Worker Death at Paper Mill in New York

Yet another avoidable death. Because of the lack of taking the proper precautions in machine guarding a man was caught and crushed in a paper rolling machine. Proper machine guards are absolutely crucial in protecting workers from accidental death or dismemberment. OSHA doesn't just make up these rules for nothing; it's for worker safety - it saves lives!

Check out an awesome Machine Guarding safety training video from Wumbus Corporation!

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Niagara Falls, NY, paper mill after worker death

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Norampac Industries Inc. repeat and serious safety violations following the May 12 death of a worker at its Niagara Falls, N.Y., paper mill. The worker was crushed when he became caught between a fixed metal barrier and a large paper roll that was moving on a conveyor.

"Our inspection found that the area where the moving paper roll and the barrier intersected lacked guarding to prevent employees from being caught between the two objects," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "Proper and effective machine guarding is essential to protecting workers against serious injury or death."

OSHA also identified other hazardous conditions that were not related to the fatality. These included lack of eye and face protection for workers performing voltage testing on live electrical circuits; unmarked and painted-over electrical disconnects; and not ensuring that confined space entry supervisors could verify that rescue services were available and able to be contacted in the event of a confined space emergency.

As a result of its inspection, OSHA issued the company two repeat citations with $70,000 in proposed fines for lacking machine guarding and eye and face protection. The repeat citations stem from violations found in 2009 for similar hazards at the company's Thompson, Conn., manufacturing plant.

Two serious citations with $5,000 in fines were issued for the remaining items. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known.

"One means of eliminating hazards such as these is for employers to establish an illness and injury prevention program in which workers and management jointly work to identify and eliminate hazardous conditions on a continual basis," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.

Equistar Chemicals Fined for Safety Violations After Fire

US Labor Department's OSHA fines Equistar Chemicals in Tuscola, Ill., $81,900 for safety violations following fire

TUSCOLA, Ill. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Equistar Chemicals LP in Tuscola one willful and three serious safety citations following an explosion and fire at the plant on March 22. The willful citation is for failing to ensure a safe haven for workers in the company's alcohol unit in the event of a fire or explosion. Proposed penalties total $81,900.

"It is imperative that all manufacturers, especially those producing hazardous products, ensure all possible safety precautions are implemented in the workplace," said OSHA Area Director Nick Walters in Peoria, Ill. "This employer failed to implement safety recommendations that would do just that."

Equistar, a wholly owned subsidiary of LyondellBasell Industries, produces gaseous organic compounds such as ethylene, propylene and polyethylene used in manufacturing various products. OSHA conducted a process hazard analysis at the plant in January 2002 and recommended the company provide a safe haven for alcohol unit operators. Equistar was issued the recent willful citation and a $63,000 penalty for failing to implement the 2002 recommendation in a timely manner and to communicate that safety recommendation to its employees. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Equistar was issued serious citations for failing to document that equipment is in compliance with good engineering practices; ensure and document that plant equipment is designed, maintained, inspected, tested and operated in a safe manner; and inspect and test equipment in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Those fines carry a combined penalty of $18,900. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.

Reposted from OSHA's website

HazCom Training can be found from Wumbus Corporation, check it out!

Didn't They Learn the First Time?

Does it take a workplace injury or death in order to comply with OSHA regulations on health and safety in the workplace? We hope not, but apparently for this company, it does take a huge fine. After an OSHA inspection in 2009, this paper recycling company failed to comply with the needed corrections in order to properly protect their employees. Hazards present in this workplace include hazardous chemicals in addition to situations calling for the use for personal protective equipment. The company failed to provide and train for personal protective equipment and to communicate and train for the hazards associated with the chemicals used. Now they're definitely paying the price...

Avoid OSHA violations, workplace hazards and workplace-related injury or death with the proper (and affordable!) safety training from Wumbus Corporation!

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Atlanta paper recycler with $48,000 in proposed fines for failing to correct previous workplace hazards

ATLANTA - Nexus Pulp and Paper has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration with $48,000 in proposed penalties for allegedly failing to correct workplace health hazards at their Atlanta facility.

During an inspection in May, an OSHA compliance officer found the company had not made corrections to violations uncovered during a 2009 inspection of the location. These failure-to-abate violations include failing to develop a written personal protective equipment hazard assessment to determine the protection needed by workers for each job and failing to provide employees with training in how to use personal protective equipment.

Employees were exposed to chemicals without access to material safety data sheets with information on those chemicals, a written hazard communication program warning them concerning their exposure to chemicals and training on the hazards of the chemicals used in their work areas.

"OSHA will not accept or tolerate an employer's failure to correct conditions that threaten workers' health," said Andre Richards, director of OSHA's Atlanta-West Area Office.

Nexus Pulp and Paper is a paper recycler located in northwest Atlanta.

OSHA Investigates Accident that Killed Construction Worker

Another accident, another OSHA investigation... These accidents can be avoided with the proper safety training and safety awareness. The construction worker was backed over by a truck at night which means there wasn't enough or proper lighting, the driver wasn't properly trained for backing trucks (or wasn't paying attention) or the construction worker wasn't properly trained to avoid being behind the truck. Compared to a hefty OSHA fine in addition to workers death compensation, safety training is a steal! Check out awesome safety programs and deals from Wumbus Corporation!

OSHA investigating accident that killed construction worker

FAIRFIELD TWP. — An accident that killed a construction worker at Bypass Ohio 4 Friday, Sept. 24, is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Officials were on site Saturday investigating the J.R. Jurgensen Co., said Barb Marcum, assistant director of the Cincinnati office of OSHA.

Terry D. Garrison, 38, of West Union, was pronounced dead at the scene after a dump truck backed over him around 10 p.m., said Fairfield Twp. Police Chief Richard St. John.

“Obviously it was night work and we’re probably be looking into that aspect of it,” Marcum said.

The accident occurred about 150 feet north of Hamilton-Mason Road on the northbound side of the bypass in a construction area beyond a concrete barrier off the roadway. Construction work was halted Friday night at the accident site, where a red tarp was draped across two Fairfield Twp. fire engines to block the scene from motorists’ view.

Nearly 150 fatal workplace accidents in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin were reported to the OSHA since Oct. 1 of last year.

Accidents similar to this particular case are not common, Marcum said.

The Hamilton-Mason Road intersection will become the site of the state’s first superstreet — a design configuration that eliminates left turns and is expected to ease congestion and limit accidents — which is costing $5.1 million to build, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The project received federal stimulus funding.

Reposted from JournalNews

Another Workplace Fatality...

COLUMBUS -- A Pataskala man died early Tuesday morning when his work van pinned him against a utility box.

The accident occurred at 2280 South Hamilton Road, about one-quarter mile south of Groves Road.

Columbus paramedics pronounced Bryan R. Green, 52, of Pataskala, dead at the scene at 7:45 a.m., said Det. Patrick Dorn, of the Columbus Division of Police.

A passerby saw Green pinned between the van and the utility box at 7:35 a.m. and called 911.

Investigators believe Green, who worked for AT&T, pulled his work van into a grassy area to work on the utility box. He turned his headlights on to illuminate the box, but it "looked like he forgot to put the van into park," Dorn said.

Green was working alone, and Dorn said there were no witnesses to the accident.

Johnathan Bowman, an employee at a nearby gas station, was the passerby who called 911.

"There was just a little bit of a humming noise, so I thought that maybe he got electrocuted," Bowman said. "I didn't want to get too close when I heard the humming."

Investigators, including those with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, were working Tuesday to determine more about what happened.

The Franklin County Coroner has scheduled an autopsy for Wednesday, and investigators should have a preliminary cause of death afterward, Dorn said.

Green's family on Tuesday declined to comment.

AT&T, meanwhile, released the following statement, "Our hearts and sympathy go out to the employee's family, friends, and co-workers. We will work with his family to assist them as best we can through this tragedy and are making on-site counseling available for the employee's co-workers. We will work with law enforcement to assist as they investigate."

WBNS-10TV contributed to this story.

Five Common Workplace Injuries

Safety training is always beneficial to every worker in every job situation. Here are some common workplace injuries to be aware of, so that you can prevent them from occurring.

1. SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS
-Accounts for almost 1/3 of all workplace accidents
Due to:
-wet floor
-obstruction
-damaged flooring

2. BACK INJURIES
Due to manual handling:
-lifting
-lowering
-pushing
-pulling
-carrying
-moving

3. FALLING FROM OR STRUCK BY VEHICLES
-Vehicles can range from a car or truck to a utility cart to a forklift
Common accidents:
-Hit by object falling off vehicle
-Hit by vehicle
-Vehicles overturning due to overloading
-Falling off of a vehicle

4. ELECTRIC SHOCK
-Potentially fatal
-Minor to severe burns possible

5. OTHER POTENTIAL CAUSES
-Hazardous chemicals
-Fire and water
-Machinery

Other valuable safety training topics, as well as full screen online safety video streaming, can be found from Wumbus Corporation.

Workplace Accident Under Investigation by OSHA

Even in so-called "non-risky" occupations, hazards still exist. You can still be injured by unsecured items falling, slipping or tripping, and the list goes on. Properly secure all items that can shift, such as heavy furniture, and take the proper precautions when lifting or reaching for items on a high shelf. Don't be another statistic.

From Wumbus Corporation:

Slips, Trips and Falls Safety Video

Safety Guidelines for Every Employee

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WPRI) - Firefighters called in federal investigators after a reported workplace accident in Pawtucket Thursday morning.

Crews were called to Neu Solutions on Montgomery St. around 9 a.m. for reports of a man with a severe laceration to the neck.

According to investigators, an employee was hurt when a shelving unit fell on him.

Emergency crews rushed the victim, who investigators are not yet identifying, to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition as of Thursday afternoon.

Around 9:13 a.m., fire officials requested that investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration be called in. Shortly after that, crime scene tape surrounded the business which, according to its website, provides companies with facility management services.

Reposted from WPRI.com

Written by Nancy Krause, Copyright WPRI 12