Category: Uncategorized

Worker killed in fall from height

Florida, USA

A 50-year-old construction worker was killed last Friday morning after falling from a high-rise construction site in South Beach, Miami. The man was working on the construction site when he fell from scaffolding approximately 3 storeys to the ground below. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died a short time later.

A nearby resident reportedly filmed workers at the site the day before the incident working at heights without the use of fall protection equipment. A copy of the video can be found here:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article126493994.html

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Kentucky, USA

A 47-year-old construction worker has died following a fall from height incident at a construction site at the University of Kentucky on Friday. The man was performing roofing work at the site when he slipped and fell approximately 9m (30ft). He sustained traumatic head injuries in the fall and was found in an unresponsive state by emergency services. The man was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead shortly after arrival. Local police have claimed that no safety harnesses were being used at the time of the incident.

---

Worker crushed to death in forklift incident

Ontario, Canada

A 49-year-old worker was killed last Friday at a warehouse in Vaughan, north or Toronto, after becoming pinned under a falling load. Local authorities claim that the man was working by himself in a remote section of the warehouse when several pallets of product fell and struck him. Although the exact circumstances of the incident are not as yet known, authorities have suggested that a forklift being used at the time may have tipped, resulting in the falling load. The causative factors of the incident are currently being investigated by authorities. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

---

Teen worker killed at oil & gas site

West Virginia, USA

A 19-year-old worker has died following an incident at an oil and gas site near Middlebourne last Thursday morning. Local police have claimed that the man was struck by a reversing truck at the site before being pinned by the vehicle against a silo. The man sustained critical crush injuries to his upper body and was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but later succumbed to his injuries.

---

Worker killed by falling branch

California, USA

A 41-year-old arborist was killed last Monday after being struck by a falling branch at a worksite Mount Shasta. A preliminary investigation indicates that the man was operating a tracked vehicle away from the main roadway when he was struck by a hazardous tree branch that was being removed from a nearby power line. The man allegedly sustained fatal head injuries at the site.

---

Interesting Article:

Medical Marijuana and the Workplace

http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/medical-marijuana-and-the-workplace-75794/

Company fined £2.2 million following workplace incident

http://www.shponline.co.uk/wilko-fined-2-2m-for-horrific-workplace-accident/

Teen worker killed in fall

Perth, Western Australia

A 17-year-old worker was killed in the early hours of last Thursday morning after falling from a building in Perth’s central business district. The young man was installing glass as part of a building refit when he fell approximately 12m from scaffolding. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died shortly after arrival.

---

12 Killed in mine collapse

Henan, China

Government authorities have confirmed that the deaths of 12 miners following a roof collapse in an underground mine in the central province of Henan last Wednesday. Workers were reportedly extending a section of piping in a pump room when a portion of the roofing collapsed, triggering a sudden release of gas. Up to 51 workers were in the mine at the time of the incident, although most managed to return to the surface uninjured.

---

Worker crushed under truck

Washington State, USA

A 28-year-old man has been killed in unfortunate circumstances at a food produce business north east of the Spokane International Airport. Authorities currently believe that the man was working near a moving vehicle when he slipped on a patch of icy ground and fell into the path of the moving vehicle. The man was declared dead at the scene after sustaining traumatic head injuries.

---

Engineer crushed to death at car manufacturing facility

Tamil Nadu, India

A 29-year-old mechanical engineer was killed instantly on Friday after becoming trapped in a hydraulic press at an automotive manufacturing facility south west of Chennai. According to local authorities, the man was a member of the maintenance department and was inspecting a  machine on the assembly line when the incident occurred.

---

Interesting Article:

1,240 Workers killed in work related incidents in Bangladesh in 2016

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1026546.shtml

---

Note from Administrator:

My sincerest apologies to regular readers for the absence of news articles throughout November and December last year. A major work project absorbed a substantial amount of my work time and personal time, and I was unable to give World Safety News the attention it deserves. On a positive note, the work has allowed me to continue to provide this service free of charge and without unnecessary advertising. I look forward to continuing this service throughout 2017 with minimal interruptions.

Kind regards

Ben

13 Miners killed, 20 missing in mining explosion

Chongqing, China

A massive gas explosion that ripped through an underground coal mine in central China on Monday has so far claimed the lives of thirteen workers whilst an additional twenty remain unaccounted for. As rescue and recovery efforts continue, authorities currently believe that the blast was caused by the ignition of a large pocket of gas, which had leaked from a coal seam due to a possible failure in the ventilation system.

China has an unfortunate history of similar disasters, although improvements to safety in recent years has seen a reduction in fatalities. Government officials have also recently announced plans to close more than 1,000 mines throughout the country due to safety concerns.

---

11 Dead and 59 wounded in explosion

Karachi, Pakistan

At least eleven people have been confirmed dead and a further fifty-nine have been injured following an explosion on Tuesday at a shipbreaking yard approximately 50km (30 miles) north west of Karachi. An unknown number of workers were aboard the oil tanker dismantling it for scrap metal when a gas cylinder exploded and started a fire on-board.

Naval firefighting equipment was called in to control the blaze, which remained burning for a considerable time. All of the injured workers received burns to their bodies, indicating that the deceased victims most likely died in the initial blast and subsequent fire.

---

Welder crushed in shipyard incident

Chittagong, Bangladesh

A 40-year-old worker was killed on Sunday at a shipyard along the Karnaphuli River, south of Chittagong, after being crushed under a boat. The man had been performing welding repairs to the boat when it overturned. Local officials have suggested that the pillars being used to hold the boat upright had failed, resulting in the boat overturning. The man was killed instantly in the incident.

---

4 Workers killed in trench collapse

Nairobi, Kenya

Construction on a sewage line has been halted after four workers were killed when a trench collapsed on them at a civil construction site near the town of Athi River, south east of Nairobi, on Monday. A group of six workers had entered the excavator dug trench to remove rubble with hand-tools when the trench collapsed on top of them.

Members of the public, along with other nearby workers, were able to rescue two of the workers prior to emergency services arriving on the scene. The remaining four workers could not be rescued and were declared dead at the scene.

---

Business owner crushed by toppling crane

Michigan, USA

A 55-year-old man was killed on Tuesday morning at a crane hire business near Fillmore Township, south of Holland. The man, understood to be the business owner, was using a mobile crane to lift a large piece of equipment from a truck when the crane toppled over pinning him inside the cabin. The man was operating the crane alone at the time of the incident, and was declared dead at the scene.

---

Construction worker killed in wall collapse

Ontario, Canada

Toronto police have confirmed the death of a 44-year-old construction worker who was killed in an industrial accident on Monday at a construction site east of Toronto. The man was excavating an area under a stairwell by hand when a large section of wall and stairway collapsed on top of him.

He sustained critical crush injuries in the incident and was treated at the scene by paramedics. He was then transported to a nearby trauma centre for further treatment, although the man succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

Worker killed in boom lift incident

Victoria, Australia

A 54-year-old boilermaker was killed on Wednesday afternoon at a commercial building site in Melbourne’s Southbank district in an incident believed to have involved a boom lift. Whilst details regarding the incident have not been forthcoming from government officials, it is believed that the man sustained fatal crush injuries whilst operating the boom lift. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker killed in truck unloading incident

Minnesota, USA

Authorities have confirmed the death of a worker who was killed on Tuesday morning at a business in Blaine, north of Minneapolis. According to the report, a man in his 20s was helping to unload large diameter plastic pipes from the back of a truck when one fell from the truck and struck him. The man was rushed to a nearby hospital with critical injuries but died a short time later.

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Sydney, Australia

A construction worker has died following a fall at a building site in Ryde, north west of Sydney, on Tuesday afternoon. Emergency crews were called to the site with reports that a man had fallen from a deck, sustaining critical chest injuries. The man was unresponsive and was declared dead at the scene.

---

1 Killed, 2 injured in scaffolding collapse

Florida, USA

One person has been killed and two others have sustained minor injuries after a scaffolding system from which they were working collapsed suddenly at a work site in Hollywood, north of Miami, on Monday. The three men had been contracted to paint a mural on the side of a building and were suspended approximately (40ft) from the ground when it is believed that scaffolding unit suffered a mechanical fault.

The two injured workers were left suspended on the side of the building until emergency service units were able to get them down. The deceased victim was also allegedly wearing a safety harness at the time of the incident, although investigators have not yet been able to determine how the man fell. The deceased victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

---

Worker killed in trench collapse

Georgia, USA

A construction worker died on Monday morning at a civil construction site in Carroll County in the state’s far west after becoming buried in a trench collapse.  The victim was working for an earthworks company and was performing works in the 2.4m (8ft) deep trench when it suddenly collapsed on top of him. Despite the efforts of rescue crews, the man was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker struck and killed by equipment

Alberta, Canada

A 47-year-old contractor was killed last Sunday at an oil drilling site in Fox Creek, approximately 260km (160 miles) west north west of Edmonton. According to local reports, a group of workers were operating a water pump at the site when the pump appeared to malfunction. As the workers approached the pump to investigate, a water hose broke free and struck one of the workers. The man was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transferred to a regional hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

---

2 Labourers killed in boiler explosion

Karachi, Pakistan

An explosion last Thursday night at an engineering company in an industrial precinct location has left two workers dead and another two workers with serious injuries. The deceased victims are believed to have been killed instantly when a boiler exploded at the site. Local reports claim that the two injured workers have since been released from hospital.

4 Killed on theme park ride

Queensland, Australia

Four people died on Tuesday afternoon when a ride malfunctioned at a theme park on the Gold Coast, approximately 55km (35 miles) south of Brisbane. The two men and two women, aged between 32 and 42, died at the scene when the tubular raft in which they were riding flipped on a conveyor system. Two people were ejected whilst the remaining two were trapped in the raft, with all four victims sustaining untreatable injuries.

Witness reports claim that the ride had experienced technical difficulties earlier in the day. It is the second major incident in the past six months after a man was ejected from another ride at the park and almost drowned.

---

Researcher killed in snowmobile incident

Antarctica

A 50-year-old glaciologist was killed on Saturday in a snowmobile incident on White Island, south of McMurdo Station. The man had been performing field work in the area with a group of scientists when his snowmobile fell into a 30m (100ft) deep crevasse. Although the circumstances surrounding the incident are as yet unknown, it is currently believed that the crevasse may have been difficult to see due to it being covered in snow.

---

Worker killed in fall down well

California, USA

A 27-year-old man has died following a fall from height incident at a residential construction site in Bel Air on Friday. The man was being lowered in a basket into a 15m (50ft) deep well when the basket became untethered. The man landed at the bottom of the well landing face down in water and debris. The man was declared dead at the scene.

---

Miner killed in trench collapse

Queensland, Australia

The body of a 62-year-old man was recovered on Saturday after being trapped in a trench collapse at an opal mine west of Longreach. It is alleged that the man had been working on his own in a trench when it collapsed on top of him, burying him alive. It is believed that heavy rainfalls in recent months may have caused ground swell, destabilising the ground, which may have resulted in the collapse of the trench. Emergency crews were required to dig through 2m of rubble by hand in order to recover the man’s body.

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Michigan, USA

A 62-year-old worker has died in a fall from height incident at a fruit storage facility north east of Grand Rapids on Saturday. The man had been changing light bulbs at the facility when the incident occurred. He had been standing inside an apple crate that had been lifted by forklift in order to reach the light fittings. The bottom of the wooden crate was rotted through and gave way. The crate then tipped forward ejecting the man onto the concrete floor 6m (20ft) below. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

2 Workers drown in underground work area

Massachusetts, USA

Two utilities workers were killed last Friday in a residential area south of Boston when the trench in which they were working suddenly flooded. The two men became trapped and were unable to escape the trench when a water main burst and rapidly filled their work area. Despite the frantic efforts of emergency crews, the men were not able to be saved. Their bodies were recovered several hours later.

2 Killed, 1 still missing in chemical plant explosion

Ludwigshafen, Germany

A massive explosion at a chemical manufacturing site in Ludwigshafen in western Germany has so far claimed the lives of two workers, whilst a third remains unaccounted for. Although investigators remain unclear as to the cause of Monday’s explosion, a company spokesperson has stated that a group of workers had been cutting and welding pipelines in the area of the blast for several days leading up to the incident.

One worker remains missing, presumed dead, whist, six workers remain in intensive care at a nearby hospital with significant burns injuries. A further 17 workers sustained minor injuries in the explosion.

The two deceased workers are believed to be members of the facility’s emergency response team.

---

2 Workers killed in separate incidents at the same workplace

Kentucky, USA

Two workers have been killed in separate incidents within the last week at an automotive parts manufacturing plant in Frankfort.

A 23-year-old engineer was killed on Monday afternoon after being electrocuted at the facility whilst working with a co-worker on an item of machinery. The other worker sustained non-fatal injuries in the incident. Local media has reported that the man was able to walk to the ambulance before being transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment and observation. He was released from hospital later on that day. The deceased victim is believed to have been declared dead at the scene.

The man’s death comes only days after a 35-year-old woman was critically injured in a crane related incident at the same premises last Thursday. The woman suffered a head injury in an undisclosed incident involving an overhead crane. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery, however she succumbed to her injuries in hospital on Sunday. A second worker was also injured in the incident. The unidentified person sustained shoulder injuries and was treated at a local hospital. The person has since been released.

---

3 Killed in construction collapse

Cebu, Philippines

Three workers have now been confirmed dead after the collapse of a wall last Friday at a warehouse construction site in Liloan, north east of Cebu City. A group of nine workers became trapped under rubble after a large section of brick wall collapsed on top of them. Officials investigating the incident have claimed that bad weather may have contributed to the incident by weakening the foundations of the wall.

The first victim, a 31-year-old man, was declared dead at the scene. A second man, aged 45, was recovered from the rubble and transported to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. The third worker, a 41-year-old man, died in hospital on Monday; three days after the incident.

Local officials have claimed that the project owner did not have a safety management plan or a safety officer, as is required under local labour laws. It has also been claimed that the project owner did not provide personal protective equipment for the workers, nor an approved scaffolding system.

---

Two killed in explosion

Ulsan, South Korea

Construction work has been halted indefinitely on an underground storage tank in Ulsan following an explosion last Friday that claimed the lives of two workers. A group of workers bad been replacing a crude oil pipe at the facility when the blast occurred. Four others were injured in the incident. Their conditions are currently unknown.

The incident comes only two days after a worker was killed in an explosion at a chemical plant in the city of Gumi. The worker was critically injured and later died in hospital after a silo of Terephthalic acid caught fire as workers were removing pipework.

---

Worker killed in machinery roll over incident

Irian Jaya

A bulldozer operator was killed on Tuesday in an incident at a goldmine near the city of Timika in the country’s south. Local police have stated that the equipment tumbled more than 20m (65ft) into the mine’s open pit when the road on which it was travelling suddenly gave way under the machine. The operator of the machine was thrown from the vehicle and died. A second worker was injured in the incident, although the context of his injury has not been released by local officials.

---

Worker struck and killed by equipment

Missouri, USA

A 28-year-old man was killed on Monday at a construction site south of Jefferson City. According to official reports, the man sustained critical injuries when he was struck by an outrigger of a concrete pump truck.

Worker killed in fall from building

Leningrad Oblast, Russia

A 32-year-old construction worker was killed last Friday after suffering a fall at a high rise residential construction site in the town of Volkhov, approximately 140km (miles) east of St Petersburg. The man had been operating a concrete pump on the ninth floor of the building when he allegedly stumbled and fell. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Moscow, Russia

A 41-year-old construction worker was killed last Friday after falling into an elevator shaft at a residential construction site in Moscow. According to witness reports, the man was working on the fourth floor of the building when he tripped and fell into the shaft. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Gomel, Belarus

A 36-year-old crane operator was killed last Wednesday after falling inside a building in the city of Gomel, in the country’s far south east. According to local reports, the incident occurred after the man had climbed a crane inside the building in order to change lightbulbs in the ceiling lights. After completing the task, the man started to climb back down the crane when he stumbled and fell. During his fall the man struck his head on equipment, sustaining traumatic head injuries. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker killed in lathe incident

Omsk, Russia

A 62-year-old factory worker was killed last Thursday in a factory in the Leninsky District of the central Russian city of Omsk after becoming entrapped in machinery. The man had reportedly been operating a lathe at the facility when he became caught and was dragged into the operating machine. The man received fatal injuries and died at the scene.

---

Worker killed in construction collapse

Kiev, Ukraine

A 53-year-old construction worker was killed last Monday at a construction site in the Darnytskyi District in the capital’s south east after being struck by falling debris. The man was assisting in installing support beams at the site when a large wooden beam splintered and fell onto the worker. The man was fatally injured when a large piece of timber pierced his torso. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

Interesting Article:

‘Star Wars’ Producers Fined Nearly $2M for Harrison Ford’s On-Set Accident

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00101722.html

 

Worker killed in concrete mixer

Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia

A 38-year-old worker was killed on Wednesday afternoon at a paving slab factory in the south central city of Chelyabinsk after falling into a cement mixer. The body of the man was found inside the mixer by co-workers. A preliminary investigation indicates that the man may have violated established procedures regarding the operation of the equipment by interacting directly with the machine while it was operating. The man was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia

A construction worker has died following a fall from height at the construction site of a new airport terminal in the central Russian city of Krasnoyarsk on Wednesday. The man fell approximately 4m (13ft) after falling from an upper section of the structure. It was reported that the man died in the fall. Local reports were unable to confirm if fall restraint equipment was being worn at the time of the incident.

---

Rail worker struck and killed by passing train

Netherlands

A 57-year-old railway worker was killed on Wednesday night along a section of railway near the town of Meteren, approximately 65km (40 miles) east of Rotterdam. It is alleged that the victim was working near a signal substation at the time of the incident and moved into the rail gauge just as the train passed. It is believed that the man was killed instantly.

Anonymous reports from other rail workers have indicated that workers are routinely exposed to the dangers of passing trains, some at speeds of up to 140km/h (87mph) even during night work.

---

Worker killed in fall from height

Viña del Mar, Chile

A 21-year-old construction worker was killed on Tuesday morning after falling inside a shopping mall under construction in the coastal town of Viña del Mar. The man fell more than 12m (40ft) through an open space in the floor after losing his balance whilst working on the fourth floor of the building. It is reported that emergency crews attended the scene but were unable to revive the man. He was declared dead at the scene.

---

Worker killed in sawmill incident

Germany

Government authorities are investigating the death of a worker on Monday at a commercial sawmill in the town of Brilon, approximately 190km (120 miles) north of Frankfurt. The man was working in the sorting area of the facility when he became trapped in machinery, sustaining fatal crush injuries. Emergency crews arrived to find the man still trapped in the machinery in an unresponsive state. He was declared dead at the scene. No further details have been released by officials.

---

Miner struck and killed by mobile equipment

Zacatecas, Mexico

An official release from a Canadian based mining company has reported the death of a miner at their copper-silver underground mine in Central Mexico on Monday. According to the report, the man had been working along a footwall section of the mine when he was struck by a piece of moving equipment. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

---

Interesting Article:

USA: OSHA’s 10 most common site violations in construction:

http://www.constructiondive.com/news/oshas-10-most-common-job-site-violations-for-construction/428086/

Worker killed in 13 storey fall

Perth, Western Australia

A 27-year-old construction worker was killed on Monday after a fall inside a building under construction near Perth’s central business district. According to witnesses, the woman had been working on the 15^th floor and had stopped to take a rest break. She had removed her safety harness before noticing a small piece of work she had missed. Instead of using a step ladder, the woman had stood on a drum to perform her work, which then toppled over. The woman fell into a shaft in the building and landed on the second floor. Emergency crews rushed the woman to a nearby hospital but she was declared dead a short time later.

---

Worker struck and killed by falling object

New York, USA

A 43-year-old construction worker has been pronounced dead at the scene following a crane related incident at a construction site in Brooklyn on Tuesday afternoon. Local media reports that the man was part of a crew drilling piles at the site when a cable on the drilling rig snapped causing a lifting shackle to fall more than 18m (60ft), striking the man in the head. Emergency crews arrived at the site to find the man with traumatic injuries to his head and upper body. Reports have yet to confirm if the man was wearing head protection.

---

Worker killed in equipment roll-over

Utah, USA

A 41-year-old excavator operator was killed on Wednesday in an incident involving earthmoving equipment at a ski resort in the Alta Ski Area, south east of Salt Lake City. The man was reportedly contracted to perform avalanche control work with an excavator in preparation for the impending ski season when the vehicle tipped over. The man was ejected from the cabin of the equipment and subsequently crushed to death as the equipment continued to roll over the top of him.

---

Worker killed in explosion

Tamil Nadu, India

A 58-year-old man was killed on Wednesday in an explosion at a fireworks factory in the region of Virudhunagar, approximately 55km (35 miles) south west of the city of Madurai. The incident was reported to have occurred as workers were preparing to leave the facility. The victim had been working in the chemical mixing area when a large explosion occurred. The man was ejected from the shed in which he was working, sustaining critical injuries. He was declared dead at the scene.

Local authorities believe that in excessive friction during the mixing process was the cause of the explosion.

---

Miner dies of asphyxiation

Imereti Region, Georgia

A 51-year-old miner was found dead on Friday morning by co-workers in an underground coal mine near the town of Tkibuli. Authorities investigating the fatality believe the man died of asphyxiation following a build-up of carbon monoxide and methane in the section of mine in which he was working. Local media reports that the ongoing investigation will focus on whether the company knowingly sent the victim into an unsafe area of the mine.

UPDATE: 6 Killed in building collapse

Karnataka, India

Originally reported on 7^th October, 2016

The death toll from the collapse of a five storey building last Wednesday in the city of Bengaluru has risen to six after emergency crews recovered more bodies from the rubble over the weekend.

As was previously reported, preliminary findings suggest that sub-standard building materials being used in the project lead to the building buckling under its own weight.

In addition to sub-standard materials being used, local officials have also claimed that building approval had only been given for a three storey structure, and that construction on an additional two floors had been without government approval.

---

1 Killed, 3 injured following balcony collapse

Delhi, India

A 43-year-old construction worker was killed and three others were injured on Saturday at a construction site in West Patel Nagar; a north western region of New Delhi. Local authorities report that the incident occurred during renovation works at the site when a section of a third floor balcony collapsed. The incident caused a cascading effect with the two balconies below also collapsing. The deceased victim was struck by the falling debris as he worked on the balcony below with the three other workers. He was transported to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

---

Worker killed in 8 storey fall

United Arab Emirates

A 20-year-old worker was killed on Saturday evening in a fall from height incident at a construction site in the Al Mamzar area of Sharjah, north east of Dubai. The man was working on the 17^th floor of a high rise construction when he fell, landing on the 9^th floor. He was declared dead at the scene. Local officials are currently investigating the cause of the fall.

---

Worker struck and killed by front end loader

New York State, USA

A man has died following an incident involving a front end loader at commercial premises in Ronkonkoma on Long Island last Thursday. Current news reports are conflicting as to the identity of the man and his association with the business with some reports claiming that the man was a pedestrian. The man was struck and killed by a front end loader at the site and was declared dead at the scene. The government safety authority is investigating the incident, as are local police.

---

Worker killed in crush incident

Oklahoma, USA

A 23-year-old man sustained fatal crush injuries in an incident last Thursday afternoon at a drilling site near Yukon, west of Oklahoma City. Emergency crews responded to the scene after receiving a call that a man had been pinned between a crane and a trailer whilst working at the site. He was pronounced dead at the scene.