incident Archives - Martin Technical

Water Facility Cited for Fall Injury

PEWAUKEE, WI – A water facility has been cited for a fall injury in the Milwaukee area. A worker was injured in 2020. A guardrail was loosened. The worker then fell and struck his head on a support beam. The accident occurred in a nearly 30-foot deep water test pit.

The water facility cited for the fall injury is Xylem Inc. In OSHA’s press release they explain the company is being cited for nine violations. Eight of the violations are serious, and one willful. The penalties for these violations total $234,054. Over half that amount is due to the willful violation. That violation is for failure to provide fall protection.

Most the remainder of the penalties are made up by confined space safety violations. Xylem is being cited as failing to follow permit-required procedures before entering the water test pits.

The OSHA Area Director stated, “This worker’s injury could have been prevented if appropriate fall protection was provided.”

Xylem Inc. is a water company specializing in wastewater and energy. Xylem employs over 1,600 workers in the US. 57 of these are at their Pewaukee water facility that is cited for the fall injury.

The company has 15 business days from receipt to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings.

Martin Technical provides training in both fall protection and confined spaces safety. These trainings prevent accidents such as this one, and the citations that can follow.

May 6, 2021

Company Cited for Workplace Death

CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – A company has been cited for a workplace death in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Berry Global, a plastic fabrication company, has been issued $40,959 in fines regarding the death of one of its employees due to an accident at their plant.

The accident occurred October 5th 2020. According to local news the 54-year-old man received a laceration to the head when he was struck by a piece of machinery. Police reviewed a video of the incident and determined it was an accident.

As of press time, OSHA’s inspection report for the case cites as all violations Lockout/Tagout. Martin Technical offers Lockout Tagout services to prevent accidents such as these.

April 22, 2021

Industrial Accident Lockout Tagout & Hazardous Energy OSHA Violations Workplace Safety Comments are closed Kate Christofferson

Nevada OSHA Investigates Death of Quarry Worker

Henderson, NV – The Nevada Occupational Safety and Hazard Association (Nevada OSHA) is investigating the death of Harry Kenneth Peterson III, as reported by The Las Vegas Review Journal. Last week, the fire department was called to a rock quarry described as the Viento Puntero Pit.

Fire Department Chief, Shawn White, reported what he was told by emergency crews. Crews were informed that Peterson had been helping others move a rock crushing machine to another area of the work site.

When part of the machine was apparently jammed, Peterson tried to fix it and was caught in the machine. Rescue workers said it was not clear how he became stuck. White reported Peterson had head and chest injuries. When rescue crews arrived, Peterson had already been removed from the machine.

When emergency crews arrived, Peterson was breathing and transported to to Sunrise Trauma. On Friday, Peterson succumbed to his injuries at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

The death has been ruled an accident. The Fire Department has contacted Nevada OSHA to investigate the work site death. A related police report was released Wednesday. It did not contain details about the incident, except that it did not appear to be a result of a criminal act.

Nevada OSHA’s spokeswoman, Teri Williams, described Peterson’s employer as Las Vegas Paving Corp. The company lists their services on its website, including: asphalt placing, aggregate crushing & material supply, Design-Build. James Barker acts as Las Vegas Paving Corp’s general counsel. He did not comment out of respect for the family and because of the ongoing investigation.

Martin Technical encourages employers to conduct thorough training in all necessary regulations to prevent accidents such as these. Lockout Procedure Development and Lockout Tagout Training are a critical part of any industrial safety program.

February 11, 2021

Industrial Accident Training Comments are closed Kate Christofferson

Nitrogen Leak Kills Six, Injures 11 in Poultry Plant Accident

Gainesville, FL – On January 28th a deadly nitrogen leak took the lives of six workers at Foundation Food Group poultry plant located in Gainesville, Florida. The leak occurred during unplanned maintenance on a processing and freezing line. The line was installed about a month prior, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board’s report on January 30th.

In addition to the six dead in the nitrogen leak, there were 11 injuries, one more individual was sent to the hospital, and 130 other workers were forced to evacuate. Katherine A. Lemos, CEO & chairwoman of the CSB stated the investigation “…may take up to several years.” New information is still coming forward, and will continue to do so as Lemos suggests.

What We Know Currently

In the CSB’s report from January 30th, it was detailed that there was a release of liquid nitrogen. This rapidly converted to a gas. Because the gas form of liquid nitrogen is heavier than air, it forced the oxygen out the room.

How the liquid nitrogen was released was not detailed. The CSB is currently working to isolate the exact location of release inside the plant. Additional damage to the plant was avoided when a manger turned off an external isolation valve after the leak began.

Other details noted in the report included: Tools were found on the ground near the equipment. The plant receives 2-3 18-wheel truckloads per day of liquid nitrogen. Manufacturers of interior equipment are being looked into, and the supplier of liquid nitrogen was noted in the report.

Going Forward

The CSB lacks the authority to issue fines or criminal charges. However, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating the leak. The CSB has noted its investigations will include examinations and evaluations of multiple factors. The will include training as well as operations and procedures. Martin Technical encourages all industries and professionals to keep all employees up to date on training, as well as safety procedures and operations such as Lockout Tagout. Keep your team informed on all regulations and industry standards to prevent accidents such as these.

Read more coverage from NPR, New York Times, and USA Today

February 4, 2021

Industrial Accident Training Comments are closed Kate Christofferson

Worker Dies at Sewage Plant connected to Niagara River

Buffalo, NY- The body of a Buffalo Sewer Authority contractor whom fell down a well leading into the Niagara River was recovered last week in upstate New York.

The well at the city’s water treatment plant is 15 feet deep, and extends to feed into the Niagara River. The man was not wearing a life vest nor was he tethered or anchored to anything.

The Buffalo Police Department stated that its underwater rescue and recovery team was responding to a water rescue call near the foot of Ferry & Bird Island in Buffalo. The victim’s body ultimately recovered on Bird Island.

“Once he fell into this confined space, it’s a very intricate intake system that meanders into a lot of different areas, so it’s a very difficult process to find out exactly where he could’ve been. There was a hope that he could’ve gotten snagged on something as soon as he fell into the well, but unfortunately that doesn’t appear to be the case.” Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo stated.

Confined space training and confined space rescue training lower the risk of accidents becoming tragedies.

Police said the investigation is considered an incident, it was not noted at this time if OSHA is involved yet.

Originally sourced from people.com

October 27, 2020

Uncategorized Comments are closed admin

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

Uncategorized Comments are closed admin

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

Industrial Accident OSHA Violations Uncategorized Comments are closed admin

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.

August 19, 2020

Industrial Accident OSHA Violations Comments are closed admin

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.

June 27, 2020

Industrial Accident OSHA Violations Uncategorized Comments are closed admin

Electrocution Death in NY Aluminum Factory

Scriba, NY — Peter Clark Jr., 54, of Tully, who died while working at the Novelis Inc. aluminum factory in Oswego County on the morning of May 15th, appears to have been accidentally electrocuted, according to local deputies.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after being electrocuted while working as a contractor at the Scriba factory, said the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office. The deadly accident is being investigated by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), Ridley Electric, and the Novelis plant all together, as parts of the accident remain unclear and risks and causes are not yet publicized.

The Novelis plant in Oswego County is the county’s largest manufacturer and employs over 1,100 people. Within the 1.7-million-square-foot facility, workers make rolled aluminum that is used in vehicle body panels for automakers like Ford.

While details of the aluminum factory accident remain unclear, electrocution can be caused by a number of risks and inefficiencies.

June 4, 2020

Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Uncategorized Comments are closed admin