
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- A construction worker at the Mohegan Sun casino fell 17 stories to his death on Monday, state police said. The man was part of a crew working on the new $1.1 billion Sunburst project, a casino, hotel, entertainment, retail and restaurant complex, scheduled to have a grand opening this morning. His name was not released.
Waynesburg man dies after falling 55 feet
Publication Date: 9/23/01
LEXINGTON -- A Waynesburg man died Friday morning after a 55-foot fall from the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. Daniel Louis Adams, 62, died from blunt force trauma as a result of the fall from the Center for the Aging, according to the office of the Lexington-Fayette County Coroner. He was working for Huskisson Masonry at the center when he stepped out of a window onto some scaffolding just after 8 a.m. A board broke, causing the fall. He was pronounced dead by the UK emergency room medical staff. An autopsy was performed Friday in Frankfort. University of Kentucky police and OSHA are investigating.
Area farmer dies in fall
by John Ph. Graf
A rural Galesville man fell to his death Monday morning. Eugene A. Frederick, 47, was apparently trying to open the top of a mineral tank on his farm on Oak Ridge Drive, when the rope holding the ladder he was on broke. According to a Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department news release, Frederick and the ladder fell backwards off the tank and onto the cement about 17 feet below. Frederick died the result of head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by coroner Bonnie Kindschy.
Worker in fair condition after fall
Friday, September 14, 2001, By Will Kangas, Staff Writer
A 43-year-old Lansing man lost his balance and fell from the roof of three-and-a-half story Muffitt Hall on Thursday morning on the campus of Spring Arbor University. Bob Strunk remains in fair condition Friday morning after he was brought by ambulance to Foote Hospital and then flown to University of Michigan Hospital by helicopter around 11:30 a.m.The rescue flight had a slight delay in getting clearance to fly because of strict Federal Aviation Administration clearance requirements after Tuesday's acts of terrorism. The helicopter met Strunk at Foote instead of flying to campus, said Chief Dick Greenslade of the Spring Arbor Fire Department.Strunk had been talking to a co-worker on the ground and lost his footing when he turned to go back to work, said Spring Arbor Police Chief Russell Ratkiewicz.After weeks of work for Theusch Contracting of Lansing, Strunk was on his last day of roofing Muffitt Hall, co-worker Art Theusch said. The hall is primarily a female dormitory. Theusch was working on the same building when he heard Strunk fall. "As he was falling, he grabbed and was hanging on the edge," Theusch said. "But he couldn't get back up." Ratkiewicz said the Spring Arbor Police Department investigated the accident and will notify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which may conduct its own investigation. Tim Theusch, owner of Theusch Contracting, could not be reached.
Retiree dies in fall while helping to fix up church
Friday, September 14, 2001, By Lisa Medendorp, CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Always eager to aid his church, Robert Smith Sr. was up on scaffolding Tuesday, helping his pastor put bricks on the side of the fellowship hall, when both men suddenly tumbled to the ground. "The board just kind of twisted on us and we fell," said The Rev. Richard Wadsworth, pastor of Ravenna Free Methodist Church. The minister was bruised, but Smith lost his life. The 71-year-old retired mechanical technician was taken to Mercy General Health Partners Sherman Campus where a hospital official said he died Wednesday. A death certificate indicated he died from injuries suffered in the fall. "I really don't know how it happened," Wadsworth said of the accident. "He must have taken a blow to the head." They fell approximately 12 to 15 feet, he said. "Bob was a solid, Christian man and he's in peace in Heaven right now. We know that," Wadsworth said. "He's going to be greatly missed." Wadsworth said his congregation is in "total shock." About 65 people regularly attend Sunday services at the church on South Ravenna Road. "Bob was here every Wednesday and Sunday night," Wadsworth said. The pastor said Smith, who had experience as a bricklayer, was working with Wadsworth and two other people when the accident occurred about 10 a.m. Much of the work at the church is done by volunteers who are age 50 and over, he said. "He was in good health. He'd work sometimes all morning and come back in the afternoon and work," the pastor said. "He was loved by everyone. He had a good sense of humor and always had a joke to tell." Smith, of Ravenna, is survived by his wife, Maxine, and his mother, Frances Smith of Traverse City. His first wife, Joyce, preceded him in death. His sons are Jerry and Donald Smith of Traverse City; Robert and Kenneth Smith of Muskegon; John Smith of Ravenna; and Randy Smith of Newaygo. His daughters are Marlene Alexander of Tennessee and Barbara Jean Smith of Muskegon. He is also survived by his stepson, Paul Deno, of Maryland and two stepdaughters, Mary MacLaren of Holland and Janet Wilson of Muskegon. He was grandfather to 32 children. Smith had retired from Gardner-Denver in Grand Haven. Visitation at Throop Funeral Home in Ravenna is set for 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today. The funeral service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Ravenna Free Methodist Church.
UPDATE, Second worker dies from injuries
CULVER - The investigation into safety procedures at the Culver-Union Township Library construction site will likely intensify now that a second worker has died from injuries he sustained at the site. A spokesperson at Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne confirmed Luiz Garza, 25, of Plymouth died Saturday morning from massive head injuries he sustained after falling into an elevator shaft Wednesday. W.A. Sheets and Sons of Fort Wayne began working on the project earlier this year to expand the Culver-Union Township Library, located on the 100 block of North Main Street. An employee at the site told the Pilot News Garza worked for one of the sub-contractors at the site. Details of the accident are sketchy. Garza was reportedly working with a large drill on Wednesday when it jammed or came to a sudden stop, and knocked Garza off balance. He fell about 16 feet into the elevator shaft, according to Plymouth paramedic/Marshall County Coroner John Grolich, who has been investigating the work site along with the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Plymouth EMS received a call to assist Culver EMS just after 6 a.m. When rescue units arrived on the scene, Garza was at the bottom of the elevator shaft, unconscious and bleeding from the head. Garza was transported to Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Inc.-Plymouth Campus, where at one point, he regained consciousness, according to paramedics. While en route to the hospital, the Culver ambulance broke down. Garza was moved to the Plymouth ambulance and taken to the hospital. Later that morning Garza was airlifted to Parkview Memorial Hospital where he died four days later. The accident marks the second tragedy to strike at the work site during the past six weeks. In August, Clarence Strawderman, 45, of Walkerton, was electrocuted in what co-workers described as an a bizarre accident. A Culver resident managed to capture the accident that killed Strawderman on video tape. A tort notice has been filed in connection to Strawderman's death by Merrillville attorney Mark Psinos, who said he will name every agency that allegedly played a role in Strawderman's death in the tort. Culver Clerk-Treasurer Chandra Mevis said she has turned over a copy of the tort to the town's insurance agency. Government entities have 90 days to respond to a tort notice. At that time the attorney filing the tort can pursue legal action. There have been no orders by IOSHA to stop work at the construction site. Work was halted for one day in August to allow employees at the site to attend Strawderman's funeral.
