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Hispanic Laborer is Crushed by Gantry Roller Press While Retrieving a Dropped Hammer
Get PDFMarch 11, 2014 at 8:20 a.m. a 31- year- old Hispanic laborer working on a gantry roller press dropped a hammer he was using to tap the trusses into place. As the victim bent down to retrieve the hammer, the three other employees working with him did not see him and started the press. As the press came down the line, the victim raised up and became caught between the roller press and the legs of the press. This caused the press to jam. It wasn't until this occurred that the co-workers discovered the victim pinned by the roller carriage. The Sheriff stated that when he arrived, he found the victim face down with his legs over the guide-rail and his chest up against the table leg. To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, the following recommendations have been made: Recommendation No. 1: Employees should ensure the work area is clear before operating moving equipment. Hazardous areas should also be marked clearly on the floor so employees are away from the danger zones when the press is in use. Recommendation No. 2: Manufacturers should consider the redesign of the roller carriage guard to extend the guard and prevent the roller press from contacting employees or other objects in its path. Recommendation No. 3: Manufacturers should consider the installation of light curtains to detect movement near the roller press before start up. Recommendation No. 4: Manufacturers should consider the installation of an audible and visual warning device to provide sufficient work area clearance time before roller press operation commences.Cooperative Agreemen
Tub Refinisher Died Due to Methylene Chloride Overexposure While Stripping a Bathtub
Get PDFIn the winter of 2010, a 52-year-old male tub re-glazer died due to overexposure to methylene chloride (MC) vapor while stripping a bathtub in an apartment bathroom using Tal-Strip II Aircraft Coating Remover (Tal-Strip II). Methylene chloride was the primary ingredient of the aircraft-grade Tal-Strip II (60%-100%). The work process involved pouring Tal-Strip II directly from the container onto the tub surface and using a 4-inch paintbrush to spread the product. At approximately 9:30 a.m., the decedent arrived at the apartment complex. At approximately 11:10 a.m., one of the apartment maintenance personnel attempted to contact the decedent via cell phone. The decedent did not answer his phone, so the maintenance person went to the apartment to talk with him. The maintenance person found the decedent slumped over the tub on his knees with his face in the tub. The maintenance person called 911 and then called another maintenance person and instructed him to tell the property manager about the decedent's situation. After speaking with the property manager, the second maintenance person went to the apartment. When he arrived, he checked the decedent's pulse. Finding no pulse, the apartment employees pulled the decedent out of the tub and laid him on the bathroom floor. The second maintenance person checked the decedent's pulse again and also checked his airway for any blockage; he found no pulse or blockage. The second individual, a certified EMT, started CPR which lasted approximately two minutes. Emergency response arrived and transported the decedent to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead. The high concentration of MC in the product, the room configuration, the nature of the work, the lack of ventilation, and lack of proper respiratory protection contributed to his excessive exposure and subsequent death. Recommendations: Bathtub/tile refinishers should: 1. Use alternative stripping methods, such as sanding or strippers that do not contain methylene chloride or acids. Read and follow all label and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) instructions for use. 2. Implement a push-pull (fresh air and local exhaust) ventilation system if using MC-based strippers to reduce the airborne concentration of MC. 3. Always use a NIOSH-approved pressure demand, full-facepiece supplied air respirator (fresh air system) when using MC-based products due to MC's classification as a carcinogen and the individual's exposure to potential life threatening levels above the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL). A written respiratory protection program should be developed and implemented. 4. Develop and implement a Methylene Chloride exposure management plan that addresses the requirements of MIOSHA's Methylene Chloride Occupational Health Standard Part 313 if using a MC-based stripping agent. 5. Conduct employee time weighted average (TWA) exposure monitoring as part of the Methylene Chloride Exposure Plan and in compliance with MIOSHA's Methylene Chloride Occupational Health Standard, Part 313 and institute appropriate engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment control measures based on the monitoring results. 6. Perform on-the-spot air monitoring to provide immediate feedback to determine the effectiveness of implemented ventilation. 7. Select and wear appropriate personal protective equipment, including face protection and gloves based upon the work operations to be performed and the product's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). 8. Determine and implement safe work practices to reduce exposure. Manufacturers/distributers of aircraft-grade MC-based stripping products whose product is intended for the aircraft and/or other industries but are being used in bathroom/kitchen tub, sink, and tile refinishing industry should provide additional labeling and educational outreach regarding safe use of their products and consider ways to restrict their use so that it cannot be used in the bathtub refinishing industry.Cooperative Agreemen
Driver killed when ejected from logging truck
Get PDFOn January 2014, a 39 year-old driver was killed when he was ejected from the cab of a logging truck after it veered off the haul road into a canyon. The driver had left a landing with a load of logs at about 5:30am. There were reports of dense fog in the area until about 7:30 am. Shortly thereafter, about \ubd mile from the landing, another truck driver noticed tire tracks that trailed off the main haul road into a steep canyon. He then saw the wrecked truck and trailer below. The driver was found next to the rear axle of the truck, approximately 150 yards below the road. There were no skid marks or steering corrections indicated by the tire tracks suggesting that the driver inadvertently drove off the road after encountering the dense fog condition. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Employers should train truck drivers to recognize unsafe driving conditions and to stop operations when conditions are unsafe 2. Logging truck fleet owners that require operation under fog conditions should install front fog lamps in trucks and ensure that lights are working and windshields and cab windows are clean. 3. Drivers should use seat belts when operating a logging truck and employers should enforce existing seat belt use policies. 4. Drivers should clean their windshields as often as needed and conduct regular vehicle inspections to ensure that brakes are working correctly.Cooperative Agreemen
Mechanic Dies while Changing a Tire Mounted on a Multi-piece Split Rim Wheel - Massachusetts
Get PDFOn December 31, 2007, a 59-year-old male mechanic (victim) was fatally injured while changing a container handler's dual front inner tire that was mounted on a multi-piece split rim. While removing the outer multi-piece split rim wheel to access the inner wheel, it exploded off the container handler striking the victim and pushing him into the mast of a forklift. A co-worker found the victim lying on his back on the ground with the outer tire on top of him. The co-worker placed a call for the local police; personnel from the local police and fire departments arrived within minutes. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that to prevent similar occurrences in the future, employers should: 1.) Ensure that all multi-piece rim wheel tires are deflated prior to removing them from a vehicle's axle. 2.) Ensure that employees never position themselves in the trajectory (in front of or over) of inflated tires mounted on multi-piece rims. 3.) Perform routine inspections of all multi-piece rim wheels to identify damaged components. 4.) Ensure multi-piece rim wheels with mounted inflated tires are never struck with hammers or other objects. 5.) Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for servicing multi-piece rims and provide training on these procedures.Cooperative Agreemen
Farm Worker Dies After Becoming Entangled In A Power-Take-Off Shaft
Get PDFA 50-year-old male farm worker (victim) died after he became entangled in a power-take-off (PTO) shaft. He was using a tractor and a trailer-type mixer wagon to mix feed for dairy cows. The tractor was equipped with a cab that had a hinged rear window that when open, provided an opening along the bottom edge of the window. The window was open at the time of the incident. The mixer wagon was designed to be hooked to the drawbar of a tractor and operated via the tractor's PTO and hydraulic systems. The design enabled a worker to completely operate and unload the wagon while seated in the tractor seat. The wagon's PTO shaft was fitted with a tubular safety shield. At the front of the wagon was a short master shield fastened to the wagon. Although the PTO shaft was entirely enclosed in a tubular safety shield and the short master shield covered the end of the shaft, a small gap existed between the two safety shields. The wagon was equipped with a hydraulically controlled discharge chute located at the wagon's left front corner to unload it. The victim had mixed several loads of feed on the day of the incident. After filling the mixer wagon, the victim engaged the tractor's PTO to begin mixing the feed while he drove the tractor to a dairy barn equipped with several feed conveyors to unloaded the wagon. After stopping the tractor and wagon near a conveyor, he got off the tractor and started the barn conveyor. After starting the conveyor, he probably reentered the tractor cab and started the wagon's discharge augers but then exited the cab again. While the wagon emptied, he entered the area between the rear of the tractor and the front of the wagon. He may have stepped on the tractor drawbar and reached through the cab's open rear window to reach the hydraulic controls and either increase or decrease the flow of feed from the wagon. While doing so, he apparently fell backward and his clothing became entangled in the end of the PTO shaft near the front of the wagon. Another worker became concerned when the tractor and wagon remained parked longer than normal. He walked to the scene and found the victim entangled in the PTO shaft which had broken. He ran from the scene and notified other workers who placed a call to emergency personnel. The workers returned to the scene, freed the victim and laid him on the ground. Rescue personnel arrived shortly after being notified and pronounced him dead at the scene. MN FACE investigators concluded that, in order to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences, the following guidelines should be followed: 1. Machinery should only be operated or adjusted when the operator is seated in the operator's seat; 2. Manufacturers should design safety shields that totally enclose moving components that may be hazardous, and; 3. Operators should not wear loose-fitting clothing near operating machines.Cooperative Agreemen
Worker Dies While Cleaning Freon 113 Degreasing Tank in Virginia
No full textA worker died while assisting three workers who were cleaning out a Freon-113 (76131) vapor degreaser at a chemical fuel plant. During this procedure solvent was drained off and the residue on the bottom of the degreaser was cleaned out. The company had written instructions for cleaning out the degreasing tank. All but about 1 gallon of the solvent had been drained off. After taking a break for lunch, the three men returned, picking up the fourth worker who was experienced in the cleaning operation. Using removable wooden stairs two men, including the experienced worker, climbed into the tank. Shortly thereafter both men had trouble breathing and exited the tank. The experienced worker collapsed to the floor and died shortly. The other worker experienced no ill effects. The men were using air purifying respirators designed for limited use with organic solvents. The cause of death had not been determined. Recommendations arising from this accident include the performance of a preliminary hazard analysis by the employer to determine hazardous areas within the company and design a more detailed task specific job hazard analysis, initiation of comprehensive policies and procedures for confined space entry, the development and implementation of a more comprehensive respirator program including either quantitative or qualitative fit testing and training in the use and limitations of this equipment.Publication date provided by the authoring office. There is no publication date indicated on the resource
Worker Killed by Trench Cave-In in Pennsylvania
No full textA case study of a trench fatality was examined. A 33 year old supervisor and a 26 year old laborer were installing 6 inch by 12 foot long drainage pipe sections in a vertical walled trench. The exterior sewer lines had been excavated, connected, and backfilled the day before the accident. The crew was digging a trench using a backhoe with an 18 inch wide bucket; the backhoe was working about 20 feet in front of the crew, excavating the trench for another section. At the time of the incident, the supervisor and laborer were in the trench laying and connecting the plastic drainage pipe. The laborer was standing on the ground surface about 1.5 feet from the edge of the trench when the ground beneath moved him down and into the trench; the ground also completely covered the supervisor. The laborer was covered to the mid chest area. An evaluation revealed that the material excavated from the trench had been placed on the ground opposite the cave in site. The trench was excavated with vertical walls and shoring systems were not used. The emergency squad was notified approximately 1 minute after the collapse. Efforts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful and the supervisor was pronounced dead on arrival at the local hospital. The authors recommend that any excavation that is greater than 5 feet in depth should be shored, shielded, or sloped in accordance with the NIOSH/National Bureau of Standards recommended draft construction safety standards for excavations. Safety programs should be developed that minimally include a written safety policy, assign responsibilities to all areas of supervision, and hold supervisory personnel accountable for these safety responsibilities, employee safety training, accident investigation procedures, and emergency planning.Publication date provided by the authoring office. There is no publication date indicated on the resource
Foreign-born Semi Driver Dies After Driving Over Embankment
Get PDFOne summer morning in 2009, at approximately 11:30 AM, a 41 year-old male, long-haul, semi tractor-trailer driver drove off an interstate highway, over a guardrail, and continued into a wooded ravine. His trailer was empty and he was traveling to pick up a load of retail goods. The trailer disengaged from the tractor, the fuel tanks ruptured, the tractor overturned and caught fire. As the tractor overturned, the driver was ejected. A passing motorist called emergency medical (EMS) services; EMS arrived and found the driver dead at the scene. To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, the following recommendations have been made: Recommendation No. 1: Commercial vehicle carriers should establish and implement an appropriate comprehensive safety and driver training program. Recommendation No. 2: Commercial vehicle carriers should implement and enforce a workplace policy that requires drivers to wear seat belts while operating a commercial vehicle. Recommendation No. 3: Semi tractor-trailer drivers should be trained to recognize signs of fatigue and when to seek appropriate rest areas. Recommendation No. 4: Electronic stability systems should be mandatory equipment on all commercial vehicles. Recommendation No. 5: A comprehensive motor vehicle safety assessment of Kentucky's interstate system needs to be performed in the area where the collision took place.Cooperative Agreemen
Logger killed under rigging when carriage drops
Get PDFA 45-year-old logger, working as a chokersetter in a skyline yarding operation, was killed when he was crushed by the skyline carriage. The chokersetter was new to logging, 1 week on the job, and was working under supervision. The carriage returned down the skyline from the landing, and as soon as the stop whistle sounded, the chokersetter rushed in to grab the chokers lying in the brush under the carriage. The carriage was 8-10 feet overhead and was still rolling a bit. The yarder engineer was just in the process of setting the mainline brake when the line suddenly slackened. The carriage dropped and crushed the chokersetter, killing him instantly. The medical examiner reported the victim's blood alcohol content at .02.Cooperative Agreemen
Tree Trimming Groundsman Electrocuted after Grasping a Guy Wire that Contacted an Energized Guy Wire in Virginia
No full textA 20 year old male tree trimming groundsman was electrocuted when he grabbed a guy wire causing it to contact an energized conductor on a utility pole. The employer was a tree service company which had a contract to keep an electric utility right of way clear of brush and trees. On the day of the incident, a five man crew was clearing brush and trees. The victim had completed cutting brush and trees from around the guy wire which was secured to a utility pole at one end and to a steel rod anchored in the ground at the other end. He laid the chain saw he was using on the ground. He grasped the butt of a fallen tree with one hand, and the guy wire with the other hand. When he grasped the guy wire, it swayed, due to approximately 8 inches of slack in the wire, and contacted an uninsulated jumper wire which connected a 1 amp fuse to a 14,400 volt powerline. It is recommended that a jobsite survey be conducted before starting any job to identify potential hazards and implement appropriate controls; that existing safety programs be reviewed and revised to include measures that enable workers to recognize and control hazards; and that utility companies avoid placing transformers and jumper wires on utility poles in close proximity to unguarded, uninsulated guy wires.Publication date provided by the authoring office. There is no publication date indicated on the resource