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Earlier this month, a construction accident in Dallas, Texas injured two workers after the construction workers fell about 70 feet from the roof and ledge of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. The men were reportedly performing maintenance on the roof when the accident occurred around 7am. Police say ice may have been a contributing factor.

Neither of the workers were safety harnesses as required by state and federal safety mandates. The workers spent nearly an hour stuck on the roof before rescue crews were able to bring them down using ladders and rappelling equipment. One worker who suffered a broken leg, chest injuries, and potential traumatic brain injury (TBI) was taken to a local trauma center. The other worker suffered back injuries and was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

The construction accident remains under investigation by police and officials from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

Source: 2 workers injured after fall from Dallas Cowboys Stadium roof, JusticeNewsFlash.com, December 4, 2009 Continue reading

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Earlier this week, two men sustained injuries after being temporarily pinned between two vehicles at a construction site in downtown San Diego. According to the city’s Fire-Rescue Department, the accident was reported around 12:20pm.

Apparently the two men were perched atop the tailgate of a truck eating lunch when a car backed up, hitting the vehicle parked in front of the truck and pushing the truck into the other vehicle. Construction crews noticed the accident and worked quickly to push the vehicles apart.

The motor vehicle accident victims, ages 25 and 35 years, were found lying on the ground when rescue crews arrived at the scene. They were both taken to a local hospital and their names have not been released.

Source: Two injured in accident by construction site, SignonSanDiego.com, December 8, 2009 Continue reading

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Last month, a construction accident in Staten Island, New York killed a 53-year-old construction worker. He was standing behind a white Mack dump truck when it crushed him, first with the rear and then with the front tires. Police said the construction worker was out of view of either mirror.

Emergency response crews tried to revive the injured worker before taking him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. There were no charges filed, and the police called the incident a tragic accident.

The fatal construction accident occurred before 2:30pm in the afternoon. Police closed the southbound lanes of Richmond Avenue for accident investigation.

Source: 53-year-old worker dies in New Springville construction accident, SILive.com, November 20, 2009 Continue reading

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A Plainville, Massachusetts manufacturer and packager of medical equipment has received two citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) following a machinery accident. A worker’s finger was pinched by a heat seal bar used to seal plastic bags, and the worker lost the tip of that finger as a result.

When inspectors investigated the plant, they identified three packaging machines that lacked required safeguards to prevent such accidents, exposing workers to amputation and laceration injuries. As a result, OSHA has issued one willful citation for the lack of machine guarding. That citation has a proposed fine of $56,000. In addition, the company received two serious citations for not providing a hazard communication program and training for employees working with hazardous chemicals in the workplace. Those citations carry $2,100 in proposed fines.

The company faces $58,100 in total proposed fines.

Source: OSHA cites Mass. manufacturer after amputation accident, ReliablePlant.com, December 2, 2009 Continue reading

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The Boston Globe reports that a construction worker was pronounced dead yesterday at the scene of an accident on Route 3 in Chelmsford. A driver hit two men at a cleanup site along the northbound lanes. The workmen were part of a crew cleaning up a fuel spill that occurred last week.

In addition to one fatality, another worker was seriously injured and the driver suffered serious injuries in the auto accident. The worker was taken by medical helicopter to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and the driver was transported to Lahey Clinic in Burlington. In order for the medical helicopter to land, authorities closed the road in both directions. They reopened the southbound lanes at 11:15am.

The names of the car accident victims were not released by Massachusetts police.

Source: One killed in crash on Route 3 in Chelmsford, Boston Globe, December 1, 2009 Continue reading

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Last Tuesday morning, an accident involving a gravel truck killed a 54-year-old construction worker. Police say the worker died at the scene of the construction accident after the gravel truck accidentally drove over him.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the fatal accident.

In addition to motor vehicle accidents, construction workers face a number of other hazards on the job, including crane collapses, welding accidents, on-site explosions, fires, defective construction tools, and electrical shock. These types of accidents can result in serious injuries such as brain damage, spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, and severed limbs.

Sources: Fatal accident at Enbridge oil site north of Crookston: Driver, victim identified, Crookston Daily News, November 25, 2009
One killed in construction accident north of Crookston, Osakis Review, November 25, 2009 Continue reading

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The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that New England recorded fewer work-related deaths last year. They attribute this trend partly to the recession. Final statistics will be released in April, but preliminary data for Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire showed only 136 workplace deaths in 2008, as opposed to 163 in 2007.

In Massachusetts, 61 workers died last year compared to 75 the previous year. Forty-five of those workplace fatalities were white, non-Hispanics. Thirty percent of those deaths were transportation accidents. Falls were the cause of death behind fifteen of those fatalities and ten workers died as a result of exposure to harmful substances or environment. Eight workers died as a result of violent assaults or self-inflicted injuries.

The majority of workers killed in New England last year were men between the ages of 25 and 64. For the purposes of this report, workers must have been engaged in a legal work activity or present as a requirement of this job. The report does not include deaths that occur while commuting.

Source: Feds Report Fewer Workplace Deaths in New England, InsuranceJournal.com, November 23, 2009 Continue reading

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A Massachusetts contractor has received several citations from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration for alleged repeat and serious violations of excavation safety standards. An OSHA inspector watched as three employees worked in an unprotected trench in Boston.

The trench was nearly 6 feet deep and was not sloped at a shallow angle or otherwise protected against a potential collapse of its sidewalls. According to OSHA standards, all trenches and excavations five feet or deeper must be protected against collapse.

As a result, OSHA has proposed $33,700 in total fines. $28,000 of that is a repeat citation due to a similar hazard in the past. Another $5,700 in fines is two serious citations for not having a ladder or other safe means to exit the trench and not having the trench inspected by a competent person. The contractor has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, contest the findings, or participate in an informal conference.

Source: Cave-In Hazard Leads to $33,700 in OSHA Fines for Hyde Park, Mass., Contractor, EHSToday.com, November 18, 2009 Continue reading

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A construction accident at a performing arts center killed one construction worker and seriously injured another earlier this month. The fatal construction accident occurred at the site of the future Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas.

According to police, a 35-year-old worker died, and a 30-year-old worker was in serious but stable condition after the lift carrying the two tipped over. They were about 50 feet off the ground at the time fo the accident, and construction was temporarily halted following the incident.

Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are looking into what caused the lift to tip over and whether proper safety protocol was followed.

Source: Fatal construction accident at arts center is under investigation, Kansas City Star, November 11, 2009 Continue reading

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A New England contractor with worksites in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, was recently cited by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and faces a total of $308,500 in new proposed fines.

Two recent inspections of the company’s worksites in Methuen and Plymouth uncovered numerous hazards, including untrained fork truck operators, lack of fall protection for workers at heights greater than six feet, improperly constructed and uninspected scaffolds, and a lack of fire extinguishers.

Since 2003, OSHA has cited this company eight times. This time, OSHA issued the company one willful, six repeat, and 13 serious citations. According to OSHA, a willful violation occurs when the violation is committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health. A serious citation results when death or a serious accident is likely to result from safety hazards which the employer knew or should have known about.

Safety: Fall Hazards at Massachusetts Sites Net $308,500 in OSHA Fines, OHSonline.com, November 7, 2009 Continue reading

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