Category: Uncategorized

Worker killed in refinery explosion

Khabarovsk Krai, Russia

A 52-year-old refinery worker was killed on Tuesday afternoon following an explosion at an oil refinery in Russia’s Far East. The man was reportedly involved in the testing of pipelines when a rupture occurred. The man is believed to have been killed instantly in the blast.

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One killed and another in critical condition following explosion

Florida, USA

A 54-year-old man is dead and a female business co-owner remains in critical condition following an explosion on Saturday at an explosives manufacturing facility in Tavares, north west of Orlando. Both victims were airlifted to a nearby hospital where the male victim was later pronounced dead. Federal officials are currently investigating the cause of the blast and subsequent blaze. The female victim has been listed as being in a critical but stable condition.

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Worker killed in equipment rollover incident

Ontario, Canada

A groundskeeper was killed on Tuesday morning at a golf course in Mississauga west of Toronto after suffering fatal crush injuries. The man was operating a ride-on lawnmower at the course when the machine rolled down a small embankment. The man was thrown from the equipment and subsequently crushed by the tumbling machine. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Worker crushed to death inside cement mixer

Andhra Pradesh, India

A 22-year-old construction worker was killed on Tuesday after becoming entangled inside a cement mixer. The incident occurred at a construction site in the town of Guntur, approximately 300 km (185 miles) east south east of Hyderabad. According to some local reports, the man was allegedly outside the machine cleaning it with a crowbar when the mixer began to operate drawing him inside the machine. The man was struck in the head by the crowbar, sustaining fatal head injuries. He died instantly.

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Hospitality worker killed in freezer

Tabasco, Mexico

A 28-year-old hospitality worker was found dead last Thursday morning in a commercial freezer at a hotel in Villahermosa. Workers at the hotel found the man as they commenced their work in the hotel’s kitchen. It is believed that the man became trapped in the freezer overnight after becoming locked in by co-workers who were unaware of his presence. Authorities presume that the man died from hypothermia, although some local reports have claimed that asphyxiation was the cause of death.

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Road worker struck and killed by machinery

Baden-Württemberg, Germany

A 63-year-old road construction worker was killed last Friday morning at a road construction site near the town of Niedereschach, approximately 100km (62 miles) south west of Stuttgart. The man was aboard a self-propelled road paving machine when he lost his balance and fell off. He was struck and run over by the machine, sustaining fatal crush injuries. He was declared dead at the scene.

 

26 workers killed and 13 missing in landslide

Fujian, China

A massive landslide at a hydroelectric dam project near Sanming City in south eastern China on Sunday morning has claimed the lives of 26 construction workers, with another 13 workers still missing.

An estimated 100,000 cubic metres (3,500,000 cubic feet) of dirt collapsed onto the workers’ camp in the early hours of Sunday morning whilst the workers were still asleep burying their dormitory and nearby office buildings.

Days of continued rain leading up to the landslide have been blamed for the weakening of the nearby hillsides.

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Arborist killed in wood chipping machine

New York State, USA

A 23-year-old worker was killed last Wednesday afternoon at a residential work site north west of Albany after becoming entangled in a wood chipping machine. Workers at the site were removing large trees in front of residential premises when the incident occurred.

Authorities are as yet unsure how the man became entangled in the machine but have confirmed that he was declared dead at the scene. According to local reports, it was the man’s first day on the job.

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Arborist killed during logging operations

California, USA

A 25-year-old arborist was killed last Wednesday morning during logging operations in Bear Valley Springs, approximately 40km (25 miles) south east of Bakersfield.

According to local officials, the man was engaged in trimming operations on a tree that had already been felled when the incident occurred. During the task, the tree shifted unexpectedly and pinned the man against a rock, inflicting fatal injuries.

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Two killed in fall from height

Jakarta, Indonesia

Two construction workers aged 27 and 20 were killed on Saturday at a high rise construction site in Central Jakarta after falling 18 floors. Local officials have claimed that the men were installing a metal pole to the outside of the building without the use of appropriate safety equipment. It is believed that the workers slipped and fell. Both were declared dead at the scene.

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Three killed in mine collapse

Andhra Pradesh, India

The collapse of a limestone mine on Sunday evening near the district of Kurnool, approximately 210km (130 miles) south of Hyderabad, has claimed the lives of three miners, aged 50, 48 and 20. The women were working at a depth of about 3m (10ft) when the roof of the mine collapsed on top of them. Two other workers survived the incident, one with severe injuries.

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Utilities worker electrocuted

Yucatan, Mexico

A 54-year-old utilities worker was electrocuted last week whilst working on high power transmission lines along a section of highway north of Merida. The man was performing routine inspection work when he came in contact with the power lines sustaining fatal injuries. The man was declared dead at the scene.

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Interesting Article:

Work related deaths in Israel are the highest in the western world

http://www.timesofisrael.com/work-related-deaths-in-israel-among-highest-in-west-report-finds/

 

One killed and four injured in wall collapse

Edo State, Nigeria

One construction worker was killed and four of his co-workers were injured last Friday at a civil construction site in east Benin City. The men were digging a drainage link between two major drainage structures when the incident occurred.

Whilst digging alongside a neighbouring business, the excavation works are believed to have undermined the bordering fence. The fence and a large section of the drainage channel wall collapsed on top of the group. The deceased worker was engulfed by dirt and mud, and was declared dead at the scene.

The workers had allegedly noticed signs of a possible collapse and had raised concerns about working in the section with the supervising engineer but were ordered back to work.

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Two workers killed in wall collapse

Mumbai, India

Two 22 year old construction workers were killed on Saturday morning at a building site north east of Mumbai after becoming trapped under a fallen wall. Workers at the site were removing formwork from a cement wall when it collapsed on top of the two victims who were passing by carrying equipment.

One of the men was pulled from the rubble shortly after the incident occurred and was transported to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The body of the second man was retrieved a few hours later.

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Worker killed in trench collapse

Oregon, USA

A 27 year construction worker was killed last Thursday morning at a residential work site in Portland. The man had been installing sewage lines at the bottom of a 3.5m (11ft) deep trench when the incident occurred. Although a large section of the trench had been appropriately shored, the man was working outside of this section when the collapse occurred. He was declared dead at the scene.

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Worker killed in trench collapse

Kentucky, USA

A 22 year old construction worker was killed last Wednesday morning at a construction site in Lexington after a trench wall collapsed. The man was working at the bottom of a 5m (16ft) deep trench at the site when a wall suddenly collapsed burying him completely in dirt and gravel. He was declared dead at the scene. Investigations by government officials are currently focussed on the soil composition and the structure of the trench.

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Worker killed, crushed by bulldozer

Massachusetts, USA

A 60 year old worker was killed last Wednesday during works on a town park in Phillipston, approximately 80km (50 miles) north east of Springfield. The man was working on a park project behind a police station when he was struck and run over by a reversing bulldozer. He was declared dead at the scene. Police are treating the incident as an industrial incident.

One killed and three injured in blast

Tamil Nadu, India

An explosion at a quarry near the town of Aruppukkottai on Sunday has claimed the life of a 40 year old worker and injured three others. The four men were engaged in blast preparations at the site when a passing storm forced them to cease works and seek nearby shelter.

It is believed that a lightning strike from the storm initiated a blast with the explosives that the men had already prepared. All four were injured in the explosion and were taken to a nearby hospital. The deceased worker succumbed to his injuries several hours later.

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Two killed, one injured in pipeline explosion

Texas, USA

Two workers were killed and another injured following a high pressure release at a pipeline site north of Corpus Christi on Tuesday. According to local reports, two of the men were working inside an access hole repairing a section of pipeline when it came loose releasing more than 800 pounds of pressure.

The two men were blasted from the hole sustaining significant injuries. One man was declared dead at the scene. The other victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. The third worker received injuries and was treated at a nearby hospital.

A release from the company has identified a piece of equipment that failed during use as the possible cause of the pipeline rupture.

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Worker killed in trash compactor

Texas, USA

A 26 year old sanitation worker was killed on Tuesday morning after an incident with a trash compactor. The man was allegedly working at the rear of a garbage collection truck west of San Antonio when he became trapped in its compaction unit. The man was declared dead at the scene.

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Worker killed, run over by bulldozer

Florida, USA

A 61 year old bulldozer operator died on Monday afternoon after becoming trapped in the tracks of a bulldozer at an industrial property south west of Jacksonville. A statement from a local official has claimed that the man was trying to exit the bulldozer when he became trapped in the tracks and killed. He was declared dead at the scene.

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Worker killed by falling object

North Carolina, USA

A maintenance worker was killed on Sunday morning at a metal manufacturing business in Pineville south of Charlotte, after being struck by a falling object. The man was allegedly working from a forklift platform performing maintenance at the facility when a large disc fell from the top of the machine and struck him.

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Worker killed in fall from height

Waterford, Ireland

A man in his late 20s was killed on Tuesday after suffering a fall from height at a concrete factory in Waterford. The man received treatment by emergency services but was declared dead at the scene. Local government officials are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the fall.

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Worker killed as crane overturns

Québec, Canada

A 53 year old window washer was killed on Sunday morning in central Montreal after the collapse of a crane from which he was working. The man was working alongside his 19 year old son in the basket of a truck mounted crane when the vehicle tipped. Both men fell approximately 20m (65ft) in the basket as the vehicle toppled.

Upon impact, the deceased victim was thrown a short distance from the basket and then crushed by the crane’s boom. He was declared dead at the scene. His son was also thrown from the basket and sustained serious head injuries. He was taken to a nearby hospital where his injuries were described as serious but not life threatening. The cause of the vehicle’s collapse is currently under investigation.

Photos of the scene can be found here:

http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/montreal/2016/04/10/002-accident-grue-uqam-saint-denis-bascule-renversee.shtml

 

 

 

 

Two killed when concrete pump overturns

Düsseldorf, Germany

Two construction workers, aged 46 and 63, have died following the collapse of a 64t concrete pumping vehicle at a construction site in central Düsseldorf on Monday morning. The men were crushed by the boom of the concrete pump after the vehicle tipped over when the front supports sunk in soft ground. A third worker was injured in the incident but is believed to be in a stable condition in hospital. The younger of the two deceased workers was declared dead at the scene. His 63 year old co-worker died later in hospital.

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Worker dies, trapped in machinery

Illinois, USA

A 70 year old worker was killed on Monday at a metal processing plant south of Chicago after becoming trapped in a conveyor system. The man was transported to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

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Two killed in mine collapse

Madhya Pradesh, India

Authorities are predicting more fatalities after the death of two miners in a tunnel collapse on Saturday at a coal mine near Umaria in the country’s mid north. Authorities have confirmed that two workers died and several more remain trapped following the collapse of a tunnel roof as workers were conducting preparation work.

Two injured workers are currently receiving treatment at a nearby medical centre. One of the injured men has suspected spinal injuries with possible paraplegia. Experts currently believe that vibrations from nearby drilling activities may have caused the collapse.

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Worker dies following scaffolding collapse

Tamil Nadu, India

A 22 year old construction worker died following a scaffolding collapse in Eraneil on Saturday. The man was working on the scaffolding at the construction site of a building at a private college when the scaffolding suddenly collapsed. The man was taken to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

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Worker dies from excessive blood loss 

Chittagong, Bangladesh

A 24 year old worker has died following an incident at a glass factory north of Chittagong on Saturday night. The man sustained significant laceration injuries to his right hand after being struck by a sheet of falling glass. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival from excessive blood loss.

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Worker killed by falling concrete wall

Florida, USA

A 37 year old construction worker was killed on Saturday at a construction site north of Tampa after being struck and crushed by falling concrete wall. The man was part of a small crew installing wiring for nearby traffic lights when the nearby wall fell without warning. Although investigators are uncertain as to the cause of the incident, initial suspicions are that recent rains have weakened the substructure under the wall causing it to be unstable. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Worker killed by reversing truck

Indiana, USA

A forklift operator was killed on Monday morning after being run over by a reversing semi-trailer at a warehouse complex in Fort Wayne. The worker had allegedly dismounted his forklift to assist a truck to reverse closer to an unloading area when he was struck and run over by the truck. The man was declared dead at the scene.

 

Mine collapse kills 5

Xinjiang, China

A tunnel collapse at an underground coal mine on Sunday in the western region of Xinjiang has left six miners dead with another four still trapped. Local officials claim that up to 19 workers were in the mine when an access tunnel collapsed at the Tianli Coal Mine south of Kashgar.

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Worker killed in fall from height

St. Petersburg, Russia
A 21 year old construction worker was killed on Thursday at a bridge construction site in St. Petersburg after falling more than 20m (65ft). The man had allegedly ascended a structure at the site without any fall protection equipment. At some stage during his work, the man has stumbled and fell from the structure. He was declared dead at the scene.

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Worker killed in ride incident

Florida, USA

A 23 year old maintenance worker was killed on Wednesday afternoon at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition whilst performing routine maintenance on a ride. Local authorities have claimed that a mechanical error occurred with the ride whilst the man was working on the ride resulting in the crushing death of the man.

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Road Maintenance worker killed by passing car

Missouri, USA

A 55 year old road maintenance worker was killed on Thursday morning at a road maintenance zone east of New Haven after being struck by a passing car. Workers at the site had set up a work zone to perform road clearing operations when a passing car driven by an elderly local swerved to avoid a dump truck but struck the worker instead at high speed. The deceased victim was declared dead at the scene.

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Worker killed, trapped in machinery

Georgia, USA

A 55 year old maintenance worker was killed last Saturday at a manufacturing facility in Cartersville after becoming entrapped in machinery. The man was reportedly conducting routine maintenance when he fell into a machine at the carpet mill section of the facility. Government officials are investigating the incident to help determine the exact causes of the incident.

 

 

2 Workers killed in rail collision

Pennsylvania, USA

Two rail workers were killed on Sunday after their track mounted maintenance vehicle was struck by a train on the Northeast Corridor, approximately 25km (15 miles) southwest of Philadelphia. According to local reports one of the men, the works supervisor, was alongside the tracks some distance from the vehicle when he noticed the train approaching on the same line as the maintenance vehicle. He ran to warn the vehicle operator but was killed, along with his co-worker, when the train struck their vehicle. Both men are believed to have been killed instantly. Debris from the collision also struck the lead cars of the train injuring a number of passengers.

A communication error between the supervisor, who was killed in the incident, and the rail dispatcher following a shift change is believed to have been responsible for the men’s vehicle being on the wrong track when the incident occurred.

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1 Killed, 3 injured in beam fall

Illinois, USA

Government officials are currently investigating the death of a 47 year old construction worker who was killed at a demolition site in Chicago early on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred as the group of workers were removing a 45 tonne steel beam from a disused overpass section in Des Plaines, northwest of Chicago.

Local reports claim that the group of men were underneath the beam during a series of lifts to remove the beam when the 57m (187ft) long section of steel fell. A preliminary report from OHSA has suggested that a lifting device, such as a chain or sling, has failed during a lift resulting in the fall.

The deceased victim was transported to a nearby hospital but was declared dead shortly after arrival. The injured workers were also taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, but were later released.

 

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Worker killed in cylinder explosion

Zhytomyrs’ka Oblast, Ukraine

A 28 year old worker was killed in an explosion on Monday at a business in the town of Zhytomyr, approximately 140km (87 miles) west of Kiev. The man had been performing welding work on a gas cylinder when it exploded, killing him instantly.

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1 Killed in tank collapse

Ohio, USA

A 52 year old worker was killed on Monday at a ceramics manufacturing plant in Lancaster after being struck and crushed by a falling roof section of a ceramic tank in which he was working. The tank, normally filled with molten glass, had been disused for some time and had been scheduled for repairs prior to its recommissioning. A group of contractors were performing the scheduled maintenance work inside the tank when its domed roof collapsed on top of them. The deceased victim is believed to have died in the incident. His two co-workers workers were able to escape unharmed.

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Worker killed, crushed by earthmoving equipment

Navarra, Spain

A 45 year old worker was killed on date at a chicken farm near the town of Arróniz in northern Spain, after being crushed by an excavator. The man is believed to have been working alongside the machine collecting manure when he was pinned against a wall by the machine and crushed. The man sustained critical injuries to his lower body, and despite efforts of attending paramedics, he was declared dead at the scene. Preliminary reports indicate that the man sustained critical injuries to his femoral artery and died from blood loss.

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Worker killed in trench collapse

Castile-La Mancha, Spain

A 50 year old man died last Wednesday at a civil construction site in Castilforte, east of Madrid, after becoming entrapped in a trench collapse. The man was digging a 2m (7ft) deep trench along a section of sloped ground when the collapse occurred. Local emergency services attended the scene but were unable to revive the man. He was declared dead at the scene.

 

Death toll rises to 26 in overpass collapse incident

West Bengal, India

The collapse of an under construction overpass bridge in Kolkata last Thursday has so far claimed 26 lives, with more than 100 people injured. A 100m long (300ft) section of the overpass collapsed onto traffic and pedestrians in the busy central residential area of Bara Bazar around midday trapping scores of people. Rescue efforts continued throughout the following day and over the weekend, with 22 confirmed deaths by Friday afternoon.

Construction workers had reported hearing cracking sounds in the giant nuts on a cantilevered section merely hours before the collapse. Despite their concerns, they were told to commence work pouring cement on the structure.

According to local reports, the project is currently more than three years over its proposed completion date, with the construction company in charge of the project previously asking the government for additional funding in order to help pay for construction materials.

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Worker electrocuted at Disneyland Paris

Paris, France

Disneyland Paris has confirmed the death of a 45 year old maintenance worker who was electrocuted whilst performing work at the park on Saturday Morning. The man’s body was found in the Phantom Manor ride shortly before the park opened. It is believed that the man was changing a faulty light fixture when he was electrocuted.

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Worker killed in engulfment incident

County Wexford, Ireland

A 45 year old man was killed on Friday afternoon at a concrete manufacturing site near the town of Gorey. The man was operating an excavator at the base of a quarry at the site when a land slip engulfed his machine. Thousands of tonnes of rubble encased the machine, entrapping the victim. Rescue workers took several hours to retrieve the man’s body.

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Miner dies from asphyxiation

Luzon, Philippines

A 44 year old miner died late last week from asphyxiation at an underground gold mine in the northern province of Benguet, approximately 100km (60 miles) north of Manila. The man had been working with a group of other miners but failed to return to the surface with them at the end of their shift. The men re-entered the mine to search for the missing man, finding his body several hours later. Authorities believe that the man succumbed to low oxygen atmospheres that are known to occur in the poorly ventilated mine.

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Worker killed in fall

New York, USA

A 22 year old construction worker was killed on date at a construction site in Borough Park, Brooklyn after suffering a fall. Local authorities report that the man was working inside the building on the second floor when he was struck by falling material. The man was knocked over and fell down a shaft to the first floor, sustaining fatal head injuries. The man was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

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Arborist killed, struck by tree branch

British Columbia, Canada

A 43 year old arborist was killed on Thursday morning in Kitsilano Park in Vancouver. The man was trimming branched from the bucket of a boom lift when a large diameter tree branch broke away from the tree and struck him, crushing him against the interior of the bucket. He was transported to a nearby hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

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Worker killed in lawn mower incident

Arkansas, USA

A 33 year old landscape worker was killed on Friday morning at a residential apartment block whilst operating a ride on mower. The man had been mowing lawns at the site when the mower tumbled down an embankment and into a creek. The man was pinned under the machine until his body was discovered. Authorities have not yet confirmed if the man drowned or was crushed to death by the mower, but have confirmed that he was not struck by the blades of the machine.

 

Truck driver crushed under falling load

Lombardy, Italy

A 60 year old truck driver was killed on Monday at business north east of Milan after being crushed under a steel pipe. The man was delivering a load of large steel pipes to the location and was in the process of unstrapping his load in preparation for unloading when a pipe fell from the top layer on the trailer. The pipe struck the man inflicting fatal injuries. He was declared dead at the scene.

The following link provides photos of the incident:

http://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2016/03/21/news/bergamo_camionista_morto-135981729/?refresh_ce#gallery-slider=135986229

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Worker killed in 20m fall

Alberta, Canada

A 29 year old man was killed on Monday morning after falling more than 20m (70ft) at a construction site approximately 100km (60 miles) north of Fort McMurray. The man was involved in erecting scaffolding for the construction of a storage tank as part of a pipeline construction project when the incident occurred. Investigators are not yet certain if the man slipped or if there has been an issue with the scaffolding, but have ruled out foul play.

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Road worker struck by passing car

Nebraska, USA

A 42 year old road construction worker was killed on Sunday morning after being struck by a motor vehicle at a site near the town of Wathill in the north east of the state. The victim was standing within the construction zone when he was struck. The man was declared dead at the scene. The 31 year old driver of the vehicle was charged with driving under the influence of drugs.

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Worker killed by exploding tyre

Province of Verona, Italy

A 52 year old worker was killed on Monday afternoon at a concrete plant in San Bonifacio. The man was inflating a tyre for a concrete mixer when it became overinflated and exploded. Although workers at the site attempted CPR, the man is believed to have been killed instantly in the blast that was reportedly heard several kilometres away.

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Worker crushed under falling objects

California, USA

A 43 year old worker was killed on Saturday at a metal fabrication business south east of Sacramento after being crushed under a falling load. Authorities claim that the man was fatally struck after a load became unstable and fell during work activities at the premises shortly after midday. OSHA is currently investigating the incident.

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Interesting Article:

Company Director Sentenced for Workplace Fatality (New Zealand)

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1603/S00562/boss-sentenced-after-trench-collapse-killed-worker.htm

Worker crushed to death

Auckland, New Zealand

A waste management worker is dead following an incident at a waste transfer station in Rosedale, north of Auckland, on Friday. The man was believed to have been crushed by a waste skip as it was being manoeuvred by a truck driver.  The man was pinned by his chest and was unable to breath. He was declared dead at the scene by emergency service personnel. It is understood that the victim was an employee of a waste transport company and not of the waste management facility.

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Worker killed in grain elevator incident

Nebraska, USA

A 41 year old man was killed last Thursday at a grain storage facility near the town of Prosser, north west of Hastings in central Nebraska, after becoming caught in a grain auger. Local authorities claim that the man was in the process of drawing grain from a storage bin and became caught in an operating auger. A spokesperson for OSHA has claimed that the company has been cited for 12 safety violations in the past 5 years, with fines totalling more than $150,00USD.

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Worker crushed between trucks

Illinois, USA

A 57 year old worker was killed last Wednesday at a warehouse facility in Bolingbrook whilst assisting a trainee employee to reverse a truck. The man was spotting for the new driver as the trainee reverse parked a truck and became trapped between it and another vehicle at the site. The man was believed to have been killed instantly.

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Worker crushed by drilling equipment

Andhra Pradesh, India

A 25 year old construction worker was killed on Monday at a construction site within Amaravati, the proposed river front capital of Andhra Pradesh. The man was working adjacent to a large drilling rig when it collapsed and crushed him. He was killed instantly. Engineers have claimed that the collapse was due to a mechanical fault in the machine.

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Worker crushed to death

Tennessee, USA

A construction worker died on Saturday at a bridge construction site north of Memphis. The man sustained fatal injuries after becoming pinned between two pieces of mobile equipment. First responders were unable to treat the man’s severe injuries and he was declared dead at the scene.

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Interesting Article:

337 Preventable Deaths in 2014 (Construction industry, USA)

http://www.constructionequipment.com/337-preventable-deaths-2014