Industrial Safety Blog

Man Falls to his Death Working on StarFlyer Attraction

Orlando, FL- A worker fell to his death at the Orlando StarFlyer while working on the attraction. The worker, identified as 21-year-old Jacob David Kaminsky, was said to have been climbing the tower while conducting a routine safety check before he fell.

The ride stands 450 feet tall and was permitted in 2018, advertised as the world’s tallest swing ride.

“They were doing their daily safety inspection which is conducted every day. That’s when the accident occurred,” said Jacob Stine, the marketing manager for the attraction. “We have an ongoing investigation right now to determine exactly what happened.”

OSHA will also be beginning their investigation into this situation. Stine noted that there are “quite a few redundancies” in their safety procedures and that they’re very thorough.

According to The Florida Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fair Rides Inspections, there hadn’t been any recorded incidents or violations with the Starflyer since it was permitted before this death.

Martin Technical provides safety training taught by trade experienced subject matter experts, as well as safety management software solutions accounting for topics such as maintenance and inspections.

Read more details from our source, Fox 35 Orlando.

Image credit is to Icon Park.

October 2, 2020

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Explosion leaves one dead, one injured in Lincoln, CA

Lincoln, CA- One man was killed and another worker was injured at the Sierra Pacific Industries location in downtown Lincoln on the afternoon of Sept. 18, 2020. Sierra Pacific Industries is the second-largest lumber producer in the United States.

The two were working on an commercial-sized air compressor at the industrial plant when it allegedly exploded.

This accident is currently under a California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CAL/OSHA) investigation, and it is believed that the company will have a better understanding of what took place which caused the accident and death once the investigation is finished.

“Lincoln Police personnel interviewed witnesses and documented the scene, and will turn everything over to Cal OSHA investigators,” Public Safety Chief Doug Lee was quoted saying.

Milo Fryer Jr., 34, of Lincoln, was named as the man who lost his life because of this accident. The other worker was not identified in the local news reports but was released from the hospital.

Mechanical and machine safety and training is essential to prevent accidents like these.

Read more details from our source, NewsOpi.

Image credit to Core Materials Distribution.

September 25, 2020

Six Bay Area Employers fined over lack of COVID-19 Protection

San Francisco, CA- In the Bay Area, Cal/OSHA has cited six employers for failing to adequately protect employees from COVID-19 exposure.

Cal/OSHA conducted nearly 8,000 compliance checks in businesses across the state of California in July to identify issues with protecting employees from the coronavirus.

Cal/OSHA recently cited the following employers: Uni-Kool Partners, in Salinas; Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, in Berkeley; Serve Max Farm Labor, in Vacaville; Ruiz Farm Labor, in Dixon; Michel Labor Services Inc. in Dixon; and M and J Williams Inc. in Santa Clara.

These six are included among eleven employers cited statewide in California within the industries of food processing, meatpacking, health care, agriculture and retail.

These citations ranged from penalties of about $2,000 to a penalty of more than $50,000, which was cited for a food processing company in Monterey Park.

“These are industries where workers have been disproportionately affected, and these citations are the first of many to be issued in the coming weeks and months,” Cal/OSHA Chief Doug Parker was quoted as saying.

In general, workers in warehouses, factories, supermarkets, and others of the industries listed above are considered essential and have had outbreaks of COVID-19 in different establishments across the country.

Martin Technical and Safety Hive Software provides and manufactures COVID-19 safety solutions including antibacterial wipes, face masks, and free COVID apps.

September 16, 2020

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Two Deaths result in 1.57 Million in OSHA Fines

Cleveland, OH- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed $1.57 million in fines against an Ohio company after an accident that claimed the lives of two workers in February 2020. These two deaths prompted an on-site inspection on behalf of OSHA, and a letter from OSHA outlining the violations and fines was released August 2020.

The company in question is Great Lakes Tank and Vessel L.L.C., which specializes in cleaning large storage tanks such as chemical and gas. The proposed charges are the 5th-highest the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued since January of 2015.

With such a sum of over $1.5 million, the breakdown of individual charges and citations proposed by OSHA and served to the company can be found here. Among the many fines, one included was a fine for not evaluating the effectiveness of respirators after an Tattempt had been made to repair them using tape following chemical exposure.

Martin Technical reiterates our commitment to safety, education, and training that prevents these tragedies in the workplace.

Find more details from our source, Bloomberg Law

August 31, 2020

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OSHA Investigates Leg Amputation Incident

Fargo, ND – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has begun investigating Red River Commodities, a Fargo agricultural company, after an employee suffered an injury that resulted in losing his leg.

The worker involved in this incident was Aaron Maves, 31, who had to wait nearly 40 minutes in pain while emergency responders worked to free him.

“I’m really lucky…grain bin auger accidents have a really low survival rate,” Maves said, as reported by Valley News Live.

Maves leg was caught when he sweeping around the auger of a grain bin. He said his colleague’s quick thinking saved his life. Though unexpected accidents happen, grain bin related injuries and death are more preventable with proper training.

Since January 2018, Red River Commodities has roughly paid $25,700 in fines towards OSHA for other incidents, including one incident where an employee unfortunately was killed after being struck by a forklift while they were sweeping. OSHA cited Red River Commodities for at least eight violations committed in 2018.

Read more from original source.

August 25, 2020

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Massachusetts Industrial Accident Injures Employee

Amesbury, MA- Firefighters responded to a concrete plant in Amesbury, Massachusetts last Monday afternoon after receiving a report that one of the workers was critically hurt in an industrial accident, according to Amesbury Fire. The plant, E.F. Shea, has been in operation for 75 years and is a manufacturer of precast concrete products.

At about 2 pm, fire personnel arrived at the scene and worked to extricate the injured man from a walkway that was 15-20 ft high.The fire department said removing the worker from the height was difficult because firefighters firstly needed to stabilize him.

The man sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital to receive treatment. Amesbury Fire said an investigation has been opened by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). No other details are available from OSHA nor local reporting at press time.

As many workers over the last weeks have begun to return to work in the time of COVID-19, Martin Technical encourages all forms of safety and prevention to be taken seriously, whether it is an injury or an illness.

Read more from original source.

August 19, 2020

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OSHA Fines Las Vegas Contractors amid COVID-19 Outbreak

Las Vegas, NV- Mortenson-McCarthy, a joint venture between M.A. Mortenson Co. and McCarthy Building Cos. is building the 65,000-seat stadium to host games of the Raiders and University of Nevada Las Vegas football teams, with games beginning this August.

The joint venture in charge of construction at the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium is facing a fine for a “serious” but unnamed violation by Nevada regulators, levied on June 23rd, 2020.

The amount of the fine, $13,494, is the maximum penalty for a serious OSHA violation. Repeat violators can face a fine of $134,937 for each violation.

A report from OSHA provided details of the violation, detailing two incidents regarding lack of social distancing amid strict coronavirus protocols put in place by the state of Nevada. The report included 35 photos capturing instances in which people were working in close proximity to each other. There were reported to be some 2,600 workers on the job.

On April 2nd, OSHA noted employees at the site were not abiding by the 6-feet minimum social distancing requirement, noting that two 65-foot boom lifts were operating, each of which had three men per basket in violation of the two-person-per-basket regulation.

Additionally, 30 employees were seen working in very close proximity doing concrete-related work, possibly laying rebar, in one corner of the work site. Mortenson-McCarthy has since reported dozens of stadium workers have been infected with COVID-19.

Does this OSHA fine come as a shock or surprise to you or your company? What is your group of workers doing to stay safe and healthy during COVID-19? Martin Technical provides safe, reliable, and approved products sourced by our PPE experts.

Read more from original source.

August 6, 2020

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OSHA Fines AL Hardwood Business after Worker Death

Selma, AL- Miller & Co. Inc. is facing $218,192 in OSHA penalties for failing to protect their employees from struck-by hazards and improper machine guarding after a worker was injured, resulting in their death.

Founded in 1923, Miller & Co. Inc. is an Alabama-based hardwood business producing lumber and flooring. A piece of wood fatally struck a worker who was attempting to clear a jammed machine, which then prompted an investigation.

OSHA cited Miller & Co. Inc. for failing to lockout equipment prior to beginning maintenance, ensuring machines were properly guarded and training employees on lockout/tagout procedures. Specifically, OSHA cited Miller & Co. Inc. with the following two citations: Willful – 29 CFR 1910.147 (c)(4)(i) and Serious – 29 CFR 1910.147 (c)(7)(i).

Jose Gonzalez, Mobile, Ala. area director, said in a statement, “Employers are required to identify safety hazards, implement safety measures and train workers on the proper use of safety equipment. Tragedies such as this can be prevented if employers comply with workplace standards, as required by law.”

Martin Technical extends our sympathy towards the family and circle of the worker that lost his life to this accident. Reflecting on the statement above, tragedies can and should be prevented- which is why our mission to improve workforce safety is driven by people who care about the greater good.

Read more from original source.

July 14, 2020

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MO Contractor Fined $224K after Trench Collapse, Employee Injury

Creve Coeur, MO- OSHA cited a Missouri contractor for violations of trenching and excavation standards after an employee suffered severe injuries when a 20-foot trench collapsed during an excavation at Creve Coeur Sanitary Sewer Trunk.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Unnerstall Contracting Company LLC, based in Pacific, Missouri, for three willful and four serious violations. The penalties amounted to $224,459.

The company was cited for failing to use adequate trench protective systems, permitting employees to ride in the bucket of hydraulic excavators, allowing water to accumulate in the floor of the trench, failing to provide a safe means of egress from the trench, failing to protect workers from struck-by hazards, and failing to place excavated soil piles an adequate distance from trench edges.

OSHA has since placed the company in the agency’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the OSHA citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

These penalties and citations embody a number of safety topics and issues, some of which could be prevented and resolved by proper management training.

Read more from original source.

July 7, 2020

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Produce Company Fined in Worker Death

McAllen, TX- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined $6,148 against Plateros Produce for the November poisoning death of a 32-year-old worker.

The worker, Luis Reymundo Pierda Martinez, passed away on Nov. 18 possibly due to the inhalation of aluminum phosphate and pesticide vapors, according to OSHA. The exact cause of Martinez’ death is pending toxicology tests.

The incident is reported saying the man was placing aluminum phosphate tablets and pesticide fumigators throughout the warehouse on Nov. 18. He then went to sleep at the warehouse and employees returning on Monday found him dead in the office.

The federal agency issued the two fines on May 14. OHSA fined Plateros Produce $4,048 for an initial penalty and $2,100 for a current penalty, according to the agency’s records. That being said, OSHA still categorizes this as pending, and is not closed.

Our thoughts are with Martinez’s family and loved ones. Tragic incidents like this remind us of the importance of education, training, and preventative safety measures companies and warehouses must take to save lives.

Read more from original source.

June 27, 2020

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