East Mall fire bill tipped to exceed $10,000 Friday, 20 June 2003 THE DAMAGE bill could be up to $20,000 following a fire in two adjacent residential units in the East Mall on Wednesday afternoon. The fire, on the first floor above the Uphill and Schaefer Real Estate office, started in the roof of one of the units. Three builders who had been working on a renovation of the units were treated by ambulance officers for smoke inhalation after they had attempted to put the fire out. Police said that, during some welding operations, the sparking had ignited and ceiling wood work had also caught fire. Armidale Fire Brigade station officer, Mick Howard, said firemen wearing breathing apparatus used a pressure fan to ventilate the roof void. The fire was extinguished and salvage work carried out. "The roof was severely damaged in one unit and the remainder of the upper levels were damaged by heat, smoke and water,” Officer Howard said. "Water went through the floor of one of the units, so there was also minor water damage in the Uphill and Schaefer office below. Officer Howard estimated that damage would run between $10,000 and $20,000.
Worker Critically Injured In 20-Foot Fall HOUSTON -- A construction worker was injured when he fell into a ditch in northeast Houston Thursday. Officials said a piece of construction equipment snapped, and a cable hit the 27-year-old man in the chest. He then fell into a 20-foot hole, according to authorities. The accident happened around noon on Dell Dale, near Wallisville. The victim, who was not identified, was transported by Lifeflight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. He is listed in critical condition. The accident is under investigation.
Man injured in fall from ladder June 19, 2003 A Giles County man was seriously injured Thursday afternoon in a 20-foot fall from a ladder. Contractor Robbie O'Malley was working on a barn in the Blue Creek area when a gust of wind knocked another worker's ladder into the ladder on which O'Malley was standing. The Giles County Ambulance Service met O'Malley on the way to Richland School and transported him to the school grounds where he was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. O'Malley suffered serious bruises, two broken wrists, a crushed left arm and several head injuries requiring 20 stitches. Doctors will decide this week if further treatment or surgery is required. O'Malley said he has received numerous calls from his friends and customers since the accident and is pleased that his employees are continuing to maintain his business obligations as he recuperates.
Police: Construction Worker Hit By Drunken Driver; Richardson Is In Good Condition WEST JEFFERSON, Ohio -- A man is in jail after police said he hit a construction worker with his pickup truck Wednesday while driving drunk on Interstate 70 in Madison County. Police said Ronald G. Delozier II, of Grove City, was traveling east through a construction zone when he struck Robert E. Richardson with his Toyota pickup truck while the worker was standing about 3 or 4 feet inside the closed right lane. Richardson was taken by medical helicopter to The Ohio State University Medical Center with possible internal injuries. He is listed in good condition. Several motorists said they saw Delozier's pickup truck moving erratically and recklessly for several miles before the accident. Police said that as Delozier approached the work crew, he swerved into the closed right lane and struck several orange barrels and the construction worker. The worker was thrown to the ground, police said. Police said Delozier slowed down, but then returned to the open left lane and continued driving. A fellow worker got into an Ohio Department of Transportation truck and chased Delozier, forcing him to the shoulder of the road. Delozier is in the Tri-County Jail in Mechanicsburg. He is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, aggravated vehicular assault, hit-skip and failure to control a motor vehicle. Delozier is scheduled to appear in court Friday.
UPDATE Investigation continues in accident at Carquinez Bridge Benicia The investigation continues today into an accident that left a construction worker injured on the new span of the Carquinez Bridge. Authorities say the man was on a catwalk up the north tower of the new span when a cable broke, wrapped around him and knocked him to the floor of the catwalk. The cable which broke is used to move buckets of paint, tools and other equipment up and down the tower. Officials say the man was saved from falling 200 feet to the water by bars along the sides of the catwalk. He suffered abdominal injuries and cuts. Construction on the bridge began in 2000 -- and officials say this is one of the more serious accidents in a relatively safe three years. The new span is set to open in November.
UPDATE Underground Services (1983) Ltd. fined $150,000 for health and safety violation BELLEVILLE, ON, June 19 /CNW/ - Underground Services (1983) Ltd., a Bolton, Ont. construction company, was fined $150,000 on June 17, 2003 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the death of two workers. On October 26, 2001, workers were removing "jersey barriers" (concrete road barriers) at a highway road and bridge repair project when a cable on a crane, which was being used to lift the barriers, came in contact with a 44,000-volt overhead power line. The incident occurred as one of the workers, who had been signalling the crane operator, went to speak to a second worker. At the time, the crane was in a stopped position. While the signal worker's back was turned, the crane started to back up and the second worker yelled for the signal worker to alert the crane operator of the nearby overhead wires. However, before the signal worker could warn the operator, the crane's cable came in contact with the power line, which was located 11.58 metres (37 feet, 11 inches) above the highway, and the crane became energized. The signal worker was electrocuted while trying to get between the crane and centre median to warn the operator. The operator was electrocuted while trying to leave the crane's cab, possibly after seeing the signal worker fall. Both workers died as a result of their injuries. The incident occurred on Highway 401 near Highway 62 in Belleville. Underground Services (1983) Ltd. had been contracted by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to conduct the highway repairs on Highway 401 between overpasses on Highways 37 and 62. Underground Services had, in turn, contracted some of the work to a crane company, which employed the two deceased workers. As constructor, Underground Services had overall responsibility for the safety of all employers and workers on the project. Underground Services (1983) Ltd. pleaded guilty, as the constructor, to failing to ensure warning signs were posted in prominent locations where there was a potential hazard from energized overhead power lines, as required by Section 44 of the Regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the act. The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Sheila Matchett of the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville. In addition, the court imposed a 25- per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
Officials look into San Pablo accident; Livermore man crushed By Scott Steinberg STAFF WRITER Thursday, June 19, 2003 State safety officials are investigating a San Pablo construction accident that killed a Livermore man this week. Sathaniel Menzie was crush-ed to death Tuesday while demolishing a former Chinese restaurant, which also was once a bank, officials said. The 31-year-old was sweeping debris near the area of a gutted walk-in safe when the vault's door toppled, killing him instantly, the Contra Costa County coroner's office said. A spokeswoman for the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the door of the vault was left standing because the contractor intended to salvage it. The department is trying to determine how the door was supported structurally, OSHA spokeswoman Susan Gard said, adding that an investigation could take a few months. San Pablo Sgt. Ken Bays said the door was standing by itself and did not appear to be secured by other walls. But he said the police department was confident it was an industrial death. "It was obvious the construction guys were pretty shaken up," Bays said. Another employee used an excavator to lift the door off Menzie. The door was about 10 feet tall, 6 feet wide, and 16 inches thick, the sergeant said. Ken Manning, owner of Soil Enterprises Inc., would not comment about the accident. The company's job was to finish demolishing the Jasmine Restaurant and clean up the site. The state previously has cited the demolition company for workplace violations, Gard said. In December 1998, CalOSHA fined the company $3,000 for a violating hard-hat rules, and $125 for having an earth-hauling vehicle without a windshield or lights. In November 1994, CalOSHA fined the company $262 for not supplying a written assessment of the hazards of a particular demolition job, and $87 for missing an element of the employee injury and illness prevention program. Following the passage of stricter employee safety legislation in 2000, the price of workplace violations are costlier. OSHA can levy fines up to $70,000.
Construction worker drowns while taking a break The Associated Press - TOWNVILLE, S.C. A Georgia construction worker has died after he jumped into Lake Hartwell to clean up, authorities say. Witnesses said Moises Aguilar, 17, struggled as soon as he jumped into the lake Tuesday afternoon, and soon disappeared, County coroner Karl Addis said. Sheriffs Office divers found Aguilars body about an hour later, Addis said. Aguilar, of Calhoun, Ga., and a co-worker decided to take a swim after getting dirty working on a company van, the coroner said. Aguilar was part of a crew building a house on the lake, Addis said.
Portion of building being demolished collapses The Associated Press 6/18/03 11:17 PM GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- The body of a construction worker was found Wednesday night in the rubble of a partially collapsed downtown building. A Michigan State Police cadaver dog located the body about 10:30 p.m. EDT, Lt. Larry Frye said. The victim's name was not immediately released. The body was to be released to the Kent County Medical Examiner's Office after it was removed from the accident scene, radio station WOOD-AM reported. State safety regulators were to begin an investigation Thursday, the station said. The collapse occurred shortly after 11 a.m. just inside Welsh Auditorium, a portion of the Grand Rapids Convention Center that was due for demolition Sunday as part of a $212 million renovation project. "We know that there were two men working within an enclosed stairwell in Welsh Auditorium," said Annette Guilfoyle, spokeswoman for the city of Grand Rapids. "One left to get tools and when he returned, there'd been a collapse within a stairwell. One worker is unaccounted for." The missing man's parents and pastor were called to the scene, she said. The structure is attached to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel by a second-floor skywalk. The two workers were at the top of the first floor when the accident occurred, Guilfoyle said. Rescuers used plastic buckets to scoop debris away from the scene and 150 construction workers from the site volunteered to help clear a path, she said. Authorities said engineers surveyed the structure to determine how to continue with rescue efforts. Crews used a special search camera obtained from a fire equipment exhibition at nearby DeVos Hall to assist rescue efforts. "They had a small piece of conduit and fed the camera into the search site," Guilfoyle said. Jon Nunn, executive director of The Grand Action, a private organization that helped put together the convention center development deal, said workers recently had begun asbestos abatement efforts in Welsh Auditorium. The auditorium was to be demolished and replaced by a 40,000 square foot ballroom, part of an expansion and renovation project that when completed was expected to cover about 1 million square feet, Nunn said.
Man Trapped Under Crane A construction worker is in the hospital tonight after being trapped beneath a crane in Ames. It turned into a very scary afternoon for the Less Johnson and those who rescued him. At about 1:30 this afternoon there were roughly twenty workers at Jack Trice Stadium when a sixty ton crane came crashing down. Weitz Construction company and some subcontractors were trying to take apart sections of the crane's boom. It took three men to get the job done, but something went wrong. The crane was about six feet in the air when it fell to the ground pinning 46-year-old Johnson beneath it. The crane landed mainly on Johnson's left leg. His fellow construction workers were able to free him in a matter of minutes. Construction workers are still trying to figure out what caused the crane to drop. Johnson, is in fair condition at Mary Greeley Medical Center with a broken leg. Severe weather did hit this area this afternoon, but the president of the construction company says that had nothing to do with the accident.
Worker Bruised in Bridge Accident Posted: June 17, 2003 at 3:43 p.m. VALLEJO (BCN) -- Vallejo resident Ron Hinds suffered bruises but no broken bones or internal injuries when he was hit by a tramway line on the new westbound Carquinez Bridge this morning, Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said this afternoon. Hinds will probably be held overnight at the John Muir Trauma Center in Walnut Creek for observation, Ney said. The Vallejo Fire Department reported Hinds was injured this morning when a 2-inch diameter feeding cable broke and struck him around 7 a.m. Ney said Hinds was taking down a temporary tramway when he was hit by the line and rolled about 20 feet down a footbridge on the new span of the bridge now under construction. Hinds works as a laborer for the FCI Constructors Inc. and Cleveland Bridge Inc. joint venture companies constructing the new span, Ney said. The accident happened on the northwest side of the bridge on the catwalk just under the main support cables, fire department spokesman Bill Tweedy said. Firefighters packaged the worker in full cervical spine precautions and used high angle rescue equipment to lower the worker to the ground with a braking system and a stokes basket, Tweedy said. Nine firefighters responded and the injured worker was on the ground 42 minutes after the original call was received, Tweedy said. Ney said the accident didn't cause any traffic backup other than that of the normal morning commute. The $200 million project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The new span will have three mixed flow traffic lanes, a carpool lane and a pedestrian-bicycle path.
3 hurt in East High construction accident Three construction workers were taken by ambulance to Wesley Medical Center today after some scaffolding they were working on collapsed outside East High School. Wichita Fire Department battalion Chief Mike Menges said two of the men fell 18 to 20 feet to the ground when the wooden scaffolding gave way. The third escaped a fall but ended up with his leg pinned by some concrete blocks. Rescue crews said one worker sustained minor injuries while two others had potentially serious injuries. Their names were not immediately released. School district spokeswoman Susan Arensman said the three were working on a new gymnasium when the accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. Two workers badly burned in explosion. Two construction workers suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation this afternoon when a chemical they were using to waterproof a house ignited. "It was a big boom," said Miguel Briceno, a third construction worker who was not injured. "It threw me to the ground." The men were using a petroleum-based material to fill a crack in the back of a home, 902 N. Lawrence Lane. The material somehow ignited, caused a flash and started a fire in the back of the home, Wichita Fire Battalion Chief Mike Menges said.
Workers survive cave-in By Barb Ickes A dramatic rescue that enlisted some 30 workers from a nearby bridge construction project ended with one victim helping save the other. Two workers from Peoria-based Custom Underground were standing above a hole in a ditch just south of the Rock River bridge in Moline while laying cable Wednesday afternoon when the ground suddenly gave way. Both were sent tumbling into the hole with dirt pouring in behind them. One of the men was buried only to his knees and was able to quickly escape, but the soil completely buried the second man. Neither victim was immediately identified by police. The 2:15 p.m. accident occurred at precisely the right place, though — just yards from an Interstate 74 bridge construction site where a crew of workers, trained in excavation rescue, heard screams for help and rushed to the collapsed hole. As workers from Civil Contractors dug furiously at the dirt with shovels and hoes, the victim who had escaped the hole climbed into a track hoe and began removing dirt with the precision of a tablespoon. Meanwhile, workers from Civil Contractors laid plywood on the roadway and began cutting pieces to fit into the hole, creating walls to hold back the dirt. Others held a sheet over the hole to protect the victim from the afternoon sun while employees of the nearby Montana Jacks restaurant kept the rescuers supplied with cold water. Portions of 27th Street were barricaded by police during the nearly three-hour rescue effort, fearing the weight and vibration of passing vehicles would cause further collapse. The street closing forced drivers to find alternate routes in an area already heavily congested by the I-74 construction project near the Quad-City International Airport. At one point, Civil Contractors workers rushed a power saw into the hole when they realized the victim’s foot was stuck in an underground pipe. Nearby, a MedForce helicopter landed on a dime at the Interstate 280 overpass, waiting to transport the victim to a nearby hospital. Throughout the ordeal, the victim reportedly continued to communicate with his rescuers, who took turns holding an intravenous fluids bag over the hole. Bradley Forret, the president of Laborers’ Local 309 in Rock Island, rushed to the scene after hearing about the accident. He initially feared the victims were from Civil Contractors, many of whom are members of his union. “This is what all that training paid for,” he said, his voice trembling. “We get to send two guys home to their wives and kids today. “All these men just jumped in, no questions asked,” he said. “They heard them calling out for help and dropped everything they were doing.” As firefighters and paramedics stood ready with a stretcher, Forret crossed himself and looked to the ominous clouds moving toward the rescue site. “It’s truly amazing, these workers standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the rain coming,” he said, the emotion obvious in his voice. “It makes you want to get up again in the morning, doesn’t it? “Rain could really cause some problems here,” he said nervously. “But they’re getting close, got to be getting close.” As the helicopter fired up its engines, a body board was lowered into the hole. Moments later, the board and the victim emerged. And as the chopper rose from the roadway, the first raindrops fell.
Work crews strike gas line News Herald reports CLAY TOWNSHIP -- A construction crew broke a gas line on Smith Drive north of Genoa city limits Monday afternoon. Bergman Paving was working in the 1500 block of Smith Drive, and about 1:30 p.m. Clay Township police received a call that workers struck a gas line, according to police reports. The Allen-Clay Joint Fire District was called and checked out the scene. No one was evacuated, and the gas company was called to repair the damage, police reported.
Floor Collapses In Hotel Under Construction HOUSTON -- Part of a hotel floor under construction in downtown Houston collapsed Wednesday afternoon, officials told News2Houston. A 20-by-30-foot section of the eighth floor of the old Texas State Hotel, 720 Fannin at Capitol, caved in and fell to the basement around 3:30 p.m. Witnesses described the collapse as a loud series of explosions. "It was boom, boom, boom, boom -- from the ninth floor on down," said Roy Vargas. "And then the smoke, then the glass. And I looked at my customers and we were like, 'Man, did you see that?'" All of the 50 workers inside the 300-room building were accounted for and no injuries were reported, officials said. The workers were stationed on the ninth floor or higher when the collapse happened. A worker told News2Houston that they were working with pneumatic jackhammers at the time, and the vibrations may have contributed to the collapse. The 75-year-old hotel has been under renovation since February. The building has 16 floors in the 200,000-square foot structure. It was built in 1926 and has been vacant since the 1980s. In 1931, seven Houstonians met at the hotel for lunch and created what became the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the Houston's largest annual events. Last month, firefighters were called to the same hotel for a fire on the 12th floor. A torch in an elevator shaft was believed to the cause. No one was injured in the fire. The cause of the cave-in is under investigation.
UPDATE SPA WORKER KILLED IN FALL 15:00 - 17 June 2003 An Investigation is under way into the death of a Bath building company worker from a fall at the city's new spa development. Today police and the Health and Safety Executive were due to visit the city centre site for the first time since the incident to carry out an inspection. John Cox fell several feet while checking work on the £23m project, which is due to be opened in August. Mr Cox, who was born in Bath, was taken to the Royal United Hospital. But he died two weeks later of his head injuries after being transferred to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. Mr Cox had worked for Mowlem, the spa project's main contractor, for 26 years. The 54-year-old was carrying out inspection and snagging works at the site when he fell. Det Sgt Mike Porter, who is leading the police investigation, said that they were trying to establish how Mr Cox sustained his head injury. "There are no other parties involved. We are looking at this as an industrial accident. We are simply investigating the circumstances surrounding it." An i nquest is likely to be held later this year. A spokeswoman for the HSE, the Government body responsible for workplace safety, said it was in the early stages of its investigation. "All we know at this stage is that he fell from a height of several metres and sustained serious head injuries. "There were no witnesses to the incident." Mr Cox lived for most of his life in Bath before moving to Kingswood, Bristol. He was educated at the former Westhill School, now known as Culverhay, and later worked as a carpenter. He was a member of the Exiles (Bath) Cricket Club from the age of 15. A statement from Mowlem, whose Bath-based Ernest Ireland arm is carrying out the spa work, said: "We can confirm that Arthur John Cox (known as John) has died as a result of a serious head injury suffered in an accident at our Bath spa project. "We extend our deepest sympathies to John's family and friends, particularly his wife, son and daughter." A spokesman for Bath and North East Somerset Council's spa project team said staff wanted to express their sympathy to Mr Cox's family. Mr Cox, who fell last month and died earlier this month, had been transferred from the RUH to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.
Louisiana man's fatal 1,200-foot fall investigated The Associated Press 6/17/03 1:57 PM GOEHNER, Neb. (AP) -- A faulty piece of safety equipment may have led to the death of a worker who fell 1,200 feet from a television transmission tower, the Seward County sheriff said. Carlos J. Munoz, 22, of West Monroe, La., was attached to the tower through a harness system moments before he fell, Sheriff Joe Yocum said. A piece of the harness system apparently hooked to the tower was found bent "at a disturbing angle," Yocum said Tuesday. "That definitely jumps off the page at me," he said. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration was called in to help with the investigation. Yocum said the federal investigators will be asked to help inspect and analyze the safety equipment, including the bent piece. Munoz was one of the five employees of SpectraSite Broadcast Group of Irving, Texas, who had been working on the 1,500-foot tower 30 miles west of Lincoln for the last two weeks, Yocum said. The crew had been working to reinforce the KOLN/KGIN transmission tower after a high-definition television antenna was added to it last fall, Yocum said. "We're working together with OSHA and local authorities to investigate the incident fully. We have no further comment at this time," said Noreen Allen, a spokeswoman for SpectraSite's corporate headquarters in Cary, N.C. It was the state's fourth death involving a tower accident in the last 14 months. All involved workers who were performing tasks associated with upgrading towers for high-definition television transmissions. In September, two men were killed when a 1,965-foot television tower collapsed near Hemingford as they worked reinforce it. Another man was killed in April 2002 by falling debris from a 1,524-foot tower near Bassett. In the latest accident, the victim was one of three workers who were on the tower, and two others were on the ground when the accident happened about 4:40 p.m. CDT Monday, Yocum said. "The others say the victim was attached to the tower moments before he fell," Yocum said. "We are going to focus our investigation on the harness system and safety equipment in place at the time."
Worker Hurt in Blast SOUTHAMPTON TWP., NJ-June 17, 2003 — Medics are rushing to help at least one injured person at a New Jersey construction company after a tank exploded on the job this morning. It happened at the D'Amico Concrete Plant in Southampton Township, where officials say an air tank has exploded. The explosion has injured one person. A medical chopper is heading to the scene to fly the victim to a local hospital. There's no word on the person's condition, and no word yet on what caused the tank to explode. Stay tuned to Action News throughout the morning for more about breaking story as it becomes available.
Workers' tools spark blaze in SJU dormitory basement By Tien-Shun Lee 06/12/2003 An electrical worker was burned when a flash fire broke out last Thursday in the basement of one of the St. John's University dormitories. A flash fire broke out in the basement of a St. John's University dormitory around 2 p.m. last Thursday, causing burns to the face and chest of a worker who was installing equipment to improve cell-phone reception in the building. About 60 firemen responded to the call, and the fire in a storage utility room of Hollis Hall was under control within 10 minutes, said Sean Johnson, a spokesman for the Fire Department. "Aside from the worker being injured, it was a fairly minor incident," said Jody Fisher, a spokesman for the university. The injured worker was taken to Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, where he was in stable condition on Tuesday. He was one of two employees of the Highland Construction Co. in Rockland County who were installing the equipment at the university's dormitory. The second worker was not injured. According to Fisher, the two workers were installing the electrical equipment side by side, using handheld tools that emitted sparks. Sparks from the tool of one of the workers fell into a bucket filled with a type of glue substance as he was mounting the equipment on the wall. The glue ignited in a flash, burning the worker in the face and chest. Fisher said he did not know what the glue substance was. Calls to the Highland Construction Co. were not returned. At the time of the fire, the dormitory was closed to students for the summer and occupied only by a person at the front desk and one or two other employees, Fisher said. The few employees were evacuated from the building when the Fire Department responded. "The fire was very far away from the employees, in a basement room made out of cinder-block construction," Fisher said. "And there's fire-proofing material throughout the entire building." Fisher said he was glad that the injured worker's condition had improved. The cell-phone antenna work would be finished at a later date, he said.
Fire leaves Norwalk man severely burned NORWALK - Ramiro Rodriguez, 29, who was severely burned in a Norwalk house fire on Saturday, is still in critical condition at Bridgeport Hospital's burn unit. Rodriguez was installing a new roof in Norwalk when a propane torch ignited the fire. He has burns on more than 80 percent of his body. Sergio Rodriguez, Ramiro's brother, finds it hard to cope with what happened. He was also on the roof Saturday and suffered minor burns to his forehead and right arm. Sergio says he did not see the fire when it started but looked across the roof when he heard his brother screaming. He says he desperately tried to get to his brother who was being engulfed in flames. He said the fire's intense heat forced him away. A co-worker, Antonia Sandow, was also injured in the fire and was treated at Norwalk Hospital for minor burns.
Bridge Construction Worker Crushed To Death June 16, 2003 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A construction worker on the Wonderwood Connector project was killed Monday morning by a falling concrete piling. A Fire-Rescue spokesman said the man working on the western approach to the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway was crushed by a concrete pillar being set in place. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office homicide investigators were called to the scene. "A concrete post snapped in half," JSO Lt. Mike Beckmann said. "It was up on a large crane and (workers were) securing it. It snapped in half and struck him." The man's identity was not released, pending the notification of his family. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also investigate the death. The death occurred on the 2-mile, $36.8 million Wonderwood project, which will connect east Arlington to Mayport. "Our hearts go out to the family, and we will do everything we can to help ease their pain," the contractor, Eby Construction Co., said in a statement. Construction on the site was suspended until Wednesday. This is the second death of a worker on the Wonderwood Connector project. Last July, 51-year-old Beverly Brittain drowned when she dove into the water off a tugboat to free the tug's propeller.
Fire Damages Hinsdale Church Sunday, June 15, 2003, 10:37 a.m.By Bob Roberts WBBM Newsradio 780 (Hinsdale) -- Fire caused minor damage to a church in west suburban Hinsdale. But the senior minister of the Union Church, Verlee Copeland, says "we have a lot to be thankful for," and says services will go forward as scheduled on Sunday at the church at 137 S. Garfield Ave. Copeland says firefighters blame the fire on a welding accident. Construction is going forward on an addition to the church complex near the spot where the fire began. Copeland says the church organ was located beneath the section of roof that caught fire. She says it "was a bit out of tune" but playable after firefighters finished putting out the fire, and that giant fans were being used to draw the smoke out of the sanctuary. But she says it should not prevent services from taking place, and says when the average person walked through the sanctuary it's impossible to tell where the fire occurred. Nonetheless, Copeland says the organ will be checked in the coming week to make sure there is no serious damage. Firefighters from eight suburs battled the fire, breaking through the roof to put it out. One firefighter required treatment for heat exhaustion, but was not hospitalized.
Fall injures worker A worker was flown to a Baltimore trauma hospital Saturday after falling more than 15 feet off a building under construction in Parole, county police said. Nicholas Ritzer, 28, of Damascus, was taken to the Shock-Trauma Center at University Hospital, where he was in serious condition this morning, a hospital spokesman said. Mr. Ritzer and another man were putting up roofing trusses on the building at 2623 Riva Road about 11 a.m. when one broke and hit them, causing Mr. Ritzer to fall, police said. He suffered a large cut to his head, back pain and told paramedics he had diffculty feeling his lower extremities, police said. The other worker, William Manges, 30, of Emmittsburg, did not fall and declined medical treatment at the scene, police said.
Worker killed in brick wall fall 16jun03 A MAN was killed when a 3m wall of bricks fell on his him at a Sydney building site today. Police said the wall of bricks, which had only just been laid, collapsed on to the 50-year-old man about 10am (AEST) today. The man was one of five workers at the unit block construction site in Military Road at North Bondi. WorkCover and police were investigating.
Steel and Tube worker hurt in accident 17 June 2003 By JOHN HENZELL A Christchurch workman has suffered a crushed leg in an accident at Steel and Tube. The man was taken to hospital by ambulance after the accident at the Blenheim Road distribution centre about 5.30pm yesterday. No further details were available. The accident is being investigated by Occupational Safety and Health. Last month, Christchurch Coroner Richard McElrea heard that Steel and Tube had made big improvements in its safety practices since the death of contract truck driver Rory Herrick at the Blenheim Road site in October 1999. Mr Herrick, 27, was getting something from his toolbox while securing a load of steel rods on to his semi-trailer when a forklift nudged a wooden pallet the rods were on, sending them crashing from the deck of the truck. He died instantly. At the time, Steel and Tube had recently introduced a health and safety policy that made it mandatory for forklift drivers to attend safety courses. The forklift driver had not yet attended the course. A prosecution of Steel and Tube ended with te company being discharged without conviction. Judge Graeme Noble found that "the nature of the offending had nothing whatsoever to do with the unfortunate fatality". The inquest was told that in June last year, Steel and Tube reached its goal of no lost-time accidents in the previous 12 months compared with 86 such accidents in 1996.
Welder sparks small fire at A.C. condos From Press staff reports ATLANTIC CITY - A contractor sparked a minor fire on the sixth floor of a high-rise building Wednesday while working with a welding torch, fire officials said. Firefighters responded to the Ritz condominium building at 2715 Boardwalk at 3:10 p.m., authorities said. The sixth floor had filled with smoke after the contractor, who was cutting a steel beam while doing remodeling work, sparked the fire when the welding torch ignited debris in the wall, Battalion Chief Charles Ritzel said. Firefighters controlled the flames quickly by using a small hose the contractor had on hand as part of the fire code safety requirements necessary for welding work, the chief said. Firefighters were at the scene for about 50 minutes and damage to the building was minimal.
Worker struck by semi in I-80 construction zone ASSOCIATED PRESS ELKO, Nev. (AP) - A Nevada Department of Transportation worker was injured Thursday when he was struck by a semi in a construction zone on Interstate 80 east of Elko. Ron Holt, 50, Elko, was flown to Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital in Elko following the 10:30 a.m. accident, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Rocky Gonzalez said. Rescuers told radio station KELK that Holt was conscious and stable but suffering from internal injuries. Gonzalez said he suffered two broken legs and a broken pelvis as well as head trauma. The westbound trucker, Marion Klocek, 53, Chicago, was hauling a load of frozen food. He was not hurt. Authorities said he was able to brake and steer sharply while trying to avoid the worker. The highway patrol was investigating. Gonzalez said a preliminary review indicated Holt was working in a closed zone but may have stepped into the travel lane. Witness told authorities the worker was thrown into the median by the impact but was not run over. The interstate's westbound lanes were closed for about an hour backing up traffic 2 to 3 miles.
Worker Trapped In Sewer Pipe FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A dramatic rescue to free a construction worker trapped in a sewer pipe ended well Wednesday and the victim could be out of the hospital later today. The construction worker was working on a sewer line on Northwest 6th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale when his foot was sucked into the sand. Rescue crews and coworkers spent nearly two hours digging him out, at times digging by hand. For some coworkers the accident serves as a reminder of how dangerous the job can be. "Everyday we come to work and you know you think about it -- it's safety. Safety first man. It's got to be safety first and this is something that just happened in the spur of the moment and you think it's not such a deep hole -- that it won't happen and it happens," said one worker. Once freed, the man was taken to Broward General Medical Center for treatment. Luckily he suffered only a sore back.
Construction Mishap Traps 2 Workers in Pit By Karl B. Hille The Winchester Star Two workmen were trapped in a hole by the boom of a 4-ton industrial forklift Wednesday when the vehicle’s body slipped into an adjacent pit. Lt. Kevin Yost of the Winchester Fire and Rescue Department said the men were freed by quick-thinking coworkers and escaped serious harm. “They were unpinned when we got here,” he said. “A couple of other workers raised the arm a little on the lift and freed them.” The men, who have not been identified, were taken to Winchester Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Yost said they were conscious and talking when they were transported. A worker who declined to give his name walks away from the scene of a construction accident Wednesday on Jubal Early Drive. This 4-ton industrial forklift slipped into a trench, causing the front lift to tilt down and trap two men in an adjacent pit. The men were spared from serious injuries thanks to the quick-thinking rescue efforts of their coworkers. A WMC nursing supervisor would not comment on their condition, citing a federal patient confidentiality law. The law allows hospitals to provide information about patients who sign confidentiality waivers. However, Valley Health System, which operates WMC, enacted a stricter policy denying all patient information to representatives of the media. The men were working around the foundation of the future Children of America building, a child day-care and learning center in the 600 block of West Jubal Early Drive. John Reines, a foreman with Melco Inc., said they were setting a 6-inch pipe through the foundation to feed the building’s sprinkler system. “As far as how all this happened, the only people that know are the two people that were in there,” Reines said, pointing to the hole where they were trapped. The men work for subcontractor John Morrison Excavation, he said. A John Morrison manager at the scene said he could not identify the men unless authorized by his supervisor.
Worker rescued from Lauderdale trench cave-in BY ASHLEY After a massive, 90-minute rescue effort, a construction worker was freed from a sewer trench that collapsed on him Wednesday morning as he worked to lay a new sewer pipe in Fort Lauderdale. The worker, whose name has not been released, apparently suffered a broken ankle, and was taken by ambulance to Broward General Medical Center for treatment. An employee of Miami-based Astaldi Construction, the worker was inside a trench at the 800 block of Northwest Sixth Avenue at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when mid-morning rain caused the trench to cave in, trapping him, said Fire Rescue Battalion Chief William Findlan. He tried to push the sand back, creating a vacuum that sucked him deeper into the four-foot-deep hole, eventually covering him waist-deep in wet sand. ''It was a bad situation, but he was never in any danger,'' said Findlan. ``The water wasn't going to rise above his head. But there was a lot of pressure on his body.'' Within five minutes of receiving a 911 call from other construction workers on site, Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue dispatched 21 paramedics and rescue specialists. Fire-Rescue water pumps sucked the water from the trench while a front-end loader dug a deeper hole nearby to help drain the water. ''The pumps and hole helped because for a while the mud would slide back into the trench, which just made our job harder,'' Findlan said. Covered in mud and sweating profusely, rescuers hooked up an intravenous line and separately administered nitrous oxide. ''He was in a great deal of pain, so we gave him something to ease that,'' said Findlan. When the man was finally pulled from the hole and placed on a stretcher, cheers erupted among emergency workers and a crowd of onlookers. ''He wasn't saying a whole lot,'' said Shawn Levine, a Fire-Rescue paramedic who had been on the scene since the 911 dispatch. ``He looked like he was going to be all right though.'' Tom McCormick, the program director of the Fort Lauderdale utility unit on the scene said trench collapses are not unusual. Astaldi stopped operations for the day, he added, to emphasize to its workers the importance of following safety rules while performing trench work. ''To be caught by the rain is something that is part of the job,'' he said. ``We make sure everyone knows the rules and are quick to respond if things look dangerous.'' McCormick said he is unsure if there was anything specific the worker could have done to avoid getting trapped. Bobby Day, an Astaldi construction worker who witnessed the accident, said he and his co-workers fear accidents like this. ''You wake up every morning and hope that it doesn't happen and then it happens,'' he said. ``It was bad. When you come in you've got to think, safety first. Always.''
Worker injured in 401 collision By Daily News Staff Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 09:00 Local News - Eastbound traffic on Highway 401 west of Chatham had to be diverted for much of Tuesday following a two-vehicle collision, which also resulted in injuries to a construction worker. The two eastbound lanes and one westbound lane were closed for seven hours as Chatham-Kent OPP investigated the collision involving a tractor trailer used for hauling garbage from Toronto and a construction truck. Ernest Arsenault, 30, of Acton, had to be extricated by volunteer firefighters after the vehicle he was travelling in was hit, sending it into a ditch. Staff Sgt. Doug Babbitt said Arsenault was part of a five-vehicle crew involved in repainting lines along the highway when the incident occurred shortly after 10:30 a.m. Arsenault, who was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries, was in a parked 2002 GMC truck owned by Metro Pavement Markings Ltd. of Acton. Robert Joseph Gerencser, 35, of London, was travelling eastbound on the highway in an unloaded 2003 Volvo tractor-trailer, owned by REDTREE Contract Carriers of Etobicoke, when it collided with the construction truck. He was not injured. “I just saw the (vehicle) fly across. I was the first one down to the guy in the truck,” said Joy Laframboise of Amherstburg, who was on her way to Chatham. She said the man, who was suspended upside-down inside the cab, which landed in the median, was conscious, coherent and complaining of neck pain. There was debris from the accident covering approximately 50-100 feet in length and across both lanes and into the centre median. OPP technical traffic collision investigators were at the scene for much of the day. The investigation continues.
Co-workers free man trapped in trench A 22-year-old West Virginia man was injured Tuesday when he was trapped in a ditch on Old National Pike in Donegal Township. Richard Charnock of Valley Grove was taken by helicopter to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh, where he was in good condition Tuesday, according to a hospital spokesman. Donegal Township police said Charnock was trapped in the ditch about 10 a.m. while he was installing a sewer line along the road. It was Charnock's second day on the job with Terra Excavating Inc., which was installing the line for Interstate Trailer Park. Charnock had been removed from the ditch by co-workers before rescue workers arrived.
Owensboro museum catches fire Reporter: Casey Stegall Owensboro, KY June 7 -- Firefighters say a roofing company is responsible for a fire at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. Bruce's Tri-State Roofing crew members were using a torch while working on the roof when the fire started around 1:30 Friday afternoon. It quickly consumed the roof of the house connected to the museum. The fire was primarily contained to the attic and roof of the Smith House, which connects to the museum. It took four engine companies and about 30 firefighters to finally get the situation under control. The good news is nobody was hurt, and most of the artifacts were saved.
Electrocution confirmed in area worker’s death NEW LONDON — A 30-year-old Hortonville man who died Thursday while working on a highway crew was electrocuted, Outagamie County Coroner Ruth Wulgaert said Friday. An autopsy conducted by a forensic pathologist of the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the cause of death for Kevin Johnson, she said. Staff Sgt. Bob Bekx, of the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department, said police investigators were unable to determine the source of the fatal shock, but concluded the death was not suspicious. Johnson was setting off explosives using an electronic detonator when the mishap occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on County D, about three miles south of New London.
Spark ignites gasoline in soil near mall; I-40/75 widening work stops; worker burned by eruption By DON JACOBS, June 11, 2003 Utility work across from West Town Mall in preparation for widening Interstate 40/75 was halted Tuesday after underground gasoline ignited and burned a worker. Flames shot up a 30-feet deep hole about 8 a.m., burning an employee of a Minnesota drilling company. The worker, Matt Alm, was treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and released. The flames were the result of sparks from a steel drill bit that struck rock in the hole that is 6 feet in diameter. "They have ceased that work until they find out what's causing the contamination," said Chris Jenkins, safety coordinator with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Jenkins said Tri-State Drilling Inc., was drilling the first of four shafts for steel utility poles at the intersection of Kingston Pike and Buckingham Road when the flames erupted. Kingston Pike near the mall is slated for widening as part of the widening project on I-40/75, Jenkins said. Jenkins was unsure Tuesday how the utility work stoppage would affect the overall widening project. Steve Wilson, manager of the underground storage tank program for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said the work has been halted until "a contractor can analyze the soil to make sure there are no environmental issues." Soil contaminated with gasoline dug up by the drill was being hauled away Tuesday evening, Wilson said. Flammability readings at the top of the hole after the fire showed the continued presence of gasoline, Wilson said. Because gasoline fumes are heavier than air, Wilson said the flammability reading at the bottom of the 30-feet hole probably would be higher. Wilson said an Exxon gas station used to occupy a corner of the intersection, about 80-feet from where the hole was drilled. The underground gasoline tanks for that station were removed in 1999 and there were no environmental concerns after the removal, he said. But Wilson said the gasoline pocket struck Tuesday would be uphill from where the Exxon gas tanks were in the ground. "At this point, there is a question of where the contamination came from," Wilson said. Workers covered the hole with plywood and cordoned off the area with plastic, yellow tape until work can resume.
Man injured in laundry-room fire Sunday, June 8, 2003 ENGLEWOOD - A laundry room fire Saturday sent a plumber to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, police said. The plumber, whose name was unavailable, was taken to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, said fire Capt. John McLoughlin. The blaze at the office complex at 15 Engle St. was ignited by a spark thrown off by a plumber welding pipes at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, McLoughlin said. The blaze was reported at 8:28 a.m. and was called under control about 45 minutes later, McLoughlin said. Englewood was assisted by Tenafly, Fort Lee, and Teaneck firefighters. Although the fire was contained to the laundry room, the office complex was evacuated before firefighters arrived. McLoughlin said the fire caused smoke damage throughout the second and third floors of the building.
Worker dies in fall By Michelle Muellenberg / News Staff Writer Tuesday, June 10, 2003 HUDSON -- A Plymouth construction worker died yesterday morning after suffering head injuries from a 23-foot fall at a Central Street work site. Scott Callender, 37, of 104 Brook Road, Plymouth, was taken by helicopter to UMass Memorial Medical Center University Campus in Worcester, where he was pronounced dead, according to Police Chief Richard Braga. Callender worked for Barnes Building and Management Group of South Weymouth. The company declined to comment. Callender and other employees were working on the construction of a metal-framed building at 282 Central St., Braga said. Police received a call about 7 a.m. that a man had fallen. When officers arrived they found Callender lying on the ground with people trying to assist him. "He was not conscious," Braga said. Callender was working on a metal structure used in roof framing, he said. "Both my department and OSHA are investigating this matter," Braga said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance officer was on hand yesterday morning, said Richard Fazzio, OSHA's area director in Methuen. "It is an ongoing inspection," he said. Fazzio did not know when the investigation would be complete and said the time varies by case. According to OSHA's Web site, Barnes Building and Management Group has not been the subject of previous accident or health investigations.
Trench Collapses, Kills Worker; Man Dies At Scene POSTED: 12:20 p.m. PDT June 9, 2003 DIAMOND BAR, Calif. -- A trench collapsed and buried a worker Monday as crews were building a retaining wall at a gated community in Diamond Bar, authorities said. The man died at the scene of the accident that occurred in the 2600 block of Rocky Trail Road about 8 a.m., said Capt. Mark Savage of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Construction crews were working in the yard of a home when the excavation collapsed upon the man, trapping him, Savage said. Emergency crews, including an Urban Search and Rescue Team, worked to remove the body from the trench.
Worker dies in Hanscom base accident By Stephen Hagan / CNC Staff Writer Saturday, June 7, 2003 BEDFORD -- In what local officials from the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office claim was an accident, a construction worker was killed Thursday night at Hanscom Air Field during a re-paving project in the parking lot of the airport's Civil Air Terminal. Killed was Gardner's Robert Bourgeois, 43, a worker for the P.J. Keating Co. of Fitchburg. He apparently died when he was crushed by an asphalt grinder, according to Lincoln firefighter Joe Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh said fire officials responded to the emergency call at 9:11 p.m. Thursday. State Police, Lincoln firefighters, Hanscom Air Force Base fire officials and Massport officials responded to the site of the accident, which was located in the town of Lincoln. He said a crew of three was operating the machinery at the time of the accident. They were grinding up the old pavement, said Cavanaugh.. He was found partially under the machinery and he had crushing injuries to his lower extremities and pelvis. He was unconscious when we arrived. Seth Horwitz, press secretary for the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, said Friday that his office determined the death to be accidental. It was apparently an accident, Horwitz said. There will be no further investigation by our office. Cavanaugh said Bourgeios was being administered CPR and in full cardiac arrest when Lincoln firefighters arrived and was taken by ambulance by paramedics to Emerson Hospital. The emergency helicopter, Boston Med-Flight, had been initially alerted, but according to Cavanaugh, fire officials generally do not use emergency helicopters when victims are suffering a heart attack. Med-Flight operations are based at Hanscom. Cavanaugh said the incident is being investigated by State Police, Massport, and by officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He was partially underneath the machine and was being extricated by Hanscom firefighters, said Cavanaugh. Massport spokesman Jose Juves said OSHA officials will investigate the incident and then present their findings to P.J. Keating and state officials. Juves would not speculate on the cause of the accident. It's too early to tell, he said. The investigation is ongoing. It was a milling machine which grinds old asphalt so a new layer can be applied. Juves said the parking lot project had been underway for the past three weeks and added that because of the accident, work on the project has been halted.
Worker grievously injured but not critical after fall written by MM News - 10 Jun, 2003 A 55-year-old man suffered grave injuries but is not in danger of dying after he fell from a height of one storey in a construction site at Qormi on Tuesday morning. The police report the man, from Naxxar, was taken to hospital by ambulance and given treatment for his grave but not critical injuries. Duty Magistrate Myiam Hayman is conducting an inquiry, while the Qormi District Police are investigating.
Worker Killed By Four-Story Fall June 10, 2003, 11:07 PM EDT A 22-year-old concrete worker fell four stories to his death through an elevator shaft Tuesday at the site of a new courthouse in the Bronx, officials said. The man, whom officials did not identify, was pouring concrete on the seventh floor of the Criminal Court site when he backed toward the shaft. He fell to the third floor, said Mary Costello, spokeswoman for Bovis Lend Lease, the site's main contractor. Ilyse Fink, a Buildings Department spokeswoman, said the shaft had the necessary safeguards. She said the worker's death was "a very, very tragic accident." No action would be taken against the contractor or site, Fink said. Antonio Martins, a project manager at J & A Concrete, which was working on the project, said the man worked there for about two months. Martins added that the man was single but a "family man." He would not elaborate. "It's a tragic accident," Martins said. "It's a little rough right now."
Construction Accident May Delay I-40/West Hills Interchange T-Dot Officials say construction on the I-40/West Hills Interchange could be delayed after a construction accident stopped work at Kingston Pike and Buckingham Road. About 8:00 Tuesday morning, workers from Tri-State drilling were installing utility poles when their machinery hit some sort of contaminated material. State agencies are investigating and have halted operations at this site until further notice. A Tri-State employee is being treated for minor burns to his eyes and face.
Explosion shuts I-74 Star report June 11, 2003 Indiana State Police temporarily closed off a portion of I-74 on the Southeastside today after a piece of highway construction equipment struck a gas pipeline and set off an explosion. Police said the accident occurred about 11:30 a.m. west of Post Road. No injuries were reported. However, a 16-mile stretch of I-74 between Ind. 9 and I-465 was closed to traffic until about 1:30 p.m. while emergency workers worked to shut down the gas line. Gas had continued to feed a fire that was centered on the construction equipment, which one neighbor and State Police described as similar to a trenching machine. "At about 300 or 400 feet, you could feel the warmth of the fire," said Brian Neary, who lives in the 3100 block of South Franklin Road. Neary said the trencher appeared to be a machine being used in the reconstruction of the eastbound lanes of I-74. "They were digging probably four or five feet below the surface level," he said. Joy Heath, a 79-year-old retiree who lives in the 3100 block of South Franklin Road, said she heard a series of booms punctuated by the loudest blast. “When that explosion happened there wasn’t no mistaking that,” said Heath. “It was big around and solid red, that orangey red. It was solid flames, just solid flames.” She said she called her son for help, but it was a Franklin Township firefighter who came to her door and evacuated her to a safer location a few doors down. Heath, who uses a cane, said she would have driven herself to safety - but the electricity went off and her garage door wouldn’t open for her to use her car. “It was quite scary, yes. The flames were shooting so high in the air it was frightening.” Indiana Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jessica Stevens said she did not know what type of machinery was involved. State Police Sgt. Ray Poole said the gas line was an older line that apparently wasn't detected by construction workers. Traffic already was restricted to two-way travel on the westbound lanes during the reconstruction. Stevens said westbound traffic was diverted north on Ind. 9 through Greenfield to I-70.
Road Worker Killed A Madison county road department worker was killed in an accident Tuesday. It happened at the intersection of King Ranch Road and Highway 22 in Canton. Forty-six-year-old Bennie Dent of Jackson was driving a county dump truck filled with gravel when another vehicle reportedly ran a stop sign and hit the dump truck. Dent swerved to avoid the collision, but the dump truck flipped. A co-worker riding with Dent was taken to U.M.C. and later released.
Worker struck by car in construction zone STREETSBORO: A state worker was injured Monday night when he was hit by a car in a highway construction zone on state Route 43 in Streetsboro. Robert B. Potopsky, 41, of Strongsville was in stable condition at Cleveland's MetroHealth Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday. Police said Potopsky, an Ohio Department of Transportation worker, was hit by a Chevrolet Beretta driven by Richard D. Makley of Uniontown. No charges have been filed because the incident is under investigation, police said. Makley, 41, also was injured when his car hit construction equipment. He was in good condition Tuesday at Robinson Memorial Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Accident in Construction Site Kills One in Beijing A exhibition hall collapsed at a construction site in Beijing's Haidian District Wednesday, leavingone dead and four injured. At approximately 6:00 p.m., the steel-structure hall collapsed without warning, burying five builders, one of whom died on the spot. Another three escaped from the collapsed building, accordingto local police. The four injured workers are being treated in a nearby hospital, and the cause of the accident is under investigation.
Contractor Blames Rain For Building’s Collapse June 4, 2003 A contractor says heavy rains in recent weeks may have contributed to the collapse of a building that was being renovated on Cleveland's east side. Three construction workers escaped moments before the building collapsed in a cloud of dust on Monday. The building spewed bricks and lumber into the street and surrounding pedestrian alleys, but no one was injured. Contractor Joe Korfant says the three workers heard the temporary support beams creaking and fled. He speculated that all the rain may have had something to do with the collapse. The National Weather Service measured six and a half inches of rain in Cleveland in May, more than 1.5 inches on Saturday alone.
Fire Delays Ceremony By Marcus Blair TIMES RECORD SALLISAW — A dedication ceremony was supposed to be held Tuesday for the new Arby’s in Sallisaw, but corporate managers arrived to find the restaurant a dripping, blackened mess. The building sustained heavy smoke and water damage after a fire ignited in a wall and the attic. It will be closed until repairs can be made, District Manager Chris Griffin said. Arby’s was open only nine days before the fire, Griffin said. The company does not yet know how long it will take to rebuild. Thick black smoke already was pouring through the restaurant when Sallisaw firefighters arrived shortly before 7 a.m. They had to use chain saws to rip through the walls and roof to reach the blaze, which was located in wood behind the building’s facade, said Mike Tubbs, Sallisaw fire chief. “It was a slow, smoldering fire,” Tubbs said. “There was not much fire damage, but we had to cut into it and spray it down.” The blaze appeared to be caused by an electrical malfunction near a lighted sign under the south entrance, Tubbs said. Tubbs could not estimate the cost of the damage but said it will be significant. He saw two roof beams and other key structural points that were incinerated. It was the second fire to heavily damage Arby’s since construction began. Workers building the roof were using a propane torch to melt sealant when wood beams caught fire and caused about $10,000 damage, Tubbs said. The damage was much less costly than Tuesday’s fire because the restaurant was incomplete.
Pompa Bros. owner dies in equipment accident JIM KINNEY, The Saratogian June 04, 2003 MIDDLE GROVE - Nelson Pompa, owner of Pompa Bros. Inc., was killed Tuesday evening while using earth-moving equipment at his company's sand pit on Coy Road, north of Middle Grove. Pompa, 74, lived on Rowland Street in Ballston Spa. Saratoga County Undersheriff Michael Woodcock said Pompa was working on an access road above one of the pits to the back of the property shortly before 5 p.m. The equipment, described as a grade-all, tumbled down a 15-foot embankment onto large rocks. It came to rest upside down, with Pompa trapped in the partially-crushed cab. Woodcock said another worker discovered the accident and called 911 at about 5 p.m. "It is unknown how long Mr. Pompa was there before he was discovered," Woodcock said. Firefighters from the Middle Grove, Porter Corners and Greenfield Center fire companies responded. They used a bulldozer and a front-end loader to shift the grade-all's weight enough to give them access to the cab. Then, they used hydraulic cutters to open the cab and remove Pompa. Woodcock said this extrication took 30 to 40 minutes. Albany Medical Center had sent its MedFlight helicopter on the 16-minute trip to MiddleGrove from Albany. The helicopter set down on Coy Road at the entrance to the pit, about 11/2 miles from the accident scene. The medical crew went into the pit to help, but returned at about 7:15, loaded an empty stretcher back into the helicopter and flew off. Woodcock said Saratoga County Coroner Thomas Salvadore pronounced Pompa dead at the scene. His remains were removed to Saratoga Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Woodcock said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration would investigate the accident. Pompa and three brothers started Pompa Bros. in 1947 as a heavy construction firm. Its last big construction job was building Ballard Road in Wilton in the early 1970s. Pompa moved the company into mining for sand and stone, first on Route 29 in just west of Saratoga Springs. Company headquarters are still at Route 29 and Petrified Sea Gardens Road. Pompa's son, Ed Pompa, runs the company asphalt plant. His daughter, Mary, works in the firm's office. The company owns 1,800 acres off Coy Road, about 11/2 miles north of the hamlet of Middle Grove. Pompa has asked the town to rezone the area and allow more quarrying, a move hotly opposed by many neighbors. The issue is still before the town.
Fire erupts at ASU West dorm 06/03/2003 By NEWS CHANNEL 3 / azfamily.com staff A dorm that was under construction at ASU West erupted into fire Monday. Firefighters from the Northwest Valley battled a third-alarm blaze which broke out at an Arizona State University West dorm that was under construction Monday afternoon. About 80 crewmembers fought the fire that reportedly started between the third floor and the attic of the building near 47th Avenue and Thunderbird Road. Four hours after crews quieted the blaze, hot spots and smoke were spotted flaring up from the roof of the structure. An ASU West spokeswoman said she believes a spark from a welding torch may have set off the fire. A Phoenix Fire Department spokesman said crews initially had a hard time getting lines to the structure. Excessive heat and the unstable nature of the building forced fire investigators to switch into defensive mode. Although firefighters were not able to save the dorm building, which was completely destroyed, crews were able to save structures to the north and east of the burned-out building. Those buildings, which make up the Las Casas dormitory are scheduled to open Aug. 15 in time for the return of students. No injuries were reported.
Worker hurt in fall from ladder; He was helping refurbish a store at the North Hanover Mall By JOSEPH DEINLEIN For Dispatch/Sunday News Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - A medical helicopter flew a man to York Hospital yesterday after he fell 12 feet from a ladder while refurbishing a store at the North Hanover Mall. A crew foreman said Irv Smolko, 50, fell in the former Fashion Bug store about 1:10 p.m. Smolko was listed in stable condition this morning at York Hospital, said a nursing supervisor. He suffered back and facial injuries, said Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth. Smolko was one of three people in the store, which is being converted to two smaller shops, said foreman Larry Levadnuk. The other two workers were in another area of the store and didn't see the fall, he said. Reports conflict on exactly what Smolko was doing. Levadnuk said Smolko was installing a water line and was atop a ladder. But mall manager Dirk Brown said Smolko was putting up a wall for Crown American Realty Trust, which owns the North Hanover Mall. "The rest of the accident is under investigation," Brown said. Hanover Ambulance Captain Bruce Yealy said Smolko fell through a ceiling in the store. He wasn't sure what the circumstances were. Because of the distance Smolko fell, paramedics called for a helicopter to transport him to York Hospital's trauma unit, Yealy said. Hanover Police Department and Medic 46 also were dispatched.
Town Hall fire escape proves safety hazard By Susan Nolan EXETER - A construction worker who fell through a Town Hall fire escape last week was uninjured, said town administrator George Olson. "He was holding on to the rail," said Olson. "My understanding is that he held on and that there was no injury involved," said Olson. The fire escape was roped-off immediately after the accident and was later condemned by the fire department. The construction worker was an employee of Target New England, a Wolfeboro company hired to install an elevator in the Town Hall. Olson said an engineer will assess the fire escape next week to decide whether it can be repaired, or whether it needs to be completely replaced, said Olson. In the meantime, the number of visitors to the top two floors of the Town Hall will be limited to 50 at a time, he said, because of fire-safety codes. Town officials roped-off the fire escape shortly after the worker fell through the structure on Thursday, May 22, Assistant Fire Chief Kenneth Berkenbush said Wednesday. Berkenbush said he walked by the Town Hall shortly after the incident and noticed the area in question. He said he evaluated the fire escape and found it to be unsafe. "It had already been roped-off by, I believe, (town maintenance supervisor) Kevin Smart," said Berkenbush. "The rest of the stairs looked as if they may be in need of repair," he said. Since it did not meet the life-safety codes, he had no choice but to condemn it, said Berkenbush, who is the town’s fire prevention officer. Funds for the elevator installation - $40,000 - were approved by voters at Town Meeting in 2002. The remainder of the $100,000 cost was raised by the Exeter Arts Committee through private donations and grants. The arts committee uses the second floor of the Town Hall for art exhibitions. Olson said the Exeter Art Association puts on "a variety of shows throughout the year" and that limited access to the art room in the Town Hall will interfere with that activity. "That is going to be a problem," said Olson. Olson said a rumor that the worker was advised not to file a worker’s compensation form was untrue, as far as he knew. Voters this year approved funding to replace Town Hall furnaces, windows, gutters and downspouts, said Olson.
Construction worker injured by 1,800 lbs. bucket 6/3/2003 3:20 PM By: Associated Press (THOMASVILLE) -- A Burlington man was critically injured at a construction site when an 1800 lbs. bucket fell on him. Officials say Felix Ortiz was installing new sewer lines for the area on Monday as part of a crew with Carl Norris Construction of Burlington. A worker noticed that a bucket had swung loose from an excavator and was falling into the trench. Ortiz was unable to move out of the way, and the bucket hit him in the head, fell onto his legs and pinned him in the trench. When EMS workers arrived, the construction crew had lifted the bucket off Ortiz, but rescuers weren't able to remove him without the trench collapsing. Rescuers spent two hours bracing the trench before Ortiz could be removed. Ortiz was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Rescue workers say he had injuries to his head and both legs, including a fracture near his ankle.
Amish Worker Killed (Smicksburg-AP) June 3, 2003 — Officials say a 22-year-old Amish man working on a house demolition project was killed when a window he was trying to remove broke loose. The Indiana County Deputy Coroner says the man fell about 16 feet to the ground and the window crashed on top of him. The man died Saturday. Deputy coroner Michael Baker won't release the man's name because his family raised religious objections. But Baker says he was from the Smicksburg area, where many Amish families live.
Worker found dead after trench collapses Associated Press RIO GRANDE CITY -- A 24-year-old worker installing water lines died after the trench he was in collapsed, trapping him under an 8-foot-deep pile of dirt and rock for nearly 10 hours. Noe Cepeda Vela was alone in the trench along U.S. 83 just east of Rio Grande City when the 10-foot-high walls collapsed about 3 p.m. today, authorities said. His co-workers called 911. Justice of the Peace Dela Cruz pronounced Vela dead at about 7:15 p.m, after the body was unearthed enough for paramedics to check for vital signs. Crews with the Starr County Sheriff's Department and the Rio Grande City Fire Department finally pulled Vela from the rubble about 11:30 p.m. Monday. The search was delayed while rescuers tried to reinforce the trench walls to prevent them from collapsing again. Vela, of Rio Grande City, was working for MF Site Construction when the trench collapsed. MF Site Construction did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press. Rio Grande City is 70 miles northwest of Harlingen.
Construction worker dies after fall June 3, 2003 A 60-year-old construction worker died Monday afternoon after falling two stories from a ledge at a construction site on Hungerford Drive in Rockville, county and city officials said. The man, Jose Francisco Reyes of Langley Park, would have turned 61 Saturday. He was installing a safety rail when he lost his footing and fell onto a concrete floor below, Rockville Police Chief Terrance N. Treschuk said. Work was temporarily halted at the site of Archstone at Rockville Town Center, a 221-unit rental complex just south of the new Giant grocery store and Rockville City Centre shopping plaza. Reyes was declared dead at the scene after suffering massive head trauma, county police spokesman Officer Derek Baliles said. Officials with the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health division are investigating the incident, Baliles said, but county homicide detectives have determined "there does not appear to be anything suspicious." Bethesda-based Clark Construction is the general contractor for the project, said Jim Wasilak, chief of long-range planning for the City of Rockville. A spokeswoman for Clarke Construction did not return a call Tuesday.
Trench collapses, buries construction worker; Emergency teams on scene into the evening By Shanna McCord and Moshay Simpson UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS May 29, 2003 RAMONA – A construction worker apparently suffocated yesterday afternoon when a trench collapsed and buried him while he was working on a sewer line, authorities said. The accident happened about 2 p.m. on a vacant lot between two homes on 11th Street near San Vicente Road. Rescue crews from the California Department of Forestry and the Santee Fire Department late yesterday were hoping to find the man alive. All of the digging was being done by hand, CDF Capt. Tom MacPherson said. "We've been filling up little buckets." The man's body was recovered around 9 p.m. The victim, an employee of Waples Backhoe, was with a crew digging a sewer line that is to extend from 11th Street to 10th Street, McPherson said. The trench is 14 feet deep. A representative from the Ramona Municipal Water District said the contractor had recently obtained the permits to begin construction on the line that is to join the public sewer system. The private line is being built to district standards," said Tom Brammel, a spokesman for the district. A boy, 13, walking home from Olive Pierce Middle School said he saw "a bunch of cops, a few fire trucks and ambulances and a bunch of people trying to calm" a woman at the scene. Other agencies involved in the attempted rescue included the Ramona Fire Department, the Sheriff's Department and a crisis management team from Poway.
Multiple Car Accident Closes I-80 Des Moines, May 29, 2003 - A multiple car accident on Interstate 80 shut down part of the roadway overnight. It happened just before midnight near the 2nd Avenue exit on eastbound I-80. A silver car hit a white truck that was painting in a construction zone, starting a fire. Another motorist stopped to help put the fire out. That's when a passing semi veered to the side of the road, hitting one of the drivers. Two people went to a local hospital, one is in serious condition. Their names have not been released. In 2003, there have been a total of two workzone deaths in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Transportation says two years ago, they recorded eight deaths in just one month. In that same year, there were 327 workzone accidents across the state.
UPDATE Hydro One Network Services Inc. fined $100,000 for health and safety violation TORONTO, May 29 /CNW/ - Hydro One Network Services Inc., a Toronto-based company which provides maintenance, repair and operational services to Hydro One Networks Inc., an electricity transmission and distribution subsidiary of Hydro One Inc., was fined $100,000 on May 27, 2003 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious burns to two employees. On October 11, 2001, two construction workers were taking measurements and verifying positions of parts they were making at a Toronto transformer substation when a metal measuring tape being used by one of the workers came in contact with energized equipment. The worker suffered burns to the right bicep area, the arms, hands, face and neck. The second worker suffered flash burns to the eyes and a temporary loss of vision. At the time of the incident, the first worker was on a scaffold platform and the second worker was on a ladder leading up to the scaffold platform. One end of the scaffold was located 1.5 metres (five feet) away from the energized equipment. The workers had been fabricating a framework for a wall that was to be used to extend the walls between transformer bays at the transformer substation, which was owned by Hydro One Networks Inc. at 83 Charles Street in Toronto. Hydro One Network Services Inc. pleaded guilty to failing, as an employer, to ensure that tools, ladders, scaffolding and other equipment and materials capable of conducting electricity were not stored or used so close to an energized electrical installation, equipment or conductor that they could make electrical contact with an energized conductor, as required by Section 194 of the Regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to Section 25(1)(c) of the act. The fine was imposed by Justice Robert Bigelow of the Ontario Court of Justice at Old City Hall in Toronto. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
Fire damages Courier-Journal printing plant project A portion of The Courier-Journal's $80 million printing plant, which is still under construction, caught fire this morning. No one was injured in the fire, according to Linda Pursell, vice president of market development. Details of damage from the fire are not yet available. Pursell said the fire that was caused when sparks from a grinder ignited insulation in the roof. The grinding was being done by a worker with Lykins Steel, a subcontractor for Louisville-based Messer Construction Co. Fire department units, which arrived just after 9 a.m., were called to extinguish the fire after workers tried to put out the fire with extinguishers but were unable to contain the blaze, she said. Pursell said it is too soon to say whether the fire will affect the timetable for the project. She added that all damages will be covered by insurance. The new printing plant, an $80 million project that includes about $17 million in construction costs, is expected to be in operation by September 2004. The project includes building a multistory facility with more than 500,000 square feet. It will house the newspaper's new printing presses.
UPDATE Lorry driver died in lifting operation accident An inquest jury at Hexham Magistrates' Court has returned a verdict of accidental death after listening to evidence describing a lifting operation in July 2002 that ended the life of lorry driver Marc Channon, 31, in an accident. Mr Channon, an employee of Dowse Crane Hire of North Durham, was delivering a portacabin to a Northumberland construction site, but during the lifting and slinging operation the chains supporting the portacabin broke free from the crane lifting hook and fell on him inflicting such injuries that he died at the scene.
UPDATE High Court compensation award for roof fall victim Peter Bieliauskas, 51, has been awarded more than £1,000,000 at the High Court in compensation for his loss resulting from injuries sustained in a roof fall during August 2000 at his Midlands employer's boat building premises in Stoke Prior. His brain injury has placed severe limitations on his life. Mr Bieliauskas had been inspecting the roof when he fell through a skylight. Previously, employers J L Pinder and Sons were prosecuted for breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company operated without employers’ liability insurance and ultimately its landlord's insurance company met the settlement without liability being admitted.
Lorry driver 'caused worker's death' TWO construction workers employed by SembCorp Engineers and Construction have died because of negligence at their workplace. It was reported just last week that one of them had died when he fell off the scaffolding early this year. Now, an inquiry has found that another SembCorp Engineers worker had died on May 16 last year because of a lorry driver's negligence. The man who died had fallen from a lorry and was then crushed by a beam that fell off the vehicle. State Coroner John Ng blamed lorry driver Lim Kok Chye, 44, for causing the death of Intahjina Kittichai, 43, because he had failed to secure the beams to the lorry. Mr Lim is a sub-contractor and not a SembCorp employee. The lorry was moving the beams to a location within the Ponggol-Sengkang light rail transport construction site, when the beams started sliding off the vehicle on a slope. As a result, Mr Intahjina lost his balance and fell to the ground. Then one of the beams landed on him. A crane was brought in to lift the beam from Mr Intahjina. H e was later pronounced dead at the scene from multiple injuries. At the coroner's court last week, Mr Lim, elected to remain silent in his defence. Said Mr Ng: 'The cause of the accident was the failure to secure the beams to the lorry. 'The question is who had the responsibility of ensuring that the beams were secured to the lorry.' A Manpower Ministry spokesman said that the ministry's investigations revealed that no lifting supervisor was appointed to check that the beams were lifted safely. And for that, SembCorp Engineers was fined $1,000. The company was fined $100,000 earlier this month for their second offence under the Factories Regulations. It had failed to provide a ladder for workers to reach platforms and this resulted in the death of Mr Yang Jin Mei, 41, a Chinese national, on Jan 14.
Tractor-Trailer Knocks Road Worker Off Repair Truck; 35-Year-Old Man In Critical Condition May 28, 2003 A tractor-trailer reportedly crashed into an Oakland County Road Commission repair truck early Wednesday morning, knocking a worker who was fixing a traffic light to the ground. The 35-year-old Grand Blanc, Mich., man and his coworker were repairing a traffic light at Long Lake and Beach roads around midnight when the accident occurred, according to police. They were parked along the shoulder and had the boom of the repair truck over the road while they worked on the light, police said. The light had reportedly been damaged earlier in the evening from another accident. The workers were completing the repairs when the tractor-trailer heading east on Long Lake Road struck the bucket on the end of the boom, and knocked the 35-year-old worker to the ground. The victim was taken to Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital where he was listed in critical condition. His family has been notified, but his name has not been released. The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 48-year-old Ontario man, was questioned and released, according to police. Police continue to investigate. They said alcohol was not involved in the crash.
UPDATE Flagger dies; driver charged By Greg Stanmar Pantagraph correspondent OTTAWA -- A Streator man faces reckless homicide charges following the death of a road-construction worker he is accused of hitting with his vehicle. Douglas Black, 25, was charged with reckless homicide on Tuesday. He already faced two counts of aggravated driving under the influence along with single charges of driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license, driving under the influence on a revoked license and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, LaSalle County authorities said. John Crozier, 40, also of Streator, died Monday at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Police said Black was driving under the influence of alcohol when he passed cars stopped at a highway construction site May 21 on Illinois 23 north of Streator. Black's car reportedly hit Crozier, who was working as a flagman. Crozier was then flown to the Peoria hospital. Crozier had been a flagman for 10 years and was working his first day on the Illinois 23 project, said Tim Roseberry, spokesman for the Laborers International Union of North America. Crozier's obituary is on Page A8.
Construction worker hurt as backhoe overturns at Pronghorn Resort; Operator was wearing seat belt and was not seriously injured From bend.com news sources May 27 - A 43-year-old Terrebonne man was flown to a Bend hospital, but avoided serious injuries when his backhoe rolled onto its side Tuesday during construction work at the Pronghorn Resort between Bend and Redmond, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies, Redmond fire crews and Air Life of Oregon responded shortly before 11 a.m. to the reported injury accident. Michael Matheny, a worker with Hap Taylor & Sons Construction, had been back-filling around a pressure-reducing valve station when the edge of the dirt gave way and the backhoe rolled onto its side, hitting the cinder-block structure, said sheriff’s Sgt. Dan Swearingen. Matheny was wearing a seat belt at the time, and was able to crawl out of the John Deere backhoe and walk a few feet away before needing assistance, Swearingen said. When officials arrived, members of the construction crew were helping the victim. An Air Life helicopter landed a short time later. Flight medics assessed the patient and, with the aid of Redmond fire-parameics, the man was placed on the chopper for the flight to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. A nursing supervisor said he was treated for minor injuries and released.
Construction workers hurt in blast; Explosion forces evacuation of homes By Peggy Breister the reporter A natural gas explosion and fire Tuesday afternoon in the Town of Taycheedah sent two Green Bay construction workers to the hospital and forced an evacuation of several homes in a nearby subdivision. The men, Todd C. Degeneffe, 35, of Green Bay and James S. Herman, 54, of Gillett work for Ronet Construction of Green Bay. They were transported by Mount Calvary Ambulance and Fond du Lac Fire Department Ambulance to St. Agnes Hospital with significant burns, said Lt. Rick Olig of the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department. Both men were listed in fair condition this morning at St. Agnes Hospital. A back hoe operated by an employee of the sewer utility company struck and broke a 2-inch gas main about 1 p.m. on Abler Road near Park Ridge Court, Olig said. The company is installing a new sanitary sewer line for St. Peter Sanitary District. Ronet is a subcontractor working for the project’s main contractor, Kruczek of Green Bay. “As construction workers at ground level were attempting to clamp it off, the gas ignit ed and there was an explosion,” Olig said. Two other workers in the trench were not injured. About 120 homes were without natural gas for about two hours while the line was repaired by Alliant Energy crews. When Town of Calumet firefighters arrived, flames were leaping 8 to 10 feet out of the four-foot wide by 12-foot deep trench, said Fire Chief Lee Gilgenbach. The injured men had already been removed, he said. “From our standpoint, the gas flames coming out of the trench were a good thing because then we know exactly where the gas is coming from,” Gilgenbach said. “If it hadn’t touched off and started on fire, we’d never know where the gas is and then any little spark anywhere could start an explosion,” he said. “The two individuals in the trench that were injured were unlucky. We were lucky because we were able to identify the source.” Firefighters were on the scene until about 3:30 p.m. Gilgenbach said he doesn’t know what ignited the gas from the line that was about 30 inches below ground. “It could be something very little, next to nothing,” he said. Town of Calumet was assisted by Mount Calvary firefighters. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to inspect the site today and investigate the accident.
Construction Accident The soggy ground is to blame for an accident that sent a crane truck into a Henrico home Tuesday. It happened while workers were taking down tree limbs in front of the house. A jack that supports the truck sunk into the mud, sending the truck onto its side. It clipped a portion of the house. No one was home at the time.
Torch gets blame for fire at Target; Tuesday night blaze damages Fort Gratiot store By LORI PAIONK Times Herald FORT GRATIOT -- Months of renovation work at the Target store in Birchwood Mall was days away from completion when sparks from a torch touched off a blaze inside the walls Tuesday night. A contractor using an acetylene torch to cut a steel beam at about 10:45 p.m. accidentally ignited insulation within the store's front wall. No one was injured. The store was closed when the fire began. A cleaning crew was evacuated by the contractors. A store manager on scene declined to comment on when the store would reopen. Birchwood Mall security officer Ryan Roberts said some smoke escaped into the mall, which will be open today. He said he wasn't sure if, or when, Target would reopen. It was unclear how much Target merchandise was ruined because of fire, smoke or water. Through the front glass doors, witnesses could see white smoke filling the interior. "I don't know how much smoke made it in, but it wouldn't take much (to do damage)," said Lt. Jim DeLacy of the St. Clair County Sheriff Department. He said the fire was difficult to extinguish because flames spread easily through wall insulation. Fort Gratiot Fire Chief Ron Nichols was not available for comment at the scene. Firefighters from Fort Gratiot and Burtchville townships remained on the scene after 1 a.m. Ironworker Dave Zimmerman of Kimball Township was using a torch on the outside of the store's front exterior to cut a beam for a renovation project. A spark must have flown under a fire-proof blanket spread on the wall, he said. "I moved the blanket and knocked out the wall out to check (the smoke) and I couldn't get back there to put it out," said Zimmerman, who works for Dietzel Co. of Fraser. Construction supervisor Tom Dea said renovations on the store front began in January and workers were almost finished. "This was it -- two more days," said Dea of Gioffre Companies in Dublin, Ohio.
Roof work may have started fire that damaged storage units By Deanna Boyd Star-Telegram Staff Writer Workers doing roof repair may have sparked a fire Thursday morning at a storage unit warehouse in Burleson, officials said. The fire started about 8:40 a.m. in one of the storage units at the U-Haul Storage Warehouse, 2121 S. Burleson Blvd. The flames spread, damaging three other large units or about a third of the building, said Burleson police Sgt. Cindy Aaron. "There were some workers on the roof repairing some damage from the February ice storm," Aaron said. "They were welding and the hot metal dripped down into the building. They think that's what started the fire." The service road of Interstate 35 was shut down to make room for responding water tanks and after reports were received that some of the storage buildings may have contained nitrous oxide and ammunition, Aaron said. Firefighters from Alvarado, Briaroaks, Crowley, Joshua, Keene, Rendon and the Tarrant County Fire District assisted the Burleson Fire Department in putting out the two-alarm fire. "The Cleburne Fire Department covered our city while our units were tied up out there," Aaron said. A Briaroaks firefighter was treated at the scene for exhaustion. A worker at the facility had an asthma attack at the scene but did not require hospitalization, she said. The fire was contained about 11 a.m., but crews remained on the scene throughout the day putting out flare-ups. Construction crews were called out to raze the burned units, Aaron said. No damage estimates were available Thursday.
Construction worker in critical condition; Flagger, 32, was hit Thursday near Ottawa May 24, 2003 By KRIS WERNOWSKY of the Journal Star OTTAWA - A construction site flagger who was hit by a car Thursday near Ottawa was in critical condition Friday at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. John Crozier, 32, of Streator was taken to Community Hospital after the accident and transferred Thursday night to St. Francis. The accident prompted an appeal from the Illinois Department of Transportation for motorists to use caution. "You just have to ask yourself why? Why this happens?" IDOT Secretary Tim Martin said in a news release. "And I'm often frustrated when I find out tragedies like this can be avoided if people would just slow down and use caution in and around construction zones." Authorities say the driver of the car that hit Crozier was Douglas Black, 29, of Streator. Black appeared Friday in LaSalle County Circuit Court, where he was charged with two felony counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. One count charges Black with striking Crozier, said LaSalle County State's Attorney Joe Hettel. The other charges him with driving while on a revoked license from a 2002 drunken-driving incident in Grundy County. Black also was charged with driving on a revoked license and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, both misdemeanors, Hettel said. He was being held Friday in the LaSalle County Jail on $300,000 bond. Hettel said Black could face additional charges because three children were in the car at the time of the accident. His case is to be brought before a LaSalle County grand jury on June 4. Authorities say Crozier was hit at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday in a construction zone at Illinois Route 23 and Fosse Road south of Ottawa. Black was driving in the northbound lane when he noticed traffic was stopped for construction. He then drove his car into the closed lane and hit a dump truck, according to the LaSalle County Sheriff's Department. The impact pushed his car back into the northbound lane. His car then slid off the road and struck Crozier, police said. Crozier, an employee with Advanced Asphalt, is a member of Ottawa Laborers Local 911 of the Laborers International Union of North America. "Our prayers and thoughts go out to our brother's family," Ed Smith, vice president and regional manager of the international, said in a news release. "Every year, thousands of workers and motorists are killed despite our efforts to keep construction work zones safe." IDOT said construction will be suspended and lanes will be opened where possible to help motorists get around during the Memorial Day weekend.
Falling beam injures worker By Martin B. Cassidy Staff Writer May 24, 2003 A construction worker was seriously injured yesterday at an East Elm Street construction site when he was struck by a steel beam knocked over by a bucket loading machine, according to Lt. Mark Kordick of the Greenwich Police Department. Authorities did not identify the injured man, pending notification of his family. The accident occurred shortly after 10 a.m., while the worker was in the foundation of the site at 96 E. Elm St. A bucket loader had just poured stones into the foundation and knocked over an unsecured 34-foot metal beam which fell on the man, striking his head and neck, Kordick said. The injured man was trapped by the beam, but workers lifted it off him before authorities arrived, according to Fire Chief Daniel Warzoha. Greenwich police officers and Greenwich Fire Department technical rescue teams removed the man from the foundation. Warzoha said the victim was fitted with a neck brace because of the apparent seriousness of his injuries. The Greenwich Emergency Medical Service transported the victim to the Trauma Center at Stamford Hospital, Kordick said. He said the man was badly injured. The name of the excavating company operating the bucket loader was unavailable yesterday afternoon. Calls to Albert Orlando, the owner and developer of the property, where a two-family house is being built, were not returned yesterday. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration yesterday began investigating the accident to see if there were any federal safety regulation violations on the site, and interviewed the owner of the property and the contractor, according to Kang Yi, supervisor of the Bridgeport OSHA office. "We're going to find out how it happened," Yi said. No police report was available yesterday and no further details were released.
Ulsterman dies in New York accident A Co Down man has died after a fall in Brooklyn, New York. Lee Keenan, 27, who hailed from Mayobridge, died after falling six stories from a scaffolding at a residential building in Brooklyn on Saturday May 17, New York police said. "Mr Keenan appeared to have slipped," said Detective Mike Wokowski, at the 83rd precinct in Brooklyn. "Mr Keenan fell six stories from a scaffolding on Central Avenue and Noll street in Brooklyn at 8:15am. The medical examiner pronounced him dead on arrival at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn. Mr Keenan, who was a construction worker for Hickey Construction, lived in the Irish neighbourhood of Maspeth in Queens. His funeral took place in Queens on Monday and the body arrived in Ireland on Tuesday. Relatives had flown to New York to claim the body. The family will be making arrangements to have him buried closer to home. Mr Keenan was well known in the Irish community, said John Guiney a local footballer. New York police have concluded the incident was an accident but an investigation into the safety on the site is continuing. The Department of Buildings Inspectors has visited the site. Hickey Construction was unavailable for comment.
Pipes fall off trailer, kill worker LODGEPOLE -- A construction worker from Hays died after an accident at a gravel site two miles north of here, Fort Belknap Police Chief Rob Williams said. James Robert Essert, 52, died early Thursday when a stack of large pipes fell off a trailer and killed him, officials said. Officials said Essert, a former bus driver at the St. Paul's Mission School in Hays, recently began working with the construction crew contracted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Roads Department. Foul play isn't suspected but Essert's body was sent to Billings for an autopsy. The Fort Belknap Criminal Investigation Department and the Blaine County Coroner's Office are investigating the death.
Road worker hit at construction site STREATOR -- A Streator construction worker struck by a car while controlling traffic remained in critical condition Friday night. John Cozier, 40, was flown to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria after the accident at noon Thursday on Illinois 23 between Streator and Ottawa. Authorities said a drunken driver struck the Advanced Asphalt employee, throwing him into a field. Douglas Black, 25, of Streator, was charged with aggravated drunken driving, driving while his license is revoked and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. He remained in LaSalle County jail Friday night in lieu of posting $3,000.
UPDATE Woman Who Ran Down Highway Worker Draws Two Year Sentence A woman who was drunk when she plowed into a road construction site and killed a 32-year-old father of five was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday. On May 14, 2002, 24-year-old Tanzania Jackson swerved into a coned-off area on Northrop Avenue in Sacramento, striking Jim Bridges Junior. Bridges was seriously injured, lingering for 12 days in the hospital before passing away. Jackson could have been sentenced to up to four years in prison, but a plea bargain reduced that time to two years. Jim Bridges' friends and family were in court, wearing orange road crew vests in his honor. His sister said today's sentencing brings with it an important message for all motorists. "If you've been somewhere and you've been drinking, call somebody for a ride," said Donna Patterson. "Don't just get into a car. You don't only kill the person, you kill their entire family." Before she was handcuffed and taken from the courtroom, Jackson made a brief statement, saying she was sorry for the pain she has caused her victim's family. Following sentencing, Jackson was taken to the women's prison in Chowchilla to begin serving her sentence.
Bulldozer accident claims life By ANDREW PERALA/West Hawaii Today A 37 - year - old Honaunau man died Friday afternoon when the bulldozer he'd been driving ran over him, police said. Jesse Young, an experienced heavy - equipment operator, had been clearing a sloping, three - acre lot in Makalei Estates off Mamalahoa Highway when he somehow fell beneath the 17,000 - pound machine. The 3:43 p.m. accident likely killed him instantly, a police spokesman said. Funeral arrangements are pending, as police investigate the sequence of events resulting in Young's death. The home lot had a steep slope on the upper end that Young had bladed smooth earlier. Young may have been walking the land when the Caterpillar D4H bulldozer suddenly took off in reverse, "but we may never know," a police spokesman said. Unmanned, the bulldozer continued running in reverse, police said. About 125 feet after running over Young, the bulldozer's right - corner blade clipped the left post of an electrical box before crossing the subdivision's main street and climbed up and over the road's rain gutter. Then, tipping backward at an angle down a steep embankment, the bulldozer crashed through a six - foot tall chainlink fence surrounding a 15,000 - gallon water tank, police said. The bulldozer missed the tank by about 30 feet, according to measurements of the tracks. The fence, uncut though damaged beyond repair, leashed the runaway bulldozer, police said. Entangled in the bulldozer's undercarriage, the more than 100 feet of fence and concrete - embedded posts swung the bulldozer uphill until it ground to a halt. The bulldozer had traveled more than 300 feet without its driver, police said. Police found Young's ballcap about 50 feet and his cellphone 25 feet upslope from his body. A police spokesman confirmed Young had severe leg injuries, as well as massive trauma to the rest of his body. Young was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he ws pronouced dead. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death, police said.
UPDATE Worker dies after backhoe accident Thursday, May 22, 2003 By ASHANTI M. ALVAREZ STAFF WRITER WEST PATERSON - A construction worker accidentally run over by a backhoe on a work site this week has died, police said. Juan Pupo, 53, of Paterson died at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center on Tuesday, one day after a fellow construction worker ran him over with a backhoe, police said. Pupo had sustained severe injuries to his pelvis and leg. Police said he was conscious but seemed to be in shock before paramedics took him to the hospital. Pupo was walking alongside a backhoe driven by Stanley Machuszek, 35, of Totowa when he tripped and fell underneath the vehicle's wheels, police said. Authorities said Pupo was working on a construction project at 271 Overmount Ave. Felix Esposito, the borough's code enforcement official, said the work site would eventually be a small commercial strip mall. Police earlier this week said it was a residential construction site. Pupo was working for SNM Contractors of Totowa, a subcontractor of Tower Ridge Company, LLC, Esposito said. That company has a post office box in Pine Brook. The company's head, Patrick Dellacave, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Police found that the backhoe had not been registered with the state Department of Motor Vehicles since 1995 and gave the contractor two summonses. Police and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the accident.
Worker is buried alive when dirt caves in; Burton man killed when walls collapsed By Taryn Asher Burton — (05/21/03)--An 18-year-old Burton man died in a construction site accident. Michael Meshraky was killed in Owosso Tuesday when the ground caved in on him. ABC12's Taryn Asher had more of the details. Meshraky works for his family business, S&M Building and Remodeling. Around 3 p.m. Tuesday, he was at a site, working to dig a sewer line when the dirt walls collapsed, burying him alive. Mershaky's coworker quickly directed emergency crews to his construction site on Arrow head Lane in Owosso. Firefighters worked to dig Mershaky out and rushed him to the hospital, but it was too late. Mershaky's grandmother and the rest of his family want to know what caused the cave in. "Becasue of the depth of the trench, which was approximatley 9 feet, my understanding there is a box safety device lowered into the trench to protect a worker from a cave-in such as this and there were no such devices in the trench," said Shiawassww County Sheriff Jon Wilson. That's why Wilson says state workplace safety investigators has been called in. S&M Building and Remodeling in Burton and Reiner Wedel Custom Homes out of Corunna are being investigated. With 25 years experience, Shiawassee County Drain Commissioner Bernard Butcher says in his opinion the dirt slopes at the site were too steep. "There's certain areas you need to be very careful of that could break lose with little notice," he said. MIOSHA is investigationg the incident to find out what happened and what laws may have been violated. We're told that investigation could take several weeks.
UPDATE Cal-OSHA complete Noyo Bridge accident investigation By TONY REED /Of the Advocate Thursday, May 22, 2003 - Pacific Coast Steel has been fined $18,000 by the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health after a two-month investigation into the collapse of a rebar column in February that killed one man and injured another. According to CAL-OSHA reports, the citation was issued to Pacific Coast Steel April 17, for what they called a "serious" level violation. Investigators concluded that "the vertical reinforcing steel column at the north end of the Noyo Bridge was not guyed and supported to prevent collapse." The collapse, which took the life of ironworker Jose Quintero and injured foreman Rex Kamoss, has been under investigation since it occurred. According to the CAL-OSHA report, Kamoss and Quintero were working 108 feet up the 123-foot-tall column, in order to release and reposition one of four supporting cables attached to the column. At the time, concrete had been poured up to the 60-foot level, leaving the top half of the column yet to be filled. "Employees were attempting to remove a twist in the assembled rebar structure prior to continuing with a future scheduled [concrete] pour," said the report, "when the foreman (Kamoss) removed the wire rope guy from the top of the column, and forcefully tugged on the cable, still anchored at the ground level. The column moved out of plumb and folded like a jack knife, bending in half, with the top of the column striking the deck below." The report noted that Kamoss was able to position himself in such a way as to soften his impact, while Quintero fell to his death. "The collapse was caused by the removal of an existing stabilizing wire rope guy by the foreman directing the work," the report concluded.
Fall from roof kills worker By Deuce Niven Correspondent TABOR CITY - A man working on the roof of the former Planter's Tobacco Warehouse died of injuries suffered when he fell through a skylight Tuesday morning. The worker, who was from Mexico, had not been identified as of late Tuesday, police Chief Roy Norris said. "This looks to be an accident, nothing criminal," Norris said. Rodriguez was taken to Loris Community Hospital, where he died. Columbus County Coroner Lynwood Cartrette said he would not investigate the death. A group of investors - Kyle Cox, Trent Burroughs, and lawyer Dennis Worley - recently purchased the warehouse and is renovating it, Burroughs said last week.
UPDATE Worker Death at Detriot's Ford Field Results in Penalties Totaling $556,000 May 21, 2003 The Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (CIS) announced last week the conclusion of the nine-month investigation of a fatal work accident at Ford Field with citations and penalties against Brockman Equipment, Inc. for $286,000, and Thomarios Painting for $270,000. The CIS Bureau of Safety and Regulation (BSR) is responsible for administering the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSHA). Thomarios Painting was a subcontractor on the Detroit Lions' Ford Field stadium construction site. Brockman Equipment, Inc. rented two aerial lifts to Thomarios, including a Condor 150S aerial work platform with an articulating and extensible boom. On July 30, 2002, Thomarios painter Gjon Gojcaj was in the Condor and was painting trusses more than 120 feet above the surface on the east side of the stadium. At about 10:15 a.m., the outrigger of the Condor lifted off the ground for the second time and the lift fell to the east, landing in the lower concrete seating area and fatally injuring Gojcaj, according to CIS. "Ford Field is a shining gem for the Detroit Lions and for the city of Detroit. It saddens us deeply that its construction legacy includes the death of worker Gjon Gojcaj," says Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. "This needless tragedy could have been avoided if either company had fulfilled their safety and health responsibilities." A total of nine willful violations are alleged against the two companies–five against Thomarios Painting and four against Brockman Equipment. Thomarios was cited for a willful violation of the General Duty clause for failure to protect their worker from a hazardous condition and a willful citation for failure to have operators perform a pre-operation inspection. Brockman received a willful citation for failure to inspect and maintain the aerial lift platform. Both companies received three Willful citations for: inadequate training, no manuals provided, and missing warning decals/stickers. A willful violation is defined as one committed with an intentional disregard of or plain indifference to the requirements of the MIOSHA Act and regulations. Based on provisions in the MIOSHA Act, Public Act 154, as amended, every willful violation, which is connected to a fatality, is referred to the Michigan Attorney General's Office for criminal investigation and/or prosecution. Thomarios received a total of 14 citations, and Brockman received a total of 10 citations, for alleged safety violations. The companies have 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply or contest the violations and penalties. "It became apparent from our MIOSHA investigation that each of these two companies abrogated their own safety and health responsibilities and relied on the other company to protect the workers," says CIS Director David C. Hollister. "These citations today send a clear message that in a situation involving multiple companies--every company will be held accountable for the willful disregard of worker safety and health."
Roofer hurt in fall BY LUISA YANEZ A roofer was seriously injured Tuesday when he fell four stories from the top of a building at Florida International University's south campus. The unidentified worker is an employee of a Broward County company contracted to fix the roof of a campus building that houses classrooms and offices, according to a university spokeswoman. Classes were in session at the time of the 2 p.m. accident at the DM building at the corner of Southwest Eighth Street and 112th Avenue. Miami-Dade fire rescue transported the worker to an area hospital. His condition is unknown.
Roof Collapses On Manlius Business Edited by Dave Pieklik An investigation is underway into the collapse of a roof at a Manlius business Tuesday. The roof collapsed around 2:30 p.m of the building on Fairgrounds Drive. The roof was being constructed for a bakery undergoing repairs. Fortunately, the workers who had been erecting the roof had left hours before the collapse. No one was inside the building, and there were no injuries. The building was heavily damaged. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the accident to determine what caused the collapse. The building was being repaired after a bakery located inside burned down last year.
Spark from welding torch blamed in school fire (Gadsden-AP) -- The state Fire Marshal has determined a welding spark is blamed for causing a fire that destroyed most of Highland Elementary School last week. Arson investigators said the blaze ignited in a room where workers had been cutting away old metal-frame windows. Construction crews apparently did not realize there was wood behind the metal frames. The fire, which was discovered shortly after 8 pm Thursday night, caused extensive damage to most of the school -- the school's gymnasium and two recently built classrooms were spared. Etowah County Superintendent Tommy Mosley said yesterday the school will be rebuilt. He said portable classrooms will be used until construction on the new school is completed in 12 to 18 months.
OSHA investigates death of worker at Millbrook construction site The Associated Press 5/20/03 12:41 PM MILLBROOK, Ala. (AP) -- The Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating a Millbrook construction site where a worker died last week when a trench collapsed on him. Steve Owens, 40, of Tyler died Friday while working in a subdivision, police reports said. Owens was working for Liberty Construction of Montgomery. Company officials could not be reached for comment. Police reports said crews weren't using a trench box at the time of the accident. Federal regulations require the sides of a trench be supported when workers are in place, or that a trench box be used to protect the workers in case of a collapse.
T-REX has first fatal construction-zone accident By News Staff May 20, 2003 The first fatal accident in a T-REX construction zone happened when a woman driving a small sedan south on I-25 plowed into the back of a heavy "impact truck" at 1:34 a.m. Monday just north of Interstate 225. Detective John White, a police spokesman, said the car then hit two workmen. One worker suffered broken bones and other injuries, and the other received minor treatment, White said. He said the truck had flashing lights to signal drivers to keep left of it. He did not know if alcohol or fatigue played a role in the crash.
Worker badly injured after getting caught under wheels of backhoe Tuesday, May 20, 2003 WEST PATERSON - A construction worker was seriously injured Monday when he was accidentally run over by a backhoe, police said. Juan Pupo, 54, of Paterson was working on a residential construction project at Overmount Avenue and Rifle Camp Road at 9:53 a.m. He was walking next to a backhoe, Detective Capt. Robert Reda said, when he became caught underneath the left wheels. The backhoe driver told police that Pupo somehow tripped. He was taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center. "He's got injuries to his left leg and pelvis," Reda said. "He's in bad shape." Reda said the accident is still under investigation. Officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration went to the scene several hours after the accident occurred, an OSHA spokesman said. Police wrote the construction company, SNM Contracting, two summonses because the backhoe was uninsured and had not been registered since 1995, Reda said. "A lot of times these vehicles are off the road," he said, explaining how the vehicle's missing registration went unchecked.
Fort Pitt Tunnel damage may exceed $1 million; Cause of fire unknown, but construction stays on track Tuesday, May 20, 2003 By Joe Grata, Post-Gazette Staff Writer When more than 100 engineers, suppliers and support staff gathered at a Green Tree hotel in February for an all-day pre-construction workshop about Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel repairs, they discussed circumstances that could affect safety and the schedule. Fire was on their long list, because a piece of equipment caught fire last year during work on the lower, outbound deck. But no one expected what happened Friday night, when equipment parked at the south end of the inbound tunnel caught fire. Although no serious structural damage occurred, other damage appears likely to exceed $1 million. Nobody was injured; work in the inbound tunnel had ended for the night and it was empty. A state fire marshal and a city arson investigator are expected to rule on the cause later this week. The outbound tunnel, being used during construction for inbound traffic, was closed by the fire. It reopened Sunday morning. Traffic on the inbound Parkway West/Interstate 279 was back to what passes for normal yesterday, with the numerous pre-existing restrictions caused by the $84 million Fort Pitt project. Joe Primo, assistant project manager for consulting firm Michael Baker Corp., and Dick Skrinjar, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman, conducted a news media tour of the damaged tunnel yesterday. Primo said that when workers ended their shift at 11 p.m. at the far end of the tunnel, they drove vehicles back to the south end and parked them, as usual, about 100 feet inside the portal. A lift truck, a Bobcat loader and four all-terrain vehicles that are called "mules" by construction workers were destroyed by the fire that erupted there. Four PennDOT employees on duty in tunnel control rooms smelled and then spotted smoke, notifying the city Fire Bureau at 11:18 p.m. As flames reached the ceiling and the tunnel portal, they ignited long wooden beams and boards stretched across the ceiling for construction purposes, fueling the fire. The heat was so intense that it blackened and popped off ceramic tiles and melted bolts holding the aluminum letters on the granite facade that displays the tunnel name. A 16-foot-high, 150-horsepower tunnel ventilation fan, one of four at the south portal, sucked up much of the heat and smoke and may be damaged beyond repair. A worker said it could cost $300,000 to replace. Three nearby fans were not affected. The intense heat charred conduit, controls, electrical cables and electrical junction and breaker boxes that control mechanical and communications elements of the tunnel. Fire also ruined a "multiplexer," where wires from remote TV surveillance cameras feed into a fiber-optic cable serving PennDOT's traffic management center in Collier. Skrinjar said 48 of 62 surveillance cameras were not working yesterday, mostly those monitoring traffic on the Parkway East/Interstate 376 and Parkway North/I-279. Although workers said equipment appears to have started the fire, Primo said he and others "have no clue" and are waiting word from investigators. PennDOT expressed confidence that the fire will not prevent Trumbull Corp., the prime contractor, and subcontractors from finishing work on the inbound tunnel and inbound bridge deck by Labor Day and rebuilding the exit ramp to Grant Street and the Parkway East by Halloween. "This doesn't help," Primo said. "Once we determine what needs to be done, everybody will have to work more hours and extra weekends."
UPDATE Contractor in building collapse gets 3 years probation By SAMUEL MAULL Associated Press Writer May 20, 2003, 3:23 PM EDT NEW YORK -- A contractor was sentenced Tuesday to three years probation and 250 hours of community service in connection with a Manhattan building collapse last year that killed one worker and severely injured three others. Shunkun "Michael" Tam, 49, was sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice John Bradley on his April 8 reckless endangerment conviction. The judge could have sentenced him to as much as a year in jail and fined him $1,000. Tam told the judge he had been "very surprised" by the collapse and expressed tearful remorse. "I feel very sorry for what happened," he said through a Cantonese speaking translator. "Everyday I have prayed for the victims." Bradley fined Tam's now-defunct contracting company, Tamco Corp., $5,000. The jury acquitted Tam of second-degree manslaughter in the death of Antonio Romano, 41, a Mexican immigrant who was crushed by concrete blocks and other debris on May 16, 2002, while renovating a five-story townhouse on East 61st Street. Tam was also found innocent of three assault charges in connection with serious injuries to three other workers. The town house was being renovated for Fabio Granato, owner of the Serafina restaurants. The workers were hurt when concrete blocks, loaded atop an improperly secured platform on the building's top level, caused the walls to collapse inward. A dozen other $55-a-day workers staggered out with minor injuries. Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cort had asked Bradley to sentence Tam to the maximum of one year. "The defendant wanted to make money and do this job on the cheap," Cort told the judge. "The defendant committed these crimes because of his greed." Tam's lawyer, Barry Turner, said his client had lost all of his money, and his company is out of business. The lawyer said Tam is now working for other contractors. Turner alleged that the site foreman, Cheung Keat "Ken" Ai, 33, caused the accident because he failed to follow Tam's instructions. Ai has pleaded guilty in the case and will be sentenced later to a minimum of one to three years and a maximum sentence of two to six years in prison.
Two bricklayers injured in accident at hospital Two construction workers were injured at Mary Washington Hospital when they were struck by a falling piece of glass. The accident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. May 8 at the 94-bed addition now under construction on the front side of the hospital. A plate of tinted glass fell from the fourth floor of the addition and struck two bricklayers who were working on the ground, said K.C. Haile, vice president of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., the general contractor. One of the workmen was treated and released in Mary Washington's emergency room, Haile said yesterday. The other man was more seriously injured and remains hospitalized, Haile said. His condition could not be determined yesterday. Haile said the cause of the accident is still under investigation. The glass had been hung earlier and was not being worked on when it fell. After the accident, work on the building was halted so that all new glass could be checked. Construction resumed the next morning. The new tower is expected to open by early next year.
UPDATE Contractor fined for deadly Rockville garage collapse A contractor has been fined $11,275 for safety violations discovered after a Rockville parking garage collapse that killed three North Carolina construction workers, state regulators announced Monday. Cracks were also found in the section of the garage that collapsed Nov. 15, according to the report by the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health agency. State investigators said they couldn't determine if the James G. Davis Construction Corp., a Rockville-based contractor overseeing construction of the seven-story garage, made sure the portion that eventually fell could withstand the weight of the building's concrete floor slabs. Davis has not been able to prove that it or any subcontractors used a qualified structural engineer to design the section that fell, the report states. The cracks, found by an independent inspector, should have indicated the building supports were about to fail, an investigator said. "This accident might have been prevented ... if the project engineer had recognized the cracks along the anchor bolts as a possible sign of impending failure," wrote Roger Campbell, a MOSH investigator. Davis is challenging the decision and will discuss the citation with state officials at a May 29 meeting, said MOSH spokesman Joseph Seidel. Stanley Manvill, Davis' vice president for safety, did not return calls by The Associated Press on Monday seeking comment. Davis was the lead contractor for the construction of two federal office buildings and the seven-story concrete parking garage. The job included a handful of subcontractors and private inspectors hired by Montgomery County to conduct regular safety and progress checks. One of those contractors was Graham, N.C.-based C.P. Buckner, which had 15 workers laying beams on the top few floors of the building Nov. 15. The 248,000-square-foot, $7 million garage was nearly 75 percent complete at the time. Workers who survived said they heard a pop right before a 118-foot wide and 37-foot deep section of the building fell, with the concrete floors pancaking down on top of each other. Killed were Jose Ramirez, 36, of Raleigh, N.C.; Carl Gene Fisher, 42, of Wadesboro, N.C.; and Hubaldo Medina Andrade, 28, of Chapel Hill, N.C. Isidoro Garcia Lara, 37, was injured in the accident. State investigators later found a long fracture in a section referred to as C-3, leading them to believe that was the portion that caused the collapse. Davis built the C-3 section according to the design of a similar part of the garage, even though the two sections were meant to carry different amounts of weight, the report said. Investigators also couldn't find any record that plan was properly reviewed. "I have been unable to find plans, drawings or any other documentation that would indicate that the C-3 pier as built, was designed in that manner for that location by a person qualified in structural design," Campbell wrote. One of inspectors hired by the county later found the cracks and brought them to the attention of the project engineer, Smislova, Kehnemui & Associates, or SK&A. A SK&A official said the cracks could be fixed, but there is no evidence any action was taken, the report states. A woman who answered the phone at SK&A referred all calls to Davis.
Building Collapse At Upper East Side Construction Site (New York-WABC, May 20, 2003) — The front of a building at an Upper East Side construction site has collapsed onto the sidewalk. No injuries were immediately reported at the construction site at 204 East 74th Street just before 9 a.m. A building at the site was being demolished when the front of the structure fell. It collapsed onto the scaffolding surrounding the building, and all the material then fell onto the sidewalk. None of the workers were injured, and it did not immediately appear that anyone on the sidewalk was hurt. East 74th Street is closed while authorities secure the scene.
Crane Topples A crane came toppling down in downtown Fresno, putting several lives in danger. It happened at the construction site for the new federal building at Tulare and P Streets in downtown Fresno. The crane crashed down just after 8:00am Monday morning, falling on a semi trailer. No one was hurt. The accident is being attributed to operator error. Construction officials are now working on a way to right the fallen machine.
Accidents kill 2 on Gulf Freeway Houston Chronicle Houston police said two people were killed in separate motor vehicle accidents on the Gulf Freeway this morning. A pickup burst into flames, trapping the driver inside, about 2:30 a.m. in the 15000 block of the southbound Gulf Freeway. The driver apparently lost control and struck a guard rail, causing the truck to roll on its side, police said. "The driver was burned beyond recognition," said HPD spokesman Joe Laud. About three hours later, a construction worker was killed after being hit by a vehicle at a work site in the 6800 block of the Gulf Freeway. The driver, possibly a woman in a red pickup, struck the worker shortly before 6 a.m. and then fled the scene, police said.
Construction Worker Dies After Falling From Scaffolding (New York-AP, May 17, 2003) — A 27-year-old construction worker died Saturday when he fell six stories off scaffolding at a residential building in Brooklyn, police said. Lee Keenan of Maspeth, Queens, appeared to have slipped, said Carmen Melendez, a police department spokeswoman. Keenan was pronounced dead on arrival at Woodhull Hospital at 9:10 a.m., less than an hour after the fall. The incident occurred in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. No other injuries were reported, Melendez said.
UPDATE Crane-hire company fined for worklace death that was 'wholly avoidable' Robert Grant, an employee of Rumney Crane and Engineering Ltd, Rumney, S.Wales, lost his life in what a Welsh judge described as a "wholly avoidable accident" in March last year. Mr Grant died from injuries he sustained in a 10-metre fall from a crane at his employer's premises as he undertook electrical work. The company admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in the circumstances of Mr Grant's death and was fined £15,000 with £1,266 costs at Cardiff Magistrates' Court. Steve Scott, HSE Principal Inspector commented: "Wearing a suitable safety harness would undoubtedly have saved Mr Grant's life. Firms whose employees work at height should operate the 'two-metre rule'. In essence, workers should not work within 2 metres of an open edge from which they might fall more than 2 metres unless appropriate precautions have been taken."
Welders Caused County Building Fire A fire that destroyed the headquarters of Charles County's Department of Community Services this week was caused by welders who were renovating the 52-year-old building's heating and air conditioning system, federal and Maryland investigators said. The fire caused more than $2.5 million in damage and destroyed the only copies of waiting lists for the Section 8 low-income housing program, county spokeswoman Nina W. Voehl said yesterday. Officials have stopped taking housing applications until a new list can be made, Voehl said. The fire began in an attic-type space above the building's boiler room, where a contractor was welding, said W. Faron Taylor, a spokesman for the state fire marshal. Fire marshals and investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could not determine whether the fire was started by sparks from the welding or from a surge of electricity that welding sends through material, Taylor said. No charges will be filed in connection with the fire, Taylor said.
Man survives 30-foot fall Friday, May 16, 2003 By Zeb Carabello GILROY - An Eagle Ridge construction worker suffered minor internal head injuries Thursday afternoon when a bridge structure he was working on collapsed, sending the man on a 30 foot free fall into a trickling creek. The worker was Francisco Torres, 44, according to Torres’ work partner, who declined to give his name. Rescue crews arrived on the scene around 3:30 p.m. at the south end of Eagle Ridge Court near Bullybunion Drive where Torres fell, eventually pulling him out of the creek and transporting him a quarter mile up the road by ambulance where he was met with a helicopter ambulance that transported him to a Santa Clara Valley hospital. Rescue workers on the scene said Torres was lucky to have full body motion and did not appear to suffer paralysis, and Torres was released from the hospital this morning. “I was on one side of the bridge and Francisco was on the other when it just collapsed,” said Torres’ co-worker. “I saw him and all the materials fall and he was just laying there not saying anything. When I got down there blood was coming out his ears.” Shapell Industries is the developer of the Eagle Ridge area, although several separate construction contractors are believed to be building within the division. When contacted this morning a Shapell official said she was not aware of the accident or which construction company employed Torres.
One Dead In Lancaster Accident May 16, 2003 LANCASTER, S.C. -- Emergency officials are on the scene of an accident that killed one person in Lancaster. The accident involved four vehicles on Highway 521 south on the bypass. The victim was driving through a construction zone when the car was struck by a vehicle Highway Patrol says was speeding. The victim's car then went into the median and struck an asphalt truck. Troopers say the car of the driver who was speeding went down an embankment. Authorities say traffic is backed up in the area as a result of the accident.
Ethanol plant worker shocked, but doing OK Associated Press BROOKINGS, S.D. - A worker at an ethanol plant under construction in Brookings County was brought to the hospital after getting an electrical shock. Robert Rassel, 39, of Iowa, was conscious and doing OK after the accident Thursday afternoon at the Vera Sun Energy plant near Aurora. He went to the Brookings hospital as a precaution but has since been released. The sheriff said the accident happened when a back hoe unearthed a buried cable and it came in contact with chains being used to move equipment. Rassel was shocked when he touched the chains.
UPDATE Bosses charged over chimney deaths TWO company bosses have been charged with manslaughter after a pair of steeplejacks were killed by a fireball which engulfed them while demolishing a chimney in Greater Manchester. Paul Wakefield, 40, and Craig Whelan, 23, were working inside the 200ft tower in Westhoughton, near Bolton, when there was an explosion. Their deaths at the Carnaud Metalbox tin can plant triggered an investigation by Greater Manchester Police and the Health and Safety Executive. Now two of the company's managers have been charged with manslaughter and police say a third manager, believed to be from Swansea, is to be summoned. Ian Billington, 39, of Conisber Close, Egerton, and Colin Stevens, 57, of Barford Grove, Lostock, each face two counts of manslaughter. They will appear before Bolton magistrates on Tuesday. Father-of-two Paul Wakefield was due home to celebrate his wife Lyn's 39th birthday and their 17th wedding anniversary when he died. He phoned her at their Nottingham home to say he loved her minutes before he started work on a cradle inside the chimney. But two hours later he and his workmate were engulfed by a huge fireball. They both died instantly in the inferno, which spewed 30ft-high flames into the air for 40 minutes. Mr Wakefield's widow said after the tragedy: "Paul and I loved each other. That's the last thing we said to each other and I'm thankful for that. He was a wonderful, devoted family man." Their daughters Kelly, 16, and Nicola, 12, are still struggling to come to terms with their father's death. Craig Whelan's fiancee Jill Wallace, 24, is also struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. The couple, also from Nottingham, had been looking forward to their wedding, which was planned for February this year. They had been living together since they were 17 and had a three-year-old daughter, Katie, who was the "apple of her daddy's eye". Miss Wallace said: "Daddy's girl just didn't describe it. All she had to do was flutter her eyelashes and he'd do anything for her." The force of the explosion, which happened on May 23 last year, dislodged a 180ft ladder. The investigation had to be delayed while the site was made safe. The tragedy has shocked fellow workers at Churchill Steeplejacks, in Ruddington, Nottingham. A company statement after the incident said: "The devastating tragic event has left us all shocked and numb. "Our deepest heart-felt condolences and thoughts are with their families." Mr Wakefield had worked for the family-run firm for eight years. Mr Whelan had been employed there for over two years. Steve Thomas, a spokesman for Carnaud Metalbox's parent company Crown, Cork and Seal Ltd, said: "We can confirm that two employees are facing charges following the industrial accident at our Westhoughton plant. "The conclusion of our internal investigation of this dreadful accident is that these employees acted at all times conscientiously and with consideration for the safety of others. "They continue to receive our full support as we work with the police and the Health and Safety Executive to establish the cause of the incident."
Fire extinguished at construction project FITCHBURG -- Firefighters put out flames caused by a construction project Tuesday afternoon inside the UEL Construction building at 270 Airport Road. Deputy Chief Andrew Gallant said welders working on a project to enlarge the building accidentally set fire to insulation inside the building. Firefighters isolated and removed the insulation and put out the fire in about a half hour. Gallant said the fire caused a few thousand dollars worth of damage to the interior of the building. No one was hurt.
Worker Falls At Soldier Field; Suffers Head Injury After Landing On Head May 14, 2003 CHICAGO -- A construction worker was hospitalized Wednesday night after falling 8 feet while working on the renovations to Soldier Field. The accident happened just before 11 a.m. The worker suffered lacerations to the head after falling on his head. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where a representative said he was in stable condition Wednesday night.
Freeways Reopen After Crane Accident; I-5, I-805 Shut Down For Several Hours May 14, 2003 SAN DIEGO -- A crane collapsed on Interstate 5 early Wednesday, pulling down power lines, snarling traffic and causing a chaotic commute. The accident closed stretches of Interstates 5 and 805 until midmorning. A southbound stretch of Interstate 5, a main traffic artery linking the North County to downtown, was the last to reopen at noon, more than nine hours after the accident. The closures left tens of thousands of commuters with nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait. About 270,000 vehicles a day that come through this interchange, so it's a lot of traffic. It impacted all the surface streets and freeways both north and south. It was a headache for commuters and officers," California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Gregg said. A pregnant woman stuck in traffic called 911 about 6:30 a.m. to report that her water broke. Paramedics were able to reach her and get her to a nearby hospital. Earlier, a truck driver stuck in the backup was arrested for drunken driving, according to CHP officer Phil Konstantin. Amtrak and the Coaster, a commuter railway from Oceanside to San Diego, also were held up for hours. The accident occurred about 2:30 a.m. as Caltrans construction crews were working overnight on a project to widen the I-5 and I-805 merge. A crane was attempting to lift 145 tons of steel rebar into place when it collapsed and knocked down power lines that cross the highway. No one was injured, but nearly 3,000 nearby homes and businesses were left without power for several hours. About 700 people still remained without power as of Wednesday afternoon. Those affected are mostly businesses in the Torrey Pines area, 10News reported. Around 6 p.m. the California Highway Patrol reclosed both lanes of I-5 and northbound I-805 around the merge and State Route 52 to repair power lines. According to 10News, traffic flow was back to normal as of 7 p.m. and cars moved freely on the freeways. San Diego Gas and Electric said it could take several days to fully repair three high-voltage transmission lines and two distribution lines that were damaged.
Davis Commuters Hit Unpleasant Suprise May. 15, 2003 Sandra Yi reporting Davis County commuters get their patience tested when a big construction project hits an unexpected roadblock. Highway 89 was closed all morning, much to the surprise of commuters. And parts of highway 89 are still closed. Part of the problem is construction crews were installing a sewer line and dug a trench, only to see it begin to collapse. It looked like rush hour-- at noon. Chris Lloyd/Driver: "NOBODY LIKES TO GET STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR A LONG TIME, THAT'S FOR SURE." But drivers in Davis County had a tough morning commute as a construction project on highway 89 hit a roadblock. Tom Hudachko/UDOT: "AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE HAD THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROBLEMS THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE ASPHALT STOPS AND THE ROAD BASE BEGINS. ABOUT 20 FEET WIDE." Crews installing a sewer line ran into trouble when a 10 foot trench sloughed on some unstable soil and expanded. Workers would have to tear up the asphalt and repave. Tom Hudachko/UDOT: "WE'RE STILL HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE TRENCH HERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE PRESSURE IS RELIEVED AND WE'VE GOT SOME CRACKING IN THE ASPHALT HERE." The problem, though unexpected, caused major headaches and delays for drivers who had no idea the highway was shut down. It was supposed to reopen at 5 am. Chris Lloyd/Driver: "OH, IT WAS ABOUT A HALF HOUR DELAY." By 10:00 this morning only one southbound lane would open to traffic. Jennifer Cate/Traffic Specialist: "UP IN DAVIS COUNTY, WE STILL HAVE THAT DETOUR." All northbound lanes are still closed, leaving commuters to think again about the drive home. Trever Breuhn/Driver: "THEY HAVEN'T POSTED IT OR ANYTHING SO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS CLOSED OFF UNTIL JUST NOW WHEN I GOT HERE. SO I'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HOME COMING THE BACK WAY." Gary Birell/Driver: "NOBODY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON." "SO WAS IT FRUSTRATING?" "VERY FRUSTRATING, VERY FRUSTRATING." Chris Lloyd/Driver: "I'M NOT GOING TO BE TAKING IT TONIGHT." Highway 89 northbound lanes will be closed until tomorrow morning at 5. The detour is at the Farmington exit. If you take Main Street, you can get back on 89 at Cherry Hill. If you're heading north, you can stay on I-15 and take the Kaysville exit. A reminder that Lagoon Drive is also closed. UDOT says this project will help ease traffic in Davis County, so the headaches now will be worth it in the long run.
Fire destroys Anderson carpet store May 14, 2003 - 4:51 pm By Ron Barnett STAFF WRITER Fire destroyed a 50-year-old building and $500,000 worth of carpet and hardwood flooring in Anderson on Wednesday, but no one was seriously hurt, officials and the owner of the business said. he blaze, at the Carpet Fashions/Carpet One store at 1620 North Main St., apparently was sparked by roofers using torches, according to Anderson Fire Department spokeswoman Kim Strickland. Businesses within 2 1/2 to three blocks around the building were evacuated because of possibly noxious fumes, she said. Firefighters tried to douse the flames from above with a ladder truck but couldn't make much headway, Strickland said. "It became too dangerous for firefighters to actually walk on the roof, so we did have to evacuate everyone from the roof and the inside of the building and do an exterior attack," she said. David Rumph, who owned the carpet business but not the building, said he managed to get computer records out before the building was fully engulfed, but nothing else was saved. There were no customers in the store at the time the fire started, around 1:15 p.m., he said. The business employs eight, most of whom were inside at the time. "Everybody got out safely, but the store started filling up with smoke pretty quickly," he said. The business was in a former Winn-Dixie building that dated to the 1950s, he said. The value of the building wasn't immediately known. Rumph was at lunch when he got word that there was a problem on the roof. "They were just about to finish up and were in the back of the building," he said. "They had put the torch in and were heating up the last bit of the roof and evidently burned through and caught the roof up underneath on fire. "Once it hit, it just went up. That stuff was so dry and old, it was a lost cause." An official of the roofing company could not be reached. Two or three firefighters were taken to a rehab unit for treatment of smoke inhalation or heat exhaustion, Strickland said, but no one was sent to the hospital. Fire officials were concerned about the possibly noxious smoke from the smoldering carpet and evacuated businesses in the area, including a child care center about 200 feet behind the burning building, a restaurant and a strip mall, she said. There were also calls from nearby residences about the smoke, she said. Firefighters were expected to remain on the scene dousing hot spots through the night, but there was no apparent danger of the fire spreading, Strickland said.
Man crushed to death by steamroller in freak accident By Donal Hickey A MAN was yesterday crushed to death in a freak accident involving a steamroller. The Health and Safety Authority launched an investigation after 54-year-old Tom Flaherty, of Keel, Castlemaine, Co Kerry, died while carrying out roadworks for Kerry County Council. The accident occurred at Lougher, Annascaul, around 10.30am. A number of men were working on the road and it is believed the steamroller rolled back dragging Mr Flaherty underneath. Traffic was delayed for about an hour as emergency services dealt with the accident, the second of its kind on Kerry roads in the past two years. Mr Flaherty is survived by his wife, Eileen, three sons and a daughter. He was described locally as a hard-working, family man who was well respected. Meanwhile, an 18-year-old woman was killed when her car collided with a truck at Lea Road, Portarlington, Co Laois. Two other women in the car, both in their late teens, were seriously injured. The crash happened around 10pm on Tuesday night. One of Dublin’s busiest roads was closed yesterday for a number of hours after two trucks, one containing nitric acid, crashed. Dublin fire brigade, the Hazardous Chemical Unit and gardaí attended the scene on Ashbourne Road.
Wall collapse injures one man By James Haynes Wednesday, May 14, 2003 City building officials and OSHA are investigating after a partial wall collapse at 407 Rear Mystic Ave. sent one man to the hospital. EMS medics transported one employee from L.Feinman and Sons, an Acushnet based facility maintenance company, to Massachusetts General Hospital with a possible head injury shortly after 1 p.m. on May 6, after the concrete block wall he and other employees were working on collapsed suddenly. Medford Police and Fire responded to the incident, although the fire department stayed for only a brief period, as Somerville's fire department arrived on the scene first. Somerville Fire reported the worse injured worker appeared to have suffered a skull fracture. In an incident report, a Somerville firefighter noted, "Two other minor injuries to other workers." Steve Gubbins, a licensed contractor working for Feinman and Sons, and supervisor of several projects, including the 407 Mystic Ave. job, said the man was not seriously injured. "He was back on the job the next day, as a matter of fact," said Gubbins. Feinman and Sons were apparently removing blocks from the front and rear walls at AMI Leasing, one of the tenant of the business park at 407 Rear Mystic Ave. The crew was reportedly doing masonry work, repairing and remortaring, when a block fell from the wall and apparently struck one of the workers on the head. Building Commissioner Paul Mochi said work on the site was done without a permit. "There was crew out there and they didn't have a permit. There was no one there supervising the work, which was done by two or three young kids," said Mochi. "We also were told by some of the people who work in AMI that they didn't have hard hats on." Gubbins, however, disputes some of the Building Department's claims. He said the injured man was the foreman on the site. He also said the crew was doing minor repairs, and he did not believe it required a building permit. "We were just doing patch work, so to my understanding you don't need a building permit to do patch work," said Gubbins. "Unless they changed the rules, as they do all the time. And there was a foreman in charge on the job." Gubbins said he had visited the AMI site that day, as part of his rounds. Donald Bolanger, another inspector for the city investigating the incident, said there were several evident safety lapses at the building site. "They didn't have a permit. What they were doing was not secured properly. They were busting some block out of the back wall, but they weren't really doing anything properly," said Bolanger. "I know there was some electrical lines that went to the used oil tanks in the back that were still attached to the wall. You had the gas meter right out on the outside of the wall, the same side they were breaking the wall down." Richard Fazzio, Occupational Safety and Health Administration director for Northeastern Massachusetts, confirmed OSHA is investigating the accident, but declined to offer details. Feinman and Sons, according to a search of OSHA enforcement inspections, does not appear to have any prior citations. Mochi said a representative at AMI told them he was not aware that the work was done without a permit. Mochi said he is requiring AMI to hire a structural engineer to design repairs, hire a licensed contractor to carry them out, and apply for the appropriate building permits before work could resume on the building. AMI Leasing also did not return calls for comment on the collapse.
Road worker critical after A47 accident May 14, 2003 11:44 STAFF at a road engineering firm today spoke of their shock at hearing a colleague had been critically hurt while carrying out repairs on the A47. Marcus Frost, 26, of Low Common, Swardeston, was taking measurements on the busy road on Monday afternoon when he was hit by a dark blue Saab 9.5. He suffered serious head and leg injuries and is being treaetd at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. Mr Frost, who had been working with a colleague for East Anglian engineering contractors Atkins, was initially taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn. The driver of the Saab, a 67-year-old man from Leicestershire, was not injured in the crash which happened less than a mile from the Swaffham side of Church Road, West Bilney. Richard Scrase, marketing manager for the Atkins Group, said the firm wished Mr Frost a speedy recovery. He added: "We were shocked and saddened to learn of the accident and our thoughts and prayers are for Marcus, his family and friends. "We take incidents of this sort extremely seriously and will be conducting our own inquiry. We will cooperate fully in any investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the circumstances."
Fallen crane causes power outage: Driver escapes injury, but Natick homeowners are inconvenienced By Jon Brodkin Wednesday, May 14, 2003 NATICK -- A crane attempting to move a tree tipped over yesterday morning, pulling down wires and causing a power outage to 1,900 homes. The driver, Ernie Tupper of Framingham, escaped serious injury, needing only bandages for cuts on his hand. Tupper was removing a tree for a homeowner at North Avenue and Tibbets Street around 11 a.m., when the three-axle vehicle tipped over, causing the crane to drag down wires. That set off a chain reaction which broke a nearby pole, officials said. Deputy Fire Chief Gene Sabourin said the long crane likely was holding the tree at an angle too close to being parallel with the ground, causing the whole vehicle to tip. "It's just a matter of too much extension and too much lean," Sabourin said. The longer the crane, the higher it should be, especially when holding heavy objects, he said. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is leading the investigation into why the crane tipped. Officials were still on the scene as of 6:30 last night. It was taking them many hours to lift the truck upright because of OSHA's investigation and delays in getting the proper equipment to the scene. The crane was eventually righted and towed just away before dark. The last fire crew left just after 9 p.m. NStar crews, though, worked into the night trying to restore power. Tupper, 35, declined to comment, except to say that his hand was not hurt badly. Natick Sgt. Robert Davis said one of four outriggers used to steady the vehicle broke, another possible cause of the accident. He also said OSHA officials likely will look into whether the tree exceeded the allowed weight the crane can carry. The longer the boom, he said, the less weight it is supposed to haul. NStar spokesman Mike Monahan said all but about six of the 1,900 customers who lost power had it restored within 45 minutes. NStar could not replace a transformer to restore power to the other six until several hours later, when OSHA finished its on-site investigation, he said. Because of the nature of the accident, local officials were required to notify OSHA, which did not arrive until almost two hours after the mishap. Residents who had lost power in their homes milled about the scene, as NStar employees worked to put the lights back on and firefighters and police officers tried to determine how the crane fell. Tupper, whose vehicle was labeled All Time Crane Service, apparently was unsure about why the accident occurred. At one point, he asked several local officials for their opinion on why the crane tipped over. The tree he had been removing from next to the house lay broken on the street. The driveway in which the crane had been working was cracked in the fall. A 38-year-old Tewksbury worker died in a crane accident in Waltham last November. Dennis O'Neil was riding in the extended bucket of a crane when the truck tipped over. In yesterday's accident, there was no bucket on the crane. Sabourin said the tree was secured to the crane by a cable with a hook.
Backhoe accident cuts Boston Net service By Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff, 5/14/2003 An errant backhoe blade wrought havoc on Internet service throughout Boston yesterday, and The Boston Globe's Internet site, Boston.com, was among the victims, as was the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. Workers accidentally sliced through a fiber-optic data cable used by Dallas-based Allegiance Telecom Inc., a telecommunications company that hosts the server computers of Boston.com and other local businesses. The accident, which occurred at about 6:45 a.m., disrupted Internet services throughout the day. ''In the Boston area, all of our data customers are affected,'' said Allegiance spokesman Michael Caputo. ''They have no service to the public Internet.'' Other customers who used Allegiance to carry their telephone traffic also lost voice communications, but Caputo wouldn't identify the customers. Allegiance began to restore service by late afternoon, with the help of Veroxity Technology Partners Inc., a Boston-based Internet provider, which shared some of its Internet capacity with Allegiance. ''It was a unique situation where we could lend a hand,'' said Michael Papell, Veroxity's director of business development. Randy Brandenburg, Boston.com vice president of product and technology, said the website actually never lost contact with the Internet because it has a secondary data connection. Unfortunately, the domain name service (DNS) computer for the site was still operated by Allegiance, and was knocked offline. A DNS computer is part of a global network of machines that direct visitors to the correct Web servers. If DNS is down, it doesn't matter whether the Web server is working, because Internet users will have no way of reaching the server. Brandenburg said that Boston.com was aware of the danger before the outage occurred. Next month the site was to adopt a new system that included its own DNS computer. But the cable cut ''got in 16 or 17 days ahead of us,'' said Brandenburg. Boston.com moved quickly yesterday to set up a new DNS computer, but Brandenburg said that it wouldn't do any good until some time today. That's because the Internet's entire DNS network must be told how to contact the new DNS computer, and the worldwide directory is updated only once a day. Fortunately, Veroxity came to the rescue, lending 100 megabits of data-carrying capacity to Allegiance. This put the Allegiance DNS computer back on line and restored service to Boston.com at around 5:30 p.m. yesterday.
Gas explosion destroys home By Town Crier staff Santa Clara County firefighters extinguish flames at a Cupertino home that exploded after utility workers accidentally punctured a gas line while working on a home down the street near the Los Altos border May 6. Gas from the damaged gas line filled the house and ignited when it came into contact with a lit pilot light, authorities said. The explosion nearly leveled the home. Nobody was injured in the explosion. The owner told local news stations that he had left for the store to purchase a box of screws for a project he was working on just before the disaster occurred.
OSHA proposes $49,300 fine for Panhandle bridge worker's death The Associated Press 5/14/03 3:30 PM PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) -- Federal officials have proposed that two construction companies be fined $49,300 for alleged safety violations found after a bridge worker fell 90 feet to his death. Richard Martin James, 33, of Fountain, hit part of the bridge on the way down before falling into St. Andrew Bay on Dec. 14. The eight-lane bridge on U.S. 98 is expected to be completed later this year. It will replace an existing four-lane bridge connecting Panama City and Panama City Beach. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is seeking fines of $29,000 against Granite Construction Co. of Watsonville, Calif., and $20,300 against Granite-Rizzani de Echer, a joint venture between Granite and an Italian company. OSHA investigators found two violations contributed to the death: failure to properly secure ladders and lack of proper equipment to prevent falls such as safety harnesses or guard rails, said James Borders, the agency's Jacksonville area director. Borders said six other violations unrelated to the death were discovered including the lack of a facility where workers could wash corrosive materials from their eyes, tripping hazards and exposed steel rods that could impale a falling worker. All of been corrected, Borders said. The companies have 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed fines before an independent review commission. Granite spokesman Michael Lawson said his company, the senior partner in the joint venture, will decide how to respond after meeting with Borders some time before the deadline.
UPDATE MOSCOW FIRE KILLS TEN A fire at a Moscow building site has killed ten people and hospitalised one worker. Initial investigation suggests it was sparked by welding equipment being used in the construction of a three?story parking facility. It’s being reported that migrant workers from former Soviet Republics who work there were forbidden by the private security to talk to the media or to ask for assistance when the fire started. Source: WorldWatch
EMS Crashes On Way To Rescue Worker; Roof Collapses At Construction Site May 13, 2003 A construction worker was reportedly trapped as the result of a roof collapse in Chesterfield Township Tuesday morning. The accident happened at 10:50 a.m. on the construction site located on 23 Mile Road, near Interstate 94. Chesterfield Township police said this is the third time the roof has blown down due to high winds since the building has been under construction. The construction worker reportedly suffered a broken leg. The Chesterfield Township Fire Department said an emergency medical services crew responding to the scene was delayed because it was also in an accident. There were no reported injuries in the EMS crash at 23 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue. Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com and Local First News for the latest developments.
Construction worker killed in accident 05/13/2003 A construction worker was killed on Monday in an industrial accident in Kingston. Kingston police said Neil Metcalf, 62, of Stillwater, died when a 12-foot steel I-beam fell on him. The accident occurred at the site of the former Mack Truck Co. building, 135 S. Wyoming Ave., at 1:06 p.m. The building is being renovated for new occupancy. Police said Metcalf died after the I-beam he was welding shifted and fell, striking him in the face and chest. The I-beam was being placed over a doorway approximately 12 feet high and was being held by a forklift. Police said one side of the I-beam was welded, and the weld broke lose, causing the beam to fall on Metcalf, who was on a ladder. Metcalf was transported by Kingston Emergency Medical Services personnel to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, where he later died from the injuries. Coroner Dr. George Hudock performed an autopsy at 6:15 p.m. and ruled that Metcalf died from multiple traumatic injuries. Police are not filing any charges and the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been called to investigate.
Safety a concern after fire By W. MATT MEYER May 13 2003 As a downtown trash bin fire spewed billowing black smoke in the air, John Allen looked up from his work a few blocks away. Allen was overseeing repair work at one of his downtown buildings hurt in last week's tornado. When he first saw the smoke, he didn't think much about it. Then he realized where it was. The trash bin was outside Allen's Liberty Square Apartments, at the corner of Lafayette and Liberty streets. The building, along with several other of Allen's properties, had sustained roof and water damage during the tornado. The repair job at Liberty had just been finished Monday afternoon. But about 4 p.m., a trash container filled with old asphalt roofing ignited and the intense heat singed the outside of the building and damaged some windows and exterior trim work. Several dozen downtown workers gathered to watch as four fire trucks struggled to put out a stubborn tar fire. No one was injured. "Bring some hot dogs, we'll have a wienie roast down here," Allen said on a cell phone as he surveyed the activity. "I just don't believe this." Jackson Fire Chief Kenneth Lay said he was unsure what caused the blaze. He guessed that some of the roofing materials might have ignited through spontaneous combustion. Allen, a general contractor, thinks something was thrown into the dumpster and ignited the fire. "That's the only thing that makes sense to me," he said. The apartments are mostly occupied, but no one was home at the time. Allen said another tenant was supposed to move in this week. "Oh well," he said. A doctor staying in the apartment that received the most exterior damage during Monday's blaze had moved into Liberty Street because he had been burned out of his Gordon Street house last month, Allen said. "He's not going to believe this, two fires in one month," Allen said. This is also the second fire at Liberty Street in the last four months. A spark from a torch repairing the roof in February set a fire that damaged the roof and part of the third floor. Repair work from that accident had just ended the eek before the tornado struck, Allen said. "And the hits just keep on coming," Allen said. "I'd have to get better now before I could die." Lay said the incident should remind all who are cleaning up from the tornado and involved in rebuilding efforts to redouble their safety efforts. Though he was unsure of the cause of this fire, Lay said mixing certain chemicals - like carpet adhesives or roof tar - can cause fires to ignite easily. Lay also warned cleanup crews to not place debris where it might trip someone. "Some people might trip on it unless it is clearly marked," Lay said. Also, debris should not cover up fire hydrants, he said. Wes Forsythe, co-owner of Nando Jones, was outside cleaning up on Lafayette and could see the commotion of the downtown fire Monday afternoon. He said he is trying to keep his debris away from the building to stay safe. "It's a monumental cleanup job," he said. "I'm just trying to get a handle as to what we can do."
Buildings evacuated after gas line break News Herald reports PORT CLINTON -- A construction crew restoring West Perry Street broke a 3-inch gas main Monday, causing about two dozen people to be evacuated from local stores for more than 40 minutes. Workers and shoppers at Great Scot grocery and Goodyear-Fanmark Tire & Auto Service were asked to leave the stores until the gas was shut off, said Port Clinton Fire Chief Chuck O'Neal this morning. "We checked the buildings afterwards once they did come in and shut the main off," the chief said. "It was at lunch time so it affected the businesses." Construction crews broke the main right at noon, and it took a little more than an hour for Columbia Gas to get the line shut off and repaired. Since the break was closer to Jackson Street than to Monroe Street, authorities shut down Jackson until the gas flow was stopped. No one was injured in the hour-long ordeal. It could not be determined this morning which construction crew caused the break.
Worker hospitalized after fall from Davenport construction site UPDATED: 5/13/03 1:59 PM DAVENPORT – A worker is hospitalized after he fell from the roof of the Super Wal-Mart under construction in Davenport. Jose Martinez, 26, was working at the site of the new store in the 3100 block of West Kimberly Road. He apparently was lifting some building materials and stepped onto an unsupported area of the roof. Martinez fell 22 feet onto concrete. He was taken to Genesis East, and later flown to University Hospitals in Iowa City. There is no word on his condition at last report.
Lightning Injures Two Men In House By: By BILL JONES/Staff Writer Source: The Greeneville Sun 05-07-2003 Two men were injured about noon Tuesday in a freak incident in which a lighting bolt struck the southern Greene County house on which they were working. A Sheriff’s Department report identified the victims as Ronnie Hensley, 51, of Chad Shelton Road, and Dan Macon, 59, of Cedar Creek Road. Initially reported as an explosion, the lightning strike occurred shortly before noon Tuesday at a house under construction on Davy Crockett Drive across the Asheville Highway from the Victory Church of God. Authorities said the lightning strike was accompanied by a loud explosion-like sound, which was heard over a wide area extending at least from the South Greene Volunteer Fire Department, located south of the Nolichucky River, to the south side of Greeneville itself a few miles away. Robbie Babb, an Emergency Medical Service technician who was manning the Response One “medical first responder unit” at the South Greene VFD on Tuesday, said he heard the sound there. Babb was subsequently dispatched by Greene County 911 to Davy Crockett Drive, where he examined Hensley and Macon. The two were injured when lightning struck a house adjacent to 170 Davy Crockett Drive on which they had been doing inside work. Both men later were transported to Laughlin Memorial Hospital by EMS ambulances, according to a report filed by Deputy Sheriff Howard Gale. A hospital spokesman said this morning that, because of new federal privacy regulations, the hospital could not release any information about the condition of either victim. However, a subsequent check with officials at the Johnson City Medical Center indicated that Hensley had been transferred there and was listed in good condition this morning. Deputy Sheriff Gale said he was told by witnesses at the scene that Hensley had been standing on a fiberglass ladder inside the house drilling a hole through a rafter through which electrical wiring was to be passed when the lightning bolt struck. Macon, who also was injured, was standing nearby at the time of the lightning strike. Damage to the house near a second-story window on the north end of the house indicated that the lightning bolt apparently struck there. A powerful electrical charge from the lighting bolt literally blew apart the electric drill Hensley was using, according to Gale. Witnesses at the scene told a Greeneville Sun photographer that the fiberglass ladder on which Hensley had been standing at the time of the lightning strike might have somewhat insulated him, and that his injures probably would have been worse had he been standing on a metal ladder. Also responding to the “explosion” were Sheriff’s Lt. Jakie Christy, two Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers, and units of the South Greene Volunteer Fire Department. Lt. Christy, a Sheriff’s Department veteran, said he had never before heard of an incident in which someone inside a house was injured by a lightning strike.
Ten Moscow builders die in basement parking fire MOSCOW, May 12 (Reuters) - Ten building workers died on Monday in a fire that tore through a partially-built elite housing complex in Moscow, the Russian capital's fire service said. It was in a basement, where the underground parking will be. There were 10 dead," a spokesman said. The Alye Parusa (Scarlet sails) complex of three yellow towers sits on the banks of the Moskva river in northwestern Moscow, and has been marketed as a high-quality housing development for Russia's rich. Television footage showed smoke billowing from windows on the lower floors. TVS television said the fire was caused by exploding gas cylinders used in high-temperature welding. "According to preliminary information, we can say there was a violation of security regulations," Vladimir Rodin, deputy head of the city fire service, told TVS. In a separate incident, three people were killed and one injured in a fire at an industrial estate in Russia's second city of St Petersburg, Interfax news agency reported.
Worker seriously injured Staff Reporter A worker was seriously injured yesterday after he fell off a wooden plank two-and-a-half storeys up, police said yesterday. The 34-year-old Syrian worker, from St Paul’s Bay, who was carrying out plastering and painting work in an office in Zachary Street, fell into an internal yard. The accident, which took place at around 3pm, happened after the plank became dislodged, police said. Valletta police are investigating.
Construction Accident Costs Man Part of Leg 5/9/2003 by Stephanie Scurlock Memphis,TN- A day after a construction worker amputates part of his leg in a construction accident he is listed in good condition at the Med's trauma unit. The construction crew were he worked continues its job replacing a city of Memphis sewer line. They are working in a tunnel underneath railroad tracks near Wells Station Road and Chelsea. The injured construction worker is identified as 48 year old Gldino Santiana. The owner of White Contracting, where he worked says Santiana stepped in a hole and got his leg caught on a auger. The auger is used to clear dirt out of the tunnel. "It looks like a drill bit inside a tube. And, that's what it is. When he stepped off in it. The drill bit or auger pressed his leg against the exterior tube or casing and that's what cut his foot off,"says Charlie White. White says santiana worked for his company for about 5 months and knew his job well. This he says is just a horrible accident. "He's used to it. Everybody knows the auger is there. They know it's dangerous. We try to watch these people and unfortunately it just happened,"says White. White says those who continue to work on the job a day after the accident know the job can sometimes be dangerous. accident. "They understand accidents. Unfortunately, in our business we're around a lot of heavy machinery and equipment. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes it does happen,"says White. Doctors had hoped to reattach the part of Santiana's severed leg but they couldn't. However according to physicians, it is better for him that he amputated his leg below the knee than above it. It's makes the fitting of a prosthesis a little easier.
Worker buried alive as mud wall collapses By Karthik Subramanian CHENNAI MAY 11. A casual labourer who was digging a well inside a candy factory in Old Washermanpet on Sunday was buried alive when the sand wall collapsed on him, due to the lack of proper safety procedures. The mishap, reported to have occurred at around 2.15 p.m., when the labourer, V. Ramakrishnan, dug the well with three others including his wife, Shanti, inside a candy factory on Telugu Chetty Street to a depth of around 15 feet. Another labourer, Janardhanan, was also caught when the sand caved in but he was rescued as he was above Ramakrishnan. The Fire and Rescue services said they received the rescue call at 2.29 p.m. and a unit from Old Washermanpet station was rushed to the spot. Even while Janardanan was rescued immediately with the help of the locals, Ramakrishnan was already buried under four feet of sand. A police team headed by the Deputy Commissioner (Washermanpet), A.G.Maurya, said the owner of the factory, A.P. Natarajan, had not acquired proper permission with Metrowater to sink the well nside the factory premises. Mr. Natarajan has been arrested. The police were not willing to accept the statement that the well was being dug for rainwater harvesting purposes. Clearly, the well was being dug inside a roofed factory premises, the officer added. The Fire and rescue services headed by the Divisional Fire Officer (North), K.Bakthavatchalam, determined that the well was dug up without placing concrete sleeves along the circumference of the well to prevent the sand from sliding in. "We could not risk letting anyone else enter the well as there was a possibility that they too would get stuck," the officer said. In effect, the rescue operation was reduced to a `recovery' operation and dragged for nearly four hours with five rescue units working together. Meanwhile, tension was building on the street outside with a large crowd gathering to witness what was going on. For the public, it was almost a replay of the accident in another North Chennai locality, Mannadi in August 2001 when six-year-old Tamilmani died after falling into an incomplete open bore well. The wife of the labourer, Shanti, who was a witness to the `rescue' operations was getting hysterical with every passing hour, even while the Fire Service personnel struggled to get the hardware needed for the rescue operation, such as `S-shaped' hooks. The police tried to pacify the crowd and even prevented some of Ramakrishnan's relatives and colleagues who were willing to risk an accident and get into the well. "We cannot risk more lives as we fear that he is already dead," an officer said. By 6-30 p.m., when the body of Ramakrishnan was removed from the well by dragging the rope with a clamp fixed to his body, the streets outside were near empty resembling a curfew of sorts. The public were not allowed to pass through the street. Only a few political volunteers and the local councillor, Vannai Ganapathy (ward 9) were present. The body was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to the Stanley Hospital for post mortem. Meanwhile, the local residents pointed out that the acute water scarcity was prevailing in the region and wondered what precautions would need to be taken, as more wells would be sunk in the coming months.
Construction Worker Loses Leg May 9, 2003 Memphis, TN - A construction worker is hospitalized this afternoon after falling 75 feet and losing a leg in the process. The accident happened near Chelsea and Well Station roads in northeast Memphis. The construction worker is identified as 48-year old Galdino Santiana. He is recovering at the Med. Santiana worked for White Contracting. He was a part of a work crew putting a tunnel under a railroad track on Wells Station. The owner of the company says he severed the part of his left leg near his ankle. The worker was flown to the med in critical condition along with his amputated leg. Doctors are working to see if it can be reattached.
UPDATE OSHA cites firm for alleged safety violations By Christine Gillette NEW CASTLE - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will fine a Portsmouth contractor $57,100 in connection with a worker’s four-story fall at the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel. Courtcon Inc., of Portsmouth - an affiliate of Ocean Properties, the company that owns the Wentworth - is being cited by OSHA for what the agency called "alleged willful, repeat and serious violations" of safety laws. The citation for a willful workplace hazard, carrying a proposed fine of $49,000, is for circumstances surrounding the January fall of a Courtcon worker that resulted in serious injuries. The worker fell 40 to 50 feet and required hospitalization, said David May, OSHA’s New Hampshire area director. The accident occurred when Courtcon was using a forklift to raise a pallet of material to a wall opening for transfer into the building, according to OSHA. An employee removing material from the pallet fell when that material shifted unexpectedly. The citation was issued, May said, because the worker should have been ted or secured against a potentially fatal fall. "When you’re working close to an edge or open wall or floor, you either need something like a guard in front of you. Probably the best thing they could have done was use a safety harness," May said. "They didn’t have or were not using that equipment for the operation." The citation is classed as willful, defined by OSHA as "one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations." While neither OSHA nor Ocean Properties officials would detail the extent of the injuries suffered, the worker has not returned to work since the accident and is undergoing physical rehabilitation, Richard Ade, Ocean Properties chief financial officer, said Thursday. "He’s presently in therapy. Our benefits person spoke to his sister just this past Monday and he seemed to be doing well," Ade said. "It was an unfortunate accident. We’ve done what we can think to assist him and the timing for OSHA is just coincidence, I guess." The historic hotel is scheduled to reopen on May 15. In addition to the citation issued in connection to the fall, OSHA is proposing additional fines for other violations, $5,100 for an exposed electrical panel and fall hazards associated with misuse of stepladders and failure to train employees in their safe use, and $3,000 for an alleged repeat violation for improper storage of oxygen and acetylene cylinders. Courtcon was cited in August 2002 for what OSHA called a "substantially similar hazard" at the same site. Courtcon has 15 days to appeal the proposed fines or request an informal conference with OSHA to discuss the penalties. Ade said no decision has been made yet on whether the company will appeal. "I just got copies of (the citations) today," he said. "We haven’t yet had a chance to review them. After we have some time to review them, we’ll decide which way we’ll respond." Courtcon is a safe company to work for, Ade said. "We make every effort to have a safe work environment, to abide by OSHA rules. Construction sites at some times have some risks and we try to mitigate them the best we can."
£75,000 fine for Imperial Museum worker death firm Following the death of a worker in 1998 from scaffolding erected around the Imperial War Museum in London, the steel erection company responsible has been fined £75,000, it has been announced. One of UK’s largest steel erection companies, William Hare Limited of Bury, Lancashire, was fined yesterday after Norwich-based scaffolder Brian Knights fell to his death in April five years ago. Knights and another man, Richard Bartram who escaped serious injury, had been standing on a wooden staging board resting on two horizontal steel beams, 13 metres above the ground. They were retrieving a ladder that gave access to the top of a column of scaffolding where steel channels had been bolted into position a few days earlier. The board became unbalanced and tipped both men off. William Hare pleaded guilty to breaching section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which states that, ‘It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of al his employees.’ Inspector for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that the scaffolding had not been constructed well enough to cover the erection of steel channels. This had led to the firm bodging together a makeshift system: ‘This dreadful accident has highlighted the need for the most detailed planning and preparation for all high-risk activities such as steel erection. This accident could have been avoided if the company had specified a safe system of work undertaken with suitable supervision,’ he said. The prosecution is a positive action for the HSE which is currently the target of a National Audit Office investigation into whether the safety body is using public money wisely in combating deaths in the construction industry. In 2001-02, 79 workers were killed in the construction industry, the highest contribution of any sector out of the total 249 worker deaths the UK. A further 4,700 construction workers suffered serious injuries, and many more suffered and died from long-term health effects such as musculoskeletal disorders: ‘Our examination will focus on whether the Health and Safety Executive has effective strategies in place to secure improvements in the health and safety record of the construction industry and what effect the strategies are having,’ say the NAO.
Construction worker dies when drill touches power line A Temple Terrace man was killed when the drilling pipe he was using touched 7,200-volt electrical lines, officials said. Daniel Rivera, 43, was pronounced dead about one hour after the incident, which occurred late Thursday morning. Rivera worked for Nutting Engineers of Florida Inc., officials said. Pasco County sheriff's spokesman Jim Campbell said the death was "avoidable," but that investigators found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. John Pita, one of Rivera's co-workers, said the drillers relied on drawings provided by Rimkus Consulting Group. Michael Powell, a co-consultant at Rimkus, told Campbell he had "misaligned the drawing 180 degrees," a mistake that put the drilling too close to power lines.
Workmates rescue stricken steelworker 09 May 2003 By BERNIE NAPP A steelworker suffering convulsions high up scaffolding in Wellington was saved by workmates and elite rescue crews. "He tripped on a piece of scaffolding tubing. He reached out to break his fall, grabbed at the rails of the protective barrier, missed that – he struck the side of his head or neck on the bottom rail," Sergeant Andrzej Kowalczyk, of Wellington, said yesterday. The man had a seizure and started writhing toward the edge of the Victoria University construction site platform. Two Atco Steel co-workers then held him down to stop him falling several metres on to Kelburn Pde, Mr Kowalczyk said. Police interviewed two people who saw the accident at 8.50am at the Easterfield Building where a new entrance is being built. Occupational Safety and Health will investigate. Wellington Free Ambulance Rescue Squad members and Fire Service officers fastened the man into a fibreglass stretcher and lowered it on secured ropes to a waiting ambulance for transport to Wellington Hospital. Rescue Squad leader Wayne Gray said rope techniques were used in only a few emergency operations in Wellington each year. "We told him to keep his hands together on the way down so he wouldn't snag on anything. He was conscious enough to know what he was doing." The managing director of university contractor McKee Fehl, Maurice Clark, said the man, a sub-contracted rigger from Atco Steel, had been working on a a canopy for the new entrance. The man had fainted, rather than tripped, Mr Clark had been told. Seizures in such events were not unusual. The patient was expected to be discharged from hospital. Victoria University public affairs director Jude Urlich said the new entrance was part of a $14 million campus upgrade.
Construction Worker Rescued From Collapsed Trench A Tri-state construction worker who became trapped in a collapsed trench Friday morning has been rescued after more than two and a half hours. Nita Lunsford, 32, of New Lebanon, was working at the De Sales Plaza construction site, at the intersection of Madison and Woodburn in Walnut Hills, when an old foundation collapsed around her. Lunsford, who works for Reece-Campbell Construction Company, was stuck in between two walls 12 feet below ground while rescuers worked to dig her out. The rescue took more than two and a half hours because Urban Search and Rescue crews had to shore up the ground around Lunsford to keep the old foundation from collapsing more. Lunsford's main injury was to her left leg, which was the only part of her body that had become trapped. She was alert and talking with emergency crews during the entire rescue which ended at 1:45 p.m. Friday. Lunsford's sister was on the scene during the rescue and called her a 'strong woman who has been through a tough ordeal.' DeSales Plaza in East Walnut Hills will include shops and apartments when it is completed.
Workers Trapped In Southern Iowa Trench Collapse; Investigators Blame Rain, Soft Soil For Accident May 8, 2003 MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa -- Officials in Mount Pleasant said Thursday all the rain may have been a factor in a trench collapse Wednesday, which trapped two city utility workers for about 15 minutes. Randy Carver, of Mount Pleasant, and Jake Syfert, of Salem, were working in the trench when it caved in. Lori Glanzman, of Mount Pleasant Municipal Utilities, said Syfert was buried up to his hips and Carver was buried above his chest. Other utility workers quickly dug the men out. Glanzman said the hole was dug correctly, with the sides shored up and reinforced. She said the ground in the area had been dug up before, and combined with the rain, made the ground soft.
Worker Suffers from Electric Shock May 9, 2003 — A worker suffered a serious electric shock atop a ladder today. It happened at 12th and Chew in Fern Rock at 2pm. The man was putting siding up on a house and one of the pieces of siding hit a line and the man was shocked. After being shocked the 50 year old man fell approximately 50 feet onto concrete and brought wires down with him. He was rushed to Einstein Hospital. PGW and PECO responded to the scene. The man was working on an area line which can carry anywhere from 4-13 thousand volts. A fire department battalion chief reported a strong odor of natural gas when he arrived at the scene. PGW said they are investigating the cause of the leak at this time. Power is currently out in the area.
5 Die in Explosion, Landslide Buries 30 Others in China Accidents VOA News 11 May 2003, 15:38 UTC At least five workers are dead and the fate of more than 30 others is unknown after two accidents in southern China. The official Xinhua news agency says both accidents occurred Sunday morning. More than 30 road construction workers were buried in a landslide Sunday outside the village of Baoutou in Guizhou Province. Xinhua did not say whether any of the highway builders survived. It said Guizhou's Communist Party secretary, governor and other officials are leading rescue efforts. Five factory workers died in a chemical plant explosion in neighboring Yunnan province. The news agency said a sixth worker was seriously injured in the blast at the factory in the capital, Kunming.
Worker crushed to death under crane CHIBA -- A construction worker was fatally crushed Thursday when a 47-meter long crane came falling down on him in Abiko, Chiba Prefecture, police said. Takashi Kokubun, 54, died instantly. Two of his colleagues were also hurt in the accident. Police said the crane was trying to lift a wall at a construction site. It toppled when the arm of the crane was stretched to the maximum 47-meters, construction officials said. The area was very windy at the time. Police are also investigating a claim that operators of the crane forgot to put weights on the crane to prevent it from toppling. (Compiled from Mainichi and wire reports, Japan, May 8, 2003)
Two workers hurt in A.C. scaffold collapse By BRIDGET MURPHY Staff Writer, (609) 272-7257, E-Mail ATLANTIC CITY - Two construction workers were injured Wednesday when a scaffold collapsed beneath them as they were repairing brick work on a South Pennsylvania Avenue office building. Authorities said one man suffered a compound leg fracture and the other may have broken both his ankles. The incident happened just before 3:30 p.m. at 26 S. Pennsylvania Ave. Construction worker Phil Crites said his two colleagues were on ladders atop the scaffold and fell about 25 to 30 feet to the ground as he watched in horror. "We were just about to pack up," said Crites, 20, of Ocean City, who has a phobia about working on ladders. "That's why they left me on the ground. They know I hate ladders. Now they know why." Firefighters and medics responded to the scene, giving the victims oxygen while securing them to backboards and stretchers. Both victims were conscious. A bloody white sock, a baseball cap and two work boots lay among the broken pieces of red scaffold authorities secured behind police tape while waiting for investigators from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who probe construction accidents, to arrive at the scene. Crites identified one of the victims as his cousin, 39-year-old Jim Waterman, of Somers Point, who owns the company, Waterman Plastering, that was doing the brick-repair job. The other victim, who also appeared to be in his late 30s, he knew only as "Danny." Authorities couldn't immediately provide the victims' names or ages. Acting Fire Battalion Chief Bob Palamaro said it appeared as though the accident was caused by the force of the ladders pushing against the building while they were on top of the scaffold, but that further investigation is necessary. The three-story brick office building houses several businesses, including an accounting firm, law offices and the Civil Rights Division of the state Department of Law and Public Safety. It was unclear Wednesday who had contracted for the construction work.
UPDATE Crane accident again claims man from firm; Same company employed workers killed at Miller Park By LINDA SPICE Last Updated: May 7, 2003 A Minnesota man killed in the city's first fatal crane accident since the 1999 Big Blue crash worked for the same company that employed the three ironworkers killed in the Miller Park tragedy. According to a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report, Edward Dern died Tuesday afternoon when an 616-pound steel beam fell on him during construction of Cathedral Place, a $52 million development near N. Jackson and E. Wells streets that will include parking, condominiums and offices. Dern, a married father of four who was working for Danny's Construction Co., based in Shakopee, Minn., died at the accident scene. An ironworker since age 16, Dern, 35, had Preacher written on his hard hat. Outside of his construction work, he was the pastor of Apostolic House of Prayer in Worthington, Minn., and was studying with Aenon Bible College to finish pastoral credits, according to obituary information released by Dingmann Funeral Home, which is handling services for Dern in Minnesota. He was hired as the varsity soccer coach for the Worthington Senior High School and recently took the U-14 traveling team to the state level, winning two gold medals. He was active in his community's YMCA and with other youth groups. Dern was to celebrate his wedding anniversary on Friday with his wife, Angela, the funeral home reported. George Yoksas, area director for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said the incident was the first crane accident causing a fatality in Milwaukee since Jeffrey Wischer, William DeGrave and Jerome Starr died on July 14, 1999, when the Big Blue crane toppled while lifting a 450-ton roof piece on the Miller Park project. The three men were employed by Danny's Construction. Company officials at the Minnesota office for Danny's Construction referred a reporter to the Milwaukee office, where officials said they had no comment about Tuesday's incident nor about Dern. Government documents on the OSHA Web site confirm that the company also was involved in the Miller Park project. Yoksas said Tuesday's accident remained under investigation. He said two people from OSHA were interviewing witnesses, employees and contractors and would be checking into worker training in the next few weeks. Milwaukee police Lt. Eric Moore said the case is also being investigated by the Milwaukee County district attorney's Office. Developer Joel Lee, one of four owners of the Cathedral Place building, said OSHA officials had just visited the work site two weeks ago and reported no problems. He said Danny's Construction was a subcontractor hired by another subcontractor working for KBS Construction, the general contractor. "Everything seemed to be OK," he said. "We just got word about this late yesterday. Everybody around here is just very upset by it. It's unfortunate. We just don't have any idea as to what the cause of it was. It just seems to be basically an industrial accident. It's a tragic one, too." The medical examiner's report says Dern died of crushing chest injuries as well as other injuries to his head and extremities as a result of blunt force trauma from the falling beam. Preliminary accounts contained in the report indicate Dern and another worker were in a parking lot near the construction site linking two steel beams to a crane. Dern's job was to place the choke on the beam and hook it to the crane. The choke is located in the middle of the beam and tightens when the beam is lifted, according to the report. The accounts indicate the crane had lifted two beams 50 to 100 feet in the air when the other worker noted that the lower beam was not hooked up right. The crane operator, a third worker, was given instruction to lower the beam down. When it was about 26 feet from the ground, the lower beam fell off the hook and landed on Dern.
Construction Site Accident Causes Explosion May 7 — A bizarre accident at a construction site in Cupertino ended with an explosion and a fire that burned down the house next door. It happened at Imperial and Granada avenues around 2:45 Wednesday afternoon. The fire department says a construction worker hit a gas main with a backhoe and vapors drifted to the house next door. The explosion was a shock to everyone. One woman was injured with minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital. A male with minor injuries was treated at the scene.
Worker may have incurred spinal injury Aworker who was installing Sheetrock in a new housing development in Salinas fell Wednesday and may have suffered a spinal injury. The 22-year-old was contracted to work on the Creekbridge development near the Twin Creek Golf Course off Constitution Boulevard. He apparently lost his balance and fell backward on to a pile of Sheetrock, said Salinas firefighter paramedic Paul Fenwick. The man, whose name and employer were not released, told paramedics he could not feel anything below his diaphragm. A helicopter was called to rush the man to Valley Medical Center in Santa Clara, Fenwick said.
House explosion kills worker; Flooring chemicals may be root cause of blast, officials say 05/07/2003 By L. Anne Newell ARIZONA DAILY STAR A 37-year-old man was fatally injured Tuesday afternoon in an explosion at a Sabino Canyon-area home he was helping to remodel, officials said. Russell Norman Behrman was pronounced dead at Tucson Medical Center at 3:10 p.m., about an hour and 45 minutes after the explosion at a home at North Moccasin Trail and East Sunrise Drive, said Deputy Steve Easton, spokesman for the Pima County Sheriff's Department. Behrman, an independent contractor, suffered severe head injuries in the incident, which also hurt his 18-year-old co-worker, David Brown, Easton said. Brown was treated and released at TMC. Rural/Metro Fire District Chief George Good said Behrman and Brown had been installing a new floor throughout the home, including laying wood laminate above a sunken floor in the living room. Investigators said the work involved ether-based chemicals, which produced vapors that became trapped between the two layers of floor. They suspect a spark from a nail gun ignited the vapors, causing an explosion powerful enough tthrow Behrman head-first into the 8- to 9-foot-high ceiling. The explosion also caused a blast wave that shattered windows in the house, Good said. It did not start any fires, but left residual smoke, he said. "From what I saw in there, it was a pretty severe explosion," Easton said. The noise brought neighbors rushing outside to see smoke drifting out the front door. "It was huge," said Cristine Fridena, who lives across the street from the home. Margarete Sokser, who also lives across the street, was talking with a friend when she heard the blast. "I heard a loud sound and said to my friend, 'Did you hear that? It sounded like an explosion.' I looked out the window and couldn't see anything," she said. "Five minutes later, the police and the firetrucks were out there." Sokser said the workers had been at the house since last week, performing heavy work. She'd even stopped to chat with them the day before. The owner was expected to come in Friday, she said. "It's so tragic, I can't believe it," she said. Brown, of the 8100 block of East Speedway, called 911 on his cell phone at 1:24 p.m., officials said. Neither he nor his family could be reached for comment. Efforts to reach relatives of Behrman, who lived in the 800 block of South Stewart Place, also failed. One of the many people who stopped to watch the aftermath of the explosion was the home's former owner, Mike Katz, who said he and his wife sold the home last August but stayed there as renters through April. His family still lives in the area and he was driving past Tuesday when he noticed all the trouble outside his old home and stopped. "I'm flabbergasted," he said. He and his family bought the home new 19 years ago and had extensive work done, he said, starting a complete remodeling project five years ago. "There's been construction for years and we've never had problems," he said. "My wife and I are beyond words. That's all I can say. We've got memories for 19 years there, my kids grew up there and we never had an accident once in that house. I wish I knew what happened."
Beam falls, kills construction worker; Downtown accident under investigation By KELLY WELLS May 6, 2003 A 35-year-old construction worker was killed Tuesday when a steel I-beam being lifted by a crane fell on him at a downtown Milwaukee construction site, authorities said. The man was working on the parking structure for the Cathedral Place development being built on the southeast corner of N. Jackson and E. Wells streets. He was in a small lot on the east side of Jackson St. when he was killed. Authorities declined to release the man's name or to say for which construction firm the man worked because his family had not been notified. When rescue personnel arrived, the man's co-workers had already lifted the beam off him, Milwaukee Fire Department Lt. Randy Hamburger said, but the man died at the scene. Hamburger estimated the beam weighed between 800 and 1,000 pounds. KBS Construction, the general contractor for the project, said the man who was killed did not work for KBS. Larry Breneman, vice president of Madison operations, said he was at the site at the time of the accident, but he declined to speculate on what went wrong, saying the accident was under investigation. "Our heart goes out to his family," Breneman said of the man who died. A representative of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration who was at the accident site also declined to comment and referred questions to the agency's Milwaukee office, which had closed for the day. Cathedral Place, a $52 million development, will include parking, condos and offices.
PM's jet hangar collapses By ALISON REHN in Canberra 08may03 TWELVE workers were injured when an $11 million hangar being built for Prime Minister John Howard's VIP jets collapsed yesterday. Dozens of workers fled as the structure at the Fairbairn RAAF base at Canberra airport fell inwards from its centre before noon. Airport managing director Stephen Byron said the gradual collapse of the roof allowed most of the workers to escape serious injury. "The roof did collapse slowly so that the structure was taking the weight as it was collapsing," he said. "We're very fortunate in that it did allow a number of the workers to ride the roof down and other workers to move clear of the falling structure. The cause . . . is unclear, however the site has been closed and the builders will be co-operating with ACT Workcover who will undertake the primary investigation." Of the 55 people on site, Mr Byron said "a number" were on the hangar's roof when it collapsed. One worker sustained serious head injuries and had to be treated on the collapsed roof before being rescued by the ACT Fire Brigade. Five workers suffered suspected spinal injuries, while another six received minor injuries. All were taken to Canberra Hospital. A Department of Defence spokeswoman said it was being built through a lease with the Canberra International Airport and will house the Government's fleet of VIP aircraft, which transport the Prime Minister, Governor-General and other government ministers around Australia and overseas. The fleet includes two Boeing 737 business jets and three smaller jets. "The hangar was designed to house five special purpose aircraft," the spokeswoman said. The hangar was due for completion in July.
Worker dies in fall By MAZEN MAHDI MANAMA A Bangladeshi worker was killed when he fell from the second storey of a building under construction in Juffair yesterday. Joynal Miah Abdul Kadir, 26, fell at about 9.15am and was taken by his co-workers to Salmaniya Medical Complex, where he died at about 10am. Friends said Mr Kadir was unmarried and had worked in Bahrain for over a year. Labour and Social Affairs Ministry safety inspectors later visited the site. Bangladeshi Embassy officials are reportedly co-ordinating with the employer and the ministry to send the body home.
Ruptured gas main closes two Lansing schools By James McCurtis Jr. Lansing State Journal The Beekman Center and Forest View Elementary School were shut down Wednesday after workers ruptured a gas main at the south Lansing center. Lansing School District employees were installing playground equipment at Beekman, 2901 Wabash Road, when they broke the 2-inch pipe about 8:21 a.m. Beekman students were on buses when the accident happened and never entered the school, said district spokesman Mark Mayes. Beekman students were taken to Forest View about a quarter mile from the center, but officials detected gas there as well. Forest View students were then taken to the Hill Center for Academics & Technology for the remainder of the day. Beekman students were taken home, but if a parent wasn't home they were taken to the Hill Center. Both schools are expected to re-open Thursday, Mayes said.
Workers hurt in 2 accidents; Falls leave 1 man in critical condition Brent Whiting The Arizona Republic May. 6, 2003 12:00 AM Four Valley workers were injured Monday in unrelated accidents about 90 minutes apart in Peoria and Anthem. One was rescued by firefighters after a 25-foot fall from scaffolding at a job site in north Peoria. Tino Patterson, 40, suffered head injuries after plunging to the bottom of a hillside concrete reservoir. He was flown to a Phoenix hospital, where he later was reported in critical condition in the intensive care unit. In Anthem, two workers fell 20 feet when roof trusses gave way about 8 a.m. at an Ace Hardware store under construction. A third worker on the ground was injured when he was struck by one of the falling trusses, officials said. The male workers, whose names were not released, were taken to Phoenix hospitals with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said Dave Nielsen, a captain for the Daisy Mountain Fire District. One of the workers broke both of his feet when he landed on the ground, said Bob Rohn, regional vice president for RAS Builders Inc., a Phoenix firm that is the general contractor for the Ace Hardware project. The three injured workers are employed by BPR & Sons, a subcontractor, he said. Officials at the Phoenix firm could not be reached. Darin Perkins, director of the state Occupational Safety and Health Division, said BPR received safety citations last year for failure to build a guardrail on scaffolding and failure to instruct employees. The citations resulted in two $1,875 fines. An investigation has been launched into both accidents, Perkins said. It may take at least two months to complete the probes, he said. Both mishaps underscored the danger of falls, the second leading cause of industrial deaths in Arizona. OSHA investigated 94 workplace deaths in Arizona in the two-year period ending Dec. 31. Falls accounted for nine deaths. Thirty-two died from being crushed or struck by an object, the leading cause. The others died from electrocution and other causes. In north Peoria, Patterson, the fall victim, was breathing on his own when firefighters got to him, said Tom Pendley, a Peoria fire captain. "He was moving and awake, but he wasn't talking to us," Pendley said. "That's typical in a head-injury situation." Firefighters used ropes, a basket and a construction crane to raise Patterson to the top of the reservoir, then into a waiting rescue helicopter. The industrial accident took place at a reservoir near 91st Avenue and Jomax Road that will serve WestWing Mountain, a master-planned community. Archon Inc., a Gilbert firm, is the general contractor for the project. Patterson was identified as a worker for a Gilbert subcontractor, Waco Scaffolding & Equipment. Jeff Dangel, a Waco branch manager, declined comment on the mishap, but added, "We're just praying that all goes well for Tino and that he has a speedy recovery." Perkins of OSHA said Waco was last investigated in July 2001 but had no citations.
Worker Hospitalized After Falling From Roof A construction worker was injured Monday morning when he fell from the roof of Rice Creek Elementary School at 4751 Hard Scrabble Road, said George Rice, spokesman for Richland County Emergency Services. The worker, whose identity wasn't immediately known, was taken to Palmetto Health Richland where he was listed Monday in good condition, Rice said. Details about the accident at the Richland 2 school were unavailable Monday.
UPDATE Blame laid in deadly construction accident MONTREAL - Quebec's workers health and safety commission blames the engireening and the construction firms for the deadly collapse of an overpass. The du Souvenir overpass collapse killed one man and injured two others in June 2000. The overpass is located on Highway 15, north of Montreal. Gilbert Vinson was killed when huge concrete beams fell onto the car in which he was travelling. The Commission de la Santé et de la Securité du Travail, or CSST says since the accident, it has implemented measures to avoid such a tragedy. The CSST has identified the factors which contributed to the collapse of the overpass: here was confusion on the construction site between the engineers and the workers: the engineers didn't give the workers proper instructions as to how they had to attach the concrete beams to the ground an inadequate system was being used to attach the beams. Basically, the beams were only hooked to the overpass by one single metal rod. Nothing was holding them onto the ground. As a result, the beams were left dangling. The concrete beams were so unstable, the wind pushed eight of them on the ground, resulting in the deadly accident. The CSST has decided it will inspect more often these types of contruction sites. It will work with Quebec's order of engineers to make sure they understand the importance of detailing their plans more. The commission says ultimately the engineering firm is responsible for the plans. It is uncertain whether enginieers or construction companies will face lawsuits as a result. Although coroner Gilles Perron completed his inquest in the matter last November, he has not yet published his report.
Workers Hurt in Scaffolding Collapse May 6, 2003 12:19 pm US/Eastern Moon Twp (KDKA) A construction accident in Moon Township this morning has sent three workers to the hospital. The men were injured when the scaffolding they were working on at the Forest Glenn Apartments -- near Moon Township High School collapsed shortly before noon. Two of the workers have been flown to an area hospital. The third was taken by ambulance to another hospital. Officials have not commented on their identities or the extent of their injuries.
TEANECK - The roof and walls of a West Lawn Drive home were moderately damaged by fire, said police Lt. Thomas Sikorsky. Sparks from welding tools being used by a plumber ignited the two-alarm blaze Saturday afternoon, Sikorsky said. The homeowners were inside when the fire started and immediately called the Fire Department. Several fire engines responded and the smoky blaze was extinguished within 15 minutes. - Catherine Holahan
UPDATE OSHA penalty is paid, $7K fine levied in training lapse By NANCY POSTER For Dispatch/Sunday News Monday, May 05, 2003 - A Hanover contracting company fined in connection with a worker's death in January has paid the fine but says it does not admit any wrongdoing. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Conewago Enterprises $7,000 -- the maximum the agency can assess -- over the training of the employee who was operating a crane involved in the Jan. 16 death of William D. Coulter, 44, of Fairfield, Adams County. The company also was fined $5,000 -- later reduced to $3,500 -- for a violation not related to the accident, said Robert Fink, director of OSHA's Harrisburg office. Coulter, who had worked for Conewago for 4 months, was killed Jan. 16 when a bridge crane struck the elevated scissors lift on which he was standing into a precast shop roof. Coulter was pinned against the roof. Adams County Coroner Patricia Leinbach said he died from asphyxia due to blunt force trauma to the neck. OSHA levied the $7,000 fine after determining Conewago did not have each crane operator "designated or trained to operate an overhead bridge crane," according to the OSHA citation and notification of penalty, which is dated April 4. The employee who was operating the crane the morning Coulter was killed had not been trained to operate the equipment, Fink said. Company's position: Conewago Enterprises president Donald Smith confirmed that "OSHA investigated the accident and felt there were two areas where we could have done a more thorough job in training. We do not necessarily agree with their assessment." In a prepared statement, Smith said the company "has one of the best safety and training programs in the industry and in fact have received awards from The Associated Builders & Contractors Association." Accidents do occur, he wrote. Smith said the company made a business decision to settle the matter with OSHA without admitting any violations "while continuing our efforts to train our employees to work in a safe manner." Coulter's death was the first fatality at the company, according to Smith. Last week, Conewago verified that the violations had been corrected and the fines were paid. The second fine, Fink said, was for allowing employees to work in proximity to electric power circuits without protecting them against electric shock by de-energizing and grounding the circuits or shielding the circuits with insulation. After a conference with the company earlier this month, OSHA reduced that penalty to $3,500, Fink said. "They were very cooperative," he said of the company. Conewago Enterprises, based on Edge Grove Road, does construction work on commercial buildings and public works facilities. The company was formed 10 years ago and is a subsidiary of Conewago Contractors Inc., a 45-year-old Hanover firm. Coulter was married and the father of two children. He was an Army National Guard veteran and had spent 10 years in the Navy.
Buckled sign scaffolding bottlenecks SPID; Some are trapped on the highway for more than an hour By Mike Baird Caller-Times May 4, 2003 A damaged and dangling 18-ton sign bridge that buckled while being removed caused traffic to be closed in both directions for several hours early Saturday on South Padre Island Drive. The sign bridge, a road sign-holding metal scaffolding that stretched across all six lanes of the highway, buckled while being removed by a 100-ton crane near the fly-over construction on SPID between Kostoryz Road and Ayers Street. Workers were forced to leave the damaged sign bridge dangling on the crane until Texas Department of Transportation workers could safely cut off about a third of it with an acetylene torch. The Corpus Christi Police Department provided 15 units to help reroute traffic, which quickly bottlenecked on access streets and side roads, said Lt. Carlos Rios, police department traffic supervisor. Dozens of drivers were trapped on SPID for more than an hour while police worked to clear the highway, police said. Mathis residents Deborah Dodd and her 10-year-old son, Gus, were delayed nearly an hour while commutng to the science fair at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. "I was pretty worked up by the traffic delays," Dodd said. Buckled just before 8 a.m. The sign bridge was to be removed at 7 a.m., said Cliff Bost, transportation department spokesman. "It was in the way for the expansion project close to the interchange, where the fly-over is being constructed," Bost said. "It got hung up on the metal supports and about a third of it buckled just after 8 a.m." Because of the way the sign bridge was bent, the crane couldn't move it until another crane was brought in and the structure was cut into two pieces, he said. "Anytime you have construction, traffic patterns can change hourly, and people need to expect things - today was a good example of that," Bost said. Police received a call for assistance about 11 a.m., and Rios said their units had cleared the southeast-bound traffic by 1:50 p.m. Northwest-bound traffic was clear by 2:30 p.m., he said. At least one police sergeant was trapped by the unexpected traffic mess. Sgt. Tim Revis, who works in robbery and homicide investigations, couldn't get off SPID for an hour and 20 minutes, he said. The delay was long enough that he couldn't get to a suicide investigation. "It was a mess," he said. "Some people were backing up, going the wrong way." One accident that occurred near the congestion couldn't be directly linked to the SPID traffic problem, police said.
Man critical after construction accident By Rodney Tanaka Staff Writer Thursday, May 01, 2003 - A construction worker was in critical condition Thursday after a piece of equipment from a crane fell on him at Mt. San Antonio College. The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the injury at 9:13 a.m. at Temple Avenue in Walnut. Adrian Camacho, 34, was hit on the right shoulder and back and driven to his knees by an arm used to pump concrete from a crane, fire Capt. Ron Nixt said. Camacho works for subcontractor Correra Concrete. He stopped breathing and did not have a heartbeat, so Mt. SAC security guard Jeff Parker performed CPR on the man until firefighters arrived, Nixt said. Camacho was taken to Harbor- UCLA Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition Thursday evening, according to a hospital spokeswoman. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the injury. The Fire Department will give Parker a letter of commendation, Nixt said. West Covina resident Loretta Riddle, 34, who was driving by when the injury happened, said she wanted Parker to be recognized for his life-saving efforts. Parker continued CPR even after Camacho vomited in his mouth, she said. "He saved this man's life,' Riddle said. "He is a hero.'
Napa cop spots fire, averts disaster for businesses Thursday, May 1, 2003 By MARSHA DORGAN Register Staff Writer A Napa police officer happened to be in the right place at the right time to stop a fire, not a crime. Officer George Ulitin, who was responding to an earlier call of a possible disturbance at the shopping center at Redwood Road and Solano Avenue, most likely nipped a serious structure fire in the bud when he discovered flames poking out between the common back wall shared between Weight Watchers and Dazzling Donuts. "I was checking out the back alley behind the business when I saw flames coming out between the wall shared by the two businesses," Ulitin said. "I called the fire department and told everyone in the businesses in that building to get out." In addition to Weight Watchers, other businesses in the smoldering building included Round Table Pizza, Dazzling Donuts and Bicycle Works. All were evacuated, but Weight Watchers, which was closed at the time, was the only business damaged. The cause of fire has been traced to a construction company that was doing asphalt paving patch work behind the businesses, Napa Fire Battalion Chief Steve Stuart said. Workers were using a heating torch along the edge of the buildings, Stuart said. The fire, found in the rear exterior walls of Weight Watchers, was heading for the roof, Stuart said. Armed with axes and chain saws, firefighters munched away at the exterior walls of the business to prevent the fire from rising to the roof. Scristoval Gonzalez, a baker at Dazzling Donuts, said he was baking donuts when he smelled the smoke. "I smelled something burning, and then the police were banging at the door telling us to get out of the building," he said. "There were three of us inside -- no customers -- and we left." Round Table Pizza employee Kyle Owens said the police also alerted him and the other employees to evacuate the restaurant. "There weren't any customers inside the restaurant, just about 10 employees," Owens said. "We just left the restaurant and are waiting to find out when we can go back inside." Using an ax, chain saw and circular saw, firefighters ate away at the exterior walls of the Weight Watchers business to make sure the fire didn't find its way to the roof, Stuart said. The damage, estimated at $5,000, was confined to the exterior and interior walls of the business, Stuart said. "The was no loss of contents."
Charges against parent firm dismissed in electrical deaths By Shamus Toomey Daily Herald Staff Writer Posted May 02, 2003 A federal judge Thursday threw out criminal charges against the parent company of an electrical firm accused of improperly training two workers electrocuted atop high-tension wires in the suburbs. U.S. Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown dismissed the charges against MYR Group Inc. but left in place criminal charges against its subsidiary, L.E. Myers Co. of Rolling Meadows. Both were indicted Dec. 11 in the deaths of Blake Lane and Wade Cumpston. Lane, 20, was killed atop a Mount Prospect electrical tower in 1999 on just his second day on the job. Cumpston, 43, was killed in a Plainfield accident in 2000. The judge said the men did not qualify as employees of MYR Group under the law, and therefore the parent company could not be accused of failing to properly train them. "The accidental deaths of Lane and Cumpston were tragic," Brown said. "However, a criminal charge must have a foundation in law establishing criminal responsibility." U.S. attorney spokesman Randall Samborn said the office is reviewing the decision and will likely appeal. L.E. Myers faces fines of up to $2 million if convicted.
UPDATE Woman Found 'Not Guilty' In Fatal Construction Crash, Defendant Faced Conviction Under 'Andy's Law' May 2, 2003 A Macomb County jury found a local woman not guilty on Friday for the Aug. 9, 2002, accident that caused the death of one road construction worker and injured another. Stacey Ann Bettcher (pictured, left) was the first person charged under a law enacted in 2001 known as "Andy's Law" -- named after worker Andy Lefko, who was paralyzed on a Interstate 275 construction site in 1999. The law cracks down on drivers who cause injury or death to road construction workers. Bettcher had pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2002, but changed her plea in February to force the case to trial, Local 4 reported. The families of the victims were surprised and upset by Bettcher's last-minute switch, Local 4 reported. Police say Bettcher had a long list of prior driving offenses including driving with an open alcohol container and driving with an expired license at the time of the crash. Bettcher could have faced up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
UPDATE OSHA: Lack Of Shoring Could Have Contributed To Deadly Cave-In May 2, 2003 OKLAHOMA CITY -- A man died Thursday when he was trapped for more than an hour underground after a cave-in at a construction site in the western part of the city. Marvin Young, 30, was helping connect a new sewer line to the city sewer line in a 12-foot-deep, 6-foot-wide ditch about 1 1/2 miles south of Interstate 40. Young was in the trench when it started to cave in about 11 a.m., said Maj. Brian Stanaland, a spokesman for the Oklahoma City Fire Department. "He jumped to another area and was completely buried over his head, about 9- to 10-feet deep," Stanaland said. Rescuers reached Young's body about 12:15 p.m., but were unable to remove it from the trench for several hours, Stanaland said. Workers used hand shovels and could only remove 5-pound buckets of dirt at a time or risk another collapse, Stanaland said. Young's body was removed from the ditch about 3:30 p.m. Ron Watkins, a safety specialist for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said that large of a trench should have some kind of shoring. "At this moment, it looks like there was none," Watkins said. Dirt samples removed from the ditch will be analyzed, he said. Young was part of a crew from HMS Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning that was installing the sewer line for a building under construction, Stanaland said.
Construction Cave In Wednesday, April 30, 2003 Tense moments at a local construction site,as rescue workers are called to assist an injured man. A contruction worker was rescued from a trench after a cave-in at a construction site this morning. The site was located near north St. Louis and Zora Avenue in Joplin. Med flight airlifted the injured worker to St. John`s Regional Medical Center in Joplin after he was rescued by local firefighters. Officials say a 15 foot trench collapsed around the worker just after 8 this morning. The construction crew was installing a sewer line for a new housing addition when the accident happened. "While they were doing some excavation one of the workers stepped outside of the trench box which is a box that helps protect against any fall down and the side of the trench actually collapsed in on him,"said Steve Lea, Joplin Fire Department. Authorities say a trench collapse in our area with the type of soil found here, can exert up to 700 pounds per square inch of pressure. Officials say the worker was in quite a bit of pain after being rescued, but his exact condition is not know at this time. Reported By: Jim Jackson
Worker killed in accident at high rise construction site By ABC13 Eyewitness News The worker was killed while working on Tremont Towers in southwest Houston Wednesday. An accident at a high rise construction site killed a worker Wednesday. It happened around noon at the Tremont Towers on Yupon and Westheimer in southwest Houston. Workers were moving a load of corrugated steel with a crane when the load shifted. The load fell and hit a worker on the ground. He was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Houston police and the OSHA are investigating the incident.
TRENCH COLLAPSE Thursday, May 01, 2003 A construction worker is dead, after a trench collapsed on top of him. The accident happened about eleven this morning in Oklahoma City, just South of Interstate Forty. The construction crew was working to connect two sewer lines. When the twelve foot trench he was working in collapsed. 30 Year old Marvin Young had been buried by nine to ten feet of dirt. Crews worked for nearly an hour trying to reach him. But by the time they pulled him out, he was dead. The accident will be investigated.
Freak Cement Truck Mishap Kills Driver EASTON, PA-May 1, 2003 — A cement truck driver was killed Wednesday on Route 33 when the vehicle's mixing barrel dislodged and crushed the truck's cab. The right front tire on a truck being driven by Raymond L. Conley, 31, of Orefield, blew out, causing the truck to skid off the highway and into a culvert, police said. When the truck stopped, its mixing barrel dislodged and rolled over the cab, trapping Conley inside, police said. "The culvert stopped it, and the weight on top of the truck came forward on the driver," state police Cpl. Robert Mahady said. Conley was driving for Catasauqua-based Rock Hill Materials Inc. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Construction worker critically injured in accident on the job By ABC13 Eyewitness News (4/29/03) — The Harris County Sheriff's Department is investigating a Tuesday morning accident at a northwest Harris County construction site that left one worker critically injured. The man suffered a leg injury when an earth-moving truck backed up over his leg at the site on Hollister and Blue Creek Ranch. He was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital by Lifeflight and at last report was listed in critical condition.
Construction workers buried alive Posted Wed, 30 Apr 2003 The bodies of two construction workers who died after they were buried under tons of rock, sand and clay when the trench they were digging collapsed, were recovered by rescue workers on Wednesday afternoon. The men were part of a 20-man team laying stormwater pipes for a new shopping centre in Okavango Road in Kraaifontein when the accident happened around noon. Metro rescue spokesman Dr Hitesh Bhoola, who was on the scene, said rescue workers including the fire department and construction workers had dug away furiously to reach the two men but their efforts were in vain. Bhoola said the identities of the two workers, whose bodies were being taken to the mortuary, would only be released once their families had been notified. "This incident now becomes a crime scene because the workers died an unnatural death," Bhoola said.
9 construction workers choke in tunnel By: Rajendra Aklekar April 30, 2003 On April 24, nine construction labourers working 70 feet under the ground in a tunnel at Appa Pada in Malad were suffocated following a short circuit in the compressor of a drilling machine which led to a minor explosion and fire. The injured workers were shifted to Suchak Hospital and six of them were kept in the ICU under medical observation for 24 hours. The condition of all nine are now reported to be "out of danger". The police say the BMC had given the contract for laying water supply pipelines by building a tunnel measuring 11.9 km from Bhandup to Charkop to a Vikhroli-based Hindustan Construction Company. Work for the project, including tunnel boring, was on from the shafts at Liberty Garden in Santosh Nagar to Appa Pada. The labourers had dug a 10-feet-wide and 1,250 metre-long tunnel for the purpose. Twenty people were working in the tunnel at the time of the fire, but only nine labourers who were working close to the compressor were injured. The police state, while the work was in progress, a short circuit occurred at 7.15 am in the compressor, leading to a minor explosion. The fire from the explosion started spewing out poisonous fumes of vinyl, which were inhaled by the workers, which caused nausea, giddiness and breathlessness. The names of the six injured workers who were admitted to the ICU are Dinesh Parkar (30), Ramkumar Thakkar (40), Sunil Shinde (32), Kalu Jana (29), Govind Dhumal (36) and Kale (45). The other three whose condition was reported to be stable are Shyam Sundar (27) Satyawadi Pradhan (56) and Mohan (26).
UPDATE Failure to apply brake caused death April 29, 2003 19:13 A LORRY driver who died under the wheels of his runaway vehicle had failed to apply the parking brake, an inquest heard. Andrew Bone, 29, of Carraways, Witham, was delivering scaffolding to a site in London when his lorry began rolling towards rush-hour traffic. Mr Bone, who was employed by Essex-based Pole Position, died from multiple injuries in The Strand on July 23 last year while trying to stop the fully loaded Mercedes lorry careering into the path of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman, who had ordered a police investigation into the vehicle's condition, recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest yesterday after deciding Mr Bone's error was to blame. “The death was caused by Mr Bone not putting the parking brake on. It is as tragic as that. If the family were looking for negligence by other people, that has not been forthcoming,” he said. “On the evidence we have it does seem the most likely explanation that the parking brake was not applied.” Mr Bone was seen by fellow workers running alongside the lorry trying unsuccessfully to reapply the trailer brake, then trying to disconnect a vital braking airline before the lorry suddenly jack-knifed, crushing him under the wheels. His death left widow Cheryl to raise their four-year-old daughter Kelsey and a second child born eight months after Mr Bone was killed. The inquest had heard from scaffolder Bradley Whitnell, from Bow, east London, who had helped Mr Bone disconnect the trailer brake by hitting it with an eight-foot length of timber. “I gave it a clunk and it started rolling. He tried the brake, he pumped it three times and he's running beside the trailer, telling everyone to move back,” he said. Mr Whitnell revealed the same trailer had suddenly rolled forward two months earlier during a separate job, crashing into two parked black cabs. Pole Position manager David Lunn, from Chingford, told the inquest the earlier incident had been put down to driver error. He added the vehicle had been checked every six to eight weeks and no defects were found. Accident investigator Pc William Wright said the handbrake had not been on the lorry when it had been checked after Mr Bone's death. Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Bone said she and his family had been devastated by his death. Mrs Bone was two months' pregnant at the time of the fatal accident and has since given birth to the couple's second child, Tierney. “At the end of the day he died trying to save the lives of a lot of people. It would have been his 30th birthday this year. It has been really hard with two children,” she said. “However, at least I have them - it has helped me cope. He was a wonderful man. His family have been great.”
Fire Destroys Uncompleted Raspberry Falls House Dan Telvock and Allen Browning Apr 28, 2003 -- A $450,000 house in Leesburg was destroyed by a fire Friday night and burned undetected for a few hours before firefighters were called to the scene. The Loudoun County Department of Fire and Rescue stated that the single-family home at 41616 Swiftwater Drive was under construction and no one was living in it. The Fire Marshals Office deemed the fire was accidental; a welder who was working in the house Friday, April 25, with a cutting torch ignited nearby combustibles. The fire burned undetected for a few hours until it was discovered at around 5:30 p.m. Leesburg, Lucketts, Ashburn, Hamilton and Loudoun fire and rescue personnel responded. Leesburg Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Goss said the house was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. No one was injured. Raspberry Falls subdivision neighbors believe the fire started in the back of the house. Several neighbors said they saw black smoke pouring from an upper story, rear window that quickly erupted into flames. The cloud of smoke could be seen as far away the Rt. 15/Rt. 7 interchange and firefighters had to battle the rush hour traffic on Rt. 15 north before they could even begin to fight the flames. The firefighters set up two “collapsible ponds,” into which fire tanker trucks deposited water, from which the hose crews drew upon to fight the fire. “Inside of 10 minutes of calling [911], the whole house was in flames,” said Matt Martin, a nearby neighbor The house is still owned by the developer, Van Metre Company. The buyers were Vince and Didi Spina, who are still renting a home in Leesburg. They were set to close on the house in about one month. “This is not how we wanted to get in the paper,” said Didi Spina. “We’re devastated.”
UPDATE Firm has history of violations; Safety officials investigate accident scene By SYDNEY B. LEAVENS Monitor staff PEMBROKE - The Pembroke-based company that employed the construction worker who died last Friday afternoon in an excavating accident has been cited for more than 40 violations of federal worker safety standards over the past decade. Randy Twombly, 39, of Deerfield was killed Friday afternoon when the excavator he was operating on F.L. Merrill Construction Inc.'s North Pembroke Road sand pit tipped and rolled down into the ditch below, landing on the roof and crushing the cab. Twombly had worked for the company for two years. Mine Safety and Health Administration officials were on the scene yesterday investigating the cause of the accident. Twombly's death was the first the construction company has reported in at least 10 years. (Companies are required to report to inspectors fatalities or accidents in which three or more workers are injured; F.L. Merrill Construction has reported neither.) But during that time, the company was cited for violating safety codes at its roadside sites as well as its gravel and sand pits, according to inspections conducted by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, both divisions of the U.S. Department of Labor. F.L. Merrill Construction has received 28 citations from the Mine Safety and Health Administration for its two Merrimack gravel pits since 1998, the first year for which records are available. Three 2003 violations are still pending. Between 1994 and 2000, OSHA found 17 violations at the company's roadside excavation sites, at least nine of which officials called "serious," or likely to cause injuries that would require more than on-the-job first-aid care, from partial disabilities to death. The Pembroke company has paid about $38,000 in fines since 1994, the two administrations' records indicate. Company officials could not be reached for comment. F.L. Merrill Construction's long record of violations is not necessarily unusual for an excavating company, said David May, OSHA's area director. Because construction has a higher injury and fatality rate than other lines of work, government officials inspect construction companies more than most. "Just being in construction creates more of an opportunity for violation if (the company) is not paying attention," May said. Excavation, one of the more dangerous types of construction, is under particularly close scrutiny, May added. Under a special excavation program, inspectors are required to stop and inspect any excavation sites that are at least five feet deep and do not look adequately secured. As a result, many of the excavation companies the administration inspects are cited for violations, May said. (In all, inspectors find some violations at about 70 percent of all sites, he said). F.L. Merrill Construction has paid about $3,500 for the 28 violations at its sand and gravel pits. Those violations included, in 2000 and last December, failing to correct defects to safety equipment in a "timely manner to prevent creation of a hazard to persons." The company was cited in both 2000 and 2001 for not properly guarding machines so that workers did not come in contact with moving parts. (Mine Safety and Health Administration could not be reached yesterday to comment on the particular circumstances of each citation.) At roadside excavation sites, OSHA inspectors fined the company on several occasions for inadequately protecting its workers. In 1998, for example, inspectors found that a trench in which two F.L. Merrill Construction employees worked was not shored against the collapse of its walls. Initially, inspectors alleged that the company had prior knowledge of the violation and proposed a $35,000 fine. But on reviewing the matter with company officials, however, they determined the offense, though serious, was not willful and settled on a $2,550 fine. F.L. Merrill Construction has not been cited - or inspected - by OSHA since 2000. Twombly's is the seventh death nationwide to take place on the job at a sand or gravel pit this year, according to the Mine Safety Health Administration's Web site. Inspectors hope to conclude their investigation of the accident this week.
Trucker Not To Be Charged In Death Of Construction Worker April 29, 2003 GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A construction worker was killed early Tuesday on Interstate 40/85 when a tractor-trailer hit him as he worked on a painting crew. The victim is identified as Thomas Ray Myers of Troy, an employee of Blythe Construction Company in Greensboro. The crash occurred about 5:30 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the interstate between Burlington and Greensboro. A work crew was painting lane stripes on the highway and the state Highway Patrol said Myers was trying to retrieve a small piece of equipment in the road. Myers tripped and fell into the path of the tractor-trailer, according to investigators. Authorities said the truck wasn't speeding and the driver tried to avoid hitting Myers. Officials said no charges will be filed against the trucker.
Fire damages Utah Water Research Lab roof LOGAN, Utah (AP) - Fire damaged the roof of the Utah Water Research Laboratory Monday, but no injuries occurred. There was no immediate damage estimate. Utah State University police Lt. Steve Milne said the fire started on the roof near the middle of the building where contractors were using a propane torch to repair the roof. Workers were heating a temporary patching substance so it would adhere to the roof's surface.
Traffic Accident Traffic is back to normal at I-295 and Route 1 in Henrico County, but it was quite a different story Monday afternoon when a dump truck hit an overpass there. The driver had just left a nearby construction project at Virginia Center Commons and apparently forgot to drop the truck bed. It hit the sign, causing $100,000 in damage. The bridge appears to be okay. The trucker is charged with reckless driving.
Friar on danger list, worker injured in a fall written
by MM Staff Reporter - 29 Apr, 2003 A Dominican friar is on the danger list after fell down at the stairs in a Zabbar residence on Monday evening, while a worker was severely injured after he fell from a height on a constructions site at Attard on Tuesday morning. The 57-year old friars from the convent at Vittoriosa slipped on the staircase of the residence and during the fall he suffered severe injuries on his head and broke several ribs. An ambulance rushed him to St. Luke's hospital, where he was placed in the Intensive Therapy Unit. The Cospicua district police are leading the investigations, while the duty magistrate launched an inquiry. In the other accident, the 39-year old workers from Naxxar fell down from a plank he was working on in a construction site at around 0715 CET. Members of the Civil Protection Department rushed to the scene and rescued the man, who was suffering from severe injuries. He was taken to hospital for treatment. The Birkirkara district police are leading the investigations.
Gas Line Capped at Evacuated School Web Editor: Sean Rowe Last Modified: 4/29/2003 11:13:48 AM A ruptured gas line that forced the evacuation of Redan Elementary School Tuesday morning has since been capped. Students and school staff should be able to return to the building by noon, according to DeKalb Schools spokesman Spencer Ragsdale. Students were temporarily taken to New Covenant Ministries, located less than a mile away from the school. DeKalb fire Lt. Eric Jackson said a contractor working in the area struck and broke the line. Authorities have not reported any injuries due to the accident. More details as they become available.
Worker falls into trench Firemen pulled an unidentified Asian worker to safety and rushed him to the Adan Hospital after he allegedly slipped and fell into a 15-meter deep trench in Martyr Fahd Al-Ahmad Area. A medical source at Adan Hospital was quoted by Al-Qabas daily as saying the condition of the worker, who is seriously injured, is stable.
YOUNGSTOWN Man killed at site of demolition; Both men ran to avoid the falling beam, but Charles Thomas ran into its path. By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR. VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER YOUNGSTOWN — A Youngstown man died in an accident at a downtown demolition site Saturday. Charles Thomas, 55, of 131 Boardman Street, was crushed by a falling steel beam at the corner of Front and Phelps streets just after noon. The William Pizzuto Co. is tearing down a parking garage on the block bordered by Front, Phelps, West Boardman and Hazel streets. According to police reports, a worker for the construction company was using a crane to lift a steel beam, but the cables on the crane became stuck on a piece of wood and the beam began to fall. Thomas, talking to another man, was standing on the sidewalk in the vicinity of the demolition work, the report shows. Reports say both men began to run in opposite directions when they saw the beam falling, but Thomas ended up in the falling steel's path. Police said he died before help arrived. The steel beam that hit Thomas is used to protect streetlight poles from falling debris during the demolition process. Under investigation A spokesman for the Youngstown Poice Department said it is unclear if any charges will be filed. He said police are still investigating. William Pizzuto, owner of the demolition company, said Thomas had been a common sight around the demolition area. He said workers had asked him to leave the area several times before the accident, but he would usually come back. "When I left to go to lunch, [Thomas] was standing there on the corner in front of the [Trinity United Methodist] church," he said. According to Pizzuto, the area around the demolition site was roped off. Family and friends of Thomas', a steel worker on disability, said it was a part of his nature to be around construction or demolition sites, making conversation with whomever he could. His sister, LaJena Solomon, said he just liked to watch the work. She had gathered Saturday evening with friends of her brother's outside Amedia Plaza, West Boardman Street, where he lived. "He was always just the type of person that was just there — no matter where you looked, he would be there, talking and being friendly," she said. Several of Thomas' neighbors described him as a caring man who was always looking to make new friends and lend a hand when needed.
Deadly Crash Slows I-95 In St. Johns County April 28, 2003 A Palm Coast man was killed and thousands of motorists on Interstate 95 were delayed after a crash between a pickup and a dump truck in southern St. Johns County before dawn Monday. The Florida Highway Patrol said the accident occurred in the northbound lanes just before the county Road 206 exit around 5:30 a.m. Police say a dump truck driven by Marian Nash turned around in the median after dumping a load of asphalt. She was hit by the white Chevrolet pickup truck as she pulled into the northbound lane. Laurence Holler, 61 -- driver of that pickup -- was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was hurt in the accident. The Florida Highway Patrol said that the speed limit in the area is 60 mph despite this area's designation as a construction zone. Troopers said they are not sure how fast Holler was going when the accident occurred, but their investigation is continuing. Investigators also say fog may have contributed to the crash. Channel 4's Tammie Fields reported that only one northbound lanes was open for more than three hours until the accident was cleared. Northbound motorists experienced 25- to 30-minute delays due to the congestion.
Man in critical condition after scaffolding fall By LARRY LUNNIN April 15, 2003 A 38-year-old man working at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was in critical condition after falling from scaffolding that collapsed Monday afternoon. UNL Police Sgt. Douglas Petersen said Guillemo Castillo, an employee of Gagner Construction, fell from a set of scaffolding set up at Woods Hall while other employees were trying to move it. Castillo toppled into a stairwell when one of the scaffolding's bars jarred loose, he said. Van Vuong was working at the service desk when she heard about the accident. According Vuong, a junior art and math major, the falling scaffolding broke out a window at Woods Hall and prompted several employees inside to run to Castillo's aid. "It looks like (the scaffolding) just swung around," she said. To make matters worse, Vuong said, the ambulance might have had trouble finding the building. Woods Hall, home to the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, is not as well-known as other buildings on campus, she said. Petersen said Castillo was conscious when help arrived. But he was taken to BryanLGH Medical Center West for emergency surgery after suffering a fractured skull from the fall. Vuong said the injuries seemed serious. "When they carried him away it did not look like he was moving at all," she said.
Downtown gas leak leads to evacuation April 16, 2003 By Jeremy Craig Staff Writer A gas-line breach on Ellis Street on Tuesday morning caused the evacuation of an entire downtown block, including more than 300 pupils at Curtis Baptist School. Emergency workers responded to the accident, caused when construction crews on Ellis Street hit the gas line at about 11 a.m., said Battalion Chief J.E. Clark, of the Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department. No one was injured, he said.
Cement Worker Electrocuted In Suffolk (AP) - A construction worker was killed on the job Wednesday when a hydraulic pump struck a high-voltage power line in Suffolk. Fire department spokesman Jim Judkins identified the victim as 37-year-old Keith Withrow of Virginia Beach. He says another construction worker - 57-year-old Benjamin Porter of Virginia Beach - was injured in the accident and was taken to a local hospital. Judkins said the two men were working for a cement subcontractor and pouring a foundation for a duplex when the pump struck a 20,000-volt power line just after 5:00pm. He says a co-worker performed CPR on Withrow, but could not revive him. Dominion Virginia Power officials are investigating the accident.
Broken Crane Halts Rail Traffic and Closes Streets in Jersey City By THE NEW YORK TIMES ERSEY CITY, April 17 — A broken construction crane teetered 40 stories above Washington Boulevard today, forcing the closing of several city blocks and a four-hour suspension of light rail service on this city's waterfront. The 330-foot Manitowoc crane was being operated on a high-rise apartment building when a cable broke shortly before 10 a.m., said Sgt. Edgar Martinez, a spokesman for the Jersey City police. No injuries were reported and no one was evacuated, Sergeant Martinez said. The mishap at the Marbella Luxury Apartments, a 42-story building under construction downtown, reminded many people here of a more serious accident last year. In January 2002, the arm of a 460-foot crane at an office building also on Washington Boulevard malfunctioned, forcing the evacuation of 850 residents and the closing of several blocks for four days. "Last year we were dealing with a German-made crane and it took several days to get the experts and equipment into town," Sergeant Martinez said. "Fortunately this is an American crane, and it only took a matter of hours to secure the site." Sergeant Martinez said, "The workers expect the whole process to take about six hours, so traffic will continue to be disrupted, but we hope everything will return to normal by Saturday." This afternoon, the crane's owners, Vergona Construction of Englewood, dispatched two smaller hydraulic cranes to the site and secured the Manitowoc as workers continued to make repairs, said Joseph Vergona, a co-owner of the company. "The only difficulty was getting up to the top to do the repair," he said. "It's a pretty easy job — we'll replace the broken parts and it will be ready to go back to work." The accident suspended service on New Jersey Transit's Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system at the Harsimus Cover station for about four hours. New Jersey Transit provided shuttle service to the displaced passengers before full service was restored at 2:45 p.m., said Ken Miller, a spokesman for the transit system. Shortly before 8 p.m. tonight, the streets were reopened and traffic was back to normal.
Roofing Glue Accelerated Leesburg School Fire Allen Browning Apr 18, 2003 -- Roofing adhesives being used in the construction of Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School in Leesburg contributed to Monday’s blaze at the site and may be the cause of flames that engulfed a Loudoun County firefighter, building authorities said Thursday. The fire began when a construction worker using a cutting torch ignited insulation sheets that were stacked on the roof awaiting installation. It was the presence of at least one of two roofing adhesive compounds on the roof that burned Loudoun County firefighter Brett Harne, according to Loudoun County Public School Superintendent for Support Services Evan E. Mohler and Tucon Construction President Keith Maddox. Harne was flown by helicopter to a Washington, DC trauma center for treatment. He was released from the hospital later than night and has returned to duty. Despite the spectacular fire that created flames and smoke that could be seen for miles Monday, school administrators and building authorities says students will have nothing to fea from the materials being used in the roof construction. The entire roofing system to be installed at Reid Elementary is called a ballasted Firestone EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene-terpolymer) roof. Firestone is one of the largest of several manufacturers who market EPDM systems, which are used on flat-roofed buildings. The system consists of a series of Firestone products that are laid over corrugated steel plates, which are welded to steel roof girders. The first layer is the insulation made by Firestone called ISO 95+, which was the stacked insulation that caught fire on the roof of the school. The next layer is a rubber membrane material, for which the roofing system is named, called EPDM. It comes in rolls that are unfurled into sections that cover the ISO 95+ panels, followed by gravel or rocks used to weigh the EPDM down so it does not shift or blow away with the wind. While ISO 95+ insulation panels and the EPDM will burn, they are not nearly as flammable as the various chemical compounds used to connect the sections of EPDM membrane to one another. And it is those chemicals that Mohler, Maddox and a host of other building officials believe ignited Harne, because according to Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) code “flame spread” scales, the ISO 95+ panels are less flammable than wood. “[The panels] have a flame spread of 25,” said Mohler. “That’s not as high as dry wood, which is rated at 100. “Asbestos is rated at zero,” Mohler noted. With a flame spread of 25, the ISO 95+ insulation qualifies as a Class I material, which encompasses the least flammable materials available. By contrast, untreated wood is a Class III material, which makes it among the most flammable materials in use. Class III materials have a flame spread ranging from 76 to 200 while Class II materials range from 26 to 75. However, the adhesive chemicals present on the roof are very flammable, according to the Material Safety Data Sheets that accompany the products. Firestone Bonding Adhesive BA-2004 contains acetone, toluene, and xylene, all of which are flammable, while Firestone Lap Seam Sealant LS-3029A-1 contains naphtha, a flammable ingredient that is also used as cigarette-lighter fuel and in barbecue-lighter fluid. While the roofing adhesives are flammable, Mohler said once the roof is installed they will no longer be present at the construction site. As for the burned area, engineers for the school system and Tucon have already evaluated the damage and steps are being taken to repair it. “We’re replacing seven bar joists,” said Mohler. “It’s quicker to replace them then to mess with cleaning and repainting them.” In addition, two layers, or courses, of cinder blocks at the top of a nearby wall are also being replaced. In the meantime, construction of Frances Reid is still proceeding on other areas of the project. Attempts were made to reach the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office for comment.
Worker burned in job-site accident Jodie Sinnema The Edmonton Journal Friday, April 25, 2003 EDMONTON - A 29-year-old man suffered second-degree burns to 80 to 90 per cent of his body after an explosion shook a new residential development in southwest Edmonton Thursday afternoon. The man worked for a flooring company and was skinning linoleum in a new house south of Ellerslie Road near 119th Street. He was using a flammable solvent to take out linoleum, which was the wrong colour and needed to be replaced. Fire investigators said the vapours came in contact with the furnace duct in the basement and started the fire in a flash explosion. Damage is estimated at $150,000. One of the man's employers was nearby when the blast occurred and called the man on his cell. "I beeped him as a joke to say 'Did you blow up the house?' But he didn't answer," she said, visibly upset as she stood outside the house, slated to be finished by month's end. "I guess the joke was on me. ... We hope he's OK." Emergency crews got the call at around 4:15 p.m. and could see smoke rising in the sky from about one kilometre away, fire captain Lorne Sherstobitoff said. "It flashed and the main floor and part of the upstairs was involved with fire," Sherstobitoff said. "All of the vents were blown out or twisted and by the time we got here, the man was lying in front of the double doors of the garage." The man was the only person in the house. "It's a very serious fire because of the explosion and if anyone else was in there, they would have been hurt very badly as well." Sherstobitoff said all the house windows were closed, but while that may have contained the fire, it may also have slowed the ventilation of the fumes. Supt. Rod Homeniuk of EMS operations said the man is in critical condition and is being treated at the burn unit at the University of Alberta Hospital. "It's potentially life-threatening," Homeniuk said. Cara Yager, who lives across the street, said she knew it was serious when she saw the 29-year-old on fire in the garage. "He was burning head to foot," said Yager, who immediately called for help. She said his hair was burned off, as were most of his clothes. All that was left were his socks, his shin pads and his leather work belt. Neighbour Brad Melnyk came running with a jug of water to pour on the burning man. When flames continued to burn the garage, Melnyk used his garden hose to douse the fire. "It was a little unsettling," Melnyk said. He had just taken possession of his house on Wednesday and was getting ready to move in on the weekend. "Hell of a welcome to the neighbourhood." Yager said the man was conscious the entire time and said his name was Spencer. To keep him calm, she asked him details about his past and reassured him. "It's a scary thing to have happen," Yager said. "It's horrible. He's a young guy, so hopefully, he'll heal quickly."
Lincoln church suffers damage after morning fire BY WIL SHANE Northwest Arkansas Times Thursday, April 24, 2003 Roofers working on a church in Lincoln on Wednesday accidentally started a fire that ripped through the building, causing extensive damage, and rekindling the pastor’s memories of another church fire over a decade earlier. Rev. Jerry Mizell, pastor of the First Assembly of God Church, said the fire started at about 10 a.m. when roofers were applying a product called Torch On. The material is heated and rolled over roofs to seal leaks. "The heat caught a bird’s nest on fire and it spread through the attic and ceiling," Mizell said. The pastor was dubbing cassette tapes from an Easter Cantata in the church when he smelled smoke, he explained. "I went up on the roof and talked with the roofers, but everything looked fine," Mizell said. "So I came back down and went back to dubbing tapes." A few minutes later, Mizell heard "a yelling, panicked sound" coming from outside. "I thought someone had fallen off the roof and hurt themselves," Mizell said. As he was coming out of the Fellowship Hall’s back door, Mizell was met by one of the roofers, who said there was a fire. "I called 911 and started carrying out what I could," Mizell said. He managed to save several musical instruments including keyboards, a drum set, some microphones, a Peavy bass guitar and a Takeminie acoustic guitar. A crew from the Prairie Grove Fire Department was first on the scene and a crew from the Lincoln department arrived later. When asked why the Lincoln department, which is stationed within a half mile of the church, didn’t arrive first, Mizell declined to comment. "We’re fully insured so we’re not too worried," he said. "These things happen." It happened to Mizell once before in 1990 when he was the pastor of an Assembly of God Church in Barling. During a remodeling project, that church burned completely to the ground, he said. "The police woke us up at 6:30 a.m. and told us the church was on fire," Mizell recalled. Mizell’s wife, Sue Mizell, said this latest fire was much less serious than the earlier blaze. "We couldn’t rebuild the church in Barling, but we’ll be able to fix this one," she said. "In the other fire, we lost everything, even Jerry’s library." No cause was ever determined in the earlier fire, she added. Other than "a little smoke inhalation" incurred during his efforts to retrieve the musical instruments, Mizell suffered no injuries in the incident, he said. EMT T. J. Howerton, stationed at the Lincoln department, said most of the fire damage was in the ceiling. "When we got there, it was mostly contained in the back and in the roof," he said. "It moved all the way through the attic and caused some pretty extensive damage." Howerton said it was pretty clear what started the fire, but said he would make no official comment on the case until an investigation is completed. Mizell said he will meet with representatives from the church’s insurance carrier today to determine a damage estimate and to see how long it will be before the repairs can be completed.
UPDATE Fatal fall at Fairmount accidental STEVE HORRELL , Of the Intelligencer 04/25/2003 The death of a 26-year-old man who stepped off the edge of the grandstand roof at Fairmount Park Raceway and fell 30 feet to the sidewalk was ruled an accident Wednesday by a Madison County coroner's jury. Marty Nesbitt, of St. Louis, died on the afternoon of March 15 as he measured a part of the northeast corner of the grandstand roof at the raceway in Collinsville. He had been working for the EZJ Construction Co., of Salem, Mo., along with eight other workers who were measuring the roof and laying PVC pipe. Six of the roofers were on a nearby section as Nesbitt and another man were working together. Nesbitt's partner told Collinsville Police Detective Rich Wittenauer that just before the accident, Nesbitt had grabbed one end of the tape and walked to the edge of the roof, about 50 feet away. "He said he noticed the tape coming toward him and Marty was no longer there," Wittenauer testified. None of the workers say they saw Nesbitt fall. Wittenauer investigated the scene and said he noticed what appeared to e handprints at the edge of the roof which Nesbitt grabbed in a futile attempt to save himself. His body was found prone on the asphalt sidewalk below. Later, Wittenauer interviewed Larry Gill, a foreman for EZJ, who confirmed that Nesbitt was not wearing a safety harness at the time. Nesbitt had not been working close enough to the edge for the company to consider using a monitor who could have warned him when he got too close to the edge, Gill told Wittenauer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death to determine whether a monitor should have been used. Nesbitt began working for EZJ six months ago after his release from the military. A toxicology test showed no alcohol in Nesbitt's system. Madison County Deputy Coroner Ralph Baahlmann said that at some point prior to the accident Nesbitt had used marijuana and that he may have been under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident.
Construction worker crushed by equipment 04/25/03 A construction worker died yesterday after he was crushed by equipment while working on the Harvard-Denison Bridge, which crosses Ohio 176 in south Cleveland, police reported. The man, whose name was not available while police tried to notify relatives, died at the scene. He was working underneath the raised hydraulic bed of a machine that vacuums concrete when the bed collapsed on him at 6 p.m., police said. Police suspect the man accidentally kicked a lever that released the bed.
Downtown traffic accident JACKSONVILLE, FL (Downtown) -- Emergency crews, fire trucks and police cars are lining a downtown-area street after a traffic accident Thursday before 5pm. Some construction workers were putting out cones when the accident occurred. It happened on the main street ramp to I-95 south just south of the Main Street Bridge. A detective in a JSO homocide van crashed into the rear of a work crew truck that was picking up cones. He was taken to the hospital with broken legs.
Plumbing subcontractor rescued from trench By JENNIFER DONATELLI Staff Writer A Glen Burnie man was trapped for about three hours yesterday when a trench he was helping to dig in north county partially collapsed. Antonio Loverde, 23, a subcontractor for Linthicum Plumbing, was pulled from the hole after a coordinated effort by scores of emergency workers who flocked to the scene. Mr. Loverde was taken to the Shock-Trauma Center at University Hospital in Baltimore as a precaution. He was in fair condition this morning. Paramedics said he suffered injuries to his right hip, thigh and ankle. He also sustained injuries related to the compression in the trench and exposure to the cold, said Division Chief John Scholz, a county Fire Department spokesman. Despite yesterday's relatively warm weather, moisture in the soil could have caused hypothermia. Mr. Loverde and Chris Milan, who both work for Suburban Contracting Co. of Kingsville, were repairing the sewer line at the home of Jennifer and Jeff Hodges at 311 Cheddington Road in Linthicum. They had dug a trench measuring 16 feet long, 4 or 5 feet wide and 8 feet deep in some parts, and had removed the shoring to find the gas line when it collapsed, Mr. Milan said. "We walked to the edge of the hole to see what our next move was and the bank gave way," he said. Linthicum Plumbing owner Timothy Young said this was the first time something like this has happened in his company's history. The workers followed all the procedures for inserting shoring, or a trench box, in the hole, he said. Firefighters and paramedics from Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, as well as the Howard County Special Operations Unit, the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration and surgeons from Shock-Trauma's Go Team arrived to help Mr. Loverde, who was trapped up to his thighs and was conscious. Rescue personnel inserted large boards into the trench to shore up the walls. Emergency personnel blocked off Cheddington Road because they were concerned about vehicles causing vibrations and disrupting the trench more, Chief Scholz said. With darkening clouds and sporadic rain, they also were concerned about any moisture that could have hindered the rescue, he said. Rescuers also pumped heat into the trench - moisture in the soil could have caused hypothermia - and oxygen to help Mr. Loverde breathe and an intravenous line, Chief Scholz said. Mr. Loverde also was at risk for crush syndrome, which Chief Scholz described as what happens when toxins build up because of a lack of circulation. When the circulation returns suddenly, septic contaminants could course through the body rapidly, he said. Mr. Loverde's fiancee, Kristina Miller, and his brother, Phil, looked on anxiously as rescue efforts progressed. "I'm just hoping he's all right," Ms. Miller said. Rescuers finally pulled him out using a basket at 4:50 p.m., to the applause of dozens of residents of Crestwood, a neighborhood of about 200 homes. OSHA officials will handle the investigation of what happened.
Fire damages Greece church Patrick Flanigan Democrat and Chronicle (April 24, 2003) — GREECE — A Greece church was damaged by fire Wednesday, but the church’s pastor does not expect any interruptions to today’s scheduled services. “The damage was isolated to one room off the front vestibule,” said the Rev. John Forni, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on West Ridge Road. “We’ll do a little cleanup and be back in business.” Bud Phillips, chief of the Greece Ridge Fire Department, said the fire was reported at 10:30 a.m. and under control within 20 minutes. It was ignited accidentally by contractors from Alliance Door & Hardware Inc. who were using an oxygen acetylene torch to replace a window in a meeting room on the west side of the building. The fire spread to the ceiling and wall. Firefighters had to break into the wall from the outside to attack the blaze. “You could hear it moving through the wall when we got here,” Phillips said of the fire. Lou Bivone, owner of Alliance Door & Hardware, said a spark from the torch got into the ceiling. The torch was opeated by a two-person crew -- one who works the torch, and one who reacts in case of a fire. The crew members immediately called 911 and began battling the flames with extinguishers when the fire started, said Bivone, who noted fire-resistant blankets had been placed on the floor to keep sparks from igniting the carpet. “They did everything they were supposed to do,” Bivone said of his crew. “It’s just unfortunate that a spark went in the wrong place. This hasn’t happened in the 25 years I’ve owned the company.” Bivone said he expects his company’s insurance policies to cover the cost of the repairs. Forni said he did not know how long it would take to completely repair the damage but said the timing of the fire could have been worse. “Better this week than last week,” he said, referring to Holy Week, which precedes Easter Sunday and is one of the most active weeks on the Catholic calendar. St. John the Evangelist is the home parish for about 2,700 families. A Communion service is set today for 6:25 a.m. and a Mass for 8:15 a.m. To learn whether schedules have changed, call (585) 225-8980.
Gas leak forces elementary school evacuation By JEANNA CUNY , Staff writer 04/23/2003 About 750 students from Wyatt Elementary School at 8900 Coit Road were evacuated Tuesday morning after a gas leak in the area. 'The kids looked on it as an adventure and we made the best of it," Principal Nancy Roberts said. "I think our system worked quite well in keeping all the kids safe. That's our No. 1 priority." Plano Fire Department officials received a report of a gas odor at 10:02 a.m. The leak occurred when workers damaged a 3-inch gas main on the southwest corner of McDermott and Gifford, while doing construction work on the McDermott Road Church of Christ building, 200 yards east of Wyatt Elementary, she said. Officials with the Oncor gas company were notified of the damage and were on the scene to repair the line. "When our crews went to the school, Plano ISD maintenance officials had already initiated evacuation of the school," said Fire Department spokeswoman Monique Cardwell. s a precautionary measure, elementary school students, teachers, parents and administrators walked to Rice Middle School at 8500 Gifford until the area was declared safe at 11:17 a.m., she said. No other buildings were evacuated as a result of the accident, Cardwell said. Students returned to class about 12:30 p.m., district spokeswoman Nancy Long said.
Blazing bitumen sets fire to roofs Apr 23, 2003, 13:42:00 Workmen accidentally set fire to a roof they were repairing at a bungalow in Staffordshire when hot bitumen ignited. Within minutes flames spread from the garage roof to the house and a conservatory, causing damage running into thousands. The occupants were out at the time. Fire crews had to break in to rescue two dogs. It happened in Sunningdale Drive, Kingston Hill, Stafford, yesterday when a gas bottle became detached from a blow-torch and ignited the bitumen. Within seconds the men were faced with fierce flames and raised the alarm. The flames whipped across the bungalow roof and damaged the conservatory at the rear. Stafford fire service sub-officer Ian Jones said: "The flames spread very quickly but luckily no-one was hurt and we forced entry into the bungalow to get the dogs out. "It would appear the men had no extinguishing materials to hand, such as a small bucket of water, and we would urge anyone carrying out similar jobs and using such inflammatory material to think twice about safety precautions. "However, the men did the right thing in dialling 999 and not trying to tackle the blaze themselves." The conservatory was worst hit and the garage and bungalow roofs were also damaged.
UPDATE Firm fined £8,000 over near escape by ALISON BELLAMY A CONSTRUCTION company was fined £8,000 after a dumper truck overturned on a building site in Leeds. A man driving the truck escaped uninjured. Morrison Construction admitted putting labourer Anthony Mongey at risk during work at Headingley Water Treatment Work on May 16 last year. The city magistrates were told that Mr Mongey, 59, was working as a sub-contractor for the national company, which was building a concrete water tank at Yorkshire Water's site at Otley Road. The work was being carried out in partnership with Earth-Tech Engineering. Mr Mongey drove the eight-tonne truck on a one- in-four gradient, a manoeuvre that was against safety advice. It overturned. He was taken to the accident and emergency department at Leeds General Infirmary but was uninjured and returned to work four hours later. Sarah Hague, HM inspector for Health and Safety, said: "There was certainly potential for a fatal accident here. Dumpers on gradient feature prominently on accidents of this sort. "The company has co-operated fully with the HSE investigation." Paul Burnley, for Morrison Construction, which has 100 sites nationally and employs 1,900 people plus 200 sub-contractors, said: "Mr Mongey, who has 40 years' experience in the construction industry, was unscratched. Although a sub-contractor, he had been on a full induction course. "Despite safety training , procedures were not followed. "The company was obviously shocked at what happened. An internal investigation was held and this incident is now used in training sessions." The firm was also ordered to pay £1,409 costs.
Gas explosion levels home, Nicor employee injured April 23, 2003 — A construction accident in Blue Island led to an explosion that destroyed one home and damaged at least two others. There are reports that one person was injured. Officials say Nicor was called to the scene after workers struck a gas line in the area. The explosion occurred just after they arrived in the 3100-block of 141st Street in Blue Island. A Nicor worker was reportedly injured in the explosion. His condition is not known at this time.
Expatriate falls to death from crane in Hulhumale Tuesday, 22 April 2003 MALE, April 22 (HNS) - An expatriate worker from Thailand died Monday after falling from a crane in Hulhumale. The accident occurred around 11:00am in the mega-island that is being reclaimed in the lagoon of Hulhule which houses the Male International Airport. The Thai expatriate was a worker involved in road construction in Hulhumale, according to officials. Road construction in Hulhumale is subcontracted to the Thai company, Italian-Thai Developers Public Limited. The private ADK Hospital in Male, where the injured man was taken to be treated, pronounced him dead on arrival. A witness told Haveeru that the man received severe injuries to his head when he fell and that blood gushed out of his ears. “He immediately lost his consciousness. There was blood everywhere on the boat” in which he was brought to Male, the witness told Haveeru. It is not established how high the crane was, on whose top the expatriate was working when he fell.
Gas leak causes evacuation BY MARY JANE FARMER AND JOYCE GODWIN HERALD DEMOCRAT As gas fumes spewed out of rubble at a demolition site at Grayson County Airport Monday afternoon, construction workers, first response officials and evacuated occupants of two nearby buildings remained calm in the sunshine waiting for the all-clear. Wendell Williams, with Grayson County College, said a demolition crew was working off a survey of the area that was completed about a week ago. As they drove heavy equipment across a building, they struck a capped service riser which had not shown up in the survey. Williams said the crew hit a wall and the above-the-ground riser. Oncor official Martha Dorman said when the wall came down, it knocked the riser off and let gas escape. As the drama played out, gas visibly spewed into the air. Grayson County Airport fire trucks and police took precautions to reduce the risk of explosion. Within minutes, the Grayson County College cosmetology center was evacuated and the Juvenile Detention Center also got the word to move out. JDC officials vacated the eastern-most building, which houses the probation department and the detention center, and moved everyone over to the Boot Camp side of the complex. Director Bill Bristow said the evacuation was handled calmly and orderly. Grayson County College's cosmetology class was in progress with about 60 students working and several clients having work done to their hair and nails, all of whom were sent outside for safety. Some of the nail work continued on the outside as others waited on hair permanents to set. Dorman said it took Oncor crew members about an hour to find the line feeding the gas. They cut off the valve, plugged the line and, said Dorman, the risers are now abandoned and removed. "We always tell our customers, and it's our policy, to 'call before you dig.' That's also Texas law," Dorman said. "This is for everybody's safety, so there won't be problems (such as Monday's gas leak)."
Man Killed At Fairfax Construction Site Reported by: 9News Web produced by: Liz Foreman 4/21/03 12:08:59 PM A man has been killed in an accident at a construction site on Red Bank Road and Fair Lane in Fairfax. Police said the man was digging a trench around 11 a.m. Monday when he was hit by a 2,000 pound steel plate being handled by a crane operator. An Air Care helicopter quickly arrived on the scene but there was nothing emergency crews could do to save the man's life. The victim's name has not yet been released.
Crane falls on Wal-Mart roof; store is closed JIM STERN, Gazette Staff Writer April 18, 2003 RAYNHAM -- A construction crane toppled onto an addition of Wal-Mart, severely damaging store infrastructure and forcing the indefinite closure of the mega department store yesterday. No one was injured and the cause of the accident is being debated by various officials. Fire Department officials said a crane being used to load a heating and air conditioning unit onto the roof of the new Super Wal-Mart fell forward shortly after 4:30 p.m. yesterday. The 100-ton crane severely damaged rooftop support beams, a back wall, gas pipes and electrical lines inside the store, Building Inspector Rodman Palmer said. Palmer said the store will remain closed until a structural engineer determines the building to be sound. Construction officials on scene declined to comment yesterday. Lettering on the fallen crane read "Astro Crane," of Stow. An official cause of the collapse was being debated last night. Fire Lt. James Januse said officials from Astro Crane said a strong wind gust knocked the crane over. Several fire officials said they were skeptical of the explanation, as fire sources said they did not believe the wind was strong enough to push over a 100-ton piece of machinery. Palmer said he was led to believe from interviews and personal observations the jib on the crane extended to far low and back, causing the mechanical crane to drop and the back end of the crane to fall forward. The store was closed for the remainder of the day and Palmer said it was uncertain when the store would re-open. As of 9 p.m., yesterday, a Wal-Mart hired engineer was traveling from Arkansas to study the damage at the store. Palmer said a store construction crew would be working overnight. The State Department of Public Safety and Special Operations were on scene last night. Inspector Paul Wakem declined to answer any questions from reporters. The accident scene created heavy interest among onlookers. Two hours after the crane had fallen, more than 50 people had gathered at the scene. Many carried binoculars and video recorders. One family sat in lawn chairs.
UPDATE OSHA Cites Florida Contractors for Exposing Workers To Fall Hazards That Led to Fatal Accident FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two contractors for failing to protect workers from fall hazards at a Jensen Beach job site. The agency issued citations, with proposed penalties totaling $158,500, to Continental Painting, Waterproofing & Restoration, Inc., and one citation, with a proposed penalty of $2,500, to Safway Steel Products, Inc. Continental employees were replacing balconies and restoring the exterior stucco of two ten-story condominium buildings on South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, when the fatal accident occurred. Safway Steel provided the scaffolding systems for the project. On Oct. 17, in preparation for the installation of balcony rails, a Continental employee was drilling holes in the new concrete floor of a balcony when he fell seven stories to the ground. He died later that day at a trauma center. "OSHA's safety standards for fall protection are designed to prevent a tragedy such as this," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "We are proposing the maximum penalties in this case, because Continental has been cited in the past for similar violations." According to Luis Santiago, OSHA's area director in Ft. Lauderdale, the agency issued five repeat citations to Hollywood-based Continenal Painting, Waterproofing & Restoration. One, directly related to the accident, carries a proposed penalty of $35,000 for failing to provide workers with proper fall protection equipment. The others, each with a proposed penalty of $25,000, cited the company's failure to provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment and scaffolding with proper fall arrest systems and guardrails. A repeat citation is issued when a company has been cited previously for a substantially similar condition and the citation has become a final order of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The company received citations for other alleged serious safety violations, with $23,500 in proposed penalties. Safway Steel Products, Inc., received a serious citation, with a proposed penalty of $2,500, for failing to properly install the suspension scaffolds. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which an employer knew or should have known. The companies have 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection of the work site was conducted by OSHA's Ft. Lauderdale office at the Jacaranda Executive Court, 8040 Peters Rd., Bldg. H-100; phone: (954) 424-0242. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov .
UPDATE Argonaut to open in August; Fire had delayed hotel's premiere for more than a year George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, April 10, 2003 San Francisco Chronicle The opening of the Argonaut Hotel at Fisherman's Wharf, delayed for more than a year because of a fire at the construction site, is now planned for August, its developer said Wednesday. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants of San Francisco, of course, is opening the hotel in the midst of an anemic economy. Hotel performance has been on a downward spiral nationwide during the past two years, putting a strain on the ability of many property managers and owners to cover expenses, noted the hospitality research group PKF Consulting. However, Gary Carr of the San Francisco PKF office noted that Fisherman's Wharf hotels have higher occupancy rates than the rest of the city -- 72.8 percent for 2002 compared with 65.4 percent for the whole of San Francisco. Even in the off month of January, wharf hotels had a rate of 57.6 percent compared with 53.3 percent overall, Carr said. Moreover, PKF expects an upturn in the hotel business and economy in general in the second half of this year, "and by that time the hotel will be up and running and that should coincide nicely for them," he said. The hotel is housed in the 96-year-old Haslett Warehouse, which early in the last century was the largest fruit and vegetable cannery in the world. Construction of the hotel was in an early phase on the night of March 16, 2002, when a five-alarm fire damaged the fourth floor and destroyed the roof of the historic warehouse -- vacant since the 1980s -- at Jefferson and Hyde streets near the Hyde Street cable-car turnaround. The San Francisco Fire Department concluded the fire was a construction job accident, the source a welding operation. Damage was estimated at $5 million. The 198,000-square-foot Haslett Warehouse is owned by the National Park Service and is leased to Kimpton, which is creating the 252-room boutique hotel in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park at Fisherman's Wharf. Accordingly, Kimpton said Wednesday, there will be a nautical atmosphere at the Argonaut Hotel -- wooden plank floors and portholes in the lobby walls, for example. Brass telescopes will be placed in suites for guests to track ships in the bay. The new hotel's ground floor will include the maritime park's new visitor center, and Kimpton said rent it pays will be used to help preserve the park's historic ships -- the Balclutha, C.A. Thayer, Hercules and Eureka, at Hyde Street Pier. The developer of the $40 million project is Maritime Hotel Associates LP, an affiliate of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. Kimpton's pattern is to couple its boutique hotels with a restaurant, and adjacent to the Argonaut will be the 134-seat Blue Mermaid Chowder House, designed by Robert Puccini Design and Development of San Francisco. The warehouse fire and its aftermath caused major difficulties for tenants of the Cannery, said Chris Martin, president of Cannery Properties LLC. "It has meant dirt, noise, impact to sidewalks and streets and, obviously, we look forward to the opening of the hotel," Martin said. He said he expects the opening to coincide with an upward movement in the economic cycle. "You want to hit it on the way up," and the hotel, at the high end of wharf hotels, will be well positioned, said Martin. Jim Whelan, executive vice president of Kimpton Hotels, said, "This is a world-class city and Aquatic Park is a world-class destination. People will always come back to San Francisco. We expect them to come back to San Francisco when the current tumult subsides." The four-story, timber-and-brick Haslett Warehouse was built between 1907 and 1909 by the California Fruit Canners Association. After its service as a cannery it changed hands several times and, in 1978, was transferred to the National Park Service. It was later included in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which was established in 1988. The City of San Francisco declared the Haslett Warehouse a historic landmark in 1974.
Battle to save man trapped in mud Emergency services are battling to rescue a workman trapped in 6ft of mud after a trench collapsed on him. The man, in his 50s, had climbed into the trench he and colleagues had been digging only for the sides to fall in, Gwent Police said. "The sides appear to have collapsed on him, burying him in a depth of 6ft of mud," a spokesman added. About 30 firefighters are at the scene in Malthouse Road, Llantarnam, Cwmbran, and an ambulance is standing by to take the man to hospital if necessary. The man was working for Bristol-based contractors MJ O'Connor Ltd when the accident happened shortly after 4pm. Firefighters began trying to extricate him shortly before 6pm.
Trench collapse kills construction worker 09/04/2003 - 12:17:31 pm An Italian man has died after a trench collapsed on top of him at a construction site near Ennis, Co Clare, this morning. The man was working on a Bord Gais pipeline in Clarecastle at the time of the accident. Health and safety officials have been notified and gardai are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
UPDATE Accident will not delay construction; Two workers recover from injuries from last Thursday's mishap at Emmet Street garage site Mary Pumphrey Cavalier Daily Associate Editor Despite last Thursday's accident at the Emmet Street parking garage construction site, facilities management officials said the project is proceeding in a timely manner. They also have determined the workers were correctly following safety guidelines when the accident occurred. Two construction workers sustained injuries when the concrete slab they were standing on fell 11 feet. Both were taken to the University Medical Center, treated and subsequently released within a day. "One guy was back at work the same night" after being treated for a sprained wrist, Project Superintendent Mike Dilley said. The other worker, who tore a ligament in his back, was released from the Medical Center at noon the next day. He is expected to return to work early next week, Dilley said. Site officials said they were grateful the accident had not caused more damage. "It could have been worse -- it was a 56,000 pound piece of concrete that fell 11 feet," Dilley said. The accident initially raised questions as to whether appropriate safety precautions had been taken at the site. "My understanding is that they were following the established procedure," said David Sweet, University facilities management senior project manager. The accident did, however, cause the involved contracting company to reevaluate their safety guidelines, Sweet said. "Since the accident, the company has added to their procedure to ensure that it doesn't happen again," he said. The accident occurred because a concrete slab, which had been placed in the structure, had not been properly welded. When workers attempted to move a second concrete slab into place, they caused the first concrete slab to shift sideways and then to fall, Project Manager Kurt Weinfurther said. "It's as simple as someone forgetting to make a weld," he said. "In this instance, the weld was not in place prior to" the slab being moved into place. Workers now will be required to securely weld pieces of concrete that they have placed in the structure before they attempt to move other pieces into place, Sweet said. Officials expect the garage, which will accommodate 1,200 vehicles, will be completed by Sept. 25, 2003. While the project currently is running slightly behind schedule, it is still expected to meet its anticipated opening date. "I think it's going very well and is very close to being on schedule," Sweet said. The project experienced repeated delays last semester, when the Lewis Mountain Road Neighborhood Association protested the construction of the garage. The association asserted that the increased traffic flow to the garagecould lead to a reduced quality of life for neighborhood residents. Students living in the area also may be adversely affected by increased traffic flow. Second-year College student Anne Deady, who plans to live in the International Residential College next year, adjacent to the Ivy-Emmet intersection, said she fears the traffic increase that could result from the project will produce a noisy environment for IRC residents. Despite these misgivings, Deady said she likely will take advantage of the structure's proximity. "I'm actually really excited," she said. "Right now I have a parking pass at the Cavalier Inn and its really expensive because I don't want to walk all the way to U-Hall in the dark by myself."
UPDATE Contractor Acquitted Of Manslaughter By Karen Freifeld Staff Writer April 8, 2003, 9:59 PM EDT A Manhattan jury Tuesday night acquitted a contractor of manslaughter charges in the death of a day laborer in an Upper East Side construction accident, but found the contractor guilty of reckless endangerment for an unsafe worksite. Shukun "Michael” Tam, 49, owner of Tamco Corp., was found not guilty of manslaughter in the second-degree for the death of Antonio Romano, 40, an undocumented worker who died when an unfinished floor at 33 East 61st St. loaded with hundreds of 64-pound cinder blocks gave way on May 16, 2002. The contractor also was found not guilty of assault for the injuries to three other day laborers in the collapse. Though it is unusual to bring criminal charges under such circumstances, prosecutors had argued that Tam "consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death and serious physical injury when he ordered 28,000 pounds of cinder blocks to be stored on the top floor of 33 East 61st Street,” as Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cort told jurors in his summation. Prosecutors claimed Tam wanted the cinderblocks off the sidewalk out of greed. During the trial, Cheung Keat "Ken” Ai, 33, Tam's foreman, had testified Tam told him to move them so union officials wouldn't see the load and demand he hire higher-paid union workers or erect an inflatable raft at the site. Many of Tam's workers were undocumented Mexicans like Romano who were paid $55 a day. Ai, 33, a Malaysian immigrant with no construction experience before he came to New York in 2001, pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month with the promise of 1 to 6 years in prison in exchange for testifying against Tam. But jurors said they were not convinced that Tam consciously knew there was a substantial risk to loading the blocks on the unfinished floor. "There was just too much doubt ... [that Tam] was definitely aware of the risk,” said juror Vicki Donner, a photographer, after the verdict about 6 p.m. last night, following more than six hours of deliberations. Tam, who could have received up to 15 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter, faces up to one year in jail and $1,000 fine and could receive as little as probation. State Supreme Court Justice John Bradley set sentencing for May 20. Juror Sean Reilley, 29, a consultant, said the jury convicted Tam of the reckless endangerment because "there was a public safety concern,” pointing out that no scaffolding had been put up, and that there were no guard rails. The workers also did not have hard hats or safety harnesses. Defense attorney Barry Turner was satisfied with the jury's verdict. "I think it was a fair verdict and reflected their being upset with the general nature of the worksite,” he said. Tam had no comment, but his daughter, Irene, said, "I'm relieved.”
UPDATE OWSJ Supplies Ltd. fined $50,000 for health and safety violation TORONTO, April 8 /CNW/ - OWSJ Supplies Ltd., a Mississauga, Ont.-based supplier of structural steel for industrial buildings, was fined $50,000 on April 4, 2003 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in injuries to two workers at a construction site in Toronto's north end. On December 22, 1999, two ironworkers were positioning roof decking on top of a steel structure when a section of the structure collapsed. The first worker fell about 12 metres (40 feet) to the ground while the other was able to hang on to a bundle of decking that was being placed on the roof by a mobile crane. The first worker suffered serious injuries, including fractured and broken bones and internal and external bruising. The second worker received minor injuries after being lowered to the ground by the crane operator. A Ministry of Labour investigation found the workers were wearing full body harnesses equipped with lanyard (a connecting line from the harness to an anchor to protect the workers against falls), but their lanyards were not tied to anything. The incident occurred on Fenmar Drive in the Weston Road- Finch Avenue West area of Toronto, where an industrial building was being constructed. Following a trial, OWSJ Supplies Ltd. was found guilty, as an employer, of failing to ensure the workers wore a fall arrest system in a situation where they could fall a distance of more than three metres (10 feet), as required by Section 26(1)(a) of the Regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to Section 25(1)(c) of the act. The fine was levied by Justice of the Peace Gary Miller of the Ontario Court of Justice at Old City Hall in Toronto. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
UPDATE Company Cited For Alleged Willful Violation In Trench Collapse Federal OSHA issues citations for cave-in that buried workers SAN FRANCISCO -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Lompoc-based excavation company for serious and willful violations of federal safety standards following an investigation into the death of an employee when a trench collapsed. R. Williams Construction Company received three citations dated March 17, 2003, that carry proposed penalties of $91,000, for violating federal laws which require specific precautions to prevent cave-ins. The federal OSHA investigation of R. Williams was prompted by the Sept. 19, 2002 death of an employee working at the Chumash Casino Project near Santa Ynez. The employee was working at the bottom of a 70-foot long, ten-foot deep trench being prepared for a new sewer line. The employee and a co-worker were buried when the trench collapsed on top of them. The co-worker was rescued quickly, and survived with serious injuries. The violations are particularly egregious because the employer was hired based upon its expertise with underground construction. "OSHA excavation and trenching standards clearly state what safeguards must be in place to protect workers in this type of construction," said Chris Lee, OSHA deputy regional administrator in San Francisco. "This employer knowingly placed workers at significant risk by failing to take the most basic precautions against trench collapse." According to OSHA investigators, several workers claimed the employer asked them to sign a statement that they had received training in trenching work when, in fact, they had not. The workers also reported that the statement was in English although some employees, including the injured employee, could not speak, read or write English. R Williams received a citation for one alleged willful violation, with penalties of $70,000, for failing to comply with requirements that trench walls be sloped at an angle of no more than 34 degrees. According to OSHA investigators, the trench that failed had vertical walls from the bottom of the excavation to a height of about five feet, and then sloped back from the trench at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The company received a citation for three alleged serious violations, with fines of $7,000 each. The alleged serious violations were failure to provide a stairway, ramp or other means of escape; failure to have a qualified person inspect the excavation and all protective systems on an ongoing basis during the work shift; and for not instructing employees in how to spot and avoid unsafe conditions in the hazardous excavation environment. R. Williams also received a citation for a single violation, without penalty, for failing to protect workers from being injured by lose rock or soil falling into the excavation. The company 15 working days from the date of the citations to submit an appeal. 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.
Construction worker dies in fall from Holt bridge The Associated Press Police identified a Tuscaloosa construction worker who fell to his death last week while working on the Eastern Bypass bridge in Holt. Otis Morrow, 46, fell 100 feet to his death Friday after stepping onto an unsecured piece of metal being placed by other workers on top of the bridge, police said Monday. Authorities had withheld Morrow's name until his family had been notified. "It appears to be accidental," said Tuscaloosa police Lt. Loyd Baker. "It's still under investigation with our department." Morrow is the second man to die while working on the bypass bridge. Bobby L. Wade Sr. of Moundville fell and died in October 2001. Wade and Morrow both were employees of R.R. Dawson Bridge Co. of Bessemer, which is building the bridge for the Alabama Department of Transportation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for unsafe working conditions after investigating Wade's death. The agency said employees on the bypass bridge project were not properly trained for potential fall hazards. Information from: The Tuscaloosa News
Addison man killed in crash identified By Beth Sneller Daily Herald Staff Writer Posted April 07, 2003 Police have released the identity of the construction worker killed over the weekend after being hit by a car while working along Interstate 57 near 159th Street. David Swiderski, 31, of Addison died in the accident, Illinois State Police said Sunday. One other construction worker and the driver of the car remained hospitalized Sunday. The accident occurred at about 2:40 p.m. Saturday when a car driven by Theodore Montgomery, 65, of the 1600 block of East 74th Place in Chicago, swerved into a construction zone, police said. Another construction worker, Carl Tesinski, 26, of the 5600 block of South Melvina Ave. in Chicago, also was injured in the accident and brought to St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island. Hospital officials listed him in fair condition Sunday. Montgomery told police he blacked out and lost control of his car. He was brought to Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn and remained in good condition there Sunday, hospital officials said. Montgomery was ticketed for improper lane usage and driving without insurance, said Master Sgt. Wayne Winterberg. After an accident investigation and toxicology report, police will determine whether any further charges will be filed.
UPDATE Work deaths result in fines By Robert Boyer, STAFF WRITER April 05, 2003 Three contractors have been cited for safety violations in connection with a High Point construction accident that killed a Randleman man six months ago. Charles Edward Weiss, 55, died Oct. 3 when he fell onto a concrete floor while installing corrugated metal decking onto the rafters of a building under construction in the 600 block of Pegg Road. Samet Corp., the Greensboro general contractor in charge, along with two Randleman subcontractors, Contract Erectors and W-3 Decking, Weiss' company, were cited for "not utilizing fall-protection devices" that were on site, said N.C. Department of a Labor spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry. Samet was fined $2,100, Contract Erectors $1,750 and W-3 $1,050, Quesenberry said. W-3 was fined an additional $1,050 because investigators determined that the company had a controlled decking installation area that was too large. Quesenberry said under state regulations, decking installers are allowed to work without wearing safety devices in such areas, provided the area is smaller than 90-by-90-feet. The rulings came after a nearly six-month state Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation. Two of the contractors said Friday they aren't at fault. "The (safety) equipment was there and it was being utilized," said Mark Stinson, Contract Erectors general manager. Weiss, said Stinson, was wearing a safety harness, but "didn't have it tied on" when he fell from a height of 26 feet. Stinson said according to regulations that went into effect March 2002, workers less than 30 feet above ground don't have to be secured to a safety line. Stinson said the secure decking area in use the day of the mishap wasn't too large. "We don't agree with it," Stinson said of the ruling. "We did everything we were supposed to do." "We still feel that at the time of the accident, we were in compliance with the regulations," said Samet Vice President Marshall Tuck. Tuck and Stinson said they will talk with state labor officials in an effort to overturn the citations and fines. A W-3 official couldn't be reached for comment. Quesenberry said companies have 15 days from the date of notification to request an "informal conference" with an area OSHA supervisor to appeal such rulings. Settlements are usually reached within several weeks of a conference, she said. Weiss' death was the second in less than three weeks at the site. Juan Jose Mayo Uyoa, 30, of Randleman, died Sept. 16 when a crane boom lifting about 5 tons of rafters snapped and dropped the load, crushing Uyoa underneath. Investigators blamed his death on a broken piston rod that caused the boom to move downward and snap when it hit the wall. An investigation cleared the three contractors of any violations or responsibility in Uyoa's death.
Westminster garage collapse injures 3; Construction workers 'rode down' concrete; accident is investigated By Athima Chansanchai and Jennifer McMenamin Sun Staff Originally published April 4, 2003 A section of a parking garage under construction in Westminster collapsed yesterday morning, sending part of a 30-ton concrete deck crashing to the ground and injuring three workers. Authorities and workers at the site said that construction crews were installing a 60-foot- by-12-foot concrete section on the top tier of the three-level garage when something went wrong. "It was a piece of the flooring that you'd drive your car on. They were installing that, and it was not completely in place," said Maj. Dean A. Brewer of the Westminster police. "It came down, and part of it caught the second level." The concrete slab, known in the construction business as a "double-T beam," was split lengthwise in the collapse. Parts of it remained hanging from a crane amid a pile of rubble. Two of the injured men apparently were working on the top deck at about 10:15 a.m. when the concrete gave way and the workers "rode it down," a paramedic on the scene said. Terry Dee White, 40, a construction foreman from Bunker Hill, W.Va., and welder Serafin Louis Soto, 34, of Arlington, Va., were flown by helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Both men were released at 6:30 p.m., a nursing coordinator said last night. Tom Rio, 47, a Taneytown firefighter and emergency medical technician who helped Westminster paramedics attend to the injured men, said that both had bruises and that Soto complained of leg pain. The two were flown out because of concerns about possible internal bleeding and spinal injuries. A third worker, Herbas Pablo Cano, 42, was taken by ambulance to Carroll County General Hospital with minor injuries. He was treated and released by 12:30 p.m. All three men work for Baltimore-based E.E. Marr Erectors, Inc., the crane company working on the garage project, according to Kirk Edwards, the company's vice president. Witnesses, police and construction workers at the site offered conflicting versions of what happened, alternately describing a cracking of the concrete or a snapping of the crane cable that was hoisting the large beam atop the garage. Brewer said that inspectors with Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Program told him there was "no breakage of the cable," but that someone who specializes in cables will inspect them. Edwards declined to comment. Craig A. Musser, human resource manager and safety director with Nitterhouse Concrete Products Inc. of Chambersburg, Pa., was at the accident site yesterday afternoon but also would not discuss the collapse. Mangers with Kinsley Construction, the general contractor on the job, declined comment at the parking garage and did not return a call to their York County, Pa., office. Rio was volunteering at a downtown support center for the mentally ill when he heard the crash. He said he ran to the scene and found paramedics working on the injured men. Rio said the workers described the falling concrete and how they "rode it down." Two MedEvac helicopters landed in the Westminster City Playground, just across the street from the $2.85 million parking garage going up in the Longwell parking lot between City Hall and Main Street. But White and Soto were flown out in the same chopper. The collapse left chunks of the concrete section dangling from two taut cables and a third slack wire. It created a backup of trucks waiting to deliver concrete slabs for installation in the parking decks. And it shook nearby houses and businesses, drawing out office workers, shoppers and motorists to gape and speculate. "Dust was flying, the sound was unbelievable and guys were running and calling, 'It's falling in,'" said Sharon Cornish of Westminster, who had just arrived at a nearby parking lot when she and her friends heard a loud boom. "I started praying right away." Jaime Paz, 32, of Arlington, Va., who also works for the crane company, said he saw the concrete section "start to crack before it fell." "I heard the noise, I ran and the floor caved in," he added. Gerri Gartrell, 22, of Westminster, described seeing the concrete section jackknife either before or as it fell. "I looked up and the beam was straight across and then it was like the beam snapped in the middle," Gartrell said. "All the workers on the roof came running down. If it breaks that easily now, how will it hold cars?" Karen Napolitano, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, said that MOSH is investigating the accident. Brewer said the construction project - which had been slated for completion in July - is on hold indefinitely. "Construction is at a standstill until [state inspectors] release the scene," he said. "It could be a day. It could be a week." Sun staff writers Mary Gail Hare and Ellie Baublitz contributed to this article.
UPDATE State fines Grand Ledge company Lansing State Journal The state has ordered a Grand Ledge construction company to pay $5,100 in fines after a trench accident in January killed a Portland man. The state Department of Consumer and Industry Services' Bureau of Safety and Regulation cited Precision Plumbing for four serious violations under construction safety standards. The company must pay and correct the problems. It can appeal within 15 days. Arthur Krass, 43, was trapped 15 feet below ground when a ditch's dirt walls collapsed while he was installing plumbing at a home under construction in a Holt subdivision. Neither Krass' family nor the company could be reached for comment Thursday. The violations are: No accident prevention program was developed, maintained or coordinated with employees. Fine: $1,050 No ladder or other type of proper access or egress was provided to employees. Fine: $1,050 The excavation was not properly sloped for safely making a sewer and water tap. Fine: $1,500 Precision failed to report the death of an employee within the required eight hours. Fine: $1,500
Worker's Leg Caught In Trenching Equipment Friday April 04, 2003 1:53pm Oklahoma City (AP) - A man suffered serious injuries this morning when his leg became caught in a trencher in Oklahoma City. The man's name was not immediately released. Fire Major Brian Stanaland says the man was working to install a conduit for underground electrical lines at a construction site. Stanaland says the man's leg became caught in the digging chain nearly up to his thigh. Stanaland says rescuers unbolted the belts to the chain and cut through a safety bar to free the man's leg.
Two injured in garage construction accident Lisa Florkowskicavalier Daily Yesterday's accident at the Emmet Street parking garage site occured when a concrete slab attached to a crane fell from its fixture. The two workers who were riding on the beam at the time sustained injuries and were taken to the University Medical Center for treatment. Two workers sustained injuries and broken bones yesterday at the construction site of the new Emmet Street parking garage when a concrete slab fell, according to University Police Sgt. Melissa Fielding. "About 1:45 today there were two constructions workers on top of a concrete slab that was being lifted by a crane," Fielding said. "The concrete slab holding the employees dropped 20 feet, injuring them." The problem stemmed from a piece of metal that was already supposed to be welded to the slab, she said. Fielding could not detail the injuries sustained by the workers, whose names have not yet been released. Both were taken to the University Medical Center. "All I know about their injuries is that they were transported to the emergency room for treatment," Fielding said. At the site of the accident, Kurt Gould, an employee with Donley's Construction, Co., shed some light into the nature of the accident. "Basically, we had an erection error -- very simple," he said. University Spokesperson Carol Wood offered some details of the events that transpired. "At about two this afternoon a precast concrete T fell at the parking garage construction site," she said. Wood added that one worker "immediately was taken to the hospital with back injuries. He was conscious and alert."
UPDATE Potentially Fatal Westwood, Mass., Construction Accident Results in OSHA Citations and $224,000 in Proposed Penalties for Employers BOSTON -- Exposing employees to potentially fatal safety hazards at a Westwood, Mass., construction site has resulted in two Massachusetts employers and one Vermont employer being cited and fined a total of $224,000 by the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA has cited Jan Five, doing business as Alexandra Construction, and Epernay Design and Construction, Inc., both of Newton, Mass., as well as Northern Construction Dynamics of Hyde Park, Vt., for alleged willful violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act after the agency investigated an Oct. 1, 2002, accident at the Westwood High School construction project. In the accident, a 55-foot steel column toppled over after it had been placed on its foundation as soon as the crane line holding it was released. "Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident, which could have had tragic consequences," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "These companies knew the safety standards they should have been following, and they all are being cited for willful violations of the law." According to Brenda Gordon, OSHA's area director for southeastern Massachusetts, Alexandra Construction, as the general contractor on the site, is being cited for three willful violations, including: allowing steel erection to begin before foundation material was sufficiently strong, and before giving written notification to the steel erector; allowing steel erection to begin before giving written notification to the steel erector that anchor bolts had been repaired; and modifying anchor bolts in an unsafe manner without the approval of the engineer of record. This company is also being cited for one other-than-serious violation for failing to secure a compressed gas cylinder. The total proposed penalty for this contractor is $126,000. Epernay Design and Construction is being cited for a willful violation, with a proposed penalty of $56,000, for modifying anchor bolts in an unsafe manner without the approval of the engineer of record. Epernay Design and Construction was in charge of preparing the foundation of the building prior to steel erection. Northern Construction Dynamics, the steel erection contractor, is being cited for one willful violation for beginning to erect steel before receiving written notification from the controlling contractor that foundation material had sufficient strength to support the steel. It is also cited for an other-than-serious violation for providing a discharged fire extinguisher for emergency use. The company's total proposed penalty is $42,000. A willful violation is defined by OSHA as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations. OSHA's area office in Braintree, Mass., conducted the inspection. Its telephone number is 617-565-6924. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
Construction Accident Injures Workers In Westminster. Apr 3, 2003 1:02 pm US/Eastern A crane operator says he was laying a concrete slab when it fell onto the top of the garage causing a partial collapse, which knocked 3 workers off the structure. Two of the workers were flown to Shock Trauma, a third worker was taken by ambulance. So far, there's no word on the three workers conditions.
Cedartown man killed in construction accident 04/03/03 By Matt Tuck, Copy Editor A 25-year-old Cedartown resident was fatally injured in a construction accident on Monday, March 31. The Cedartown Fire Department reported that the victim, Joaquin T. Domingo, was part of the construction crew charged with widening US 27. At approximately 2:27 p.m., members of Bruce Albea Contracting of Rockmart were burying what is being called “large water runoff pipes.” Fire Department officials said that normally when installing the pipes, one of the workers will stand inside the section as it is being placed into the ground. A Track Hoe is then used to position the pipe after the worker is at a safe distance. It is believed that Domingo was guiding the section of pipe as it was lowered, but was not out of harm’s way before the Track Hoe was used. “The Hitachi EX230LC operator was backing the machine after pipe alignment,” the report said. “He was given the ‘all clear.’” No one was aware that Domingo was still in the pipe when the “bucket” or “scoop” of the Track Hoe was lowered into the work site. The ictim was accidentally struck across the head and upper body. EMS and police officials were quickly on the scene. When they arrived, Domingo was lying unconscious in the trench with severe head injuries. Sgt. Joy Nolen said that the victim was breathing when EMS officials arrived. “We secured the area and directed traffic,” she said. “Pretty much, we got out of the way and allowed emergency personnel to work on [Domingo].” Initially, Nolen said, a helicopter was dispatched to the accident scene; emergency officials soon felt it was too late. “We secured the Kroger parking lot for a Life Flight, but it was cancelled,” the officer stated. Domingo was later pronounced dead.
Worker killed at construction site A man was killed Wednesday morning when roofing beams fell onto him during construction of a house in Yorba Linda, police said. David Valdonivos, 26, of Santa Ana was standing near the truck from which bundles of six roof trusses each were being lifted by a forklift. Six or seven bundles fell nine feet, striking him on the head and pinning him. The bundles weigh about 300 pounds each. Workers quickly removed the trusses by hand and found Valdonivos dead. He was wearing a hard hat. Valdonivos was working for a plumbing subcontractor not associated with the operators of the forklift. The accident happened in the 17000 block of Coriander Street.
Man injured in fall from roof By Dorrance Johnson, Staff Correspondent April 03, 2003 BRANFORD - The State Labor Department's Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating a local mishap in which a construction worker was injured last Wednesday morning when he fell from a scaffold that was erected for renovations on a house at 65 Summer Island Road. Fellow workers, who did not actually witness the fall, found the 36-year-old man apparently unconscious on the ground. The workers were last aware that the man had been working atop the scaffold, which was estimated to have been approximately 25 feet off the ground. Branford Fire Department Paramedics were summoned to the 10:34 a.m. incident and raced to aid the injured worker. When they arrived, they found him to be conscious and suffering from the effects of the fall. According to Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney, the worker was apparently involved in either "roofing" the house or performing other work in the roof area and may have been in the process of ascending a "catwalk" when he fell to the ground below. "His injuries appeared to be serious," Mahoney said. The injured worker, who is employed by Beavis Roofing and Siding, was stabilized by paramedics at the scene and transported to Yale New Haven Hospital where, at last report, he was undergoing treatment for injuries to his head, chest and legs. Authorities withheld the injured worker's name pending notification of his family.
Wall crushes construction workers to death A wall crashed on two construction workers as they were dismantling a Tokyo building on Thursday, crushing them to death, police said. Police said the workers were at the site in Tokyo's Meguro-ku when an outer walling of the building suddenly collapsed at about 2:05 p.m., pinning them underneath. The men were rushed to hospital after the accident but had died by the time they arrived of heart and lung failure. Tokyo Fire Department officials said the wall that fell on the workers was about 3 meters tall, 5 meters wide, and 20 centimeters thick. The building from which the wall fell was three stories high, and the wall had fallen on the men from the second floor, officials said. (Mainichi Shimbun, April 3, 2003)
Concrete slab crushes, kills construction worker PHILIPSBURG--A construction worker was fatally injured when a slab of concrete fell on him, crushing him against a wall in Saunders Tuesday morning. Eyewitnesses said the man Dennis Ettenatte (29) from Dominica had been cutting the back part of a concrete slab housing GEBE's fuse box and meters with a concrete cutting machine when the solid concrete panel started to fall backwards. As a result the victim was trapped between the slab and the wall of a house on Arbutus Road. The man apparently screamed, trying to alert people in nearby houses. The person living in the house in front of which the accident took place looked outside, but said he hadn't seen anything unusual. Passersby stopped and managed to slightly move the heavy piece of concrete, freeing the trapped man. The victim slumped down in front of the wall and died a few minutes later. Police were called. Before the Ambulance Department arrived, officers had already determined that Ettenatte didn't have a pulse. A sheet was placed to cover the body unt the funeral home employees came to take it away. A family member, presumed to be a sister of the deceased, could be heard wailing. The incident, which took place around 8:15am, drew a large crowd. Management of GEBE also came to the scene, later followed by the technical department TOD of police and head of the inspection department of ROB Henry Ellis. Witnesses were interviewed and with the help of a GEBE truck the incident was reenacted. The slab was placed back against the wall, to determine how the victim had been trapped. Ettenatte worked for Joe Construction, a subcontractor that has been working in the area for several weeks, putting in underground cabling for GEBE. The victim, who lived in Reward Estate, was preparing the slab to be placed in a nearby hole. The slab had been resting on a couple of rocks to stabilize it. The area where the slab was resting was uneven. Witnesses questioned safety conditions, saying that Ettenatte should not have been working alone when cutting the slab. The victim apparently died of internal injuries, stated Police Spokesman Inspector Geronimo Juliet. The body has been confiscated for an autopsy.
Stairway collapse injures 2 workers Wednesday, April 2, 2003 By ASHANTI M. ALVAREZ STAFF WRITER PATERSON - Two construction workers were seriously hurt Wednesday morning when a staircase landing collapsed beneath them inside a building they were renovating at Passaic County Community College, authorities said. The workers - Edward Lock, 50, and Dan Fisher, 32 - were demolishing concrete stairs at 218 Memorial Drive and were between the first and second floors when the landing gave way at 11:30 a.m., said Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Murray. Other construction workers ran out to get help, and by happenstance, found police Sgt. Diane Hanley and Mark Veenema, chief of paramedics at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, nearby. Both men were taken to St. Joseph's, where Lock, of Rockville Center, N.Y., was in critical but stable condition with head, back, and leg injuries; and Fisher, of Middle Island, N.Y., was stabilized with multiple fractures in one leg. The landing was left hanging by reinforcement bars in the middle of the concrete building, Murray said, preventing the massive block of cement from landing on top of the men. The city Building Department and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were notified, Murray said. The building is the future site of a community technology center, PCCC President Steven Rose said. Rose said that OSHA officials suggested ways to make the work site safer, but said that the workers took proper precautions by wearing harnesses. The college leased the building from the city of Paterson in 2000, and has been using a $400,000 federal grant along with other funds to renovate the interior and exterior, Rose said. Tuesday's accident did not impede the construction schedule, he said.
UPDATE Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc. fined $400,000 for health and safety violations TORONTO, April 1 /CNW/ - Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc., a Concord, Ont.-based residential construction company, was fined $400,000 on March 27, 2003 for two violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the death of a young worker at a townhouse development in Toronto's east end. On November 23, 1999, a worker was moving a 7.3-metre-high (24-foot) aluminum extension ladder from one townhouse to another when the ladder came in contact with live 13,800-volt overhead power lines. The lowest of the power lines was 6.4 metres (21 feet) off the ground and about 4.9 metres (16 feet) away from the front of the two-storey townhouses. The worker received an electrical shock and died three days later at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. The incident occurred at a townhouse construction project in the 5400-block of Lawrence Avenue East in Scarborough. The townhouses were being developed by Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc., which had subcontracted the eavestrough work to an aluminum company, which, in turn, had subcontracted the work to another aluminum company, which employed the deceased worker. Following a trial, Bayview-Wellington Homes (Port Union) Inc. was found guilty, as a constructor, of: 1. Failing to ensure the ladder was not brought within three metres (9.8 feet) of an energized overhead electrical conductor rated between 750 to 150,000 volts, as required by Section 186(1) of the regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the act; and 2. Failing to ensure the worker was not endangered by electrical shock from overhead electrical conductors and that the conductors located adjacent to the construction project were covered or otherwise made safe for workers. This was contrary to Section 23(1)(c) of the act. Justice of the Peace Stephen Waisberg, of the Ontario Court of Justice at old City Hall in Toronto, fined the company $200,000 on each count. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
UPDATE Silvercreek Commercial Interiors Inc. fined $87,500 for health and safety violations BURLINGTON, ON, April 1 /CNW/ - Silvercreek Commercial Interiors Inc., a Georgetown Ontario-based company that provides commercial construction services, was fined $87,500 today for two separate violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the injury of two workers. Both incidents occurred during the renovation of a commercial building on Fairview Street in Burlington. On July 25, 2001, a worker, employed by a subcontractor, was removing a tarpaulin from the roof of the commercial building. The worker was walking backward while pulling the tarpaulin and tripped over a curb surrounding an opening in the roof and fell through the hole. The worker suffered a cracked vertebra, a laceration to the head and a bruised shoulder. A Ministry of Labour investigation determined that the opening in the roof was not protected by a guardrail or a protective covering. Silvercreek Commercial Interiors Inc. pleaded guilty, as a constructor, to failing to ensure that a worker was protected from falling through an opening on a work surface. This was contrary to Section 26.3(2) of the Regulations for Construction Projects and Section 23(1)(a) of the act. The court imposed a fine of $37,500. On August 29, 2001, a worker, employed by a subcontractor, was spraying fireproofing material to the ceiling of the same building from the top of a movable scaffold. The scaffold, on wheels, was positioned over a trench dug in the floor to install piping and supported by a metal plate. Before brakes could be applied, the scaffold rolled into the trench and toppled, causing the worker to fall. The worker was rendered unconscious, and suffered a fractured pelvis and multiple scrapes and bruises. A Ministry of Labour investigation determined that the worker was not protected by a fall arrest system. Silvercreek Commercial Interiors Inc. pleaded guilty to failing, as a constructor, to ensure that a scaffold mounted on castors or wheels is not moved while a worker is on it, unless the worker is protected by a fall arrest system, and the scaffold is being moved on a firm and level surface. This was contrary to Section 129(3) of the Regulations for Construction Projects and Section 23(1)(a) of the act. The court imposed a fine of $50,000. The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Barry Quinn of the Ontario court of Justice in Burlington. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
2 workers crushed when guardrail falls; OSHA investigating deaths of men who were installing rail ALICE GREGORY AND DÁNICA COTO Staff Writers MOORESBORO - Two men died Monday afternoon after a guardrail they were going to install crushed them when it fell from a truck, Cleveland County sheriff officials said. Cipriano Cortez of Spartanburg died instantly. He was 33. Abelardo Ortiz Resendiz, whose age and address were unknown, was taken to Cleveland Regional Medical Center in Shelby and later transported to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he died. Cortez's family refused comment Monday night. The accident happened about 2 p.m. on U.S. 74 west of Mooresboro east of the N.C. 120 intersection. Both men worked for Bagwell Fence Co., a Spartanburg-based company that installed fences and guardrails for the N.C. Department of Transportation. This is the first fatal accident for the company of about 50 employees, said co-owner Bill Bagwell from his Spartanburg home Monday night. "One of them had only worked for us for three weeks," Bagwell said. "The other had come in November. It is pretty upsetting." The Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration was notified of the accident and is investigating.
Helicopter lands in local schoolyard 03/30/03 00:00:00 An elementary schoolyard doubled as a helicopter-landing pad for an air ambulance Friday morning when a man severed a major artery in a construction accident in the northwest end of the city. The man fell from scaffolding at a construction site near Fletcher's Creek Boulevard, in the area of Chinguacousy Road and Bovaird Drive, at 11:20 a.m. He cut his arm with a saw, severing a major artery, according to reports from Peel police. He was flown to a Toronto hospital and his condition was unknown at press time Friday. The Ministry of Labour is investigating.
Man crushed in wind farm accident Tuesday, 1 April 2003 A 49-year-old man is believed to have sustained serious injuries in an accident at the Challicum Hills Wind Farm yesterday. It's understood the man was crushed between two blades of a wind turbine. Rural Ambulance Victoria media officer Joanne Hill said paramedics who had treated the man at the scene reported that he had sustained internal chest injuries. ``He was in a serious condition,'' she said. The victim was taken from the scene by air ambulance and flown to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Three road ambulances were also called to the Challicum Hills site following the accident which happened about 1.30pm. A spokesperson for Pacific Hydro, the company which owns the wind farm currently under construction, had no details available on the accident late yesterday.
Investigation under way after crane topples onto highway Investigators are trying to determine the cause of an accident Saturday evening involving a hydraulic boom crane at the I-280/Maumee River bridge construction site. Luckily, the road was closed because of the construction and the accident did not hinder traffic. The stretch of the highway where the incident occurred was expected to open at 6 a.m. today. The crane was lifting a 58,000-pound concrete form when it tipped over into the northbound lane of I-280 about 5:30 p.m. The name of the operator, who was treated for a cut finger at a local hospital, was not released by the bridge contractor, Fru-Con, Inc., of Ballwin, Mo. The crane was working on a section of the bridge approach between Front Street and Starr Avenue. Joe Rutherford, an Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman, said the I-280 shutdown was the fourth of 10 planned weekend closings related to construction of five concrete piers that support the roadway leading onto the new bridge. "Anytime we’re going to be doing lifting of heavy equipment over traffic, we don’t want any traffic on the road at all. That’s the reason we close," he said. Workers spent yesterday cleaning debris from the accident and removing the damaged crane and form, which fell from a height of about 60 feet. He said Fru-Con is looking for a new crane. The expressway is scheduled to be closed this weekend for additional pier construction if the company finds a replacement crane and form in time, he said. Such cranes can lift up to 250,000 pounds. Construction of the cable-stayed bridge began a year ago and is scheduled for completion in 2006. Additional I-280 closings for other bridge construction work also are scheduled. But Mr. Rutherford said during the heavy traffic period of Memorial Day through Labor Day, weekend closings will be dropped in favor of 7 p.m.-6 a.m. weekday closings.
NEW: Construction worker falls four stories to his death By Sonja Garza Express-News Staff Writer Web Posted : 03/31/2003 5:30 PM A worker for a local plaster company died today after tumbling four stories from a hotel under construction just east of downtown. Martin Machado, 43, fell at about 2:15 p.m. while working on a new Holiday Inn Express at 1309 E. Commerce St. He was dead upon arrival at Brooke Army Medical Center, a hospital official said. San Antonio police officer K. Bender said the fall appears to be an accident, but police are investigating. Witnesses reported hearing a commotion immediately before Machado plunged about 40 feet to the pavement, police said. Eyewitness Dan Martin said the man tried to grasp a bar on the way down before he flipped, struck a stack of bricks and hit the street below. Clint Baker, construction project supervisor, said it was unclear whether the worker lost his balance while atop a ladder or fell from the scaffolding. Machado was employed by Arahed Lath & Plastering Corp.
A construction worker fell four floors A construction worker fell four floors to his death while working inside a West Village building yesterday, police said. Cops said the man was working inside an unoccupied building at 600 Washington St. at 11:30 a.m. when he plunged from the fourth floor.
Carpenter injured in LBT fall From Press staff reports LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP - Long Beach Township Deputy Chief Leslie Houston said that a 46-year-old carpenter from Forked River fell 15-feet off a ladder while working outside the Haven Beach Yacht Club on Wednesday. The worker, who was airlifted from the scene by New Jersey State Police's SouthStar helicopter, may have suffered "possible spinal injuries." The accident took place at 112th Street and Long Beach Boulevard, where Houston believed renovations were being done. She could not confirm what hospital the man was taken to. The man's name was not released. Four Long Beach Township officers responded to the scene as well as EMT workers from the Beach Haven First Aid Squad's Ship Bottom division. Houston said that a call came in at 8:51 a.m. from Haven Beach Yacht Club employees who witnessed the fall.
Gas Fumes Float Into Local School, Students Hospitalized; Trench Collapse Damaged Gas Line Near Building CINCINNATI -- Several children were hospitalized after natural gas fumes wafted into a local school Thursday afternoon. Five students at White Oak Middle School on Jessup Road in Green Township were taken to local hospitals just after noon after complaining of illness, WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported. The gas fumes were traced to a construction site near the school. A spokesman for Cinergy said that a trench collapsed at the site and damaged a gas main. The school's principal said that the windy, warm weather prompted some teachers to open classroom windows Thursday afternoon, and the wind blew the fumes into the school. Cinergy shut off the gas flow to the line, leaving about nearby 15 homes without power. Crews from Cinergy checked out the school, but no leaks were found in the building. Additional details are not available. Stay tuned to WLWT Eyewitness News 5 and refresh your ChannelCincinnati.com page for updates.
UPDATE Manslaughter trial starts for contractor in building collapse By SAMUEL MAULL Associated Press Writer March 26, 2003, 6:45 PM EST NEW YORK -- Recklessness and greed caused a Manhattan building collapse that killed one worker and severely injured three others last summer, a prosecutor charged Wednesday at the opening of a contractor's manslaughter trial. Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cort said the tragic mishap occurred because Shunkun "Michael" Tam, owner of Tamco Corp., used inexperienced laborers and rushed or ignored some preparatory work so he could save money. The result of Tam's reckless approach to renovating the townhouse on East 61st Street was the death of 41-year-old Antonio Romano on May 16, 2002, Cort said. Tam, of Brooklyn, is charged with second-degree manslaughter in Romano's death. "This is the story of a homicide committed by the defendant (Tam) because he was greedy," Cort told the State Supreme Court jury in opening remarks. Tam's lawyer, Barry S. Turner, called the collapse a "tragic accident" for which his client was not responsible. Turner said Tam was rarely at the site _ two or three times a week _ and that his foreman, Cheung Keat "Ken" Ai, 33, caused the accident because he failed to follow instructions. Turner noted that Ai, who will testify for the prosecution, has pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in exchange for minimum sentence of one to three years and a maximum of two to six years in prison. Tam faces up to seven years if convicted. Tam, 49, is also charged with assault and reckless endangerment because of injuries to Swee Kheong Tang, 37, Jian Zhang Zheng, 31, and Kok Choy Yeen, 41, in the collapse. The workers were hurt while renovating a five-story town house for Fabio Granato, owner of the Serafina restaurant. Granato said he planned to put in a Japanese eatery called Geisha and a triplex apartment for himself on the top floors. After the workers gutted the building and removed its roof and wooden support beams, they improperly installed steel beams _ called joists _ to support the remaining walls, Cort said. He said the workers then laid steel decking over those beams. Meanwhile, he said, the workers used pulleys to raise thousands of pounds of cinder blocks onto the unsecured steel decking. Soon, Cort said, the cinder blocks' weight caused the improperly supported walls to collapse. Granato, the first witness, said he had stopped by to check the progress of the work when the collapse happened. "I was there having a meeting and then I hear a big noise," he said. "Everybody ran out onto the street and I ran out onto the street." The prosecutor said Tam had seen the dangerous condition created by the piles of cinder blocks. "But he didn't stop the loading," Cort said. "He didn't do that because any delay might have cost him money." More than a dozen $55-a-day workers were buried under debris, police said at the time. Most staggered out with minor injuries, but three were badly hurt and Romano, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was crushed under the cement and metal and killed. Cort said only two out of 20 workers had any safety equipment, and Tam had built no protective shed to protect passers-by from falling debris.
Firefighters rescue man from 350-foot chimney By Alicia A. Caldwell Sentinel Staff Writer Posted March 26 2003 DEBARY -- A worker helping to dismantle two smokestacks that tower over Interstate 4 in southwestern Volusia County was lowered to safety from the top of one of them in a dramatic rescue Tuesday morning. The Controlled Demolition Inc. worker, whose name was not released, began suffering severe abdominal pain shortly after 8 a.m. and could not climb down from the 350-foot smokestack on his own, Volusia County Fire Services spokeswoman Mary Dorn said. Firefighters from Seminole and Volusia counties scaled the tower at the Florida Power & Light Co. plant to reach him. About 50 firefighters helped in the dangerous rescue, Dorn said. Once rescuers determined the man was stable enough to be moved, they were faced with the tricky proposition of how to get him safely down. They initially planned to bring him down inside the smokestack but instead decided it was safer to lower him down the caged ladder outside the stack. It is just a straight drop inside and is riddled with jagged edges," said Kathy Weaver, deputy chief of Volusia's Fire Services. The man, who was estimated to weigh 225 pounds, was strapped to a rescue harness and basket and lowered feet-first via a rope-and-pulley system while Seminole firefighter Heath Gifford guided him down. Aaron Nix, from Volusia Fire Services, was below the man as Gifford eased him down the enclosed ladder. "He was kind of nervous," Nix said of the construction worker. "But this is what you train for. We've practiced this time and time again." Nix and other Volusia firefighters have practiced for this type of emergency several times during the past few years. Weaver said when demolition started on the smokestacks, fire officials contacted the demolition company to develop a response plan for just such an emergency. "It worked like clockwork," Weaver said. The trio safely reached the bottom about 11:30 a.m., and the man was taken to Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City, where he was treated and released, a hospital spokeswoman said. The red-and-white-striped towers near the t. Johns River, landmarks since the 1970s, are no longer needed because of the plant's nearly completed switch from oil to natural gas. The towers are being brought down piece by piece, because they are too close to other plant structures, including natural-gas lines, to use explosives.
Three injured when scaffolding collapses Last updated: Mar 24, 11:26 PM ORMOND BEACH -- Three construction workers were injured Monday when 15-foot-high scaffolding they were on collapsed, fire officials said. None of the injuries were life threatening following the 2 p.m. accident at the Discovery Professional Plaza construction site near the intersection of Granada Boulevard and Interstate 95, said Ormond Beach Fire Department Capt. Jim Shaw. The men were not wearing safety harnesses, and it's not clear if there were any guardrails on the scaffold that crumpled into a twisted pile after it failed, officials said. The injured men were in a rear area of the office building they're helping to construct. Two of the men did not appear to be seriously hurt, and one walked a short distance after the collapse, Shaw said. But the third man fell onto some 8-inch by 16-inch cement blocks and had some of the blocks on top of him when he was found laying face down, Shaw said. That third man was in stable condition when he was taken by EVAC ambulance to Halifax Medical Center, he said. One of the other men was also taken to the hospital, and the remaining worker refused treatment, Shaw said. Officials at the scene said they did not know the men's names, but Shaw said one appeared to be in his 40s and the other two were in their 20s. Inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were notified and are expected to be on the site today. A city government inspector and fire inspector examined the scene Monday afternoon.
Landslide kills road worker HANAYAMA, Miyagi -- A worker died and another was injured after being hit by a landslide during road repair works here Tuesday morning, police said. At around 9:50 a.m., a landslide occurred along the Honsawaaki Dori street in Hanayama where road repair works were under way and buried a man and a woman working at the site, police said. One of them, Mitsuo Honda, 56, died after being rushed to hospital with serious injuries. The other, 61-year-old Satako Sato, suffered serious injuries but her condition is not life threatening, police said. (Mainichi Shimbun, March 25, 2003)
Lewiston police investigate elevator accident Tuesday, March25, 2003, 1:59 PM By NewsRadio WMTW Staff 870/1470 AM and 106.7 FM LEWISTON -- Lewiston police are investigating a report of an elevator accident at 76 High St., a building of doctors' offices adjacent to Central Maine Medical Center. Lt. Paul Harmon said they received a call around 12:45 from someone who said the elevator had fallen "some distance." Lewiston police said a construction worker suffered minor injuries when he fell about 20 feet while working inside an elevator shaft. News 8 WMTW has a crew on the way to the scene and will bring you more details as they become available.
UPDATE Trenching Fatality at a Denham Springs, La., Worksite Brings OSHA Citations Alleging Willful Violations Of Safety Standards DALLAS -- A Watson, La., homebuilder's alleged failure to protect employees from a trench cave-in that allegedly caused the death of one employee has resulted in proposed penalties of $76,750 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor. Atlas Corp. was cited with two alleged willful and four alleged serious safety violations following an OSHA inspection that began Jan. 7 after a trenching fatality that occurred at the company's worksite in Denham Springs, La. The company, which employs about 21 workers, was installing sewer pipes in a developing subdivision. The alleged willful violations were for failing to protect employees working inside trenches from cave-ins and failing to properly slope or shore trenches and take appropriate action when a cave-in hazard is recognized. A willful violation is defined as an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The alleged serious violations were issued for failure to perform daily excavation inspections, failure to provide trained personnel in first aid response, and failure to instruct employees on how to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions. A serious violation is one that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the Baton Rouge area director, or to contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call the Baton Rouge OSHA area office at (225) 298-5458. Or, OSHA's toll-free hotline number may be used to report workplace accidents, fatalities, or situations posing imminent danger to workers. The number is 1-800-321-6742. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
Big Dig worker killed in construction accident By Associated Press, 3/24/2003 17:18 BOSTON (AP) A Big Dig construction worker was killed Monday after he was hit by a weight attached to a crane, authorities said. The accident happened at a Big Dig work site at D Street and Hall Road in South Boston at about 10 a.m., said Lt. Richard Powers of the Boston Fire Department. The victim, a 55-year-old Roxbury man, was apparently standing behind the crane while working on the Interstate 90 portion of the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project, said Big Dig spokesman Sean O'Neill. His name was not immediately released pending notification of relatives. He is the fourth worker killed while working on the Big Dig, which began in the late 1980s. Central Artery officials, OSHA, the Department of Public Safety and the Suffolk District Attorney's office are investigating whether reckless conduct, mechanical issues or negligence may have contributed to the worker's death. David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney's office, said the crane operator was taken to Boston Medical Center, where he was treated for stress-related symptoms. The $14.6 billion Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project includes the Ted Williams Tunnel under Boston Harbor, an underground connection from Interstate 90 to the Williams tunnel, miles of underground highway in downtown Boston replacing the old elevated Interstate 93 Central Artery, and the new Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge.
UPDATE Contractor fined $50,000 for death of worker A CONTRACTOR has been fined the maximum $50,000 for causing the death of a worker through a worksite soil slide last December. Chinese national Tian Zhi Kuan, 35, was buried waist-deep in soil when the side of a 2.9m-deep excavation collapsed suddenly. He died in hospital from multiple injuries. Caravelle Construction and Development, the main contractor at the Jalan Bukit Merah worksite, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to failing to provide adequate piling and bracing against the side of an excavation that was more than 1.5m deep. The contractor was also fined $10,000 for failing to place excavated material at least 61cm away from the edge of the excavation. The court heard that Mr Tian and a co-worker were trimming the side of the excavation with shovels on Dec 4 last year, when the soil from the side slid down suddenly and trapped Mr Tian. Caravelle had been awarded a Housing Board contract for major upgrading works at the site, and it had sub-contracted the building of a multi-storey carpark to IRE Corporation, Mr Tian's employer. Investigations showed that at the time of the accident, the sides of the excavation were not protected by shorings, bracings or pilings to prevent the soil from collapsing on the workers who were inside. Also, excavated soil was placed too close to the edge, which could have resulted in soil falling on the workers. The Ministry of Manpower yesterday reminded factory occupiers and contractors to ensure the safety of employees working inside an excavation. It added that it would take legal action against any factory occupier or contractor found flouting safety rules.
Aircraft lands on vehicle at Taiwan airport runway TAIPEI - A Taiwanese aircraft with 170 passengers squashed a utility vehicle on the runway as it landed at Tainan Airport in southern Taiwan, injuring two construction workers, an airline official has said. The utility vehicle was performing routine repair and cleaning work on the runway when the TransAsia Airways Corp passenger jet landed on top of it on Friday night, said Mr Cheng Yuan-chieh, head of the airline's Tainan office. The two workers were hospitalised with injuries that were not life-threatening, he said. One man suffered slight concussion while the other was admitted to hospital with bone fractures. Pilot Liu Feng told local media that the control tower had given him the all-clear to land as he approached the airport. However, as the plane neared the runway, he was shocked to see the utility vehicle in his path. 'I had to apply the emergency brakes,' the China Times quoted him as saying. According to local reports, 170 passengers on board the flight were thrown into a panic after the plane hit the utility vehicle, but no-one was injured. Mr Cheng said the plane, an Airbus A321, suffered minor damage and is parked on the runway for a government investigation of the accident. TransAsia Airways, with headquarters in Taipei, transports passengers and cargo mainly on domestic flights in Taiwan, and serves some international routes in South-east Asia. A TransAsia Airways cargo jet crashed into the sea off Taiwan in bad weather last December while heading for Macau. The two pilots were killed. --Bloomberg News
Contractor fined S$50,000 under Factories Act for death of worker A contractor, Caravelle Construction and Development Pte Ltd, pleaded guilty in court on March 18 for causing the death of a worker under the Factories Act. The Manpower Ministry says the contractor was fined the maximum penalty of S$50,000 for failing to provide adequate piling against the side of an excavation of more than 1.5m deep. Workers were exposed to the hazard of falling or sliding materials from the excavation's side. The contractor was also fined a further S$10,000 for failing to place excavated material at least 610mm back from the edge of the excavation. The accident happened in December last year.
Man dies in fall; Anderson repairman was fixing roof top By SEAN F. DRISCOLL An Anderson man who was working to repair a roof damaged in a January fire at an automotive parts warehouse slipped and fell to his death early Saturday morning. John Schoettmer Jr., 44, was pronounced dead at the scene when firefighters and police arrived at Auto Tech, 695 N. Miller Ave., at about 8:18 a.m. Saturday. Marion Fire Department Capt. Brian Swanner said Schoettmer, 2118 Rosewood Drive, Anderson, was on the building's roof doing repairs when he stepped backwards onto an unsecured piece of plastic that crews had left out to protect the building from rain. "He knew it was there, but took a couple of steps back and fell through the roof," Swanner said. Schoettmer plummeted more than 20 feet to his death, landing on the warehouse's concrete floor. Grant County Deputy Coroner Kevin Evans said the initial cause of death is listed as blunt force trauma to the head, but an autopsy will be performed today at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne to confirm the findings. Schoettmer had been working for Weiland Inc., repairing the building's roof after a Jan. 15 fire decimated the building's southwest corner, Swanner said. He and another worker were on the roof but were not secured to the roof with any safety gear.
Worker electrocuted after hitting power line Associated Press Published March 21, 2003 ELEC22 KENOSHA, Wis. -- A man was electrocuted and a co-worker was hurt when they hit a buried power line while sinking a well. The 20-year-old Union Grove man was operating equipment for Hoover Well Drilling Co. Inc. when the gear touched the 4,800-volt power line Thursday morning in Trevor, authorities said. His name was not released. A 28-year-old co-worker suffered a shock while trying to help the victim. The co-worker was hospitalized in satisfactory condition late Thursday.
Worker Injured As Downtown Crane Topples; Man's Condition 'Stable' At Northwestern Hospital March 20, 2003 CHICAGO -- A construction worker was injured when a crane he was operating tipped over at a Loop work site Thursday morning. The worker was operating the crane at the site, the intersection of Franklin and Monroe streets, when the machine somehow tipped over, according to Central District Sgt. William Kelly. Emergency crews received a call about the pin-in accident at 8:29 a.m., according to First Battalion Chief James Mindak. ithin 15 minutes or so, crews were able to remove the operator, who appeared to be in his 30s, from the cab of the crane. The man was believed to be in "stable condition" and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital as of 9:05 a.m. Four to five firefighters helped removed the operator from the crane at about 8:55 a.m. The man appeared to be bleeding from the head, but was still conscious and alert, Mindak said. He added that crews had to negotiate "between machinery" to remove the man. A representative of Northwestern Memorial Hospital could not immediately say whether the hospital eceived the patient. As of 9 a.m., the crane still was tipped over on the south side of Franklin Street, which had been closed off from Madison to Monroe streets. The street has since been reopened to traffic. During the rescue process, four fire trucks and an ambulance lined the streets around the construction site. There were also two red sport utility vehicles commissioned to the Fire Department. A nursing supervisor at Northwestern confirmed that the construction worker was brought there, but could not immediately provide his condition or age. An Occupational Safety and Health Administration representative said they sent an investigator to the scene and could not immediately provide any more information.
Worker dies in fall from roof of Lombard home by Bonnie MacKay A 30-year-old Elmwood Park man died after a fall from the roof of a Lombard home Thursday morning. Police and fire officials responded to a home in the 300 block of North Fairfield just before 9 a.m. on March 13. According to Lombard fire Battalion Chief Mike Kalina, paramedics found a man unconscious on a concrete surface. Kalina said the man apparently fell off the roof, 12 to 14 feet, to a concrete patio. "He was critical," Kalina said, adding that Lombard Fire Department paramedics transported the man to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove for a severe head injury. Lombard police Deputy Chief Dane Cuny said Mariusz Lemanski, a contractor, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Lombard detectives responded to the accident scene to conduct an investigation. "Preliminary indications [show] it was a work-related accident," Cuny said, adding that an autopsy and further forensics investigation is being conducted by the DuPage County Coroner's Office.
Construction Worker Electrocuted Lake Milton Gerry Ricciutti A North Lima man is dead, following an accident in a highway construction zone. State troopers say 37-year-old Peter DeLucia, Jr. was killed Wednesday morning along Interstate 76 near Lake Milton. Investigators say the victim was part of a construction crew working on a paving project on the interstate. He reportedly was moving concrete barricades with the help of a crane, when the crane came into contact with power lines overhead, electrocuting DeLucia.
Firefighters called to free man trapped by scaffolding A DECORATOR was taken to the Great Western Hospital after he slipped and became trapped under scaffolding while working in a house in Old Town. The man, who has not been named, suffered concussion and minor injuries in the accident, which happened at a house in Quarry Road at 3.40pm yesterday. Ambulance staff were unable to reach him because the collapsed scaffolding was unsafe, so the fire brigade were called in. Station Officer, Bruce Weatherston, said: "There was a partial collapse of the scaffolding the man was working on while painting the wall. "The man slipped and fell and the ambulance crew were unable to get close to him safely so we used ropes and chopping equipment to move the scaffolding, releasing the man." The man was freed from the scaffolding by 4pm and was today recovering in hospital.
Man unhurt after being struck by truck 3/19 By TODD HARPER For The Lebanon Reporter WHITESTOWN -- A man was unhurt after being struck by a pickup truck along County Road 650 East near Whitestown Tuesday morning. Wayne Flowers of Columbus, Ohio, was placing warning markers along C.R. 650 East just north of C.R. 400 South when he was struck by a silver pickup truck about 10 a.m. The driver of the pickup truck, Mark A. Boil, 39, Whitestown, fled the scene, but returned a few minutes after the accident. Flowers, who was driving a large flat-bed trailer, parked along the road after his vehicle broke down. He was attempting to make a delivery in Whitestown. "I could tell he wasn't going to stop, and when he hit me I then kind of flew in the air," Flowers said, adding that the pickup truck was "not going that fast." According to Flowers, Boil's truck was traveling south on C.R. 650 East when he came to Flowers disabled vehicle. He said because of a construction truck on the west side and his trailer parked in the east lane, Boil should have stopped and waited for a clear path. "I realized I was going to be hit and then was hit by the hood of his vehicle," Flowers said. Indiana State Police Trooper Robert Trimp said, Flowers and Boil gave different accounts to the accident. According to Boil's report, Flowers jumped into the path of his truck, and Boil had no time to stop to avoid hitting Flowers. Trimp said, Boil's truck was traveling at around 10 mph when the accident occurred. Trimp said he will give his findings to the Boone County Prosecutor's Office, but said he was unsure what action may or may not be taken. Flowers was examined by medics and released at the scene.
Surveyor killed on highway The Edmonton Journal Tuesday, March 18, 2003 EDMONTON - A construction worker was struck and killed by a sport utility vehicle during a surveying operation Monday afternoon in Nisku. RCMP told Global Television that the construction worker doing survey work was hit when he tried to cross the road. Weather and road conditions were good at the time. The road was closed to traffic for several hours at Sparrow Drive just south of Highway 625 because of the accident.
Man dies in accident with cement truck March 18, 2003 A worker preparing to clean a cement truck died when he fell and became pinned inside the vehicle's spinning drum. Frank Wilson, 59, of Marienville, was on top of the front-load model truck when he fell for an unknown reason at the J.J. Kennedy Cement Co. in Paint Township. Wilson, who sustained injuries to his neck and upper and lower torso, became pinned between the spinning drum and stationary parts of the cement mixer, authorities said. Officials say Wilson had returned from his final trip of the day. He was pronounced dead at the scene Monday by Clarion County Coroner Roland Burns.
Victim of Overland Park construction accident identified The Kansas City Star A worker who died Monday when a trench collapsed at 129th Place and Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, was identified today as Samuel Mera, 29. Mera, who lived in Kansas City, Kan., was waterproofing the foundation of a town house that was under construction when a wall of earth caved in. Rescuers think the man died immediately when the earth slammed him against the concrete foundation. Two other workers who were in the trench escaped. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration began investigating the accident Tuesday.
Fumes nearly claim contractor Andrew Blejwas, Register Staff March 18, 2003 SHELTON — A contractor overcome by carbon monoxide while working at a city home Monday owes his life to two men who helped shove his unconscious body through a basement window, fire officials said. Firefighters who responded to the scene credited homeowner Sante Faustini, of 23 Suren Lane, and contractor Steve Meehan with the quick thinking that brought Florentino Torres to safety Monday. "They definitely saved his life," said Assistant Fire Chief Daryl Osiecki. "If the guy was alone he would probably be dead." Osiecki said Torres, whose age and address were unavailable, and Meehan, both workers for Creative Contractors of Trumbull, were working in the basement of an addition at Faustini’s home shortly before 10 a.m. when Torres passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning. "They were cutting down some concrete walls in the basement with a cutting saw. The basement probably wasn’t very well ventilated and he was overcome by the fumes and passed out," said Osiecki. Faustini said workers excavated room for the ba sement as they built the addition to his home, but did not immediately tear down a wall between the old and new portions because they did not want to let cold air into the house. Workers built the addition to the home on top of the basement and, as a result, a basement window, approximately 3 by 1.5 feet in size, was the only access to the new basement, he said. On Monday, with temperatures reaching the mid-60s, Faustini said, work on tearing down the wall began. To do that, Osiecki said, Torres and Meehan climbed into the new basement, with only the window as ventilation, and began to cut the wall with a gas-powered saw. Because of a lack of ventilation, carbon monoxide in the room quickly built up and Torres collapsed. "I heard (Meehan) yelling for help and I went to help," said Faustini. "We had to pull the guy out through a little window. We tried to get him some fresh air and put some wet towels on his head, and my wife called 911, that’s about all we knew to do." Osiecki said Torres had regained consciousness by the time firefighters arrived. Torres and Meehan both narrowly escaped a tragic accident. Officials said measurements taken in the room indicated carbon monoxide levels at around 500 parts per million. Osiecki said carbon monoxide levels in an average room typically range between 10 and 15 parts per million. Torres was taken to Bridgeport Hospital, where he was treated and released, a hospital spokesman said Monday. "He’s lucky to be alive," said Fire Chief John Millo. "Those guys deserve a lot of credit; they saved his life."
Trench Collapse Kills 1 Person; 2 Workers Taken To Hospital 5:18 p.m. CST March 17, 2003 OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Emergency crews responded to a trench collapse that killed one person Monday. The collapse was reported around 2 p.m. near 129th Place and Metcalf Avenue. Crews were working on basement foundations for a new townhome in the Deer Creek Reserve subdivision, KMBC's Bob Werly reported. Three workers were preparing to waterproof the foundation when one of the trench walls gave way. Crews immediately began working to shore up the collapsed wall, and the Overland Park Fire Department was called to the scene. Emergency crews found a worker who was buried in dirt up to his knees. The worker apparently died of a head injury, Werly said. "It appears that there was part of the shore, the ditch, approx 10 to 15 feet long gave way, and pretty much slammed him up against the concrete basement wall," said chief Dennis Meyers of the Overland Park Fire Department. Two other workers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, Werly reported.
State investigation follows fire at downtown demolition site By Megan Woolhouse The Courier-Journal State safety officials have opened an investigation after Louisville firefighters said they had to make demolition workers leave a smoky building they were tearing down. But the company, CRS Demolition of Louisville, says workers evacuated the building and returned only after all danger had passed. Maj. John T. Lyons of Louisville Fire & Rescue said he was surprised to find employees of CRS Demolition still at work inside the building at Eighth Street and Broadway when firefighters arrived about 11:30 a.m. yesterday. ''We had to make them leave the building,'' Lyons said. The workers had been using welding torches to dismantle portions of the former car dealership when they accidentally set a pile of rubber debris on fire. The fire was small but filled the air with dark smoke visible for several blocks, Lyons said. Jon Davies, president of CRS Demolition, 1547 S. Seventh St., said firefighters arrived after workers had put out the fire with fire extinguishers and evacuated the site. Workers stood outside the building while firefighters investigated, he said. A foreman ordered the men back to work, he said, because there was minimal smoke and the group was working on the second floor, not the first floor where the fire broke out. Davies said the company told workers to return to the job because the building was made mostly of concrete and there was little chance for the fire to spread. ''We knew it (the building) couldn't burn,'' he said. Lyons said he called the Kentucky Occupational Safety & Health Program to request the investigation. The agency's spokesman, Eddie Jacobs, confirmed that an investigation had been opened but said he could not comment further.
Fire destroys Harvey firms BY PHIL ROCKROHR Times Staff Writer HARVEY -- More than 75 firefighters from throughout the South Suburbs and Northwest Indiana quelled a five-alarm blaze here Friday that gutted two neighboring construction companies worth more than $1 million. Both buildings collapsed, but no one was injured, Harvey Fire Chief Greg DeGroot said. Firefighters came from as far as Crete, Tinley Park, Calumet Park and Munster. Smoke clouds were visible 10 miles away. Harvey firefighters responded to an alarm at Prairie Brick Co., 1220 W. 171st St., at 11:35 a.m., but the fire may have started earlier and employees may have tried to quell the blaze before firefighters arrived, DeGroot said. "We believe they tried to fight it themselves, by the amount of fire here when we pulled up," he said. "Dispatch said there were multiple calls. We believe there was a delay in the alarm." The fire was started by a Prairie employee welding company equipment in a garage, Harvey officials said. "The worker said he turned around and the next thing he knew the whole place was on fire," Harvey Mayor Nickolas Graves said. "There were propane tanks popping like mad." The garage was filled with propane to operate fork lifts, diesel fuel, paint and cleaning solvents, DeGroot said. The solvents included paint thinner, Capt. Steven Ciecierski said. A witness said Prairie employees ran from the garage as explosions started inside. When Harvey firefighters arrived, all 20 employees had evacuated, Ciecierski said. "They were in no hurry to stay," he said. A Prairie cement truck driver, who declined to identify himself, confirmed the fire started on the company's property. The driver, who said all employees were sent home early Friday afternoon, said he was not certain how the fire started. The force of the propane explosions blew out the Prairie garage's rear wall, which abuts the rear wall of Best Homes, Inc., 1230 W. 171st St., DeGroot said. Both buildings, which sit on the southern border of Harvey outside East Hazel Crest, were destroyed, Ciecierski said. He estimated the damage at more than 1 million. Scott Arquilla, vice president of Best Homes, estimated his company's loss alone at $1 million. "We'll have to totally rebuild," Arquilla said. "It's a total loss." Best Homes, which has operated out of the Harvey location since 1962, did $6.5 million in business last year, he said. The company employs 30 to 55 employees depending on the time of year, Arquilla said. Best Homes employees tried to stay in the building and work after the fire started, Ciecierski said. "Those people, we had to evacuate," he said. "They didn't want to give it up." "We wanted to (stay), but we didn't think it was that serious," said Arquilla, who was present when the fire started. "All our employees left quickly and safely." Alan Haach of Portage, a carpenter for Best Homes, said firefighters were unable to use water until 25 minutes after they arrived. Firefighters used some 1,200 feet of hose to reach the buildings, which were set back almost that far from 171st Street, Ciecierski said. "It was very unwieldy," he said. "It's a pain to lay all that line." Best Homes employees informed Arquilla at about 11:30 a.m. that a Prairie building had caught fire, Arquilla said. "The flames were quite high," he said. "Five minutes later we started hearing explosions. The fire caught our building and spread through the whole building." Firefighters were able to save more than $250,000 in lumber in a block-long yard on the Best Homes site and to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring Alpha Construction, also owned by Arquilla's family, he said. Some $65,000 in lumber burned inside the building, but most of the $1 million in damage was caused to the building and the company's equipment, Arquilla said. Best Homes manufactures roof trusses, floor trusses and wall panels, he said. The fire spread very quickly because sawdust had collected on the wooden trusses, and the roofs of both building were made of wood, DeGroot said. "The fire just literally ran over their heads," the chief said of people inside. "The explosions from the propane tanks spread the fire. There was a tremendous amount of fuel in the building." The intense heat caused metal joists in both buildings to expand and knock down walls, including cinder-block walls in Best Homes, DeGroot said. A 100-foot antenna collapsed and narrowly missed firefighters as they sprayed about a dozen hoses on the blaze, he said. "There's not too much you can really do on something like this, but pour water on it," DeGroot said. "The main thing is to get the people out." By 1:30 p.m. Friday, DeGroot said the blaze was 95 percent extinguished. By then, the once black cloud of smoke blowing northeast had transformed to gray. Since 1962, both Best Homes and Prairie Brick have maintained good safety records with Harvey officials, DeGroot said. Best Homes did not contain sprinklers because the structure was built before they were required, he said. "When they rebuild, they will be required," DeGroot said. Haach said he was concerned about his and fellow employees' future. "I've been working here for 17 years. I don't know what I'm going to do," he said. "We're all family people here."
UPDATE Worker becomes 4th fatality in Shizuoka Pref. wall collapse Yomiuri Shimbun A demolition worker who was seriously injured when the exterior wall of a building in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, collapsed on Thursday, died Saturday morning at a hospital in the city, police said. Takakazu Sato, 27, was the fourth person to die of injuries suffered in the accident. A demolition crew had been cutting away the exterior wall when it fell 10 meters onto three vehicles in the street below. The collapsed wall killed two people and severely injured two others in the vehicles that had been stopped at a traffic light. The other person killed was the demolition crew chief, Hiroki Watanabe, 39, who died shortly after the accident. The police resumed their examination of the building's interior at 10:20 a.m. Saturday and questioned those involved in the demolition work about how the fatal accident had occurred. Yoshiwara Honmachi-dori street in front of the building had been blocked after the accident, but was reopened Saturday after debris on the street was cleared. Cars were allowed to pass through on e side of the two lane road.
Work falls three stories at White Plains City Center By SUSAN ELAN AND RICHARD LIEBSON THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original publication: March 15, 2003) WHITE PLAINS — A construction worker fell three stories down an unfinished elevator shaft at developer Louis Cappelli's $320 million City Center yesterday. Alvin Burgos, 38, of 1119 Mile Square Road in Yonkers, was removing wooden support beams from an elevator shaft shortly after 10:30 a.m. when he fell from the 16th floor to the 13th floor of a 35-story apartment tower currently under construction at 222 Main St. Burgos was taken by ambulance to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, where he was listed in critical condition. White Plains police Capt. Anne FitzSimmons called Burgos "very lucky. He landed on some plywood, which broke his fall. He was conscious and talking and didn't appear to have life-threatening injuries. He said he just lost his balance.'' Work at the site continued while city and federal inspections into the incident began. "No violation of city code has been issued at this time," said Michael Gismondi, White Plains' building commissioner. FitzSimmons said people were being interviewed to determine "whether it was anything other than an accident, and we're looking to see whether safety regulations and procedures were being followed.'' It has not been determined whether Burgos was wearing a harness or had taken other precautions for work at heights, Gismondi said. He said there was no indication that pressure to meet an October deadline set by Cappelli for completion of the project has resulted in unsafe work conditions. "We don't believe safety has been compromised," Gismondi said. "We would see more accidents or more of a trend." Peter West, a spokesman for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Tarrytown, said Burgos "should have been protected from falling by something, whether it was a harness or guard rails." Yesterday's was the third accident at the City Center site. One worker was injured when he stepped into a hole and hurt his leg, Gismondi said. A second worker was hit by a pipe. There have been prior complaints about conditions at the site, West said. One of the complaints brought against George A. Fuller, a Cappelli company, resulted in fines, West said. Two other complaints are still under investigation. OSHA also is investigating a fatal accident in June at Main and Bank streets, where a $140 million luxury hotel-apartment complex is under construction, West said. Richard Ellis, 40, of Thornwood, died during surgery at the medical center after he was crushed by a bundle of steel rods that dropped more than 50 feet from a crane. Burgos was working at the City Center site as an employee of subcontractor Carlton Concrete of Floral Park, Queens. Officials from that company did not return calls for comment. Sal Fusaro, a spokesman for Laborers International Union of North America Local 1000 in Poughkeepsie, called Burgos "a good man and a good laborer." Burgos has been a member of the local for five years and does concrete work, Fusaro said.
Investigator describes Trefoil crash as tragic An air safety investigator has described as tragic a light plane crash off North West Tasmania which killed four people. Investigations are continuing into Friday night's crash on Trefoil Island. The Cessna four-seat plane was taking constructions workers on the short trip home after a month's work on the island and crashed shortly after taking off. Killed were the 52-year-old pilot, a 25 year-old construction worker and two teenage apprentices, all from Tasmania's north-west. Investigator Sam Webb, from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, says it is hoped findings from the investigation may help prevent similar accidents in the future. "It's especially tragic and that's why we are here to see if we can ascertain anything from the accident that we could use to enhance safety in the future, we feel sad for the sad and families and we'd just like to pass on our condolences."
Gas line rupture sickens 21 at Lemon Grove school By Mark Arner UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER March 15, 2003 Nineteen children and two adult workers from a Catholic school in Lemon Grove suffered minor respiratory problems yesterday after construction workers severed a nearby natural gas line. The accident at 11:45 a.m. prompted evacuation of St. John of the Cross Catholic School on Lemon Grove Way, which has 422 students in preschool through eighth grade. It also halted natural gas service to 20 homes for an hour before it was restored by San Diego Gas and Electric, a utility spokeswoman said. Kaiser Zion and Alvarado hospitals in San Diego and Sharp Grossmont hospital in La Mesa treated 16 children and one adult for minor respiratory problems ranging from headaches and dizziness to nausea. Representatives of the hospitals said they expected to release all the patients last night in good condition. It was not known immediately where the other three children and adult received treatment. The accident was being investigated by SDG&E yesterday, and it was not clear if the gas line had been properly identified on a utility map. The line was severed by J. Fletcher Creamer and Sons, a contractor hired by Helix Water District to install a 10-inch water main near the school, said Helix General Manager Mark Weston. Sister Marilupe Mier-y-Teran, a school spokeswoman, praised adults from the school and neighborhood, who quickly moved students away from the gas leak. "Thank you to every single adult who helped," Sister Marilupe said. "They all did an excellent job."
Accident traps man in mud two hours By PEGGY O'HARE Houston Chronicle A man was trapped chest-high in mud for more than two hours Friday before firefighters freed him. Robert Sauseda, 55, of Bryan was taken from the southeast Houston construction site where the accident occurred to Memorial Hermann Hospital. He was listed in good condition later Friday. Sauseda was trapped after the ground gave way while he and other workers were measuring grades and elevations for pipes to be installed around underground storage tanks at a new Shell station at Reed Road near the South Freeway. Despite his predicament, Sauseda remained calm throughout the ordeal. The accident happened at 1 p.m., when Sauseda stepped back and the ground caved in beneath him, trapping one of his legs. The situation soon became desperate as he continued sinking in the mud. "At first, it was just one leg stuck in sand. I ran to get some boards to help him out," said Sauseda's nephew Joe Samarrippas, 39, who was also working at the construction site. But Sauseda could not budge from the wet sand -- then the underground tanks gave way and began to roll, his nephew said. Fortunately, the tanks rolled away from the trapped man. "If the tanks had rolled toward him, it probably would have sucked him under," said Samarrippas. After calling 911, Samarrippas, also of Bryan, threw a chain down to his flailing uncle and hooked one end of it up to a truck so the man would not sink any farther. Because Sauseda was only 50 to 75 feet away from Reed Road, emergency officials diverted traffic to keep the ground from shifting even more. About 35 firefighters used ladders, ropes and a life preserver to free the man and gave him an oxygen mask to wear during the ordeal. They pulled him to safety around 3:15 p.m. and loaded him into an ambulance. Emergency personnel said Sauseda appeared to have suffered no major injuries, his nephew said. Sauseda was expected to be kept overnight at the hospital for observation.
Worker plunges 20 feet inside W. Side manhole ROMANO CEDILLOS Tucson Citizen March 13, 2003 A pipeline construction worker was injured yesterday when he tripped and plunged 20 feet inside a manhole on the West Side, a firefighter said. The accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. at West Riverview Boulevard and North Dragoon Avenue. The area is near West Grant and North Silverbell roads. Francisco Montoya, 24, of Tucson, an employee of Spiniello Co., suffered hip and leg injuries in the fall, said Capt. Paul McDonough of the Tucson Fire Department. "Because of the confined space the man was in, it took rescue personnel an hour and a half to get him out," McDonough said. "He was conscious the entire time." Montoya was treated at University Medical Center. A report on his condition was not immediately available. Don Morrow, superintendent of the Morristown, N.J.-based company, said Montoya was unloading equipment from a company truck near the manhole when the accident occurred. "He had just taken the racks off the truck and was beginning to offload equipment to set up over the hole when he tripped," Morrow said. "The (two) other guys with him had their backs to him and didn't see him fall in, but they heard him yell." Frank Torres of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said his office was investigating the accident.
Three dead in Japan building fall March 13, 2003 (12:58) Two motorists were crushed to death when a section of concrete wall of a building being demolished collapsed onto a shopping street in Japan. A construction worker was also killed in the accident, and at least three other people were injured. It happened around mid-afternoon in the shopping district of Yoshiwara in Fuji, 130 km southwest of Tokyo. The two drivers died in their cars, which appeared to have stopped at a traffic light. A 15-metre square concrete slab from the five-storey building suddenly fell on the street running alongside and completely flattened several cars at a crossroads. 'One of the injured broke both of his legs, while we heard a small child was also among the injured,' a police spokesman said. The rescue operation was continuing with police searching for any people still buried under the debris.
UPDATE Cal-OSHA blames employer in bridge death; Contractor denies violating safety rules in Cotati man's fall from Golden Gate span March 13, 2003 By JEREMY HAY THE PRESS DEMOCRAT A Cotati man killed in a construction accident on the Golden Gate Bridge last summer may have died because his employer didn't have proper safeguards in place, authorities said. Shimmick/Obayashi Joint Venture, the lead contractor in the earthquake retrofit project on the bridge, also "put up roadblocks" that impeded the investigation into the death of Kevin Noah, a California Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokesman said. "They exercised their legal rights almost to the point of abusing them," Dean Fryer, a Cal-OSHA spokesman, said. He said the company resisted the investigation from its outset, forcing investigators to issue repeated subpoenas to obtain interviews and documents. "That is simply not true," said Scott Fairgrieve, chief financial officer of the Hayward-based contractor. He said the company's attorney had "simply required that they follow their own rules to the letter and follow their investigation by the book." Noah, 42, a veteran carpenter, fell about 50 feet to his death Aug. 13 while working in the south anchorage, a huge concrete structure that helps support the 66-year-old bridge. Early reports suggested Noah's safety harness had failed and he fell from a mechanized basket used to lift workers and materials. But investigators concluded he "probably was standing on and tied off to rebar" embedded in the anchorage wall when he fell, Fryer said. There was no scaffolding in place in the area, the Cal-OSHA report says, and "as a result, an employee fell ... and was fatally injured." Shimmick/Obayashi was cited for three serious violations, the second-most severe level possible. Cal-OSHA levied $26,025 in fines for those violations and three that were classified as less serious. The company has appealed the penalty. "We have a very large disagreement between our interpretation and Cal-OSHA's of safety rules in regards to scaffolding," Fairgrieve said. He said other safety measures were in place and scaffolding wasn't warranted at the time.
Johnson Police Officer Injured In Construction Mishap Wed, Mar 12, 2003 The Morning News/NWAonline.net SPRINGDALE -- Johnson police officer C.B. Caya was injured Tuesday after being pinned between his vehicle and a dump truck. The accident occurred at the construction site of the Clear Creek Club development, at Great House Springs Road and Arkansas 112. Johnson police spokesman Eric Evans said Caya, 47, had gone to the construction site shortly before 8 a.m. to pick up donated construction material for use at the police firing range when he was injured. Evans said Johnson had gotten out of his pickup to help direct a construction truck that was backing up. As he went to re-enter his vehicle, it apparently popped out of gear and began to roll, pinning Caya between the door of his pickup and a parked dump truck. Evans said Caya apparently was bruised, but he did not break any bones. He was treated at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville and released by midafternoon Tuesday.
Fire guts house Barrie Examiner Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 07:00 Local News - Bright red Christmas ribbons are practically all that is left of a home that was gutted by fire yesterday on 8 Maw Court in Barrie. A plumber's soldering torch set off the blaze in the basement of the north-end home. Within seconds it got out of control and engulfed the entire home in flames at about 10 a.m. More than a dozen firefighters were called into action. A retired couple and their mother all got away safely when the plumber alerted them to the fire. “It really went up fast,” said the plumber, Jerry Johnson, who explained he was using a soldering torch when plastic insulation covering (vapor barrier) caught fire while he was doing some repairs. “When I realized I couldn’t control it, I got everybody out.” He said the mother, who was well into her eighties, did not want to leave the home. “She was sort of in shock and she just didn’t want to come out,” said Johnson. “I just grabbed her and took her out so that she was safe,” he said. “I can’t believe this,” said a grief-stricken home owner Linda Wozniak, as she walked away from her home that backs on to a quiet ravine. “I just want to get my mother to a safe place.” Her tiny mother, dressed in a skirt with pink-and-white sneakers and socks and bundled in a winter coat, clutched a plastic white shopping bag while fire fighter Tony Weir and the plumber gently held her elbows as they escorted her to a waiting car. “I just don’t know what will happen next” said Wozniak, in shock. “I can’t believe it. I don’t even know if my cat survived … I don’t know anything.” But a neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the little black and white calico cat was “safe and sound” after she brought it to her home. Several people witnessed the smoke billowing out of the bungalow that sits in an eight-year-old subdivision just off Ferndale Road in the north end of Barrie. “I just feel sick for those poor people,” said neighbour Arlene Lougheed as she clutched her hands to her chest and looked out her living room window, watching as flames licked through blackened windows of the home. “We didn’t know them well, but we often saw them out puttering in their beautiful garden.” Standing beside her, her husband Dan said he was shocked with how fast the home went up in smoke. “At first it looked like an innocent puff of smoke,” he said. “It spread so fast. Within minutes there were thick, black, dark clouds of smoke billowing out the windows in huge puffs.” While a bitter wind blew, it carried with it the acrid smell of smoke several blocks away from the scene, where walkers had to cover their noses and mouths with coat collars. Assistant fire chief Terry Dicks said it is undetermined whether the fire that started with the plastic insulation covering also ignited the underlying insulation. “In most cases the insulation is fairly fire retardant,” he said. “We are still investigating. Bottom line is … fire is unpredictable and any accident can happen in any house.” The owners did have home insurance and smoke detectors were installed in the house.
Labourer dies after treatment works fall AN investigation was under way today after a labourer plunged to his death at a sewage treatment works. Robert Murdoch, 57, of John Allan Drive, Cumnock, was working at Linwood Treatment Works in Middleton Road, Linwood, Renfrewshire. It's thought he fell eight feet to his death as he put up scaffolding around 11am yesterday. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed by ambulance to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, where he later died. The Health and Safety Executive is investigating but it's believed to have been an industrial accident. A spokesman for Scottish Water, which owns the site, said: "The man was given first aid at the scene but he sadly died later in hospital. "He was working for Barrhead-based contractor George Leslie, a firm which has been working at the site on behalf of Scottish Water. "We will work closely with the Health and Safety Executive to establish the circumstances surrounding the man's death." A police spokesman said: "There would appear to be no suspicious circumstances and a report will be forwarded to the procurator-fiscal." No-one at George Leslie was available for comment today.
Construction Worker Dies as Roof Caves In Javid Hassan, Arab News Staff RIYADH, 13 March 2003 — One person was killed and five others were injured when a two-story building under construction collapsed on Tuesday night in the Mursalat area of northern Riyadh. Brig. Mesfer Al-Goayed, director-general of civil defense, said the workers were engaged in the construction of the roof when it came down “owing to bad execution”. He said the dead person’s nationality was not known. The injured were from Egypt, Pakistan and India. Speaking to Arab News on the phone, Dr. Mohammed Al-Mishary, vice president of Abdulrahman Al-Mishary Hospital and head of the emergency team, said 55 doctors and 100 nurses as well as paramedics were deployed for the treatment of patients under Code Yellow. He said one of the patients who had suffered a fracture in the skull and a broken spine had started to go into a state of paralysis. However, timely surgical intervention by a team of five doctors, two neurosurgeons, two orthopedists and one anesthetist helped him to recover. “He could have been paralyzed, as 80 percent of cases in such a situation end up in paralysis. “But, thank God, he’s recovering and has started moving his legs. It was a dangerous but successful operation that lasted seven hours.” In another case, Dr. Mishary said, the victim had fractured ribs and a tear in the lung. A team of surgeons attended on him. The patient, a Pakistani, is on the way to recovery. The third had concussion in the brain and lacerations in his face. Of the three, two may be discharged soon, while one is still in the intensive care unit. Dr. Mishary said coordination among the Red Crescent, the Ministry of Health and his own hospital was excellent. The other two patients are under treatment in the Al-Hammady Hospital. It is the second time in recent years that a building under construction in Riyadh had collapsed. Three years ago, an accident occurred in the Kingdom Tower when part of the scaffolding came down. However, the injured workers were given prompt first-aid and discharged.
Worker lucky to be alive after a fall at arena site Brent Whiting The Arizona Republic Mar. 11, 2003 12:00 AM GLENDALE - He fell more than 30 feet at the Phoenix Coyotes arena going up near 91st and Glendale avenues. And Richard Robinette, a Valley construction worker, said Monday that he considers himself lucky to be alive. Robinette, 59, of Surprise, said he could have plunged more than 100 feet to his death, but lower scaffolding broke the nearly three-story fall. His wife, Linda, 56, agreed, saying, "I'm glad to have him home. It was a very scary situation." The accident happened about 10 p.m. Friday while Robinette, a carpenter for Phoenix-based Perini Building Co., was working on tall scaffolding at the job site. He fell more than 30 feet and landed on lower scaffolding only 30 inches wide and still about 65 feet above the ground, said Elio Pompa, a Glendale fire captain and spokesman. Robinette was flown to a Phoenix hospital after four members of a technical-rescue team used a basket to lower him to the ground, Pompa said. It was a daring rescue in which firefighters, using a construction crane, not only climbed the scaffolding but tended to Robinette from the lofty perch, Pompa said. Robinette was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, where his wife picked him up Sunday morning and took him home, where he remained on medication Monday. Firefighters said the mishap marked the first major construction accident at the site. Perini, Robinette's employer, is the general contractor for the planned 17,500-seat hockey arena.
Metro worker rescued by Tyisha Manigo Staff Writer March 10, 2003 An employee completing work a Metrorail tunnel in Seat Pleasant had to be rescued and transported to a local hospital after falling and sustaining serious injuries, according to the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS department. The 49-year-old contract employee was operating on scaffolding 15 feet to 20 feet high when he fell onto the concrete floor Friday around 8:30 p.m., said chief spokesman Mark E. Brady. The department’s Confined Space Team removed the victim—who was approximately one-quarter of a mile into the tunnel—and transported him to MedStar at the Washington Hospital Center. The worker sustained a possible concussion and internal injuries. His condition at the time of transport was considered serious but did not appear to be life threatening.
UPDATE Contractor to pay for GG Bridge death BY J.K. DINEEN Of The Examiner Staff The lead contractor on the massive Golden Gate Bridge seismic retrofitting project has been slapped with a hefty fine in the case of a carpenter who fell to his death last summer while working in one of the bridge's anchorage towers, according to a citation from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. On Aug. 13, Kevin Noah, 42, was standing on a three-quarter-inch piece of rebar inside the south anchorage tower when he fell 50 feet to his death. The OSHA investigation fined contractor Shimmick/Obayashi $16,200 for failing to provide scaffolding for the tower workers and $5,850 for not having a proper failing arrest system. Noah's harness was tied to an open-ended piece of rebar, and slipped off as he worked. The rebar should have been "crossed" off in order to prevent slippage, OSHA said. "It is definitely a serious case," said OSHA spokeswoman Susan Gard. "The company was responsible for conducting the job in a way that protected employees properly, and that was not done in this instance." Shimmick/Obayashi will appeal the citation, according to attorney Robert Peterson. The early-morning accident happened as Noah was strengthening concrete footings inside one of the bridge's hollow concrete "anchorage houses." Noah died when he hit the dirt floor at the bottom of the anchorage house, which is where the bridge cables are anchored. Mary Virenzi, Noah's longtime girlfriend, said Noah was an adventuresome jack-of-all-trades who worked on projects big and small. He was as comfortable building a wooden house as working on the construction of 3Com Park. "Kevin was an everything guy -- he knew how to do it all," said Virenzi. "He'd leave a job and always be welcomed back on it no matter what." Noah left behind three sons, whom he took motocross riding most weekends. The Novato resident would offer to take the family to a movie and surprise them by ending up at a drive-in in Sacramento, she added. Noah frequently complained about the lack of safety precautions on the job, according to Virenzi. At one point he turned down an offer of a foreman's job because he didn't want to be responsible for other workers in an unsafe environment. Virenzi said she recently visited the work site and found some of the safety problems persist. "I know they are never going to say they are sorry, but God, they should at least fix it," she said. "He gave them his life and they should honor him."
Accident Shuts Down Portion Of Ridge Avenue Reported by: 9News Web produced by: Liz Foreman Last updated: 3/11/03 11:55:52 AM There's a bit of a mess at the intersection of Ridge and Highland in Columbia Township Tuesday afternoon. The boom on a construction truck hit wires overhead Tuesday morning, leaving the power lines hanging only four feet off the ground. The truck is used to transport bricks. The owner's name was not made available. Police are redirecting traffic in the area and Ridge Avenue is closed heading south at the intersection.
UPDATE Workers to face charges over theater blast OSAKA (Kyodo) Police turned over to prosecutors Monday their case of suspected negligence against a demolition worker and a foreman regarding a fire that gutted the historic Nakaza theater in September. Osaka police, however, did not pursue charges against employees of Osaka Gas Co., which provided a map showing incorrect information on the gas main layout at the theater site -- one of the causes of an explosion that led to the fire, in which four people were injured. They also did not pursue charges against Takenaka Corp., the contractor of the demolition work. The companies are not considered directly responsible, a police official said. The 26-year-old demolition worker used a lighter to look for a part to close off a gas valve, even though gas was spewing from the valve, causing the explosion at around 3 a.m. Sept. 9. His 27-year-old foreman is also being held accountable. The worker and his colleagues were extracting gas from pipes to be removed under work subcontracted by Osaka Gas as part of the demolition work. Police determined the worker was negligent because he was aware gas was leaking from the valve, which was supposed to be closed, but nonetheless proceeded to ignite his lighter. The worker, a 32-year-old colleague and two firefighters were injured. Osaka Gas in October acknowledged responsibility for the incident and reprimanded nine people, including its president. The fire destroyed the theater in the Dotonbori district in central Osaka and damaged 19 restaurants and bars along neighboring Hozenji Yokocho lane. The theater for kabuki and stage dramas was established in 1653 and the building that burned down was constructed in 1948. The theater's operator, movie distributor Shochiku Co., closed it in 1999 as part of a streamlining effort.
Scissor lift accident victims recovering RANCHO CUCAMONGA — An electrical contractor and his female employee remained hospitalized Sunday, two days after they were injured in a fall from a scissor lift. The contractor, Juan Francisco Garcia, 29, of Pomona, and his employee, 25-year-old Zulema Olvera of Pomona, were in satisfactory condition at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, hospital nursing supervisor Joy Flint said Sunday. Garcia and Olvera suffered numerous broken bones and other injuries when a lift they were standing on at a business in the 11400 block of Sixth Street toppled over, sending them approximately 20 feet down to the ground, San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies. The pair were installing electrical conduit when the accident occurred. The accident is being investigated by Cal-OSHA, as well as by deputies from the Rancho Cucamonga Sheriff's Station.
UPDATE Fatal Manhattan Construction Accident Results in OSHA Citations & $60,000 in Proposed Penalties for New York City Employer NEW YORK -- Exposing employees to fatal safety hazards at a Manhattan construction site has resulted in a New York City employer being cited and fined $60,000 by the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA has cited DCM Erectors, of 110 East 42nd Street, New York, NY, for alleged serious and repeat violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act after the agency investigated an accident on Dec. 6, 2002, in which a company employee was killed in a fall at a construction site at 731 Lexington Ave. The most significant citation is an alleged "repeat" violation that directly relates to the accident, in which an employee fell through an unprotected floor opening and plunged to his death on a steel deck 35 feet below. The citation includes a proposed penalty of $50,000 and charges the employer with failing to provide proper fall protection for employees working next to an unguarded floor opening. DCM Erectors had been cited for a similar violation at the same site on Oct. 15, 2002. "This employer was cited previously for a similar violation on this same project, yet continued to expose employees to the same hazards knowing full well the potential for a serious accident," said Richard Mendelson, OSHA's area director in Manhattan. "This outrageous flaunting of the law had very tragic consequences." OSHA is also citing DCM Erectors for two alleged "serious" violations, each carrying a proposed penalty of $5,000, for failing to train employees exposed to fall hazards in how to recognize and minimize those hazards and for failing to require employees to use eye protection in hazardous situations. A serious citation is issued when death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew, or should have known. A repeat violation occurs when a company has been cited for similar violations within the past three years and the citation has become a final order. DCM Erectors has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and proposed penalties to elect to comply with them, to request and participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The OSHA area office in Manhattan conducted the inspection. Its telephone number is 212-620-3200. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
UPDATE Orangeburg company fined for violations before death Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. - The company that employed a man who died after he fell while working on a bridge was fined for several safety violations in the 1990s, records show. Carolina Bridge Co. officials were questioned by an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigator Thursday after Jason Kinsey, 21, fell 80 feet into the Congaree River and died. Kinsey's safety harness was hooked to the scaffolding that landed on top of him. It was the Orangeburg company's first serious accident, OSHA documents show. But in June 1994, the company was fined $6,270 for six serious violations during construction on a bridge over the Broad River in Gaffney. Officials from Carolina Bridge Co. could not be reached Friday. The company failed to provide life jackets for employees working over water, ring buoys with at least 90 feet of line for rescues and a lifesaving boat, according to OSHA documents obtained by The State newspaper. The only other violation was in June 1991. Records show it also was serious and resulted in a $560 fine but didn't specifically say what the violation was. Carolina Bridge was close to completing a $612,163 contract with the state to repair the two-lane, 54-year-old bridge at U.S. Highway 601 between the Congaree Swamp and the headwaters of Lake Marion. Kinsey and two other men, Dan Nickel and Randall Jepson, were working on the bridge when the scaffolding collapsed Wednesday. Kinsey and Nickel fell into the water, while Jepson dangled from a rope he was harnessed to and was rescued 40 minutes later. Divers pulled Kinsey's body from the water Thursday. Nickel hit a barge that was floating near the bridge then fell into the river. He was taken to a hospital and released Thursday. Neither Kinsey nor Jepson was wearing a life jacket, officials said, and it was unclear whether Nickel was wearing one. The crew also had no OSHA-required lifeboat buoys in the water in case of emergency, rescuers said. OSHA's investigation into the scaffolding collapse likely will take several weeks, said Jim Knight, spokesman for the state Labor, Licensing and Regulation Department. Information from: The State
Midlands excavation collapse kills worker A construction worker employed by Westbury Homes on a housing development in Leicester Road, Brownsover near Rugby, has died as a result of an accident. The man was buried at the bottom of a four-metre deep drainage excavation. A fellow worker tried frantically to dig him free but to no avail, emergency services later recovered his body.
1 killed, two hurt in Q.C. building accident Police are now investigating a tragic accident inside an abandoned building in Cubao, Quezon City, which led to the death of a 37-year-old construction worker, while two others were injured on Wednesday afternoon. Initial reports identified the fatality as Jobar Remedio Alfaro, a resident of barangay Alas Asim, Mariveles, Bataan. Two other construction workers, Wilson Tapat and Sammy Oliveros, were injured in the incident that happened at around 5:40 p.m. Police Officer 1 Joel Gazara of the Central Police District Homicide Unit said the accident occurred inside the abandoned building of the Uniwide Warehouse Club on Aurora Boulevard in Cubao. He said the victims were working on the second floor of the building when a concrete slab suddenly collapsed and fell directly on the victims. Alfaro sustained serious head and body injuries after falling concrete hit and covered him before he could leave the place. He and his coworkers were rushed to the nearest hospital for immediate medical attention, but Alfaro died while undergoing treatment. Gagaza said operatives of CPD Station 7 in Cubao conducted initial investigation before turning the case over to CPD homicide section at 11:30 p.m. Probers are now digging deep into the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine who should be held responsible. Gagaza said the police will have to refrain from making speculative remarks as to who will be held liable for the death and injuries. He admitted that such accidents usually happen because of neglect of safety measures and reckless imprudence on the part of the workers themselves. Gagaza assured that the CPD will file charges against the construction company if it is proven to have been negligent of safety standards. Probers said the building has long been abandoned and had no maintenance, which could have resulted in the deterioration of the structure and the collapse of a portion of the establishment. M. Punongbayan
Bridge painter dies after scaffolding collapses A worker painting the U.S. 601 bridge over the Congaree River has died after the scaffolding he was standing on collapsed, authorities say. Two other workers were injured in the incident Wednesday afternoon. Divers located the body of Jason Kinsey Wednesday evening, But he was still trapped in the scaffolding, and Natural Resources Department workers had to wait until Thursday morning to get the equipment needed to free his body, diver Anthony Walker said. An autopsy showed 21-year-old Kinsey, of Cordova, died from multiple trauma, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said Thursday. Rescue workers and police did not know why the scaffolding broke loose. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate. One of the injured workers, Dan Nickel, fell 80 feet into the river, but was rescued by a fisherman who happened to be nearby. The second injured painter, Randall Jepson, dangled by a rope for 40 minutes before being rescued by Columbia firefighter Wayne Melton, who had to rappel about 15 feet under the bridge to reach him. Both are expected to recover. The bridge, which spans the border of Richland and Calhoun counties about 30 miles southeast of Columbia, is one of the highest in the state.
Roofer shocked, airlifted to hospital Thursday, March 06, 2003 By NICK FALSONE The Express-Times HELLERTOWN -- Emergency crews pulled an injured worker off a roof Wednesday afternoon after he received a shock from coming in contact with a power wire, authorities said. The worker, a male who authorities at the scene declined to identify, was flown by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township. There he received treatment for burns suffered as a result of the shock, authorities said. The rescue happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. on the roof of Rustic Exteriors, 631 Front St. Crews used an aerial ladder on a firetruck to get to the roof. Shortly before 3 p.m., a crowd of close to 30 people watched the rescue unfold. More than a half-dozen emergency workers on the roof used a backboard to move the injured worker. They placed him in the bucket of the aerial ladder and lowered it to the ground. The injured worker was carried to a stretcher and driven by ambulance to the nearby helicopter. Tony Branco, a supervisor for Dewey EMS, said the worker was laying metal sheeting on the roof when he lifted a piece of it. The sheeting touched a power line running above the roof, and the contact shocked the worker, Branco said. The rescue took awhile, partly because the conditions on top of the roof were dangerous, Branco said. The sheeting was slippery, and a portion of the roof was only covered with wood studding, he said. The worker remained conscious during the whole rescue, Branco said. "He suffered a couple severe burns," he said. "He was in good spirits." He was flown to the hospital as a precaution because of the unusual length of time it took for the rescue, Branco said. In addition to Dewey EMS, Bethlehem Fire Department, Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Co., Dewey Fire Co. and the Hellertown Police Department assisted in the rescue.
UPDATE Burned Dam Worker In Critical Condition A 22-year-old Arkansas man was in critical condition Wednesday, a day after he was burned by electricity. Manuel Salazar was hurt about 11 a.m. Tuesday after the crane he was standing near hit a 115,000-volt line at the construction site of a backup dam at Lake Murray. Another worker had first-degree burns on his hand after trying to help Salazar, officials said. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, said Jim Knight, spokesman for Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The state OSHA department is part of LLR. OSHA, which is not required to investigate when only one person is hurt, stepped in because of the seriousness of Salazar's condition, Knight said. Salazar was flown to the burn unit at Doctor's Hospital in Augusta with second- and third-degree burns on 40 percent of his body, officials said. Salazar works for H.B. Mellott Estate Inc. of Pennsylvania, said Brian Duncan, SCE&G spokesman. The company is a subcontractor of Barnard Construction, overseeing the building of the backup dam. The $275 million construction began last month and is expected to be done in 2004. Construction resumed Wednesday after a safety meeting with work crews, SCE&G officials said.
Load topples trailer By Advocate Staff Thursday, March 06, 2003 - No one was injured Monday morning after a dump trailer toppled onto its side at the northwest end of the Noyo Bridge construction site. According to Caltrans public information officer Ann Jones, the driver of the truck was backfilling the abutment at the north end of the bridge when the accident occurred. When the long trailer lifted its dump bed into the air, the dirt failed to slide out, causing the trailer to become top heavy and off balance. No one was injured in the accident, and traffic was halted by Fort Bragg Police officers for approximately five minutes. By using one of the mobile cranes stationed at the site, MCM construction personnel were able to right the trailer. Caltrans personnel were also on scene to assist. Meanwhile Cal-OSHA investigators are still looking into the cause of the rebar column collapse that took the life of 38-year-old Julio Quintero, of Fairfield, and injured Rex Kamoss, 34, of Long Beach, on Wednesday, Feb. 19. According to Cal-OSHA reports, subcontractor Pacific Coast Steel has a good safety record, having had one fatal accident, with the fault attributed to another contracting company. Pacific Coast Steel and MCM construction officials speculate that the repair and replacement of the collapsed column will not delay the completion of the bridge as scheduled.
Hot Springs Accident Kills One Story by News 4 Arkansas Posted 3/5/2003 12:02:54 PM A construction worker is dead after a trench collapse. It happened about 10:45 AM Wednesday in downtown Hot Springs at the construction site for the new district court. Hot Springs police say there was a heating and air conditioning trench in front of the building site that collapsed. Two workers fell in. One got out, the other died. The men worked for a heating and air company out of Benton. We have a crew on the scene and will bring you the latest tonight on News 4 Arkansas at 5:00 and 6:00. Watch KARK News 4 for more on this story!
Construction Worker Killed In Accident; Emergency Workers Say Man Was Hit By Steel Beam March 5, 2003 BOSTON -- A construction worker was killed Wednesday morning at a construction site outside Massachusetts General Hospital. Police said that a steel girder fell on Christopher MacInnis, 30, of Salem, N.H., who was working at the construction site at about 8 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 8:30 a.m. The victim's father and brother were also working at the site when the accident occurred. MacInnis' father witnessed the accident. "Beams that were under construction collapsed. There is a large beam that did collapse, and it did strike the victim," Boston Fire Department spokesman Daniel McDevitt said. Another person suffered minor injuries in the accident. An emergency medical technician was at the hospital on another call. "We responded over to the scene and climbed up the ladder. We initiated treatment along with the Fire Department who began extrication. It was difficult extrication off the roof. We brought the patient down, via a crane, to the ground level. He was transported to the Mass General Hospital emergency room," emergency medical technician Rich Serino said. The victim was working on the hospital's new ambulatory care center. "(The victim's father) is very upset," Serino said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
Accident involving crane, high-voltage wire halts work at Lake Murray By LORA HINES Staff Writer Work at the Lake Murray dam stopped Tuesday when a construction worker suffered a severe electrical burn after a crane hit a high-voltage line. The 22-year-old worker, who was not immediately identified, was burned about 11 a.m. after the crane he was standing near hit a 115,000-volt line, officials said. The man was in critical condition Tuesday night at Doctor's Hospital burn unit in Augusta, South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. spokesman Robin Montgomery said. Another worker suffered first-degree burns to his hands when he tried to help his burned co-worker, Lexington Emergency Medical Service supervisor Stuart Platt said. The man with the burned hands was treated at the scene. The man inside the crane was not hurt. The severely injured man, who had burns on his left chest and back, plus both arms and legs, was flown to Augusta from the dam's Saluda River side, where he was working, Platt said. The man works for Melott, a subcontractor, Montgomery said. He didn't immediately have information about the company. The construction crew stopped work for the rest of the day. It was unclear Tuesday night whether construction would resume today, Montgomery said. It's not unusual for people who stand near an object that's been energized with electricity to get burned, Assistant Lexington County Fire Chief Brian Hood said. "That's why we tell people not to stand under a tree in a storm. Electricity is looking for the closest and best pathway to the ground." The electricity that hit the crane probably arced and hit the man who was standing nearby, Hood said. "You have to remember that the arc is several thousands of degrees." The man who was inside the crane probably was safest, Hood said. "If you're in a car accident and you hit a live wire or pole, you want to stay inside the car," he said. "People get hurt when they try to get out and put their foot on the ground." Last month, as many as 90 people started building a backup dam at Lake Murray, Montgomery said. Construction started on opposite ends of the dam, moving toward the center. Work can occur simultaneously in two sections as long as those areas are at least 1,000 feet apart. But plans limit initial work to single sections for nearly half the wall, particularly those at the middle, where water pressure is highest. Construction is to be finished in 2004. The project will cost $275 million.
Broken crane crushes workers From correspondents in Beijing 06mar03 EIGHT workmen were killed and four injured when part of a crane collapsed at a road construction site in eastern China, state media has reported. The men were working on a project to connect the cities of Huizhou and Hangzhou when the accident happened, the Xinhua news agency said. Twelve workers were sheltering in the work shed from the rain when the outstretched arm of a crane standing ten metres away from the shed suddenly broke off, falling on the shed roof," it said. Seven of the workers died at the scene, while another died on his way to hospital. The other four were treated in hospital for serious injuries. An investigation has been launched into the accident.
Gas leak a near disaster By KYLIE MUNRO AND KRISTY GRANT Workers and shoppers were evacuated after the accident. Public school, workers told to clear the area. A MAJOR gas leak in central Albury yesterday forced the evacuation of Olive St and kept emergency services in overdrive for two hours. More than 15 businesses and Albury Public School were evacuated as clouds of gas erupted from a burst pipe on the footpath between Baker Motors and the school about 1pm. The pipe was ruptured when a Wagga drilling company, contracted to lay cabling for Telstra, hit the pipe with a horizontal boring machine. Police and fire authorities sealed off the Dean St and Smollett St entrances to the accident site as fears of an explosion grew. Traffic was diverted past Dean St from Kiewa St and Country Energy reacted quickly by turning off the electricity supply to the affected area. Country Energy also temporarily suspended service to surrounding residential areas as a safety precaution. Fire officials ordered mobile phones, two-way radios and anything that could emit a spark to be shut down. Albury Central fire brigade station officer, Mr John Todd, said the leak had the potential to create a disaster. He said fire crews saw dust billowing into the air from a high-powered gas vapour cloud at the scene. “A 450kpa high pressure main had been hit and to avoid a possible explosion we had to use fob nozzles to disperse the gas,” Mr Todd said. “Anything that could throw a spark was switched off and we began to monitor the lowest levels of explosive gas. “We know that when the level of gas in the air drops to a certain level then it cannot explode.” Mr Todd said the situation worsened after gas seeped into electrical conduit cables and tracked to the opposite side of Olive St. Origin Energy spokeswoman Ms Justine Leadbetter said it took workers 33 minutes to fix the problem. “Workers repaired the pipeline and made sure there was no threat of a further leak before declaring the area safe,” Ms Leadbetter said. “The incident was reported promptly to Origin Energy by the contractor who struck the gas line, which made fixing it a lot easier. “We would like to thank everyone that was involved for their co-operation and communication in making sure that the incident was handled as quickly and efficiently as it was.” A spokesman for the Wagga Directional Drilling Company said it was an unfortunate accident. He said the company had followed plans outlining the locations of each gas line but the one they hit had not been marked. “We just didnt know it was there,” he said. Telstra Country Wide area manager for the Riverina Mr Andrew Cottrill said industrial work plans were generated by an agency, Dial Before You Dig, which gathered the locations of cabling, gas and water pipes from authorities.
UPDATE OSHA fines companies in fatal fall By David Gilligan Advocate Reporter UTICA -- The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined two companies in the death of a construction worker who fell at Utica High School. OSHA cited general contractor Robertson Construction Services and its subcontractor, Exterior Systems Inc., for failure to remove scrap metal, roof decking and plastic from the roof of the high school, which contributed to the January death of Jason Thatcher, said David Wilson, spokesman for OSHA's Columbus regional office. Each company was fined $2,000. Thatcher, 32, of Delaware, died Jan. 15 after he fell at the site of the new Utica high school. Thatcher was an employee of Powell-based Exterior Systems. Specific information on the fall and the nature of Thatcher's injuries were not available before press time. Both companies have contested the case. Lawyers for the companies and for OSHA are preparing their cases. Neither company could be reached for comment Tuesday. There was no answer at the phone number listed for Exterior Systems, and the safety rector for Robertson Construction Services Inc. was not available. North Fork schools Superintendent Tom Slater was unaware of the result of OSHA's investigation until contacted by The Advocate and declined to comment on the findings until he could study them further.
Man critical after falling through roof 05 March 2003 A man is in critical condition in hospital after falling five metres through a roof in Petone yesterday morning. The 47-year-old man and a colleague were working on the roof of a building in Nelson St when the accident happened about 9.30am. Occupational Safety and Health were investigating the incident, a spokeswoman said. It appeared the two men had been dismantling a roof when they both fell through it, landing five metres below. One man was uninjured and the other had serious head injuries, she said. The injured worker was from Porirua-based company Fogartys Structural Services. Company director David Fogarty said he believed the men were setting up when the accident happened. "I just hope he's all right, he's a bloody nice guy," Mr Fogarty said on his way to the site yesterday. "We've never had an accident on a building site before, and normally our jobs all go very smoothly. He is not a man who is accident-prone – some people are, but not this guy, he's brilliant." Mr Fogarty hoped to find out more about how the accident happened after talking to his workers, but his thoughts were with the injured man. The man was taken to Wellington Hospital in a serious condition by Wellington Free Ambulance after the fall. A hospital spokeswoman said he was in intensive care in a critical but stable condition.
Ceilings collapse at Ridgefield Town Hall RIDGEFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Some employees at Ridgefield Town Hall picked a good time to go to lunch Monday. Ceilings collapsed in the probate and human resources offices at about 1:30 p.m. after construction workers cut through a support beam while installing an elevator. The three employees who work in the two offices were at lunch at the time and the offices were closed, The News-Times of Danbury reported. No one was injured. Office lights, insulation and plasterboard came tumbling down as the attic floor collapsed onto newer, suspended ceilings. "We were holding a meeting about smallpox vaccinations in the lower-level conference room when there was a loud rumble and crash," First Selectman Rudy Marconi said. "I ran out into the hall and looked outside to where they're working on (preparations for) the elevator and saw a large pile of bricks and a huge cloud of dust," he said. The Ridgefield Fire Department evacuated the building. At 3:30 p.m., workers were shoring up the structural support of the attic and roof truss with 2-foot-by-6-foot boards. Town Hall was expected to open Tuesday at its usual time of 8:30 a.m. The elevator project has had previous problems. When construction began last fall, buried oil tanks were discovered and had to be removed. Construction also was delayed for two months when scaffolding was put too close to power lines in November and had to be moved. Ridgefield received a $500,000 Americans with Disabilities Act grant to pay for the installation. The town contributed $50,000 toward the project.
UPDATE Propane torch likely cause of blaze, investigators say By MARLA CRANSTON The Daily News A propane torch used by roofing contractors was the likely culprit behind last week’s blaze on Gottingen Street, Halifax regional fire investigators confirmed Monday. No criminal charges are pending in the accidental fire, which left 20 people homeless and destroyed three businesses, fire-prevention manager Mike LeRue and Craig MacDonald told a news conference at Halifax City Hall. The problems began when workmen from Five Star Roofing and Masonry repaired an outdoor canopy above the first floor of 2098 Gottingen St. “They were applying a roofing membrane that requires a propane torch to heat it to cause it to seal, to set it in place. This is a normal practice, and there are precautions that should be taken,” said MacDonald, adding on-site fire extinguishers and a fire-safety plan were in place at the time. But the torch heated up a nearby wallspace, and the smouldering spread throughout the building’s walls, floors and ceilings for 45 minutes before any flames were visible. Tenant John Bouris, also a contractor, spotted smoke coming up through his living room floorboards, alerting the roofers immediately. They used fire extinguishers and buckets of water on the area, and made periodic checks afterward. “I think it was an honest mistake,” Bouris said as he wandered around the rubble looking for his cat Geronimo, missing since the fire. “It’s a tricky business using torches on old houses. You have to be really, really careful, and they know that. I’m sure they feel badly enough. I’m just glad everybody got out.” Bouris and partner Sheila Burke, who owned the Glamourama clothing store underneath their flat, lost everything. They had tried to get insurance several times, but were declined. Bouris hopes tenants will be fully compensated for their losses, but in the meantime, he’s heartened by the fundraising efforts underway. “People have been wonderful. I’m amazed at their generosity,” he said. Tonight, the Khyber Club at 1588 Barrington St. hosts a benefit show with Superfriendz, Dusty Sorbet and The Debonnaires, starting at 9 p.m. for a suggested donation of $8. After raising $1,000 on Sunday, the Marquee Club hosts another benefit show March 15 with The Heelwalkers and guests. Metro’s Royal Bank branches are also taking donations for the North End Fire Relief Fund, through account number 1021195, transit 0003. The roofing company and property owner Steve Abbass, who also lost his home in the fire, did not return calls yesterday.
Worker Killed In Church Community Center Roof Collapse POSTED: 7:58 a.m. EST March 3, 2003 FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- A church held a memorial service Sunday for a construction worker who died over the weekend when the roof of new community center collapsed beneath him. Geraldo H. De Oliveira Jr., 31, was pronounced dead at a hospital within an hour of Saturday's accident at Eternal Life Christian Center's new community and recreation center. The Brazilian man lived in Harrison. Miqueiaz Franco E. Silva, 19, also of Harrison, was treated for a leg injury and released, police said. The church's pastor planned to hang a plaque bearing De Oliveira's name at the community center after it is completed. "His death will not be in vain," Pastor Vollie Smith said. "We are going to make him an honorary member of our church and dedicate a plaque in his honor ... because his efforts will not be forgotten." The men worked for Myler Church Construction Co. of Indiana. Rick Pitre, Myler's northeast regional vice president, said the national firm had never had a construction site fatality before. The cause of the collapse was not immediately known. The construction site was closed Saturday while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigates. Franklin Township police Sgt. Marie Bandtlow said the department received no reports of problems at the site before the collapse and all permits were in order.
UPDATE Worker is killed in fall at Brandeis By Peter Demarco, Globe Correspondent, 3/3/2003 WALTHAM -- A 39-year-old Malden man fell to his death while working on a new three-story dormitory at Brandeis University on Saturday, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are trying to determine the cause. Mark Chopelas, a laborer working for William A. Berry & Son, a Danvers-based construction management firm, was in an inside stairwell in the partially completed structure at about 8 a.m. when he fell, his family and officials said. He was taken from the South Street construction site to Waltham Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. Chopelas, of Malden, had been working on the dormitory since he joined the company in January. David Passafaro, a vice president at William A. Berry, said officials would meet soon to discuss ways to honor his memory. ''He was always with a smile on his face. Always willing to help anyone in need,'' said an uncle, Timothy Chopelas, of Melrose. Mark Chopelas, who would have turned 40 this month, was born and raised in Malden. His family ran Malden Square's Chopelas Cantina for more than 60 years before it closed in the 1980s. Rich Fazzio, area director of the Methuen-area office of OSHA, said he hoped the weekend's accident would compel other construction firms to review safety procedures. ''Falls are one of the leading causes of death and serious injury in the Commonwealth. I believe it is the leading cause in the last decade,'' he said. Fazzio said he would not give any additional details about the company's record because an investigation is continuing. Passafaro said he did not know whether William A. Berry, which was founded in 1857, had ever lost an employee to a job-related accident. The company has had a clean safety record in recent memory, he said. Construction on the 70,000-square-foot dormitory will resume today except in the section of the building where the accident occurred. Fazzio said the company could face fines if it is found in violation of safety regulations.
UPDATE Midlands company fined in deaths of two workers (Columbia) March 3, 2003 - A construction company has been fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after an accident that killed two workers, 15 and 16-years-old. Rigo Beto Xaca Sandoval and Moises Xaca Sandoval died on January 28th when a trench collapsed at the future site of the Blythewood High School. OSHA fined Burriss Electric more than $42,000 for violating six safety violations. The violations included workers not wearing helmets and not having a competent person on site to inspect the trench.
Scaffold collapse sends workmen down lift shaft The collapse of a scaffolding tower on the inside of a lift shaft led to the fall of three construction workers of WC Cornfield & Son some 10 metres down the partly constructed shaft on a construction site at Leegomery in Telford on Friday morning. Three men, aged 34, 38 and 51, were rescued from under the debris of the collapse by fire rescue services and were admitted to hospital with leg, back and chest injuries, a 4th man in the team escaped with less serious injuries, his condition was described as "walking wounded." HSE arrived on site in the afternoon to open an investigation.
UPDATE Turlock company fined in fatality By RICHARD T. ESTRADA BEE STAFF WRITER A Turlock construction firm has been fined $116,500 in connection with the death of an employee in a dairy manure pit, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health reported Friday. Sergio Ortiz died of asphyxia while working in the bottom of the manure pit on Aug. 27 at the Rego Dairy in Gustine. Turlock Irrigation Construction, a private company, was cited for violating nine state regulations, which led to the death of the employee, Cal-OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer said. The dairy was not fined because it was not performing the work, Fryer said. "It's the employer's responsibility to provide the proper training and equipment, and the employer did neither," Fryer said. Turlock Irrigation Construction, which had been hired to replace a flow gate in the 12-foot deep pit, declined to comment Friday. The Merced County district attorney's office still is investigating the incident and could file criminal charges against the company and its employees. Eight of the nine violations committed by Turlock Irrigation Construction were described as "serious." "Anything over $100,000 we consider a large fine," Fryer said. "They have 15 working days to appeal or pay the fine." The company has been in trouble with Cal-OSHA before. It was fined $5,625, according to Cal-OSHA records, for violating safety standards on a Modesto trenching job in September 2000. The company failed to reinforce the trench walls, which could have collapsed, Fryer said. In the Gustine dairy death, Cal-OSHA's investigation concluded that Ortiz was overcome by methane gas while working in the manure pit. Methane is produced by cow manure. Ortiz was not trained to work in the dangerous conditions of a manure pit, Cal-OSHA found. Nor did he have the safety equipment or other protective respiratory gear required for the work. Other violations leading to Ortiz's death, Cal-OSHA reported, were that the manure pit was not empty, the air quality was not tested and employees were not trained in rescue procedures. A similar incident killed two employees of Aguiar-Faria & Sons Dairy in Gustine in February 2001. Neither worker was trained or equipped to enter the manure pit, and both died after being overcome by methane. Those deaths led the Merced County grand jury to indict Aguiar-Faria & Sons Dairy and two of its supervisors last month for involuntary manslaughter. In the Gustine death, the state's investigation found that Ortiz was at the bottom of the pit, one foot on a ladder and one on a pump, while working on the gate. Below him, a thick mixture of manure and water was creating the lethal methane. Ortiz convulsed and fell on his back into the liquid, according to another worker, and his head slipped under the water. The worker went down the ladder to try to rescue Ortiz, but was overcome by methane and had to exit the pit without Ortiz. According to Cal-OSHA, the Gustine Volunteer Fire Department was called, but the construction company had none of the required ropes, harnesses or other equipment needed for the firefighters to enter the pit. Ortiz was retrieved when someone looped a rope around his leg, which was still hooked in the ladder, and pulled him out. He was transported to Memorial Hospital Los Banos, Cal-OSHA reported, where he was pronounced dead. When interviewed by Cal-OSHA, employees said they did such manure pit work with some "frequency." When asked what they knew about working in a confined space, employees were vague, according to the report.
Construction worker dies in Waltham By Jennifer Rosinski Sunday, March 2, 2003 WALTHAM -- A construction worker was killed while on the job at Brandeis University yesterday morning, campus police said. Campus police said the man, who they would not identify, was killed in an 8 a.m. accident on South Street, where a new residence hall is being built. The man, believed to be in his 20s, worked for William A. Berry & Son of Danvers. "We're heartbroken about this accident and the loss of one of our people," said David Passafaro, the company's vice president. "There's an ongoing investigation by us to find out what happened at the site this morning." A medical helicopter was called after the accident, but canceled when authorities realized the man was already dead, according to police communications. Campus police called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which ordered all work to stop while the accident is under investigation. Officials with the Waltham police and fire departments and company representatives would not release the worker's identity until his relatives are notified. Details of the accident will not be released until the company can get a complete picture, Passafaro said. Several men were working on the new residence hall at the time of the accident. A Brandeis University spokeswoman was not able to provide further details.
Man escapes death in fall Abu Dhabi | By Nissar Hoath | 02/03/2003 A construction worker escaped death by inches when he fell from a platform and landed on a scaffolding at a hotel construction site here yesterday. The accident occurred when the high platform on which the labourer was working slipped off its support because of gusting winds. The worker landed on another platform made of wooden planks, sustaining multiple fractures and bruises. He also sustained severe injuries when part of a wooden plank pierced his back. The South Asian worker remained suspended on the loose wooden planks in mid air until a rescue team from Civil Defence brought him down. The rescue attempt attracted a huge crowd, causing a traffic jam on Khalifa Street. The crowd was dispersed by police. The Civil Defence rescue team arrived with a crane, an inflatable air bed, ambulance and paramedics. The strong, gusting winds made their task difficult and slow. The worker was rushed to Central Hospital. According to a Civil Defence official, he is out of danger. Recounting the incident, another worker at the site said: "We thought he would hit the ground and die. But by the grace of God, the scaffolding below saved his life." The workers at the site were without proper safety equipment in the strong wind. The wooden planks were not secured firmly to the metal scaffolding, and some workers had no safety belts. After this accident, work was stopped at other construction sites in the city.
Painter dies while working on Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens By the Associated Press March 2 2003 JAMES CITY, Va. -- A painter working on a roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park died Saturday morning after the high-reaching vehicle he was in overturned. Park spokeswoman Cindy Sarko said she did not know the details of the accident. Authorities said Bill Linnin of Hampton was dead when rescue workers arrived shortly before 10:30 a.m. Sarko said Linnin was employed by St. Louis-based Hartman-Walsh Painting Co. and had been working on the Big Bad Wolf roller coaster. The Big Bad Wolf, one of several roller coasters at the park, opened in June 1984. At its highest point, it is 110 feet tall. "We extend our deepest sympathy to the family," Sarko said. "It's just a terrible day here at the park." No one was available at Hartman-Walsh's company headquarters for comment Saturday. The park is scheduled to open March 22.
UPDATE Cal-OSHA investigates Noyo Bridge By TONY REED Of the Beacon California Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators have yet to determine the reason that a tall rebar column folded and fell last Wednesday, killing one worker and sending another to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Area resident Dave Plummer reported witnessing the falling column from his living room. A large window in his North Harbor Street home faces the bridge, and he looked up just in time to see the column bend and fall. Plummer reported that the area of the structure closest to the concrete base appeared to have been the weak point, bending while the rest of the column remained straight as it fell. "There was a lot of rattling and screaming," said Plummer, describing what he heard before seeing the falling column disappear from view behind a tree in his yard. He said that one of the workers remained on the column until it reached the ground. Plummer immediately phoned 911. According to Plummer, no wind was evident at the time of the accident. He noted that the columns had withstood the winds of recent storms without swaying. Work has resumed at the site, but Cal-OSHA says its investigation into the accident is far from over. According to spokeswoman Susan Gard, Cal-OSHA has up to six months to complete its investigation. She said it's not uncommon for investigations of death in the workplace to take about two months. "We like to turn over every stone," she said, referring to occupational accident investigations. Cal-OSHA has completed the first part of its investigation, and will interview witnesses, review files and records, and look into whether or not the accident occurred due to safety violations. Subcontractor Pacific Coast Steel, of San Diego is one of the largest contractors of reinforcing steel in the state. Pacific Coast Steel also constructs rebar reinforcement for building foundations, concrete parking structures, stadiums and convention centers and even water reservoirs and dams. The large columns are constructed on the ground and moved to the pillar base by crane. There they are erected, and long guy wires are strung from the column to surrounding anchor points. Forms are then constructed of wood and steel around the rebar columns in the desired shape, and wet concrete is poured into the forms. Once the concrete has cured, the forms are removed, and rebuilt further up the column. Concrete is poured into the forms in three stages, from outside to inside, to ensure that the concrete bonds to the rebar and the previously poured cement. Much like the cheesecloth in fiberglass, the rebar, in conjunction with the surrounding concrete, makes a rigid unit that will withstand a great deal of pressure and support large amounts of weight. By themselves, neither concrete or rebar would support a great deal of weight. According to Cal-OSHA reports, Pacific Coast Steel has a good safety record, and was only investigated twice for alleged violations. In one instance, in June 2002, an accident involving a crane catching on a structure guy wire caused the death of a Pacific Coast Steel employee, but the general contractor was cited, and found to have been at fault. Another citation was issued in 2001 to Pacific Coast Steel for not having an adequate illness prevention program or a trained first aid responder. According to Caltrans spokeswoman Anne Jones, it has yet to be determined how far back the project completion will be pushed by the accident. General counsel for MCM Construction, Ed Puchi said that it was possible that the accident may not affect the completion date at all. Since the company is completing construction work in stages, crews may be able to catch up on the work while other pillars are being constructed, said Puchi. Some of the concrete which has been poured and has hardened around the rebar column will have to be broken away, to expose enough rebar to splice onto. Puchi said that Pacific Coast Steel will have to draft a proposal of how to repair the damage, to be reviewed by Caltrans officials soon. Pacific Coast Steel President Eric Benson said Tuesday that the company has made inquiries to Caltrans engineers as to how to correct the problem, and are waiting for their recommendation. As to the cause of the accident, Puchi said that even though they are the general contractor, the area where the accident occurred was solely the responsibility of Pacific Coast Steel. "We [MCM] had no work involved that contributed to the incident," said Puchi. All crews are continuing to work on other areas of the bridge construction, and results of the investigation by Cal-OSHA are pending.
UPDATE BURIED ALIVE IN JAIL TRENCH Feb 27 2003 A WORKMAN was buried alive when he fell in a 10ft deep trench inside a jail, a court heard yesterday. Dougie Tindal, 52, of Arbroath, was dead before he could be hauled clear. Morrison Construction, of Edinburgh, face three charges of breaching Health and Safety regulations over the accident in Friarton Prison, Perth, in October 2000. Glasgow-based BD&G Projects and English firm TPS Consult also face charges. The trial continues.
UPDATE New Jersey firm fined $53,000 in worker death as power plant chimney February 27, 2003 A New Jersey construction firm will pay $53,000 in federal fines because a worker was killed in August when he fell 100 feet from a power plant chimney that was under construction. Hamon Custodis of Somerville, N.J., also agreed to provide fall-protection equipment to workers more than 6 feet above ground and to provide a full-time safety officer for any projects involving the building of concrete chimneys, under the settlement with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA investigated after Ronald Bush, 46, of Grayson, Ky., fell while installing metal grating inside the chimney at the Allegheny Energy Supply plant in Springdale, about 15 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Bush was killed when he fell from a 400-high landing to another landing 100 feet below. It was the second fatality at the site. OSHA had fined the company $7,200 because another worker, Chris Beabout, 36, of Washington, Pa., fell 290 feet from a platform inside the same chimney in November 2001. Robert Szymanski, the OSHA director for the Pittsburgh region, called the $53,000 fine "fairly substantial." Jonathan Lagarenne, chief executive officer of Hamon Custodis, said the settlement with OSHA "focuses on safety enhancements" _ some of which have already been made. The chimney is part of a 540-megawatt power plant scheduled to open this summer, Allegheny Energy officials said. The plant will use three generators, two powered by natural gas and another by steam byproducts. Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Greensburg man dies Jim Cummings Staff Writer Timothy Myer, Jr., 30, of County Road 480 East, was pronounced dead at Decatur County Memorial Hospital Wednesday afternoon after being crushed by a skid steer loader being operated by his father, Timothy Myer. The Myerses had just recently moved to the city after living in and operating their construction business out of St. Paul. Details on other family members in the area were not available at press time. At 4:26 p.m., the Greensburg Police department received a report of a male subject injured by an implement vehicle and lying on the ground near a home at 724 N. Franklin St. "The EMS crew was already working on him when I arrived," said Assistant Police Chief Bob Herbert. "The information I received was that he was pinned by the machine momentarily and released." Myer was treated at the scene and transported to Decatur County Memorial Hospital. He was later pronounced dead by Decatur County Coroner Doug Banks. "While this is still under investigation, all signs point to this being a tragic accident," Banks said. "The official cause of death will be listed as crushing trauma to his abdomen." Banks said he and the police are still attempting to contact several witnesses. Preliminarily, authorities are saying Myer was near the rear of the vehicle when he entangled himself in the New Holland LS180 with a turbo boom. He was apparently trapped between a metal bar at the rear and the hydraulic boom arm. The men were using the LS180 to lift pallets of wood, used in home building, at the time of the accident. Police will release more details as the investigation is completed.
UPDATE Family members bitter over death of E.P. man in trench collapse Russ Olivo February 26, 2003 WOONSOCKET -- Walter "Gig" Gorski lived long enough to name his daughter, but not to see her born. Gorski, 33, is the man who died Friday in the collapse of a sewer trench on Ballou Street. Police are asking the attorney general to consider criminal charges in the matter because Gorski's employer allegedly violated state safety guidelines on the job, despite repeated warnings. Gorski's wife, Kyleen, is seven months pregnant with the East Providence couple's first child, Mrs. Gorksi said Monday. The child, whom they had named Emily, is due on May 12. "I'm extremely furious over what's been taken away from me and my family," Kyleen Gorski said. "I'm angry that we waited so long for this baby and he will never know her." Kyleen, 28, and other members of her family said they have hired a lawyer to look into the possibility of filing a wrongful-death suit against Walter Gorski's employer, Mr. Rooter. Police said the company is owned by Don Lapierre of Cranston, who did not return repeated telephone calls for comment on this story. "We know there's nothing we can do for Gig anymore," said Jane Roy, Kyleen's mother. "We have to protect Kyleen and the baby." Gorski had worked as a laborer for Mr. Rooter for about four months after 10 years with Slater Print Works in Pawtucket, family members said. Shortly after noon on Friday, police said, Gorski was working in a trench with his immediate supervisor, Shaun Rodrigues, also of East Providence, in front of the Ballou Home for the Aged, 60 Mendon Road, when he was killed. The Ballou Home had hired Mr. Rooter to excavate a sewer pipe leading from the nursing home to the main pipe in the street after problems with the plumbing a day earlier. Rodrigues had also hired a private backhoe operator to dig the trench. The crew had reached a depth of 12 feet, officials said, when the sides began tumbling in on Gorski and Rodrigues, who were both inside the hole. Rodrigues escaped and tried to dig out Gorski manually with the backhoe operator, Henry Whitford, who jumped off the vehicle to help. At one point, Whitford returned to the backhoe and tried using the bucket to remove a couple of scoops of soil and rocks from the roughly 25-by-5-foot hole -- to no avail. The state medical examiner ruled Monday that Gorski had died of "asphyxia due to obstruction of (the) airway and body compression." The ruling essentially confirmed what officials had suspected Friday when they said he had been buried alive, dying of suffocation and the crushing of his body. Officials say he probably died very quickly. Clad in his brown jumpsuit, Gorski's lifeless body was finally lifted from the hole by firefighters nearly six hours after the recovery effort began. Most of the time was devoted to locating a wood-and-steel brace to shore up the hole and prevent it from collapsing on recovery workers as they dug out the victim. After the rescue, public works officials and police said Mr. Rooter was in violation of a state law requiring such a brace -- they called it a "box" -- for trenches deeper than 6 feet. At the scene, Administration/Public Works Director Michael A. Annarummo said the company had been warned "twice, possibly three times" to abide by the regulation before the city OK’d the work, calling Gorski's death "a needless, needless tragedy." In an interview at their home on Farnum Street Monday, Gorski's relatives said they are so angry at Lapierre that they have refused to let him in their house and have forbidden him from coming to Gorski's wake on Thursday, at the Barrett Funeral Home in Warwick. Her husband talked about digging trenches as backbreaking work, but she never realized it was so dangerous, she said."He'd do anything to support his family," she said. Kyleen, who would have celebrated her third year of marriage in May, learned only a few weeks ago that she was having a girl. In anticipation of the baby, they had begun remodeling one of the rooms in the tidy ranch home in Riverside that she and Gorski bought from her parents recently. Kyleen called her doctor on Friday, worried about the impact of the emotional trauma on her pregnancy. Her doctor told her to check herself into the hospital at the slightest sign of trouble, and a cousin who is a nurse will be nearby during the wake and the funeral. She's doing fine so far, with support from family and friends. "Walter would have wanted me to be strong for the baby," she said. Besides his wife and future baby, Gorski, who grew up between two sets of fraternal twins, leaves three sisters and a brother, family members said.
Probe after worker killed Feb 26 2003 By Guy Newey, Evening Mail Experts were today probing the death of a teenage construction worker who was killed in an industrial accident. The 19-year-old victim, who has not been named, was working on the site of road engineering works in Green Lanes, Wylde Green, yesterday (Tuesday). Circumstances of the accident are still not clear. Police and ambulance crews were called to the site, run by construction company McNicholas, yesterday morning. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said the man died at the scene. The Health & Safety Executive has been called in to investigate. Company chairman Colin McNicholas said: "We express our deepest sympathy to the family over what has happened."
Rail worker electrocuted 26feb03 A 32-year-old rail contractor has died after receiving an 11,000 volt shock in Sydney's south. The man was working on the new Heathcote East railway overbridge when the accident occurred, a spokeswoman for the Rail Infrastructure Corporation (RIC) said. She was unable to give further details as the area had been declared a crime scene and was under investigation by WorkCover. Earlier, an ambulance spokesman said the accident occurred shortly before 10am (AEDT) when a crane touched overhead wires on Wilson Parade at Heathcote. The man immediately had a heart attack and was taken to Sutherland Hospital in a critical condition where he died a short time later. It was believed the man was working near the crane when it touched the wires.
Two hurt after truck hits lift bucket; 1 worker tumbled 13 feet to ground Wednesday February 26, 2003 St. Tammany bureau Two construction workers were injured Tuesday when an 18-wheeler hit a lift bucket they were using to install traffic lights near North Shore Square mall in Slidell. One of the men suffered a broken wrist and ankle when he fell 13 feet to the street. The other worker landed on the 18-wheeler's box trailer and had minor injuries, police said. Employed by Diamond Electrical Co. in Baton Rouge, the men were installing a traffic light on North Shore Boulevard about 2:30 p.m. when the truck hit the lift bucket, knocking it to the ground, Slidell police Lt. Rob Callahan said. Sherman Sims, 23, fell to the pavement and was listed in serious condition at North Shore Regional Medical Center, where he underwent surgery on his shattered wrist and ankle, Callahan said. Oscar Harrison, 46, escaped serious injury by landing on the trailer, Callahan said. Firefighters used a ladder to reach Harrison, who was being held for observation Tuesday afternoon at Slidell Memorial Hospital. The accident happened in the southbound lanes near the Exxon station and the mall's north entrance. The bucket, which was attached to a truck in the closed right lane, was hanging above the left lane, which remained open to traffic, Callahan said. The 18-wheeler's driver, Dalton McGaffney, 40, of Magnolia, Miss., was not ticketed, police said.
Mysterious Fumes An investigation is underway to determine what caused a Fresno construction crew to become sick while digging a ditch. The men were installing a sewer line at Elm and North Tuesday morning when they were overcome by fumes. The intersection is open, but early Tuesday police blocked off about a two-mile area for several hours as a precaution. There were no evacuations. Now, investigators want to know what made the workers so sick they had to be taken to the hospital. Heavy machinery sat in the position workers left it. The six-man crew was installing a sewer line at the intersection of Elm and North when they all started feeling ill. Matthew Waite, a working at the scene, recalled what happened, "We just came through a line and it started smelling real bad and everyone started feeling sick." The workers thought the nausea would pass, so they waited an hour before reporting the incident. But, the sick feeling didn't go away. Soon, a hazardous material crew arrived on the scene. Paramedics checked out each of the workers. They were then put in a tent and decontaminated as a precaution. Five men were taken to UMC by ambulance. Firefighters, armed with protective gear, oxygen, and high tech equipment, gathered samples of dirt and water from the ditch. Early analysis shows the men came in contact with a substance similar to benzene, a highly flammable gas. More tests need to be done before they know an exact cause. Investigators say it's not uncommon for crews to experience unusual smells when doing this kind of work. It will be another day before a cause can be determined. Investigators say the gas could have come from a previous fuel spill or an underground storage tank. All of the workers are now recuperating at home.
UPDATE Worker dead in cement hopper Investigation continues into the death of a road construction worker who was recovered by emergency services from a cement hopper. The incident occurred at the weekend on works in progress near the A830 Fort William to Mallaig road in the Scottish Highlands on Saturday. Update: It is reported that the dead man is Ronald Brown, 25, a concrete plant operator, from Ayrshire. Mr Brown was working on the project being undertaken by civil engineering contractors, Barr Construction. Mr Brown is said to have been working alone at the time of the accident.
UPDATE Double Fatal Construction Accident Results in OSHA Citations & Over $27,000 in Proposed Penalties for Brooklyn, NY, Employer NEW YORK -- Exposing employees to fatal safety hazards at a Manhattan construction site has resulted in a Brooklyn, N.Y. employer being cited and fined $27,200 by the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA has cited Atlantic Heydt Corp., of 1281 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, for alleged serious and repeat violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act after the agency investigated an accident on Aug. 23, 2002, in which two employees of the company were killed at a construction site at 300 Madison Ave. in New York City. The two most significant citations, both alleged "repeat" violations, relate directly to the accident, in which the two workers fell to their deaths when the material hoist on which they were working plunged 280 feet to the ground. One charges the employer with failing to provide employees working at an elevation of 280 feet with proper fall protection. The other is for failing to comply with the manufacturer's safety requirements for securing and rigging the material hoist on which the employees were working. "This employer was cited previously for similar violations on another project, yet exposed employees on this project to the same hazards with full knowledge of the potential dangers," said Richard Mendelson, OSHA's area director in Manhattan. "That's totally unacceptable." OSHA is also citing the company for five alleged "serious" violations, including: unsafe stacking of stored materials at the construction site; exposing employees to the hazards of uncovered floor holes; failing to require employees to use hardhats to protect against falling objects; failing to post the rated load capacity on material hoist cars; and exposing employees using unevenly spaced ladders to fall hazards. A serious citation is issued when death or serious physical harm result from a hazard about which the employer knew, or should have known. A repeat violation occurs when a company has been cited for similar violations within the past three years and the citation has become a final order. Atlantic Heydt Corp. has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and proposed penalties to either elect to comply with them, to request and participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director, and/or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The OSHA Area Office in Manhattan conducted the inspection. Its telephone number is 212-620-3200. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
Fire Causes Downtown Deli To Shut Down; Water Damages Kitchen Area February 25, 2003 INDIANAPOLIS -- It may be several weeks before a popular downtown delicatessen reopens following a Monday fire. The fire caused around $75,000 damage to Shapiro's Kosher Style Foods, but officials said it's the heavy water damage that will shut it down for three to five weeks, RTV6's Grace Trahan reported. "Thousands of gallons of water have flushed through the building," owner Brian Shapiro said. "The fire essentially started on a third floor and permeated all the way to the basement." Investigators want to make sure a mold problem doesn't develop, Trahan reported. The entire kitchen system was also ruined. The fire was sparked after a general contractor was welding on the roof. Shapiro said the fire department responded quickly but the sprinkler system put out the fire. Shapiro said he's relieved some of his personal items in the building were saved. "Where the fire occurred was in my great-grandparents' apartment, and that was built at the turn of the century. Fortunately, none of the antiques were harmed," Shapiro said. Around 100 customers were in the restaurant when the fire broke out. No one was hurt during the evacuation, Trahan reported.
Police investigate construction worker’s death Donna Kenny Kirwan February 24, 2003 EAST PROVIDENCE -- A 33-year-old East Providence man was killed Friday when the sides of a ditch he was working in outside a Woonsocket nursing home collapsed and buried him with dirt and construction debris. According to Woonsocket Police, Walter R. Gorski was helping to fix a clogged sewer pipe with aco-worker at the Ballou Home on Mendon Road when the accident occurred shortly after noon.Gorski's employer, Mr. Rooter Plumbing and Heating, of Warwick, had been hired to do the work. According to reports, Gorski and the co-worker, identified as Shaun Rodriguez, 30, of Riverdale, were inside the 12-foot hole when a backhoe operator watching the scene from above warned them that the sides were crumbling. Rodrigues reportedly was about to climb out after hearing the warning when the cave-in occurred. Rodrigues told police he was buried up to his knees, and saw that Gorski, working at the opposite end of the hole, was nearly covered by the debris.Rodrigues said that he managed to free himself and that he and the backhoe operator tried to free Gorski but were unable to, police said. More than 30 rescue workers responded to the scene, including firefighters from Providence and North Providence. It took rescue workers nearly six hours to remove Gorski's body. The job was especially difficult because the hole had to be reinforced to prevent further collapse, according to police.After several hours, workers placed a metal box into the hole to shore up the walls so firefighters could enter the hole. According to published reports, Woonsocket's director of public works said the plumbing company workers had been warned by city officials to reinforce the hole with a metal box if they dug deeper than 6 feet.Police said the incident is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the findings will be turned over to the Attorney General's office. After Gorski's body was removed from the hole, around 6:30 p.m., it was taken to the state medical examiner's office in Providence. Gorski's family could not be reached for comment and funeral arrangements are unknown at this time.
Soldering work ignited destructive blaze, Aspen fire marshal says By Naomi Havlen Aspen Times Staff Writer A soldering operation at a construction site in the Aspen Business Center near the airport caused last week's fire that resulted in $750,000 in damage, the Aspen fire marshal said. The blaze, which was reported shortly after 10 p.m. on Feb. 18, probably smoldered for hours after construction workers left for the day before erupting into the flames that destroyed about half the structure. Eight units are planned for the building, with one-, two-, and three-bedroom condominiums being refurbished by developer Greg Hills for sale on the free market. Aspen Fire Marshal Ed Van Walraven said the fire began in the ceiling of a basement-level mechanical room, where a leftover hot spot from a soldering operation on copper pipes that day ignited. The fire smoldered in the ceiling before turning into flames that moved up a shaft carrying pipes from the basement. Once in the attic and roof, the fire spread quickly. Firefighters gained full control over the blaze a little before midnight, although sheets of plastic covering large portions of the structure made visibility difficult. Seven fire engines and 30 firefighters responded. No one was injured. Van Walraven said fires caused by soldering work can be prevented if a worker checks thoroughly to make sure all hot spots are out with a fire extinguisher, and then keeps watch over the area for at least 30 more minutes to make sure nothing is smoldering. "It could have been prevented, probably with a little more diligence," he said. "This fella did what he thought he needed to do, but he didn't get all of the spots." Van Walraven added sometimes fires can erupt suddenly even though a worker was diligent. Last July a fire erupted for the same reason inside a wall in The Aspen Times. Van Walraven said the person soldering those pipes was careful about putting out hot spots, but added accidents do happen. "We're trying to get the word out to really check work when using a torch," he said. "The best way to prevent this from happening is to stick around and make sure nothing is ignited in the area being worked on."
Seattle man dies after crashing into DOT truck SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF A 28-year-old Seattle man died early yesterday from injuries suffered when the car in which he was riding crashed into a state Transportation Department truck on Interstate 5, the Washington State Patrol reported. The man was a passenger in a sport utility vehicle that plowed into the state truck at 11:45 p.m. Saturday near the Roanoke Street exit in Seattle. A worker in the truck was treated for shock but wasn't injured. The truck had stopped behind two southbound vehicles that had been in a minor wreck, patrol spokeswoman Monica Hunter said. The driver of the SUV was treated for minor injuries at Harborview Medical Center. The passenger's name was not available.
UPDATE Agency cites city construction company in worker's death LAWRENCE FERCHAW, The Saratogian February 22, 2003 SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Federal officials this week cited a city construction company for alleged safety violations in connection with the December death of one of its workers. Jelenik Building and Renovation, however, is contesting the six alleged violations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which charge the company did not properly install scaffolding, adequately train its employees on safety or provide safety equipment for workers. ''We don't think we did anything wrong,'' said David Jelenik, the owner of the company. ''It was just a freak thing.'' Jeffery Post, 42, of Milton Avenue in Ballston Spa, died from head injuries he suffered Dec. 7 when he fell from scaffolding at a work site on Vanderbilt Avenue. Jelenik said Post threw a load of shingles onto the scaffolding, which caused the plywood the brackets were secured to to give way. He fell about 10 feet to the ground. The company is subject to $3,750 in fines if the citations are upheld. OSHA alleges that employees were not trained to erect the scaffold according to the manufacturer's specifications and that employees working on the scaffolding were not provided with a guard rail system or ''personal fall arrest system.'' Terry Harding, the assistant area director for the OSHA office in Albany, said she could not comment in detail on the citations because the case is still open. OSHA is required to respond to the site of any worker death within one day. Jelenik said the scaffolding was installed correctly and that the brackets were attached to 1-inch thick plywood instead of the required 5/8-inch thick plywood. ''Safety equipment was available,'' Jelenik said. ''The training was there.'' After falling, Post was transported to Albany Medical Center, where he died the next day. Post's wife, Leslie, could not be reached for comment. The family had moved to the area from Florida less than two months before the accident. Jelenik said he and Post had been friends for about 10 years and that he gave him a job when he returned to the area to take care of his mother. OSHA's job, Jelenik said, ''is to come out and cite you with as many violations as they can.''
MARION MAN SLIGHTLY HURT AFTER TRENCH WALL CAVES IN WHILE REPLACING WATERLINE BY TIM PETROWICH THE SOUTHERN [Fri Feb 21 2003] MARION -- A city water department worker from Marion was injured Friday morning when the wall of a trench collapsed on him. Clifford Hogue Jr. was taken to Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion after suffering a broken wrist. Marion water commissioner Robert "Dog" Connell said that Hogue and five other workers were digging trenches to lay a new 12-inch waterline along Skyline Drive north of Illinois 13. The project involves replacing the current 4-inch waterline that feeds the General Dynamics facility. "We are replacing the line because they need additional fire protection capabilities," Connell said. "The project has been going for a couple of weeks." Hogue was down in the trench when the side wall caved in, hitting him in the legs. The force of the collapse knocked him into the opposite wall and when he attempted to brace himself against the fall is when he believes he broke his wrist. "He said it popped when he hit the other side," Connell said. Workers quickly pulled Hogue from the trench without any additional injury. No other workers were injured in the incident. Connell said that Hogue was never stuck in the trench, nor was his life in danger at any time.
City worker killed by drunk driver while fixing pothole ABC13 Eyewitness News (2/22/03) — A city worker is dead after being struck by a drunk driver as he fixed a pothole. Ederell White was on an area of South Braeswood shortly before 10am Friday morning, when 34-year-old Yvonne Webber struck him with her car. White, a 22-year city employee, was pinned between a dump truck and the car. He later died at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Police say Webber's blood alcohol level was .32%, four times the legal limit. She is charged with intoxicated manslaughter.
UPDATE Lightning strike man is stable AN Indian man injured in a lightning strike in which his workmate was killed was yesterday said to be stable in Salmaniya Medical Complex. Construction workers Shanmugam Ramaswamy, aged 42, was killed and Varuvel Vincent, aged 42, was injured when lightning struck the scaffolding they were standing on, last Thursday. They were hurled seven metres to the ground, at a villa under construction in Janabiya. Mr Vincent suffered a broken left leg and multiple injuries to his left side. He underwent surgery on Friday, said sources. Mr Ramaswamy suffered a head injury and died at the scene.
Worker Suffers Burns in Small Explosion on Hy-Vee Roof Friday, February 21, 2003, 3:00:43 PM (Cedar Falls-AP) -- A construction worker has suffered burns in a small explosion in Cedar Falls. Officials say the worker was on top of a Hy-Vee grocery store this morning and was burned when a torch he was using ignited a glue basket. The man is being treated at University Hospitals in Iowa City. The incident happened about 7:30 a.m. The fire was out by the time firefighters arrived. The store's operations weren't affected.
UPDATE Man settles catwalk fall for $1.3 million Democrat and Chronicle (February 22, 2003) — A Rochester man was awarded $1.3 million for injuries he suffered when he fell from a catwalk in 2000. Frank Miller settled a lawsuit against Mott’s in Williamson, Wayne County. Miller, a contractor for J.J. Young, a metal fabrication company in Sodus, was working at the apple plant in August 2000 when he fell through a broken grate in a catwalk he was repairing, according to a news release from his lawyer’s firm, Moran & Kufta. Miller, who was 54 at the time, fell 15 feet, landing on his back. His injuries included a spinal fracture that required surgery. He has been unable to work because of his injuries, according to the release. The settlement, intended to cover Miller’s future medical bills, lost wages and disability, came a week before the trial was to begin. Miller, who had been heavily involved in martial arts, taught children karate prior to the accident. A spokesman for Mott’s was unaware of the settlement Friday and said he could not comment.
Bahrain construction worker killed by lightning By SOMAN BABY and MAZEN MAHDI MANAMA Lighting killed one man and badly injured another at a Bahrain construction site yesterday. Lightning struck the scaffolding the men were standing on, hurling them seven metres to the ground. Indian father-of-three Shanmugam Ramaswamy, aged 42, suffered head injuries and died at the scene. The mason for Jidhafs Construction was working on the first floor of a villa under construction in Janabiya, when the accident happened, at 7.30am. Varuvel Vincent, 47, who was working with him, suffered a broken left leg. He is employed by Ridha Abdulnabi Mansoor Hasan Establishment. Both workers' clothes were burnt by the lightning. More than 10 others who were also working at the site ran to help the two men. They tried to revive Mr Ramaswamy, but it was too late, said his brother-in-law Pathrose Satish, who works for another construction company in Jidhafs. Contractor Abdul Ridha Abdulla was at the site, inspecting the work, when the lightning struck. Mr Ramaswamy leaves a widow, Latha and three children, Shiney, aged 11, Sajini, five, and Rohith, two, who live in their native Thiruvithamkodu, in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. Arrangements are being made to fly his body home.
Worker injured when wall falls Friday, February 21, 2003 From staff reports BUSHKILL TWP. -- A worker was in critical condition Thursday night at St. Luke's Hospital after a construction site accident. Tim Horwath, 31, of Summit Hill, Pa., was injured when a wooden wall fell on him at a house construction site in Bushkill Center off Nolf Road, Bushkill Township police said. Horwath and four other men were trying to put the wall up when it fell on Horwath, police said. The wall hit Horwath on his neck and the back of his head, police said. Horwath was trapped in a sitting position under the wall, but his co-workers freed him, police said.
Accident kills at least eight at UTStarcom site Reuters, 02.21.03, 3:36 AM ET BEIJING, Feb 21 (Reuters) - An accident at telecom-equipment vendor UTStarcom Inc's (nasdaq: UTSI - news - people) unfinished research and manufacturing centre has killed at least eight construction workers and hurt another 18, a company spokesman said on Friday. A part of the facility located in the southern city of Hangzhou collapsed on Tuesday, crushing workers, UTStarcom's Richard Feng told Reuters. "There are no legal or financial impacts on our operations," he said, adding the centre would still open in early 2004 as planned. "This is a construction accident. The only relation with us is that when the building is finished, we will use it." The Hangzhou city government was investigating the cause of the accident, Feng said. The Nasdaq-listed equipment maker has sold about $1.5 billion worth of wireless phone network gear to fixed-line carriers China Telecom <0728.HK> (nyse: CHA - news - people) and China Netcom over the past two years. Both operators lack mobile phone licences but have been building limited-mobility wireless networks based on a technology known as the personal access system, or PAS. UTStarcom has said its PAS technology had more than 7.5 million customers in China at the end of 2002, or more than 60 percent of the country's market share for the sector. UTStarcom shares closed 26 cents lower at $18.25 in Thursday trading on the Nasdaq.
Quezon City mayor cheats death By M. PUNONGBAYAN TODAY Correspondent Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Friday cheated death when one of his aides pulled the mayor aside when a steel bar crushed into the official’s car near a construction site in Cubao. Reports from the Central Police District (CPD) said Belmonte’s Nissan Terrano, with license plate WCT 128, was hit by a corrugated steel bar that fell from a construction crane around 1:15 a.m. on E. Rodriguez Boulevard in Cubao. Belmonte and his aide, Alex Vidal, were on their way home after visiting the wake of the late mother of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman and Acting Public Works Secretary Bayani Fernando in Marikina, when they passed by a building undergoing construction. Police said Belmonte’s car had no police escorts when they passed near the site of Metro Construction Co. when a corrugated steel bar, which was dangling from a construction crane, crashed at the left portion of the mayor’s vehicle where he was seated. Fortunately, Vidal grabbed and pulled Belmonte aside and the steel bar misse the official’s head. Vidal told Today that he was seated right next to Belmonte who was right behind the driver’s seat, when the steel bar fell on the car, which was badly damaged after the accident. “Katabi ko lang siya. Sa ulo siya tatamaan kung hindi siya nakailag ng mabilis eh,” he said. Vidal said there definitely was a lapse on the part of the construction workers who were erecting a private school in the area. He said there were no warning signs which should caution motorists nor were there enough lights to let drivers see the construction work. “Wala ngang radyo eh. Dapat may radyo sila sa taas at may radyo din sila sa baba para may magsasabi kung ano nangyayari,” he explained. Vidal said the workers were transporting the steel bars using a construction crane which accidentally hit an electric cable, causing steel bar to fall. “Pagbaba namin ng sasakyan kitang-kita pa namin, pati ni Mayor, na nagsi-swing pa ’yung bakal eh. Ni wala ngang nagtatrapik,” Vidal added. Vidal said Belmonte is not taking the matter personally but the mayor is more concerned about the safety measures being implemented in the construction site. Vidal said appropriate charges will be filed against the crane operator and the driver of the truck which transported the steel bars. They were identified as Senando Mateo, 36, the crane operator; truck drivers Erlito Arce, 25, and Rustico Bajan Jr., 27. All three went to the mayor’s office Friday afternoon asking the mayor’s forgiveness hoping that the charges against them would be withdrawn.
Noyo Bridge column collapse fatal By Beacon Staff Thursday, February 20, 2003 - A steel rebar column being erected for the Noyo Bridge Replacement Project collapsed Wednesday morning at 9:10 a.m. Capt. Kevin Broin of the Sheriff's Office reported they were called about a structural collapse near the north end of the Noyo Bridge. One construction worker was trapped under fallen debris, and a second worker was killed. The victim's name was not available at press time. Working to free the trapped worker, were members of the Sheriff's Office, the police department, Coast Guard, Caltrans and Fort Bragg Fire. At approximately 9:59 a.m. the trapped victim was freed and air lifted to Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa for treatment. His condition was unknown at press time. The incident is under investigation. PG&E personnel were on the scene checking the power lines following the collapse. The large steel rebar columns, which will become the bridge support on the north side of the river will have concrete poured around the rebar before completion of the project. Spectators lined the bridge overlooking the accident scene, while families of the workers were granted access to the site while they waited to see if their loved ones were safe. Caltrans was contacted immediately but had no information to release by press time.
UPDATE Worker 'fell to his death from faulty platform' A BUILDING worker plunged to his death after stepping on a badly cracked scaffolding platform, a court heard. Graeme Oliver, 39, from Rutherglen, fell four storeys after wooden boards collapsed as he worked in Brunswick Street in Glasgow city centre. A contractor had put up the scaffolding to allow ScotDem to carry out the work. But safety checks failed to spot a 6ft long crack on one of the platforms, a fatal accident inquiry has been told. The accident happened on a site behind the former Goldbergs store, owned by property developers Pathfinder, on February 21 last year. The court heard how one of the platforms was severely weakened by two split boards. Professor John Dunwoodie, a building safety expert, said: "It was asking a lot for the platform to support a 16st man. "Any competent foreman, carrying out regularly inspections, would have spotted the damaged boards." Contractors Lyndon Scaffolding of Broxburn, West Lothian, insists the platform was part of a "buttress" - used to support the front of a building - and was not supposed to be used by workmen. Foreman Robert Polea of Lyndon Scaffolding, who oversaw the platforms being put up, told the court: "The platform was outwith the main access scaffolding - I had no reason to believe it was going to be used. "With hindsight, the boards should have been removed altogether. The platform was in a no-go area and was not reinforced but there was a bar to prevent workers from gaining access. I accept it should have been brought to the contractor's attention before work began." The fatal accident inquiry before Sheriff Linda Ruxton at Glasgow Sheriff Court has been adjourned until March 5.
Worker pinned by wall 2 hours John Stark, The Bellingham Herald A young construction worker was pinned by the arm for about two hours Wednesday morning when a concrete retaining wall collapsed behind a house at 336 N. Forest St. Christopher J. Valeri, 20, was admitted to St. Joseph Hospital with a crushing injury to his right arm. A hospital spokesman described his condition as stable. Two co-workers on the home-remodeling job who declined to be identified said Valeri was digging in the small space between the rear of the home and the retaining wall when the wall toppled and trapped him. A Bellingham Fire Department rescue team arrived and determined that Valeri's injuries were not life-threatening, spokesman Corry Morris said. But firefighters feared that a hasty attempt to extricate Valeri could trigger a new collapse of the steep slope behind the house, or even the house itself. Morris said the heavy concrete slab slammed into the rear wall of the three-story house, buckling it inward. Firefighters waited while other workers at the site improvised some supports to reduce the danger of the house collapsing, and a city engineer inspected that work before firefighters began the rescue job in earnest. North Garden Street, above the accident scene, was blocked to traffic while the rescue was under way, because firefighters feared that the vibration of passing vehicles could send more dirt falling onto them and Valeri. While the painstaking work proceeded, Morris said Valeri was given painkillers. At about 11:30 a.m., firefighters deployed heavy-duty air bags that can be filled with compressed air to support many tons of weight. The bags were used to hold up the wall so Valeri could be pulled free. The two workers at the scene said they were employed by Seymour and Sons, a firm that buys houses and refurbishes them for resale. Attempts to reach a company representative for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday. One of the workers said Valeri would probably have been killed if the wall had fallen on top of him. "Luckily, it was just his arm," he said.
Crane Mishap + Accidents + Ramp Closure = Rough Day For I-85 Drivers; Construction Expected To Last Until 2007 February 20, 2003 DURHAM, N.C. -- Some drivers had a frustrating day in the construction zone on Interstate 85 in Durham. Crews from the state Department of Transportation had to temporarily shut down the U.S. 70 ramp onto Interstate 85 South in Durham County on Thursday, forcing some cars to detour to the I-85 North ramp on Club Boulevard and then back onto I-85 South. Some drivers stuck in the detour were not happy about it. "I think it could be a hazard for the traffic because you've got a major interstate, and traffic is lined up pretty far back there. It could be an accident," motorist Brenda Woodruff said. There were more driver/construction hassles in the I-85 work zone. During the morning rush, Durham police say there was a five-car pile-up at the intersection of Interstates 85 and 70. Police also say a crane knocked wires down briefly blocking the interstate. "I got to find a new route to get here," motorist Wesley Karl said. The I-85/Highway 70 interchange is now back open to traffic, but DOT officials said construction will last until 2007.
Schnack's fire ruled accidental Mandy M. Goodnight / The Town Talk Posted on February 19, 2003 Fire officials have ruled as accidental a Monday evening two-alarm fire that damaged the storage building behind the former Schnack's building in downtown Alexandria. On Tuesday, businesses like Hibernia National Bank and Caplan's Men's Shops opened despite some smoke damage to their respective buildings. The fire started in an area where construction workers were using a cutting torch on a boiler, Tom Force of the Alexandria Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau said Tuesday. Workers tried to keep the boiler cool by pouring water on it, but it wasn't enough to prevent a fire from starting within one of the building's walls. Passing motorists reported smoke coming from the building about 5:15 p.m. Monday. Smoke covered the downtown Alexandria skyline, firefighters said. The Fourth and Desoto streets building, owned by Buddy Tudor and Mike Small, is being renovated into a restaurant. The blaze did not heavily damage the exterior of the building. Lumber and other items were in the storage room at the time of the blaze. A fire of that nature "could happen to anybody," Force said. Firefighters from four stations were able to contain the two-alarm fire before it spread to other buildings. No one was injured, and night employees at the downtown bank were evacuated as a precaution. Alexandria Hibernia President Wayne Denley said Tuesday that normal operations were ongoing and the lobby smelled "as sweet as ever." Jackie Caplan said Monday night that firefighters were able to get the smoke out of the men's clothing store, and the store was not planning a fire sale. Mike Grantham of the Alexandria Fire Department said a second alarm on the fire was called to provide extra manpower. He said firefighters did an "excellent" job containing the blaze and getting it out quickly.
Firefighters rescue injured construction worker By: JUDY PACK, Citizen staff February 19, 2003 Local volunteer firefighters traded their bunker gear for ropes and pulleys Friday to rescue an injured construction worker at the bottom of a hole estimated to be 20 feet deep. "The injured man was an employee of a contractor developing some apartments at the intersection of Crenshaw and Beltway 8," Dewey Irvin, assistant fire chief for the Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department, said. The construction crew was in the process of boring a hole under Beltway 8 when a piece of pipe being lowered into the hole struck the man in the head, leaving him trapped inside the hole. When emergency crews arrived, he was alert and conscious. "Because the man had suffered head trauma and had an injured shoulder, it was a major ordeal to send six firefighters and two emergency medical technicians into the hole to start an IV and put him on a backboard," Irvin said. Eight more firemen were above ground at the same time, rigging up the pulleys to raise the injured man out of the hole using a stokes basket, he said. Once the rescue was completed, he was transported to the Medical Center in Houston by Life Flight. His injuries were not life-threatening, but any type of head trauma is automatically transported to one of two trauma centers in Houston. Both Ben Taub and Memorial Hermann Hospitals are equipped to treat injuries that cannot be detected by emergency personnel. "We had some heavy-duty equipment at the scene and two ambulance crews because we weren't quite sure what we were dealing with when the first call to 9-1-1 was received," he said.
Man injured from electric shock Last updated: Feb 18, 11:15 PM DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- A 53-year-old Port Orange man was seriously injured Tuesday after getting an electrical shock while working on a drainage project on South Peninsula Drive, emergency workers said. Pedro Soto was standing on wet ground when the accident occurred at 3:26 p.m., just west of city limits near Van Avenue. R.A. Scott Construction officials said Soto, a popular crew member who has worked for them about four years, was helping put a steel well point into the soggy earth when he was knocked unconscious by an electric jolt. The well point was being used to drain water from the site so work on sewer lines and water mains could proceed along what construction officials called a $3 million project between Oceans Boulevard West and Dunlawton Avenue. The electrocution occurred when the arm of an excavator attached to the equipment Soto was guiding came close to overhead electric lines, creating an arc, construction officials said. Soto's breathing and heartbeat were stopped by the 3- to 4-second shock, rescue officials said. Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety officers and EVAC paramedics used a defibrillator to restore Soto's heartbeat and breathing before he was taken to Halifax Medical Center. He was unconscious on arrival and was being treated in the emergency room late Tuesday night. "It's upsetting," said Gary Hurst, 48, who was operating the Volvo excavator when Soto fell. "I hope he'll be OK." -- Jay Stapleton
Dublin man electrocuted in building site accident February 19, 2003 A 27-year-old Dublin man was electrocuted when machinery he was operating came in contact with overhead lines at a building site in Bray in County Wicklow. Gardaí and Health and Safety officers have examined the scene of the accident at Upper Dargle Road in Bray.
Propane Tank Fire Prompts Evacuation Of Downtown Ottumwa (Ottumwa)--A fire Tuesday afternoon forced part of downtown Ottumwa to be evacuated, but it was put out without much problem. The problem started on the construction site for the Americ-inn when a propane tank fell down due to melting ice. At the time, the tank was attached to a torch inside -- and when it fell, the fire shot back through the hose to the top of the tank. "It was shooting out pretty good, yeah," says John Jones, a laborer working on the hotel, "Don't know what it's going to do with that propane, it could explode and you never know where the tank's going to go when it explodes, so it could've took right through the building." Firefighters used a ladder truck to douse the flames from a safe distance within a couple minutes, but still enforced an evacuation of everyone within a block of the construction site. Nobody was seriously hurt during the incident -- although one woman fell and scraped her knee while being evacuated.
Core-driller loses part of left arm in accident GISELLE MAMMANA Tucson Citizen Feb. 19, 2003 A Tucson man is recovering at University Medical Center after unsuccessful surgery to reattach part of his arm that was severed Sunday in a work accident. James Jarred, 27, was doing core sampling near Oracle Junction when he said part of his left arm got caught in the John Henry drill he was operating. The drill severed the arm just below the elbow. "I was trying not to lose my head," Jarred said today from his bed at UMC. "I thought to myself, ‘just do the right thing.' " The accident happened at 1 p.m. when Jarred was taking core samples along State Route 79 near Oracle Junction, four miles north of the Pinal County line. A co-worker walked with Jarred and carried the severed limb about a quarter of a mile to a company truck. From there they drove six miles to the Golder Ranch Fire Department, where a medical helicopter was called. The helicopter took him to Tucson Medical Center, he said. He was later transferred to UMC. Neither hospital would provide further information. Jarred, who is right-handed, was in stable condition this afternoon at UMC and said he felt "pretty good." He said this is the only construction accident he has ever had.
Worker Caught In Cave-In In South Oklahoma City; Injuries Do Not Appear Life-Threatening February 18, 2003 OKLAHOMA CITY -- A construction worker on the Interstate 35 widening project escaped serious injury after being caught in a cave-in this morning in southeast Oklahoma City. The man's name and age were not immediately available. Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said the man was working to remove water from a trench on a service road alongside I-35 when the trench began collapsing. Stanaland said the man was able to run to an incline at the end of the trench and was trapped up to his waist about 10 feet below ground level. "The situation was that they deemed it safe enough and entered the hole and dug him out by hand," Stanaland said. "He was out very quickly." Firefighters dug the man out within 20 minutes of the accident, Stanaland said. Stanaland said the man suffered possible fractured legs, but no injuries that appeared life-threatening.
Double-decker ripped open in fork-lift crash BY FIONA MACGREGOR A FORK-LIFT truck sliced open a bus like a tin opener as the double-decker drove down one of the Capital’s busiest streets. One passenger, a 38-year-old man, had to be taken to hospital after torn metal from the side of the bus ripped open his left knee. Passengers told how they heard a loud bang as the forks punctured the metal sides of the bus, tearing a three-feet-long gash of ragged metal along its front left side. The forks left another rip almost 12-feet long down the bus’s rear left side. The injured man had been sitting at the very front of the bus on the left-hand side when the accident happened shortly after 2.20pm yesterday. The number 10 Lothian Bus was travelling up Leith Walk, past the junction with Albert Street, where the fork-lift truck was trying to enter the Walk. Emergency services feared mass casualties when reports of the accident first came in. A female passenger, who asked not to be named, said there had been about two dozen people on board when the collision happened. She said: "We were just passing Albert Street when I heard a bang and the sound of glass breaking. "A woman from downstairs went upstairs and asked whether everyone was all right and somebody said no, there’s a guy been hurt at the front of the bus. "A girl came down and said metal had gone into his leg and she had tied a tourniquet around it. "I got off after about ten minutes because I was so shaken up and the driver of the fork lift came on and asked whether everyone was all right." Emergency services were on the scene within minutes. A spokesman for the ambulance service confirmed that only one passenger needed treatment. He said: "A 38-year-old male was taken to casualty at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with lacerations to his left knee." The fork-lift truck was being operated by a sub contractor working for Ballast, a construction firm which is building a five-storey block of flats in Albert Street. David McKenzie of Ballast said: "We understand that the fork-lift truck was stationary with his handbrake on [at the time of the accident]. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the injured party is in good care, and that the police have all the assistance they need . "The fork-lift was licensed to be on public roads, and the driver - a very experienced, certified, fork-lift truck driver - would have been following a frequently-travelled route, turning on to Leith Walk in order to access a second site road." A spokesman for Lothian Buses said: "We are working with Lothian and Borders Police to establish exactly what happened. "As in any accident that happens, the driver was shaken, he was certainly not expecting something like that as he was driving up Leith Walk." A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed the force was investigating the cause of the accident.
UPDATE MAN STILL JAILED FOR FATAL ACCIDENT Monday, February 17, 2003 A truck driver is still in the Montague County jail following a fatal accident on U.S. Highway 287 south of Bowie in November. Forty-one year old Ted Richard Couch is being held on $100,000 bond facing charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. The accident happened when Couch was driving south on Highway 287. The Department of Public Safety says Couch swerved to the right crashing into a construction crew, killing 26-year old Brock Phillips of Burnet, Texas, and injuring several other workers. The case will now go to the grand jury.
Roller kills traffic woman By Ben Martin and Pamela Magill A WOMAN controlling traffic at roadworks in Wanneroo Road, Neerabup, yesterday was killed by an out-of-control multi-wheeled roller. The woman, 20, whose name has not been released, was a trained traffic controller contracted to the Main Roads WA site. WorkSafe officials were investigating the incident last night but had been unable to interview the driver of the roller, who was in hospital suffering from shock. t is believed the roller hit a kerb about 10am and went out of control, driving in a wide arc and running over the woman. The roller is believed to be relatively simple to operate and workers do not need a certificate specific to that type of machine to qualify to drive it. Machinery operators said the roller would have a top speed of just 20kmh. The driver was employed by a labour hire firm contracted to the company employed by Main Roads. It is believed he has experience driving similar machines. The traffic controller had been employed by Midland-based Advanced Traffic Management for less than a year. A company official said she had industry-based training in controlling traffic. Her death is the second involving heavy plant machinery in less than three weeks. A 35-year-old Falcon man was crushed by an earthmoving machine on January 25 while working on a new housing subdivision in Ocean Keys Boulevard in the northern suburb of Clarkson. The man was on the ground giving instructions to a fellow worker in a scraper when a second scraper reversed over him. WorkSafe is investigating.
1 Dead, 4 Injured In Roof Collapse February 17, 2003 EDISON, N.J. -- One man died and four people were injured when an aluminum roof collapsed Monday at a job-training school, police said. The identity of the man who died was not immediately released. The injured had broken bones and scrapes, said Lt. William Bunting of the Edison Police Department. They were taken to hospitals. The roof was covering a smoking area outside the Edison Job Corps Academy, Bunting said. He said a combination of wind and snow accumulating on the roof caused the collapse. Authorities were digging through the rubble to determine whether anyone else was trapped after the noon collapse. Also Monday, the roof of a Rite Aid drug store in Clifton collapsed, according to Lt. Ken Dalpos of the Clifton Police Department. He said EMS workers were checking to see if anyone was trapped. It was not immediately known whether the drug store was open at the time.
Church fire Welders accidentally caused a fire Thursday afternoon on the roof of St. Isidore Church in Macomb Township, where a $7 million expansion is under way. Macomb Fire Chief Ray Ahonen said fire crews were called to the church at 23 Mile and Romeo Plank roads around 3 p.m. after residents spotted black smoke coming from the site. Officials said the fire began from combustible materials on the roof where welders were working. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from penetrating the main building. Damage was listed at $10,000, Ahonen said.
UPDATE Fort Hancock to rebuild destroyed school Darren Meritz El Paso Times FORT HANCOCK -- Eighth-grade student Alejandra Luna was in shock Nov. 2 as she watched Fort Hancock Middle School burn. "I can't explain what I felt," she said. "It just caught me by surprise." Luna is one of 150 students who were left without a place to learn after the fire, which school officials say has changed the community's sense of security and has prompted residents to pay careful attention to an oft-forgotten adage: Be prepared. Fort Hancock and the school district are building a new middle school that will cost insurers $2.2 million. Officials said little will remain of the old schoolhouse, built in 1925. "The only thing we're going to keep is the old bell tower," said Jose Franco, superintendent of the Fort Hancock Independent School District. "We're going to try and salvage it and create a monument." Franco said middle-schoolers, who have been going to classes in the high school down the road, can expect a new, modern school in about eight months. The fire was started by an acetylene torch that cut through metal and ignited a piece of wood at the school. It probably could have been extinguished if Fort Hancock, which has about 400 residents, had its own fire department, said Stacy Myers, Fort Hancock school nurse and EMS coordinator. The closest help for a fire is more than 30 minutes away in Horizon City. Since then, the Horizon City Fire Department has donated a fire truck to Fort Hancock, and residents are assembling a small fire department of 16 volunteers, she said. "All of us who work for EMS only had medical training. None of us had fire training," Myers said. "Horizon City Fire Department is where we're going to go and be part of their training. And they'll train our staff as well."
UPDATE Concord company fined $100,000 for health and safety violation BRAMPTON, ON, Ontario Limited, a Concord, Ont.-based contractor which specializes in assembling and erecting formwork used to build concrete walls, was fined $100,000 on February 4, 2003 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in injuries to an employee. On September 8, 2000, a crane operator was moving formwork into place along a retaining wall when the crane's boom collapsed and the hook block, weighing about 272 kilograms (600 pounds), fell onto a carpenter's head. The worker suffered serious head and other injuries. A Ministry of Labour investigation found 556347 Ontario Limited had not ensured that, before operation, the crane was in safe operating condition. The crane's boom angle indicator, which is used to determine the angle of a lift, was not functioning properly. In addition, the wrong load-rating plate was affixed inside the crane. The crane operator knew about these deficiencies. At the time of the incident, the crane's load was about 70 per cent over capacity. The incident occurred at a new terminal building under construction at Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Mississauga. Ontario Limited pleaded guilty to failing, as an employer, to take the reasonable precaution of ensuring that, before operation, the crane was in safe operating condition, including ensuring the boom angle indicator was functioning properly and the correct load rating plate was on the crane. This was contrary to Section 25(2)(h) of the act. The fine was levied by Justice of the Peace Darlene Florence of the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. Previously, on August 6, 2002, the crane operator pleaded guilty to failing, as a worker, to ensure the crane wasn't subjected to a load in excess of its load-bearing capacity. This was contrary to Section 151(1) of the Regulations for Construction Projects and Section 28(1)(a) of the act. The worker was fined $9,000 by Justice of the Peace Laurie Pallett of the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. In addition to the fines, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
UPDATE Tamarack Developments Corporation fined $150,000 for health and safety violation Tamarack Developments Corporation, an Ottawa- based housing developer, was fined $150,000 on February 10, 2003 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the death of a worker at a residential construction site in Ottawa. On January 10, 2001, a surveyor was measuring a site for a house foundation when the surveyor was struck on the back by a power shovel and pinned into a pile of dirt. The shovel operator had been taking excavated dirt from an adjacent lot to a dump truck for removal when the incident occurred. The shovel operator's supervisor had gestured to alert the shovel operator to the surveyor's presence behind a debris pile, but the shovel operator had misinterpreted the hand signal as confirmation to proceed. The supervisor, along with the surveyor's assistant and a truck driver, waved their arms trying to signal the shovel operator to stop, but it was too late. The shovel operator couldn't see the surveyor from the vehicle's cab. The surveyor was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. The incident occurred at a construction site on Pinehill Drive in Ottawa. Tamarack Developments Corporation was the owner and constructor of the project. Tamarack subcontracted the surveying, grading, excavation and debris removal work to four different companies. The deceased worker worked for the surveying company. Tamarack Developments Corporation pleaded guilty to failing, as a constructor, to ensure a shovel operator and a signaller jointly established the procedures by which the signaller was to assist the operator, as required by Section 104(3) and 104(4) of the Regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to Section 23(1)(b) of the act. The fine was levied by Justice of the Peace Lorraine Watson of the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per- cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
UPDATE Tower workers warned, 2 say BY PAUL HAMMEL WORLD-HERALD BUREAU LINCOLN - Workers at a 1,524-foot television tower near Bassett, Neb., ignored warnings to replace a weather-beaten and allegedly inadequate steel hoisting cable before an April 22 accident that killed a Mississippi man, two site supervisors said. In the accident, the steel cable snapped, hurling debris that struck and killed Tim Culpepper, one of three workers trying to hoist a heavy transmission line up the tower using the steel cable, a pulley and a winch. His body dangled from the tower 1,200 feet off the ground for eight hours before rescuers could reach it. Webb Hatten, a former supervisor for Pro-Com Communications of Groves, Texas, and Leo Opp, a systems engineer with the Nebraska Educational Television Network, both warned subcontractor East Mississippi Tower Services that the cable not only appeared inadequate for the job, but also might have deteriorated after hanging for five months on the tower. The 5/16-inch cable had been installed by another tower crew that abandoned the job in November 2001. Federal safety officials have alleged that the cable was not only inadequate but also showed signs of damage. Hatten said the accident could have been prevented. "They were ordered not to use the cable that broke," he said. Several phone messages left with Roy Rogers, the owner of East Mississippi Tower, went unanswered. Monte Davis, a co-owner of Pro-Com, disputed the stories of Hatten and Opp, saying the steel cable had been inspected and cleared for use. "In this instance, it's still an accident," Davis said. "No one would have foreseen that the cable would have snapped." The supervisors' comments cast new light on the fatal accident, one of two on tall TV towers in Nebraska last year and among a rash of accidents in that industry. Some industry officials have called for more stringent safety requirements of crews working on tall towers, citing safety shortcuts taken by some crews hurrying to meet deadlines. Deadlines apparently were an issue at Bassett, where one crew had quit working in November 2001. Another crew, the East Mississippi crew, did not arrive to complete the job until five months later. That crew, and the firms that hired it, faced fines if the work wasn't completed, an NETV spokeswoman confirmed. A day before the fatal accident, the East Mississippi crew had an accident at another NETV tower near Alliance, Neb., about 250 miles from Bassett. No one was injured in that accident, but NETV spokeswoman Dara Troutman said crew members had climbed the tower without NETV authorization. The crew then caused a power outage when they dropped a steel hoisting cable across an electric transmission line. The crew tried unsuccessfully to remove the hoisting cable. NETV officials had expressed concern about the lack of experience of the East Mississippi crew, concerns that were echoed by Hatten. The tower, 17 miles south of Bassett, is owned by NETV. Last fall, Culpepper's parents filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Mississippi against East Mississippi Tower and Pro-Com. Also named in the lawsuit was the general contractor on the job, Nationwide Towers of Henderson, Ky., and the tower crew that had abandoned the job, identified as "John Doe." In November, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed fines totaling $24,100 against Pro-Com and East Mississippi Towers as a result of the accident. Pro-Com has appealed the $12,000 fines proposed against it. A hearing on the appeal has been scheduled for March 5 in Omaha.
Crane driver dies after 2000kg steel bars fell on him 16 February 2003 1604 hrs (SST) A 61-year-old lorry crane driver died after a bundle of steel bars weighing 2000kg fell on him on Saturday. The accident happened at about 10.50am while he was delivering the reinforcements steel bars to the Nanyang Primary School construction site at King's Road. He and a few construction workers were unloading the bars from his lorry when a bundle slipped and hit his shoulders. The man, who was unconscious, was sent to hospital where he died almost two hours later.
MoDOT workers hurt in separate accidents ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Two highway workers were injured Thursday in separate accidents in the St. Louis area. Neither injury was considered life-threatening, but police blamed both on inattentive drivers traveling too fast through work zones. A Missouri Department of Transportation contractor was clipped by a car as he put out safety barrels to close travel lanes on westbound Interstate 70 near Mid-Rivers Mall Drive in St. Charles County. The worker, William McGhee, 27, of Cedar Hill, suffered minor injuries. The car then struck another vehicle. Two people in that vehicle were hospitalized with moderate injuries. The second accident happened on Interstate 44 in Eureka, where state highway worker Jeffrey Hillis was in a truck that was fixing potholes in the center lane when it was struck from behind by a tractor-trailer, MoDOT spokesman Megan McEntee said. Police say the tractor-trailer careened off the road and down an embankment. The MoDOT worker was in stable condition with broken bones. The semi rig's driver suffered minor injuries. A Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman said a ticket would be issued in the I-44 wreck. He didn't know if one would be issued in the I-70 accident.
Construction Worker Killed as Roof Collaspes From Newsday.com February 14, 2003, 1:46 PM EST A Queens man died yesterday when a portion of a roof collapsed on him as he and others were working on a construction project at the United Artist movie theater in East Meadow on Hempstead Turnpike. James Monrie, 28, of Woodhaven, was struck by a 40-by-20-foot slab of sheet rock at about 2:15 p.m., Nassau police said. He managed to crawl from beneath the debris by the time emergency workers arrived. He was pronounced dead about a half an hour later at Nassau University Medical Center. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.
Accident Shocks and Kills Worker; Another Contractor is Hospitalized Clifton Heights- February 13, 2003 — A bizarre accident in Delaware county left one man dead Thursday morning. It happened just after 10:30 at 462 East Baltimore Avenue in Clifton Heights. 2 contractors were installing an aluminum liner for a chimney when they were shocked. One worker was on the roof feeding liner down the chimney to a second worker, when the liner came into contact with a 13-thousand volt power line. The worker inside the home was electrocuted. The second worker was shocked, and remains hospitalized. PECO crews were called out to the scene, they say the lines are in working order.
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.
UPDATE Highway death settled for two-point-five million dollars (New Haven-AP Feb. 13, 2003 7:30 AM)_ A lawsuit involving a fatal crash on Interstate-95 more than seven years ago has ended with a cash settlement. A North Haven contracting company will pay two-and-a-half million dollars to settle the case from the fiery truck crash in Milford. LG DeFelice Incorporated has agreed to the settlement with the estate of Stephen Hutchinson of Massachusetts. Last week a New Haven jury found that the construction company and the driver of one of its dump trucks caused the fatal accident through negligent and unsafe practices. Hutchinson was killed instantly when the tractor-trailer he was driving hit the rear of the LG DeFelice dump truck on October 20th of 1995. The accident shut down part of I-95 for nine hours.
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.
Howell iron worker killed by fallen piling By carolyn o’connell Staff Writer LONG BRANCH — An iron worker from Howell lost his life in a construction site accident last week. Greg Larsen, 35, was pulled from a stream in Elberon on Feb. 4 after he was struck in the head by a steel piling while working on the construction of the Wood-gate bridge shortly before noon, according to Long Branch Police Department Lt. Bruce Johangten. Johangten said the crane which moved the steel piling may have malfunctioned, allowing a cable to slip and setting the piling free to fall vertically. According to witnesses who spoke with police, several co-workers who heard the piling fall scrambled to get out of the way, but Larsen was not able to get out of the way in time. "The piling was transported vertically, and when it fell, it was like a tree falling on him (Larsen), knocking him off the bridge falling 8 to 10 feet before falling into the water which is approximately waist deep," said Johangten. The first officers to arrive at the scene were Robert Korn, Joseph Graziano and Sgt. Jason Roebuck. They found Larsen in the water being aided by co-workers who were supporting his neck until emergency medical services and the Long Branch Fire Department water rescue arrived. When the Elberon First Aid Squad responded, Johangten noted, that Larsen was still breathing but unresponsive. Larsen was transported to the Jersey Shore Medical Center Trauma Unit, Neptune, and died at about 9:35 p.m. after surgery due to blunt trauma to the head, said Johangten. According to Johangten, this is not the first tragedy to strike the Larsen family. Thor Larsen, Greg’s brother, lost his life in a similar tragedy almost two years ago in February while he was on the job as an iron worker in South Brunswick. Paul Larsen, also a brother to Greg, had been working at the Woodgate bridge construction project just two weeks ago. Johangten said the accident will be investigated by the Long Branch Police Department Detective Unit, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Adminis-tration and an independent company hired by E. Sambol Corp., Toms River.
Construction Worker Dies A Mason construction worker who complained of eye and throat irritations after a day of work died Wednesday morning. Clifford Ilbeck, 40, and other workers say they felt sick after working on a new construction site in Amberley Village Tuesday. Ilbeck was a subcontractor installing tile in a new home. The Montgomery County coroner is awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death.
Construction Worker Shot Wednesday, February 12, 2003 Shrevport police have charged a 16 year old shreveport male with illegal use of a weapon. The incident happened at a drainage ditch near looney and pierre streets in shreveport. The teenager told police he was shooting at birds not trying to harm anyone. Investigators say one of the bullets fired from the 22 caliber rifle hit 48-year-old richard ryan in the side. Ryan, along with at least three other sub contractors with blount construction, were doing drainage work for the city by building a flood wall behind saint paul methodist church. Ryan was sitting in an excavator truck when he was shot. He remains in LSU Hospital.
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.
Gas Line Break Forces School Evacuation PANHANDLE -- Construction workers frantically try to mend a pipe broken by machinery. Within minutes of the leak, highly flammable gas had engulfed the school and homes that sit just yards away. City manager Loren Brand said, "I knew we could smell gas as far as the other side of the football field." Detection tests show vapors hadn't entered the school, but any ignition outside would have caused an immediate explosion. That's why officials were instructed to walk -- not drive -- the kids away from the school. "That was a concern that it would collect or get contained in like a hallway, a doorway, something of that nature. It could also be under a group of cars that were parked together," said Brand. Teachers and students admit it was a successful evacuation despite the seriousness of the situation. "If it had really been something, they would have told you to leave everything as is, you know, don't turn anything off, but they did tell us to turn everything down and let's go ahead and leave so I knew at that oint we needed to just get out," said Panhandle Middle School teacher Pennie Ward. So, now all that remains is figuring out why workers felt so free to dig as deep as they did. "It's just going to take an investigation of to what actually took place. Was there a miscommunication, or was there a misunderstanding, or was it just a pure accident that happened. I don't know," said Brand. As soon as Atmos Energy found out about the situation, they quickly shut off the system. City officials are confident most of gas had dissapated within a few hours. They say they're thankful the wind today was blowing north on Tuesday, otherwise, the entire city might have been engulfed by the leak. The city's was attempting to widen the highway leading from Panhandle to Borger. Contractors are only a few weeks into a project scheduled to last almost 16 months. They say as long as the leak is contained, construction will continue, but they admit workers will be a lot more careful with the machinery. City officials say all Panhand schools will start at the normal time Wednesday morning.
Bobcat operator dies after contruction accident in Miramar BY EVAN HESSEL A 42-year-old Bobcat operator was pronounced dead after an early morning construction accident in Miramar left him trapped underwater for 30 minutes. The accident took place 8:35 a.m. Wednesday morning at S.W. 185th Ave. and 50th Ct. in Miramar, where new housing contruction is taking place. The worker had just finished clearing debris and was inside his Bobcat, rinsing off the front end in a nearby lake, when it rolled over and sank into 30 feet of water. He was transported to a local hospital shortly before 9: 20 a.m. where he was pronounced dead.
UPDATE Council fined over worker death Belyando Shire Council, in central Queensland, has no plans to appeal against a $40,000 fine for failing to ensure the safety of workers. The council was found guilty of breaching the Workplace Health and Safety Act, after council worker John Noel McLennan was killed by a tree that fell while being replanted. Moranbah Industrial Magistrate's Court heard the replanting was not supervised, the backhoe operator did not have the required ticket and council had only given general safety information. Mayor Matthew Athanassiadis says workplace health and safety standards have improved since the incident. "Of all the bad things that have come out of it, the one good thing is I think it's woken everyone up, and I think not only is our message getting out there to our workforce, but I think our workforce, too, have sort of grasped it and I think are making some big improvements in the workplace health and safety area," he said. The Australian Workers Union has declined to comment.
Worker Dies in Trench Collapse Tracey Christensen 2/12/2003 12:32:12 PM A construction worker died late Tuesday morning after a trench caved in on him in Walton County. Officials say he was not buried alive but likely was killed when he was hit by falling debris. It took three hours for rescue crews to dig him out. Monroe police investigator Diane Campbell says the man had been working on roadside sewer line, near Highway 11, when the 10-foot deep trench collapsed. Monroe police officials were investigating the accident, as well as officials from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. OSHA officials said the contracted company -- Harrison and Harrison Incorporated -- did not have a record of violating safety regulations. The worker has not been identified.
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.”
UPDATE I-75 Construction Worker Dies from Injuries A local construction worker died Monday morning from injuries he suffered during a chain reaction crash on Interstate-75. Ron Gambrell and Bonnie Mills were installing a barrier system in the median last Wednesday, when a pair of cars smashed into their truck. Gambrell passed away Monday morning and Mills is in serious condition. Police cited the drivers for following too close to one another. The Department of Transportation set up additional flashing signs to alert motorists near the construction site.
UPDATE Billboard company's latest sign didn't match design By LARRY HARTSTEIN The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The company whose billboard collapsed last year received a "stop work" order during installation of its latest Snellville sign, city officials said Monday. Snellville lifted the order after two days, and the 672-square-foot billboard should be up today at Mellow Mushroom Pizza on U.S. 78. City engineer John Ososkie said work was stopped because Trinity Outdoor's sign did not follow the engineer's design. The billboard was supposed to be anchored by a seamless 60-foot pole, Ososkie said. But last week, an inspector found a 40-foot pole had been welded to a 20-foot pole instead. "That weld is under an extreme amount of pressure," Ososkie said, noting the billboard's mounting pole is designed like a flagpole. "They showed us a solid pole in the drawing. We never thought they'd splice it together in the plant." The city cited Trinity for failing to get the modification approved. Snellville let work proceed after the engineering firm approved the design of the welded pole, and an independent inspection certified it was safe. Morgan Hudgens, co-owner of Buford- based Trinity, said the violation resulted from a misunderstanding. For steel pipes longer than 40 feet, it's standard to weld two pipes together, Hudgens said. But he conceded that the weld should have been shown in the drawing. "I was a little upset with my people," Hudgens said. He stressed that "every single weld on the sign was inspected before it ever left the shop." Faulty welding and design led to the fatal billboard accident last year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded recently. On Aug. 1, a 35,000-pound billboard going up on Ga. 124 collapsed and killed three workers. OSHA, the federal workplace safety agency, did not blame Trinity for the accident, saying the company had no way of knowing it had bought a defective billboard. Since the accident, Trinity has hired an engineer and a welding inspector to check every billboard before it goes up. Trinity does not make billboards. The company buys them, finds places to put them and leases the advertising space. Last week's violation, discovered by building inspector Steve Carter, was disturbing, Ososkie said. It reminded him of what the city found after the collapse when it checked Trinity's other billboards: They didn't match their designs. "I just don't understand why they can't do what they're supposed to do," Ososkie said. "That level of confidence continues to go down every time they don't follow the rules. It's just a constant battle to keep [them] on their toes." Trinity holds seven billboard permits in Snellville. The only permitted site where there's no billboard is the scene of the collapse. Hudgens said he's not sure whether he'll try to put up another sign there.
1 Dead, 2 Injured In I-10 Construction Accident; Workers Electrocuted By Power Line February 11, 2003 NEW ORLEANS -- One worker was killed and two others were hospitalized Tuesday morning after a construction accident on Interstate 10. The accident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. at I-10 and Richland. Police said three workers in a bucket truck were electrocuted when the truck accidentally came in contact with a live power line. The three were rushed to East Jefferson General Hospital, where one man died of his injuries. His name is being withheld pending notification of his family members. The condition and names of the other men have not yet been released. The workers were independent contractors out of Baton Rouge, police said.
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.
UPDATE Broadcaster files $7 million lawsuit over fatal tower collapse MARK THIESSEN Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. - A $7 million lawsuit has been filed over the collapse of a 1,965-foot television transmission tower near Hemingford that killed two people. Duhamel Broadcasting of Rapid City, S.D., is suing Structural Systems Technology Inc., of McLean, Va., for $4.5 million to replace the tower and the $2.5 million in risk insurance it claimed the company failed to purchase even though required under their contract. Duhamel is the parent company of Scottsbluff television station KDUH. The tower south of Hemingford had been used to transmit the ABC affiliate's signal throughout the Nebraska Panhandle. The tower collapsed Sept. 24 while a work crew was attempting to strengthen the structure for the addition of a digital transmitter. Two workers died and three others were hurt. Duhamel claims in its federal lawsuit that Structural Systems Technology was negligent by not using temporary braces on the tower as it worked to strengthen the structure. Duhamel's insurance carrier determined that was not covered under the broadcasting company's policy and it refused to pay to rebuild the tower, which was the tallest structure in Nebraska and 500 feet higher than Chicago's Sears Tower. Fred Purdy, president of Structural Systems Technology, did not immediately return a phone message left at his office Tuesday by The Associated Press. Calls made to Duhamel Broadcasting President Bill Duhamel and his Omaha attorney, Jack Douglas, also were not immediately returned. To replace the tower's signal, Duhamel is constructing a new 1,500-foot transmitter tower 2 1/2 miles east of Angora. By moving the tower 32 miles to the southeast and shortening it, KDUH will have nearly the same coverage area and can save more than $1 million, Bill Duhamel has said. Before the collapse, the Scottsbluff station's signal reached viewers from the Colorado state line to southwestern South Dakota and eastern Wyoming. The tower collapse caused viewers throughout the region to lose their only ABC affiliate. KDUH last month said it had restored service to about 70 to 80 percent of its former viewers. The station's service to cable subscribers had not been interrupted.
Early morning accident causes delays By Monica Sattley February 10, 2003 An eight-hour delay occurred in the northbound lanes of Interstate 30 Monday morning as the result of a tractor-trailer charging through a concrete barrier, hitting construction equipment and finally skidding to a halt in two pieces. The driver suffered a minor cut, the Arkansas State Police reported. No other vehicles were involved. At 2 a.m. the driver of a truck carrying epoxy resin from Freeport, Texas, to Huron, Ohio, "lost control of her vehicle," said ASP Trooper Quinn Best. The road was not icy, Best said. "There were no road conditions whatsoever," he said. When the truck struck the concrete barrier, it then bounced off equipment owned by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department's contractor, PBS&J. The equipment included a generator, a skid-loader, a crusher and a front-end loader. "When it hit the front-end loader, it ripped the trailer in two," Best said. The tractor half "continued on and the trailer straddled the concrete barrier." Traffic was re-routed to the service road while the tractor and trailer were towed away and 75 gallons of diesel fuel were cleaned up. "There's a lot to clean up in an accident like this when it involves a commercial vehicle," Best said.
Accident kills man at City Hall work site By Brent Flynn , Staff writer 02/08/2003 One man was killed and another was injured when a forklift backed into two workers at the Lewisville City Hall construction site on Wednesday. Duane Pope, 43, of Carrollton was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. at the 100 block of West Church Street. Pope was a supervisor for one of the subcontractors on the project, Dallas-based Don Burden & Associates. Chief Executive Officer Don Burden said Pope had been with the company for 1-1/2 years and was a "very nice guy." Pope was reportedly talking to Randy Davis of Invensys, another subcontractor on the project. An employee of Rowlett-based CMD Masonry, whose name is being withheld by authorities, was reportedly using a 10-ton industrial forklift to lift stone arches for use on the front of the building. He then lowered the boom and started backing up. When he backed away from the building over a curb and turned back to the right, he hit the two workers, officials said. Davis was hit on the right side and fell to his left, suffering five broken ribs. He was taken to the Medical Center of Lewisville and released later that day. The major question being asked by city officials and investigators after the accident is why the two men did not hear the forklift's back-up warning alarm. Invensys project manager Robert Mintor said that after speaking with Davis, he still does not know how the accident happened. "The only thing Randy has told me is he didn't hear or see anything," Mintor said. "He said he didn't have a clue what was going on until he was on the ground looking at the tire getting ready to roll over him. He said, 'First I was walking and talking, then this thing was on top of me.' He's emotionally very upset over what happened. They had just met, and (Pope) was showing him around the job site. He had only been there 10 minutes when it happened." Mike Talmont, Occupational Safety and Health Administration assistant area director, said that as far as he can tell, the warning alarm and horn on the forklift were functioning at the time of the accident. "The back-up alarm worked when I got out there and the horn worked, so I'm not sure why they didn't hear the back-up alarm," he said. "When I had them back up for me, it was working." Talmont said he is waiting to see additional documentation on the extent of the forklift operator's training before he can determine whether or not a safety violation was to blame for the death. "They are supposed to be trained and certified to operate the vehicle," he said. "I saw his card that was dated August 2002. I was asking for a little bit more documentation on what that training entailed." City of Lewisville spokesman James Kunke said police investigators are waiting for a toxicology report on the forklift operator and the deceased. A preliminary report is expected in mid to late next week. Commercial Structures and Interiors of Lewisville is the construction management company overseeing the building project. Company spokesman John Peveto issued a statement Wednesday about the accident "This is a very unfortunate accident that saddens us all," he said. Mayor Gene Carey expressed his condolences for Pope's family. "It was a tragic accident, and our prayers and thoughts go out to their families," he said. This was the second fatality associated with the construction of Lewisville's new city hall. Brian Keith Cummings, 27, of Howe, Texas, was killed on March 14, 2002 when he was caught between a large drill bit and a counter weight on the back side of a crane.
Crane falls on Anaheim home; None are hurt, but about 400 residents lose electricity as power lines snap. By ZAHEERA WAHID The Orange County Register Anaheim The boom on a 65-ton crane crashed onto the roof of a house Friday when the machine tipped, taking down power lines and leaving about 400 residents without electricity, authorities said. No one was injured in the accident, which was reported at 2:20 p.m. in the 2300 block of Seville Avenue. The 185-foot crane, which had been erecting poles for the Anaheim Public Utility, tore a long, deep hole through the middle of the roof, Fire Department spokeswoman Maria Sabol said. The end of the boom landed in the back yard of a second home. All four tires supporting the crane's deck were off the ground as the machine balanced on two extended legs and the roof of the single-story house. "It was kind of an eerie sound," said Mike DeMore, who lives next door. "A nice crashing sound and a snapping of wires. I was on the phone at the time and the phone went dead." No one was inside the damaged home at the time of the accident, Sabol said. DeMore was among the neighbors evacuated for several hours while the situation was assessed, and a 300-ton crane was brought in to right the smaller crane. Crews secured the tipped crane and brought it upright at 7 p.m. About 80 people remained without power Friday evening, but their electricity was expected to be restored by midnight, Sabol said. The contractor on the project, Pouk & Steinle of Riverside, sent investigators to determine the cause of the accident, Sabol said. Pouk & Steinle had hired the crane through a subcontractor, city spokesman John Nicoletti said. Pouk & Steinle moved the residents of the damaged home into a hotel, Nicoletti said.
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 Worker Struck On Tri-State Highway Downgraded; Victim Listed In Critical Condition MONROE, Ohio -- One of the two people struck by a car Wednesday morning while working in a highway median has taken a turn for the worse. Ron Gambrell and Bonnie Mills, employees of Security Fence Co. of Northside, were installing safety fence on Interstate 75 near Monroe when they were hit, WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported. Gambrell, 52, was flown to University Hospital. He was listed in serious condition initially, but was downgraded to critical condition Thursday morning, according to WLWT. Mills was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. She is listed in serious condition. The stretch of roadway on Interstate 75 between Interstate 275 and Dayton has seen its share of serious accidents. Workers were out Wednesday to help make things safer, but ended up caught in the middle of danger, WLWT's Tony Gnau reported. One driver slowed down for the construction workers, but, according to police, the car behind him failed to stop in time because the second driver was following too closely. "A (vehicle) swerved to avoid other vehicles that had already collided with each other," Ohio Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Michael Black said. "It swerved into the median and hit two workers that were working in the median there." As the victims were flown from the accident scene, they left behind mangled wreckage that symbolically served as a cruel irony, Gnau reported. The project was to improve safety on that stretch of highway. "We were installing a cable rail system for this exact reason," worker Darryl Winningham said. Black said that such accidents can be avoided by putting more space between your car and the one in front of you. "Vehicles, when they're following too close, they don't have enough time, they don't leave themselves enough time to react," he said. "And then they have to swerve, and once you start swerving at 65 mph, you leave yourself nowhere to go except out of control." Construction workers are, unfortunately, quite familiar with the orange cones, which they say are out there for an important reason. "You've got 2-ton cars coming down on you," Winningham said. "You're helpless, just defenseless." Added Black: "We always ask if people leave enough distance in between vehicles so they can react to something that happens in front of them, so this does not occur." Winningham said Wednesday's wreck had more to do with general driving habits than the particular stretch of interstate that's being repaired, Gnau reported. "It doesn't matter the stretch of road, really," he said. "It's all the same. (Interstate) 71, 75, it's just all the same. It's just as dangerous as it gets." Stay tuned to WLWT Eyewitness News 5 and ChannelCincinnati.com for updates to this story as they become available.
ACCIDENT BUILDER OUT OF HOSPITAL Feb 6 2003 Allison Martin A CONSTRUCTION worker was rushed to hospital with major head injuries after an accident on a site at Heron Quays. The incident, involving a French speaking cladding installer in his 30s, took place at 2pm on Tuesday (January 28) at HQ1, Morgan Stanley's new office building. The man - who is believed to have been hit by falling plywood - has now been released. An air ambulance was scrambled and the man was treated by security first aiders until paramedics arrived. A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said: "We received a call just after 2pm and three road ambulances and an air ambulance attended an incident at Heron Quays. "The road ambulance found a man in his 30s with major head injuries and unconscious. "It appeared he had been hit on the head by building site debris. "The road ambulance then called for an air ambulance which has a doctor on board," she added. The man was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. Fallen site worker's firm fined £9,000.
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.
Restoration efforts drown in flames With work almost complete, Buxton Inn owners face fire, smoke damage to century-old home By BRIAN MILLER Advocate Reporter GRANVILLE -- A fire on Thursday caused $25,000 to $30,000 damage to a home that the Buxton Inn's owners were restoring. The two-story home at 128 S. Pearl St., caught fire after a torch being used by a worker in a second-floor bathroom ignited a wall, said Lt. Tom Bowman of the Granville Fire Department. There was damage to interior walls on one side of the home and smoke damage throughout the home. No injuries were reported. The home is one of several built by the five children of Major Buxton, who built the Buxton Inn in 1812 on East Broadway, the main avenue of downtown Granville. All the homes are on the same block as the inn. Buxton Inn owners Orville and Audrey Orr have been restoring the homes one by one and then renting them. Restoration work on the South Pearl Street home was almost done when the fire broke out, Orville said. The worker was attaching a fitting on a water line using a torch and accidentally ignited a piece of wood or fiberglass, Bowman said. The wall caught fire and flames traveled through an interior wall up to the attic and down to the first floor. The workman had gone downstairs when he realized there was a fire upstairs and called the fire department at 10:20 a.m. The fire was extinguished at 11:15 a.m. The Orrs had taken pains to bring the century-old woodframe home back to its original state, Orville said. "The hardware and the floors are all original," he said. The job was nearly finished when the fire broke out. Orr said he wants to complete the project if the damage permits. The Buxton Inn, Ohio's oldest operating inn still using its original building, is known for its gardens and courtyards.
UPDATE Firms Fined In Collapse Of Greensboro Wall That Killed Three Workers POSTED: 9:43 a.m. EST February 6, 2003 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Five companies were fined a total of $32,900 by the state for a wall collapse that killed three men last August at a Home Depot construction site in Greensboro. The state Department of Labor spent six months investigating the accident. It ruled that the 40,000-pound wall was standing without any type of support before it fell and crushed the three workers. Officials say the wall should have been attached at the roof, floor and to other wall sections before braces were removed. Four companies were cited for failing to properly train employees and for not properly supporting the wall panels. Perry Construction Group, Steel Performance and Carolina Steel and Stone were fined $7,000 each. Carolina Tiltup Construction was fined $5,600. A fifth company, Professional Service Industries, was assessed a $6,300 fine because its welding inspector didn't ensure all welds were complete and wasn't properly trained.
Kerala: One killed, 4 hurt in construction site accident 6-February-2003 Thiruvananthapuram: One person is feared dead and four people have been injured in an accident at a construction site in the Overbridge locality of Thiruvananthapuram city. The dead has been identified as Ganesan (28), a native of West Bengal. The injured have been admitted to the Medical College Hospital. The accident occurred at 12:30 pm today when soil caved in at the site where work was on to remove earth for the foundation of a building. The workers were employed by a contractor who had taken up contract for removing soil. All the workers are reportedly from Bengal. Search and rescue operations have been launched by the police and fire force.
Area man injured by sand By Patricia Breakey Delhi News Bureau DELHI — A man loading sand into a pickup truck was trapped when a one-ton frozen chunk of sand pinned him against the bed of his truck, Delhi emergency workers said. Gary Rosa and George H. Cochrane Jr. had just completed loading Rosa's truck with sand at the Delhi Town Shed on Sherwood Drive, when an overhanging section slid down and trapped Rosa, according to Delaware County deputies. Cochrane called 911 on a cell phone, but the call went to the state police in Albany, who called the Delaware County 911 Center. The local 911 dispatcher called the Delaware County Sheriff's Department with limited information about the incident and the location. The deputies were sent to the Delhi Highway Department on Sherwood Road in Delhi while the Delhi Village Police headed for other sand stockpiles in an attempt to locate the victim and the caller. Rosa, 32, of Delhi was pinned against his truck for an unknown length of time Wednesday morning, before help arrived at about 11:30 a.m., according to Glenn Morrison, Delaware County deputy director of emergency services. "He was out there for a lengthy amount of time," Morrison said. "And it was cold." Deputies said it took more than an hour to extricate Rosa. Morrison said it was necessary to carefully remove the sand to free Rosa without bringing more down on him. Rosa was pinned from the waist down, with the upper part of his body lying in the bed of the truck. "We used everything from picks to shovels and anything else we could get our hands on to dig him out," Morrison said. "We tried using big machinery, but it was too precarious, although it looked like the majority of the overhang had already come down." Shawn Kauffman, captain of the Delhi Emergency Squad, said moving Rosa's truck wasn't an option because sand would have slid, pinning Rosa more. Rosa suffered from hypothermia and had injuries to his legs, Morrison said. Rosa was transported to O'Connor Hospital in Delhi and was then transferred by ambulance to Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. A Bassett hospital spokesman said Rosa was in stable condition but was being kept overnight for observation. Kaufmann said requests for a helicopter went out to transport Rosa, but the Albany Med helicopter ran into a snow squall as it neared Delhi and had to turn back. The Guthrie One helicopter was in the air, but was canceled after Rosa reached O'Connor Hospital. Robert Howard, Delhi town highway superintendent, said Rosa is not a town employee but that he couldn't make any other comments. Deputies said Delaware County residents and homeowners should contact highway superintendents or town supervisors to obtain permission before they remove sand, cinders, salt or gravel from stockpiles. Delaware County Sheriff Thomas Mills said callers using cell phones to report emergencies should be careful to report their exact location and to give the dispatcher their cell phone number so they can be contacted if more information is needed. Morrison said assistance at the scene of the accident was provided by the Delhi Fire Department and Emergency Squad, the Delaware County Sheriff's Department, the state Department of Environmental Conservation police, the Delhi Village Police, the town of Delhi, Cooperstown Medical Transport and Clark Co. employees. The Bovina Fire Department set up the landing zone for the helicopter.
UPDATE £40,000 fine for death of worker Feb 6 2003 By Graeme Whitfield, The Journal A demolition firm was yesterday fined £40,000 for the death of one of its workers at Blyth Power Station. London-based Brown and Mason, which has a £12m contract to demolish the power station, was fined £35,000 for failing to ensure the safety of its employees and £5,000 for failing to prepare a proper risk assessment following the death of Jimmy Hall, 21, in May 2001. After the case, Mr Hall's mother Pat Henderson, from High Barnes, Sunderland, said she had hoped for a bigger fine to act as a deterrent to other construction companies. Newcastle Crown Court was told the company had not made a proper risk assessment before an operation which led to a 400kg junction box falling and crushing Mr Hall, the father of a young child, to death. It also emerged yesterday that the site supervisor - who was a member of the family that runs Brown and Mason - was not sufficiently trained. Before the accident, Brown and Mason had an unblemished safety record, and had won awards and a personal commendation from Prime Minister Tony Blair for its commitment to safety. Mrs Henderson said: "It was the first year Jimmy had been on the job and I don't think he was trained properly. "The £40,000 is nothing to a company that size, they haven't had to go through what I've had to suffer. Jimmy's son was given compensation, but he'll never get the love Jimmy would have given him. "This is not about the money, it's the devastation it's caused. I wanted justice for Jimmy, so that nobody goes through what I had to go through. I hope this will act as a deterrent." Mr Hall was killed in May 2001, when assistant site manager Richard Brown - the son of one of firm's directors - cut a wire supporting a junction box that fell on to Mr Hall. But David Rowlands, for the Health and Safety Executive, said the company had not raised possible risks posed by the job with specialist engineers who were on site every day. John Evans, for Brown and Mason, said Mr Hall's death was a totally isolated incident, and was not a case of a company that was profiting by cutting corners or ignoring warnings. Judge Guy Whitburn ordered the company to pay £3,750 costs.
Fire causes minor damage in Coweta courthouse By RALPH ELLIS Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer A roofer's torch accidentally ignited a fire Monday afternoon in a small section of the Coweta County Courthouse, causing minor damage to the 99-year-old building in Newnan. Tom Corker, county spokesman, said torch flames ignited a section of dry wood near a window about 52 feet off the ground. Fire extinguishers were used to fight the blaze until Newnan firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. The building was evacuated and nobody was hurt. The county is repairing the historic courthouse, which houses several local government offices, including the clerk of court. The county is building a new judicial building several blocks away.
Man killed, seven injured in roof collapse Staff Report LAHORE: A man was killed and seven injured when the roof of a factory collapsed in Baghbanpura area here on Monday. According to reports, the height of the roof of Butt Lathe factory was being increased and once the supporting pillars were removed, the roof collapsed killing one Nadeem Akhtar, a Haroonabad resident, and injuring seven others. The injured were rushed to a local hospital where two of them namely Irfan and Aslam were in critical condition. The factory’s owner, Amjad Butt, said the labourers were busy in increasing the height and suddenly the roof fell on the workers. The body of the deceased has been handed over to the family without autopsy.
Story of Interest Quick-draw nail guns fire requests for safer triggers By Virginia Baldwin Gilbert Of the Post-Dispatch 2/02/2003 10:17 PM Some leaders in the construction industry want workers and contractors to change their trigger-happy ways — nail gun triggers, that is. A study of carpenter injuries in St. Louis region found that for every 100 apprentice carpenters working in residential construction in a year, nearly four are injured seriously enough with a nail gun to seek medical care. Some carpenters have nailed a foot to the floor, shot 2-inch nails into a co-worker's thigh, nailed their knuckles together, shot a nail into their own knee or head. Employers and workers alike have a new tool for improving safety — a study that collected data from 875 carpenters injured on the job in the St. Louis region in the last three years. The study prompted the Carpenters District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity to increase apprentices' training. "What we found was that people new to a job site, in particular, were being put in precarious situations," said John Gaal, director of training and work-force development for the carpenters union. To reach beyond apprentices, the District Council has published safety articles in local and national publications for carpenters. Behlman Builders Inc., one of the region's larger carpenter subcontractors, requires all its workers to pass written and hands-on safety tests before they are allowed to use nail guns. If a worker has an injury with a nail gun, he or she must pass the test again. But the two men who interviewed hundreds of injured fellow carpenters haven't stopped at training and work habits. They want the tools changed, and a tool manufacturers' trade organization agrees. One type of nail-gun trigger, called a contact trigger, allows the user to press the trigger and fire a nail by hitting the end of the tool against a surface. Many carpenters "bounce nail," by holding the trigger down and repeatedly hitting the nose of the gun to the surface to be nailed. In contrast, a sequential trigger requires that users place the gun in position, then pull the trigger each time they want to shoot a nail. More than half the nail-gun injuries in the study could have been prevented with the safer trigger, said Hester Lipscomb, the Duke University professor who led the St. Louis study. Many contact-trigger guns are capable of firing nine nails a second, said Jim Nolan one of the carpenters who conducted the interviews for the study. "Why would you need to do that?" said Nolan, who built houses for 42 years without ever using a nail gun. Paslode, a division of Illinois Tool Works, developed the nail gun nearly 40 years ago and is still the No. 1 manufacturer. It has sold more contact triggers than sequential triggers, "because that's what the market wanted," said Pat Ryan, a spokesman. "In the last 12 to 18 months, there's been a change," Ryan said. "A lot of big contractors want the sequential trigger for safety." Paslode will be changing its nail guns to comply with new safety standards recently developed by the International Staple, Nail and Tool Association, based in LaGrange, Ill. John Kurtz, executive vice preident of the trade association, attended a construction safety conference in Chicago last spring where Lipscomb, Nolan and his fellow interviewer, Denny Patterson, presented their data and urged design changes. The new standards "probably do what they would like," Kurtz said. Members of the association approved the standards in December, and they are set to go into effect May 1, he said.
I-95 Accident...Worker Hit by Vehicle The accident happened just before 9:30pm Sunday evening. The victim was directing traffic on I-95 where it meets the beltway in Baltimore County, when a vehicle allegedly struck him. The accident involved 2 vehicles, and no one else was injured; however, the construction worker was taken to Saint Agnes Hospital. So far, there is no word about the victim's condition.
Firefighter treated for burns A Cincinnati firefighter was treated and released from University Hospital Saturday for minor burns to his face he suffered fighting a house fire at 3425 Beekman Ave. Lt. Robert Beckroege had burns on his cheeks when metal clips on his mask heated. The fire destroyed the second floor of the home, causing about $35,000 in damage. It was started by a worker inside the house who was soldering copper joints with a blow torch.
UPDATE Employer Cleared In Accidental Deaths Blythewood, S.C. -- South Carolina officials say they won't press charges in the deaths of two teenage boys, who were killed in a workplace accident last week. The brothers died on Tuesday when an eight-foot trench they were digging at a new school collapsed. Investigators say both boys gave their employer valid green cards with incorrect birth dates. The two claimed they were in their twenties, though they were actually just 15 and 16 years old, respectively. State law prohibits people younger than 18 from working on construction sites.
UPDATE OSHA cites, fines S.C. contractor for crane collapses Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. - A South Carolina contractor has been cited and fined by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for two crane collapses at the company's Maybank Highway Bridge construction site. Republic Contracting Corp. was cited Monday and could pay $66,500 in penalties. Republic employees were constructing support columns for the new bridge near Johns Island when the first accident occurred Aug. 16. A crane collapsed while lifting a reinforced steel cage weighing about 100,000 pounds from a barge to the inside of a bridge column form. Parts of the crane fell into traffic lanes of the two-lane Stono Rover Bridge. Federal OSHA conducted the investigation because the accident occurred on a floating barge located in navigable waters. The investigation determined that the crane had not been attached to the barge; equipment required to safely lift the load was missing from the crane and the crane's computer warning system had been by-passed. On Sept. 12, another Republic crane at the same construction site overturned, narrowly missing several yachts and injuring the operator. Federal officials found that this crane also had not been secured to the floating barge. The company has 15 days to contest the federal citations and proposed penalties before the Independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Workers hurt when wall falls at Alsip eatery; Crew was working on new addition to Chateau Bu-Sche Wednesday, February 5, 2003 By Brent Watters Staff writer Two construction workers were injured Tuesday after a wall for an addition to the Chateau Bu-Sche banquet hall in Alsip collapsed. The two workers, whose names were not released, suffered injuries to their legs, backs and possibly necks, Alsip Assistant Fire Chief Joe Schmidt said. "They were stable when we got to them. They didn't appear to have any life-threatening injuries," Schmidt said. The two injured workers were taken to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields. Information about their conditions was not available late Tuesday. The incident occurred about 2:30 p.m. while a crew of about six construction workers were erecting walls for a 2,400-square-foot addition being built on the north side of the banquet hall. The Chateau Bu-Sche is at 11535 S. Cicero Ave. One of the injured workers was straddling the top of the east wall of the addition applying mortar when the 20-foot cinder block wall collapsed. "When the wall fell, one of the workers rode down with the bricks. Both workers were thrown forward in the direction the wall fell," Schmidt said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating. Fire officials believe that high winds may have contributed to the walls collapse. Jeff Bussean, the owner of the banquet hall, could not be reached for comment. Construction of the addition began in November and its completion is scheduled for May. The village had tussled with Bussean for more than a year about his plans for an addition. In Spring 2000, Bussean wanted the village to allow him to allow two large, tents outside the banquet hall for five years while he planned the addition. The village board denied the request, and gave him two years to begin construction of a permanent structure that would be approved by the village.
Workers Struck On Local Interstate; Victims Flown To Tri-State Hospitals MONROE, Ohio -- Two people working in the median of a local interstate were struck by a car Wednesday morning. The accident happened just before 9 a.m. on southbound Interstate 75 near state Route 63 in Monroe, WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported. Ron Gambrell, 52, of Northside, was flown to University Hospital, where he is listed in serious condition, WLWT reported. The second victim, Bonnie Mills, was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Her condition is not known. Both victims are employees of the Security Fence Co. of Northside, WLWT reported. The northbound and southbound lanes of I-75 were shut down for about an hour. They reopened at about 9:45 a.m., WLWT reported. The victims are part of a crew installing barriers in the highway median because of a rash of accidents in which cars traveling one direction crossed the median and slammed into oncoming vehicles. When completed, the 14-mile barrier will run from Hamilton-Mason Road in Butler County to just south of state Route 73 in Warren County, WLWT reported. Stay tuned to WLWT Eyewitness News 5 and refresh this ChannelCincinnati.com page throughout the day for details.
Firefighter burns ear in Monroe blaze John Colvin / Police Reporter Posted on February 5, 2003 Monroe Fire Department investigators say a construction accident ignited a fire Tuesday at a house owned by a local businessman. The department received several calls at 2:38 p.m. Tuesday, and about seven trucks spent the majority of the afternoon and evening combating the fire at 1200 University Avenue. Investigators say the origin of the fire appears to be traced to a worker sweating pipes together in the attic. "The fire started accidentally," said Kenneth Gibbs, chief arson investigator. "A spark ignited surrounding material." According to the Ouachita Parish tax assessor's records, Eddie Hakim owns the property, valued at nearly $250,000. He is one of three brothers who own Luv N' Care, a company that does business in more than 80 countries and has warehousing or manufacturing facilities in North America, including Monroe, and in Asia. Its products - everything from baby bibs to bottles - are sold by major retailers like Wal-Mart, Kmart, J.C. Penney, Sears, Toys R Us, Rite Aid and others. Firefighters quickly set up a defensive line to fight back the blaze, which had concentrated in the northern section of the almost completed house. Fire Chief Jimmie Bryant said the size of the residence -27,000 square feet in area - proved to be a hindrance. "The accessibility to the structure posed a lot of problems," Bryant said. "This is one of the largest homes. This is one of most significant stories because it is a residence." One firefighter was injured, said David Coco, chief of emergency medical services. As first reported at thenewsstar.com, he suffered third-degree burns to one of his ears and was taken to St. Francis Medical Center, according to Coco. "The firefighter was treated and released," Bryant said. Although there were about 10 construction workers inside the house when the fire started, none of them reported injuries, Coco said. Emergency officials remained on the scene into the evening Tuesday but said the fire was under control. At about 8 p.m. Bryant said they were wrapping up operations. The chief said they requested help from the Ouachita Parish Fire Department if any other fires were reported while city crews battled the fire at the residence next to the University of Louisiana at Monroe. "The parish was called to help at some of the fire stations because of the number we had out here," Bryant said.
Concrete floor collapses atop propane tanks; No one injured in Bedford accident By RICHARD DOOLEY The Daily News A freshly poured section of concrete floor collapsed into the basement of a new condominium just off the Bedford Highway Monday, sparking fears of a propane explosion. “About 20 square metres fell in the basement on top of seven or eight 100-pound tanks of propane,” Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services spokesman John Blandin said yesterday. The floor section, the size of a large living room, fell about three metres shortly before 5 p.m. No injuries were reported. Most of the workers on the Larry Uteck Drive site had finished for the day. A team of firefighters using a device that sniffs out propane fumes entered the basement of Hemlock Park Place about 6 p.m. to check for leaking propane. Although there was a small leak, the gas was dissipating in the air, and firefighters said it posed no threat of explosion or fire. “What we are going to do is put security on the site and deal with it in the morning when we can see what we are doing,” Blandin said. Firefighters said they weren’t sure what caused the collapse. The propane tanks were being used to fuel large heaters at the construction site. Hemlock Park Place is a four-storey condominium complex overlooking Bedford Basin near Hemlock Ravine Park. Condos are advertised for sale between $179,000 and $272,900. The foundation for the large building is complete, but work has not progressed above the first floor. The floor was poured earlier in the day and left to set. Fire officials said damage to the building will likely be assessed today when inspectors are able to enter the construction site.
Gas line rupture forces evacuation of Bloomington buildings; Construction crew hit line; firefighters called to 3rd incident this year by Adam VanOsdol Indiana Daily Student Published Tuesday, February 4, 2003 A construction crew digging at the parking garage on the corner of Sixth and Morton streets ruptured a natural gas line Monday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of area businesses and the Monroe County Justice building. The Bloomington Fire Department said there was little danger posed by the rupture but closed off the surrounding city block while workers scrambled to shut off the pipe. The leaking gas sailed north and drifted into open windows at the Monroe County Justice Building down the street, causing nausea and dizziness to those in the building. Except for the 227 inmates, everyone inside was evacuated and went home early. In the end though, the wind actually did more to control the situation, Vectren Energy Company supervisor Mel Williams said. Monday's stiff breeze quickly dissipated the leaking gas, defusing the potentially explosive situation. "Oh, we're glad for the weather," Williams said. "The wind helped more than anything." An hour after the accident, Vectren workers had successfully blocked the leakage. Fire Department Captain Tim Richards said the city block between Sixth and Seventh streets and Walnut and Morton streets was shut down mainly to keep repair workers safe from traffic. The rupture, which was in a low-pressure line, would have been more worrisome if it had been high pressure, Richards said. "It wasn't that bad," Richards said. "It was outdoors, and it was a low pressure line." The rupture disrupted local business for an hour, but owners didn't seem too bothered. Firefighters who went around to area businesses to check for gas accumulation forced the employees of Little Zagreb's Pizza to evacuate. Manager Mark Conlin said he couldn't do prep work as a result. And owner of the Yellow Cab Company John McNeeley said, "It was an honest mistake." At the nearby law office of Kelley, Belcher and Brown, bookkeeper Deena Anderson was preparing billing statements when she smelled gas coming in from an open window. When firefighters arrived, they told her she didn't have to leave, but she did anyway. "They said we weren't in danger," Anderson said. "One of our bosses told us to go home." Williams said he could not comment on the amount of gas that leaked, the cost or whether the pipe was marked. Bloomington Fire Department Captain Roger Kerr said the pipe was unmarked. By 4 p.m. the Justice Building was unusually silent. The only person who stuck around was security guard Don Bennitt, who kept busy by telling confused people that the building was closed for the day. Monroe County resident Charles Bomgardner knocked on the locked door at 4:15 p.m., expecting to pay a small claims fine. Bennitt told him everyone had gone home. "I work the rest of the week," a frustrated Bomgardner said. "It's going to be very difficult for me to come back." Ruptured gas lines have become a common incident for Bloomington's Fire Department. This is the third since the beginning of the year, Batallian Chief Terry Williams said. "Gas is a scary thing," he said.
OSHA begins investigation of fatal construction accident By PAUL MEYER , Staff writer 02/05/2003 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun its investigation into the death of a construction worker killed Monday afternoon along Spring Creek Parkway when the trench he was working in flooded with water and collapsed. Fort Worth resident Adrian Gutierrez, 22, was working in a 10-foot-deep trench when he apparently tapped into a pressurized city water main and became trapped for at least 30 minutes under water. Gutierrez was an employee of Irving-based JCM Contracting Co., hired to work on a city road-widening project along Spring Creek Parkway. "He was tapping into the city water main, and when he released the cap, the pressure was not off," Fire Department spokeswoman Monique Cardwell said. "The water shot back at him and filled the trench with water. "Because he was under water and it was so cold, once we got him out, we did initiate resuscitation efforts before transporting him to Presbyterian Hospital." Fire officials received the call for help at 3:14 p.m., arriving at the intersection of Spring Creek Parkway and Communications Parkway at 3:20 p.m., according to Cardwell. Another worker in the trench managed to escape and suffered only minor leg injuries. He was taken to Presbyterian Hospital and released. Kathryn Delaney, OSHA's area director, said Tuesday that the investigation into the worker's death will include a systematic look into both the physical circumstances and the employer's safety record. "On these matters we do not merely look at the physical conditions and circumstances," Delaney said. "We plan to study the employer's safety programs, training, and conduct a systematic investigation of the situation." Delaney, however, refused to speculate on the cause of the accident. "It's unfair to the family of the victim to speculate at this point about the cause or causes," Delaney said. "I anticipate it will be at least two months before the investigation is complete." City Engineer Alan Upchurch, who supervises contracting work throughout the city, said Tuesday that the worker was part of the road project to widen Spring Creek Parkway. Weir Brothers is the listed general contractor for the project, according to Upchurch. Officials with the company did not return calls for comment. "What occurred was a tragedy with the death of the construction worker who was working on a road widening project along Spring Creek," Upchurch said. "I'm sure there will be some investigating to determine what went wrong, but at this point in time it appears the contractor made a mistake in determining whether the water was shut off." Typically, Upchurch said, contractors will call the city Water Department to confirm that water in a construction area has been shut off. It was not known if that protocol was followed Monday. "We will typically hold preconstruction conferences before work starts to go over a list of things that need to be done," Upchurch said. Monday's events were the second time in recent memory a construction worker has been killed in the city while working on a project. It was over two years ago that a worker was killed near 2600 Central Expressway after the trench he was working in collapsed.
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.
Construction worker killed in Lewisville 02/05/2003 By LESLEY TÈLLEZ / The Dallas Morning News One construction worker was killed and a second was injured Wednesday afternoon when a forklift apparently ran over them at the site of the new Lewisville City Hall in Old Town. The injured man was transported to Medical Center of Lewisville, where he was listed in stable condition. The victims’ names were not immediately available, officials said. All three men involved were employed by a contractor, whose name was not available Wednesday. The cause of the accident remained under investigation. Police, firefighters and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were to be involved in the probe. “We are just interviewing workers to try to find out what happened,” city spokesman James Kunke said. “We just don’t know yet.” This was the second fatality at the site. Last March, Brian Keith Cummings, 27, of Howe was killed while working below a crane. Mr. Cummings worked for N.L. Schutte Foundation Drilling Inc., a company subcontracted to do foundation work on the new $12 million City Hall.
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.
Johnston County Worker Killed In Accident Location: Milburn Posted: January 31, 2003 A Johnston County road worker has been killed in an accident while co-workers were trying to pull his road grader out of a ditch. John Black senior of Wapanucka died in the accident yesterday at Milburn, east of Tishomingo. Road foreman Danny Lowe says Black was spreading gravel when his grader became stuck. Lowe says the co-workers were stretching a heavy-duty tow rope, a shank snapped and crashed into the cab of the grader, hitting Black in the head. Lowe says the rope is made especially for towing and the procedure has been used numerous times.
UPDATE Illinois man had his doubts about surviving cave-in By Terry Hillig Post-Dispatch 01/30/2003 09:26 PM The man who was buried for 20 minutes when a trench collapsed Monday in Bethalto says he wasn't sure he would make it out alive. "It was wet," Wes Smith, 19, said in an interview. "There was water in the ditch. I thought it was 3 or 4 inches from my chin." As soon as the 17-foot trench collapsed, five or six of Smith's co-workers at Design Excavating of Edwardsville began frantically digging. They were joined by eight or nine volunteer Bethalto firefighters. "I knew they would try their best to get me out," Smith said of his rescuers. "I knew they wouldn't give up but I'm sure glad I made it, though. I'm just grateful to them big time." An air pocket around Smith's face may have saved him from suffocation. But there was considerable pressure on his chest and it was increasingly difficult to breathe as the minutes passed, he said. Smith was part of a crew installing sewer lines at the Patriot's Crossing subdivision. Smith suffered bruises and a partly collapsed lung but returned to his home in Girard, Ill., 65 miles north of St. Louis, after spending Monday night at St. Louis University Hospital. He said Wednesday that he was "still sore all over" but knew he was very fortunate. Smith said he had worked for the company for four or five months. He said he liked the job and planned to return to work after Feb. 7 but wonders whether he will feel safe working in a trench. Bethalto Fire Chief John Nolte said Monday that Smith was working without any safety precautions, in apparent violation of federal regulations for sloping or shoring or use of a trench box for work in trenches 4 feet or greater in depth. Robert Plummer, owner of Design Excavating, said the company emphasizes safety and said he was "sick" about the accident but relieved that Smith's injuries were not more serious. "It's just really fortunate," Plummer said. "He is really a nice young man. We look forward to him being back." The accident is being investigated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Building Collapse Forces Temporary Shut Down Of Metro North Service Into, Out Of Grand Central A partial building collapse in Harlem forced the MTA to temporarily suspend Metro North Train service into and out of Grand Central Station Friday afternoon. Officials say a partial building collapse at 1672 Park Avenue, at 118th Street Friday afternoon left remainder of the building unstable. Because of this, Metro North trains on the Harlem, New Haven and Hudson Lines were not allowed to pass through the area. Service was shut down for about an hour before being restored at about 4:20pm, according to a spokeswoman for Metro-North. The trains were observing 15 mph speed restrictions through the building collapse area late Friday afternoon. And officials expected service to return to normal by about 5:00pm. Officials said subway service in the area was not affected. The building collapsed shortly after 3:00pm. The FDNY said no one was injured or trapped. Officials from the city buildings department, Office of Emergency Management and the FDNY were on scene early Friday afternoon.
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.
Worker run over by dump truck; Victim hospitalized after levee accident Thursday January 30, 2003 By Mary Swerczek River Parishes bureau A 32-year-old Marksville man was in stable condition after being run over by a dump truck on the Mississippi River levee across from Ormond Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon. Jonathan Dauzat was pinned under the truck until East St. Charles volunteer firefighters lifted it with air bags and freed him, St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Pat Yoes said. Dauzat was airlifted to West Jefferson Hospital. Dauzat was working for James Construction Group LLC marking lines along the levee when Joseph Berryhill, 46, of Westwego, who works for Miller Excavating Service, accidentally backed over him, Yoes said. The accident happened at about 1:45 p.m. "He was bending over marking lines," Yoes said. "The driver didn't see anyone behind him and backed up." Another worker ran to the truck and told Berryhill that Dauzat was pinned underneath it, Yoes said. Yoes said he did not know how long Dauzat was trapped under the truck. Dauzat and Berryhill are among workers pouring asphalt on the levee to build the first eight miles of an 18-mile bicycle path. The first section of the route will tie into the existing path at the St. Charles-Jefferson Parish line and extend to Ormond Boulevard.
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.
4 workers injured when crane collapses at Pompano apartment site By ARDY FRIEDBERG sun-sentinel.com January 29, 2003, 11:31 AM EST POMPANO BEACH – Four people were hurt – one critically – when a crane collapsed and snapped at a construction site for the new Laguna Pointe Apartments complex, city officials said. None of the injured were immediately identified in the 7:55 a.m. Wednesday accident on the 900 block of West McNab Road just east of Interstate 95. Two of the construction workers were rushed to North Broward Medical Center, and one of those suffered from multiple fractures and other injuries. Another worker was sent to the nearby North Ridge Medical Center and another was treated at the accident scene, said city spokeswoman Sandra King. The reason for the crane collapse was not immediately known, King said. Witnesses said the crane, which had a Zeiger Crane Rental sign on its side, was lifting what are called tunnel forms to the second floor of a building under construction. The forms are used in building floors, King said. For some reason the crane collapsed dropping its load onto the construction area. The worker with the critical injuries was working on the second floor, she said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified of the accident.
Work site cave-in kills two brothers; Trench collapse at future Blythewood High is under investigation By LORA HINES Staff Writer Two brothers died Tuesday in a torrent of dirt that poured into a trench where they were working at the Blythewood High School construction site. Rigobeto Xaca Sandoval, 22, and Moises Xaca Sandoval, 22, both of 1515 Busbee Road, Gaston, probably died instantly, their skulls crushed by the soil that buried them, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said. They were in what appeared to be an 8-foot-deep, 2-foot-wide trench, he said. The brothers were identified by resident alien cards, Watts said. He did not recall their nationality. They recently had moved in with a couple in a mobile home in Gaston in Lexington County. Before that they had lived in the town of Denmark, officials said. Neighbor Calvin Brown, 34, said they had lived there about two weeks. The brothers spoke little, if any, English, Brown said. The Latino friend they lived with, who would not give his name, said he was overwhelmed by the tragic cave-in. "They were good people," he said tearfully in Spanish. Someone at the site called for help about 8:20 a.m. as construction workers scrambled to dig the brothers out. By the time rescuers arrived the brothers had been uncovered, Watts said. At least 40 people were at the site working on different projects, said Ken Blackstone, Richland 2 School District spokesman. Crews started work about 7 a.m. The Xaca Sandovals were part of a Burriss Electrical crew that was installing an electrical conduit, Blackstone said. The trench for the conduit had been dug in a compacted area that will become the high school's foundation. The soil is mostly sandy with some clay, Blackstone said. Burriss is one of six contractors at the site. No one from Burriss Electrical in Lexington could be reached. "The Burriss Electrical family of employees send out our prayers and condolences to the families involved in today's tragic accident," company officials said in a written statement. "We are still investigating the accident and are cooperating with authorities." The state Occupational Safety and Heath Administration, part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, is investigating, said LLR spokesman Jim Knight. Knight said the investigation could take six weeks. Investigators will interview employees and witnesses to determine what the Xaca Sandovals were doing when the trench collapsed, Knight said. Investigators also will examine equipment and look at how the task was being done to determine whether an OSHA standard had been violated. Construction will continue while investigators work, Knight said. For the last six months, crews have been preparing the site off U.S. 21 for construction, Blackstone said. A two-story, 390,000-square-foot building, costing about $50 million, should be ready for the start of school in 2005, school district officials said. "As early as we are in the construction phase, I don't know that (the cave-in) will significantly alter the schedule," Blackstone said. Burriss Electrical, which was awarded the contract to install electricity with a $3,043,400 bid, has been cited nine times in five planned inspections since January 2000, LLR records show. "They have not had an accident," Knight said. "They have a clean record as far as accidents go with OSHA." In August 2000, OSHA cited Burriss for failing to make daily inspections of excavations and protective systems to prevent cave-ins at a site at Stivers Chrysler Jeep Inc., 5215 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, LLR documents show. No one knowledgeable in soil analysis or trenching systems and analysis was on that site, records show. Burriss was not fined and the violation was not listed as serious because it involved a 4-feet deep trench, Knight said. OSHA regulates trenches 5 feet and deeper. Richland 2 school board chairman Bill McCracken said the board wants to console the victims' families. "Our concern is to make sure we do whatever we can to make sure this doesn't happen again," he said. Staff writers Clif LeBlanc and Nicole Sweeney contributed to this article.
Worker, 19, is injured when trench collapses around him By TERRY HILLIG Post-Dispatch 01/27/2003 10:30 PM A 19-year-old worker survived being buried for about 20 minutes after a trench collapsed Monday morning in Bethalto. "It's a wonder he wasn't killed," Bethalto Fire Chief John Nolte said of Wes Smith, who was flown by helicopter to St. Louis University Hospital after the rescue. Smith was working at the bottom of a trench when it collapsed about 9:30 a.m. He and three co-workers were installing sewers in Patriots' Crossing, a subdivision being developed along Moreland Road about a mile north of Illinois Route 140. Nolte said Smith, of Girard, was working in a trench that appeared to be 18 to 20 feet deep without any shoring or other protection. Nolte said such protection was required for work in trenches deeper than shoulder height. The workers were joined by eight or nine Bethalto volunteer firefighters, and Nolte said they dug Smith out by hand, "one shovel at a time," in about 20 minutes. The rescuers were themselves in substantial danger, he said. Smith told his rescuers he had worried about drowning because of rising ground water. Nolte said that loose soil around Smith's face allowed him to breathe, and survive. "He's a very lucky person," the chief said. Smith was listed in fair condition later at the hospital. A spokeswoman said he had no life-threatening injuries and likely would be held for observation overnight and discharged today. Smith worked for Design Excavating of Edwardsville, owned by Robert Plummer. Plummer said Smith was in good shape when he visited the injured man in his hospital room Monday night. "He's shook up, no doubt about it," Plummer said. "But there's no broken bones, and he was walking around." Plummer wasn't at the job site when Smith was injured and said he couldn't comment on the details of the incident. "We stress safety, we stress making proper decisions," he said. "We're sick about this." An investigator from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration was dispatched to the site after OSHA personnel in Belleville learned of the mishap from a reporter. Peggy Zweer, OSHA director for 81 counties in Illinois, said the accident was not one that the employer was required to report. Zweber said federal regulations require sloping or shoring or other protection for work in trenches 4 feet or greater in depth.
£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.
