Chicago Archives - Martin Technical

Martin Technical to Speak at ASSP Safety 2022 Conference June 27-29, 2022 in Chicago, IL.

LOUISVILLE, CO- June 16, 2022

Martin Technical, Inc., a leading subject matter expert in providing industrial plants and facilities with simplified safety solutions and consulting services, will be exhibiting at the ASSP Safety 2022 Conference June 27-29, 2022, in Chicago, IL. Industry experts will be present to educate facility professionals on how Martin Technical can make hazardous situations safer by applying solutions for training, electrical maintenance, inspections, lockout tagout, confined space, and OSHA services.

Martin Technical will be highlighting the latest, most comprehensive, and practical safety training offerings including blended learning training, virtual reality training, and strategies to guide organizations in building the most robust training program.

Martin Technical will have members of their team presenting on numerous topics including confined space virtual reality presentation, on-site safety compliance training program, and arc flash engineering program. These topics will be presented during ASSP’s safety flash session showcase on Wednesday June, 28^th between 9 A.M. and 2 P.M.

Martin Technical is encouraging workplace safety professionals to visit Martin Technical at booth #1738 during the conference.

Register for ASSP Safety 2022

Contact the team at Martin Technical for more information:

+1 866-234-6890

https://MartinTechnical.com/

Sales@MarTechnical.com

June 16, 2022

Workplace Safety Comments are closed admin

Arc Flash Hospitalizes 3 Chicago Transit Workers

Chicago, IL – An electrical arc flash blew the panel off a transformer in downtown Chicago last week, injuring three Chicago Transit Authority maintenance workers and leaving hundreds in the area without power.

The arc flash relayed to a transformer, sparking a flash fire at an electrical substation near the intersection of North State and East Lake streets. Three workers were injured. Two were in critical condition with serious burns, and a third worker was also taken to the hospital but in good condition.

Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford said the fire took place at a Chicago Transit Authority substation powered by ComEd. ComEd reported that the accident caused an issue with a circuit breaker, which left approximately 500 customers in the area without power.

An Arc Flash is an electrical explosion caused by a fault condition or short circuit when either a phase to ground or phase to phase conductor is connected and current flows through the air. Arc flashes cause electrical equipment to explode, which often result in injury to workers and destruction of electrical equipment.

In an arc flash, temperatures may exceed 35,000° F (for reference, the surface of the sun is estimated to be 9000° F). This discharge of extremely high temperature causes rapid heating of surrounding air and extreme pressures, creating an arc blast. The arc flash and blast usually vaporize all solid copper conductors which expand up to 67,000 times their original volume when vaporized. The arc flash and blast produce fire, intense light, pressure waves and flying shrapnel.

A variety of things can trigger an Arc Flash, but most are preventable and can be traced back to human error. Many arc flashes occur when maintenance workers are manipulating live equipment for testing or repair and accidentally cause a fault or short circuit. Improper tools, improper electrical equipment, corrosion of equipment, improper work techniques, and/or a lack of electrical safety training are some of the failures that can lead to a devastating arc flash or arc blast.

When an arc flash happens, it does so without warning and is lightning quick. The result of this violent event is usually destruction of the equipment involved, fire, and severe injury or death to any nearby people. Proper safety and protection measures must be taken to limit the damage from an arc flash which include conducting an arc flash study, short circuit study, and NFPA 70E electrical safety training.

Contact a member of the Martin Technical Electrical Safety & Training staff today to learn how to protect your workers and your business from the risks of Arc Flash.

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May 17, 2018

Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Comments are closed admin

Numerous Employee Injuries Lead to $.5M in Fines

Chicago, IL – OSHA is investigating a Bway facility in Chicago for multiple reports of employee injuries on the job. Federal agents received four separate reports of injured workers at the container manufacturer. Bway has been placed on the Severe Violator list and faces more than $500,000 in fines following an investigation of injuries which included three amputations and one worker who had two bones broken in his hand after it was crushed by a piece of equipment.

Bway was cited for five repeated violations and five serious violations. This indicates that the company had received similar violations in the past five years, and that the violations could have caused death or serious harm.

OSHA reports that in the past five years 15 workers have suffered injuries that resulted in amputation in the course of their work at Bway’s Chicago facility. Bway has been repeatedly cited for failing to disable and de-energize machines and failing to train workers on how to safely lockout machinery. OSHA has inspected Bway facilities 32 times in the last five years, and they received citations in 18 of those inspections.

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October 3, 2017

Lockout Failure Results in Amputation at Chicago-area Poultry Facility

Chicago, IL – OSHA has proposed penalties of $52,500 against Aspen Foods, Inc after a worker lost part of his finger in a machine. The employee lost part of his right middle finger while clearing a paper jam on a machine that lacked adequate safety guards. The northwest suburban Chicago-area poultry processing facility is based in Park Ridge and provides food service, retail and quick-serve chicken products.

OSHA inspectors found the machine lacked adequate safety guards to protect workers from dangerous moving parts by using locking devices to prevent operation while clearing the paper jam, known as lockout/tagout procedures. OSHA also issued four serious violations to Koch Foods Inc. which does business as Aspen Foods.

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October 17, 2015

Industrial Accident Lockout Tagout & Hazardous Energy Machine Safety OSHA Violations Comments are closed admin

Chicago Dryer Co Fined for Safety Violations

Chicago, IL – A Chicago-based manufacturer of industrial dryers is facing $171,000 in fines after an OSHA inspection revealed “multiple serious violations.” At Chicago Dryer Co., investigators found that operators were endangered by unguarded press brakes, earning the company a citation for a willful violation (defined as one that is committed with informed disregard for the law or indifference to employee safety).

“When a press brake lacks safety features, one slip and a worker can lose a hand,” Angeline Loftus, area director of OSHA’s Chicago North Area Office in Des Plaines, explained in the April 13, 2015 press release.

Twenty additional serious violations were cited as well, bringing the total to 21. Investigators reported damaged crane slings (some carrying 3,000-pound cylinders) and industrial machines were still being used at Chicago Dryer, railings were not installed on open stairs, and exit routes were blocked and exit doors were locked. Agency inspectors also found that there were electrical safety hazards and training concerns.

The OSHA inspection of Chicago Dryer was carried out after an employee filed a complaint.

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April 29, 2015

Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Lockout Tagout & Hazardous Energy Machine Safety OSHA Violations Comments are closed admin