MEC&F Expert Engineers : 05/27/17

Saturday, May 27, 2017

LOOKING FOR HELP FINDING THE HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER IN ST. LOUIS: 55-year-old construction worker Doug Hindle was on the job when a truck rammed through the work-zone in St. Louis County one week ago




ST. LOUIS COUNTY - One week after a devastating hit and run, the wife of a construction worker is pleading for help to find the driver. 55-year-old Doug Hindle was on the job when a truck rammed through the work-zone in St. Louis County one week ago.

Labors Local Union 100, where Hindle has been a member for the last 24 years, is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

"It's been a nightmare that I was hoping I would wake up from and I just haven’t yet,” said Doug Hindle’s wife, Kathy, who describes this past week as a blur.

"My days in the morning are making phone calls, I'm at the hospital, I’m signing to have all these procedures done," she explained of her days since the accident.

Her husband, 55-year-old Doug Hindle was working on a paving project at the intersection of Heege Road and New Hampshire in the county. Police say a driver in a late model GMC or Chevy white pick-up trick struck Hindle and then took off. The truck has severe front end damage.

"We believe it is likely being hidden in a garage or shed or house," said Don Willey, Business Manager at Labors Local 110.

Hindle’s community, including his union, is asking for everyone to keep a close watch.

"It's our intent to go after anyone who injures one of our workers on the roadways,” Willey said.

Kathy Hindle says her husband is still unconscious, but doing a little bit better each day.

"No human being should run over somebody and then just leave them laying there in the street."

While Doug fights through his injuries, Kathy holds tight to his wedding bank, wearing it as a necklace, for the time being.

“It’s going to be there until I can put it back on his finger,” she said.

Labors Local says if there are other companies that want to add on to its $5,000 reward, it would be happy for any and contributions.

Anyone with information is asked to call crime stoppers or St. Louis County Police. 




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AFFTON, MO (KTVI) – The family of a man who was struck by a vehicle while working road construction is looking for answers.

Doug Hindle was working on a repaving project along Heege Road in Affton when he a truck ran over him and fled the scene.

On May 18 around 1:30 a.m. Kathy Hindle got a phone call that her husband Doug had been hit by a car and was being taken to the hospital.

She said Doug was rushed to the hospital where he had immediate surgery for an aortic tear and has had multiple surgeries since then.

“He has broken arms, broken pelvis, both of his legs are broken a, head injury and he has third degree asphalt burns on the upper part of his body,” Kathy said.

Doug had been a laborer for 24 years and just recently decided it was time to retire. Kathy said this was going to be his last job and now suddenly both of their lives have stopped.

Witnesses said the driver who hit Doug ran over him, accelerated and almost hit two other crews, then took off.

The car is described as a late model Chevy or GMC, white extended cab truck with heavy front end damage.

Kathy is hoping that some recognizes the car or notices that a friend or neighbor’s car of that description has been missing.

The Laborers Local 110 Union is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 or CrimeStoppers 1-866-371-8477.

The Wauwatosa Fire Department has closed its investigation into a fire that broke out in a ceiling at Briggs and Stratton without being able to determine its cause




Wauwatosa, WI
 
The Wauwatosa Fire Department has closed its investigation into a fire that broke out in a ceiling at Briggs and Stratton Monday, May 22.

Wauwatosa Assistant Fire Chief Jim Case said the cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Laura A. Timm, vice president of corporate communications and public affairs for Briggs and Stratton said that over 700 employees were evacuated safely from the plant with no injuries reported.

"The fire was extinguished quickly and employees were returned safely into the building at 11:45 a.m.," Timm said. "Full production then resumed. Damage estimates are underway although expected to be insignificant."

The Wauwatosa Fire Department responded to a call at 10:21 a.m. Monday and crews were dispatched to the building at 3300 N. 124th St.

Arriving crews located the fire in an overhead duct that was perched above some heat-treating equipment, according to a news release from the Tosa Fire Department. Tosa firefighters were able to put out the blaze in about 40 minutes with help from the Milwaukee and West Allis fire departments.

The release said Tosa firefighters were in the area training and noticed a large amount of thick, black smoke in the air.

"Our crews began to respond just as our dispatch center received the 911 call from Briggs and Stratton," the release said.

The release said the fire appears to have started in or near the exhaust ducts located above the heat-treating equipment. The fire does not appear to be suspicious, according to the release.




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WAUWATOSA, WI — Briggs & Stratton, located near 124th and Burleigh was evacuated Monday morning, May 22nd due to a fire.

According to officials with the Wauwatosa Fire Department, around 10:30 a.m., crews out in the area training noticed a large amount of thick, black smoke in the air.

Fire was located in duct work above some heat treating equipment. This duct is a normal exhaust fan type setup to vent out the heat from inside the factory.


Briggs & Stratton

The fire was extinguished in about 40 minutes with help from firefighters from Milwaukee and West Allis. The fire was contained to the duct work.

The exact cause of the fire is undetermined. But it appears to have started in or near the exhaust ducts located above the heat treating equipment. The fire does not appear to be suspicious.

The building was evacuated, due in part to the smokey conditions.

There were no injuries to the workers or firefighters.

A 9-year-old girl and 3 firefighters who rushed into a burning home to rescue her were among those injured during a house fire in Jackson, Michigan






JACKSON, MI — A 9-year-old girl and three firefighters who rushed into a burning home to rescue her were among those injured during the early-morning blaze Friday in southern Michigan, authorities said.

Crews from multiple departments responded about 1 a.m. to reports that two adults and four children were trapped inside the home in Jackson. The adults and three of the children were outside the house when firefighters arrived.

The firefighters ran in to rescue the girl who was stuck on the second floor, Jackson Fire Department Captain Todd Weaver said.

“My crew overcame some large obstacles in this fire,” Weaver told the Jackson Citizen Patriot. “It was chaos upon arrival, but we made an outstanding rescue on the girl trapped inside.”

She was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Two firefighters suffered heat-related injuries and one was hurt falling through a burning staircase, Weaver said. The firefighter who fell was treated at a hospital and released. Weaver said the two adults who were at the home also had injuries from escaping the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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JACKSON, Mich. (AP)- Authorities say a 9-year-old girl and three firefighters who rescued her were among those injured during an early-morning house fire on Jackson's southwest side.


WILX crews were on scene when fire crews responded after 1 a.m. to a home in the 600 block of Fourth Street. According to the Jackson Citizen Patriot, two adults and four children were trapped inside.


Fire department Captain Todd Weaver says the adults, who also were injured, and three of the children were outside the house when firefighters arrived. Weaver says firefighters rushed into the home and rescued the girl, who was trapped on the second floor.


Weaver says the girl was taken to a hospital in critical condition. He says two firefighters had heat-related injuries and one was hurt falling through a burning staircase. The firefighter who fell was treated at a hospital and released.

A construction worker at CMC Metals in Durant, Oklahoma was injured when a piece of equipment at CMC Metals fell on him






By KXII-TV |
Posted: Fri 12:44 PM, May 26, 2017


DURANT, Okla. (KXII) -- A construction worker at CMC Metals in Durant was sent to the hospital on Friday after an accident on the site.

According to the Durant Fire Department, the call came in before 8:30 a.m. when a piece of equipment at CMC Metals fell on a construction worker.

The worker suffered a cut on his leg and was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The Durant Fire Department stated that all safety procedures from CMC Metals during the accident were followed accordingly.




CMC Metals

We are a global, low-cost metals recycling, manufacturing, fabricating and trading enterprise.

With corporate headquarters in Irving, Texas, Commercial Metals Company operates more than 120 local recycling centers; steel mills; fabrication facilities; marketing and distribution offices; construction-related product stores; heat treating facilities; and other related operations - in more than 12 countries. You’ll find our steel in American football stadiums, German airports, Saudi Arabian infrastructure, Singaporean high-rise buildings and in other well-known structures around the world.

One child, Noah Pollock, is dead and another injured after 32-foot twin-engine vessel with two adults and two children on board was headed to Key West when they struck the base of the Midpoint Bridge in Cape Coral, Florida. The boat driver, 72-year-old Benjamin Tipton, the grandpa, was sent to Lee Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries.







1 child dead, 1 trauma alerted after Cape Coral boat crash Posted: May 27, 2017 10:28 AM EST Updated: May 27, 2017 2:26 PM EST

 


 
CAPE CORAL, Fla. -

One child is dead and another was sent to the hospital after a boat crash in Cape Coral.

It happened at the base of the Midpoint Bridge in Cape Coral around 9 a.m.

A 32-foot twin-engine vessel with two adults and two children on board was headed to Key West when they struck the base of the bridge.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say they were traveling at the right place to go under the bridge.

Twelve-year-old Noah Pollock died and 10-year-old Wade Pollock, was sent to a Tampa hospital in critical condition.

The boat driver, 72-year-old Benjamin Tipton, the grandpa, was sent to Lee Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries.

The father of the two boys, 44-year-old Ryan Pollock, sustained minor injuries.

Officials say the now-mangled vessel will be towed to Everest Boat Ramp.

Investigators are checking out the boat and while the Department of Transportation is looking at the bridge for damage.

Everest Boat Ramp will be closed for several hours as investigators will be using the ramp as a staging area, according to the Cape Coral Police Department.

FWC officials say they're not sure if alcohol was involved or not.

Several other agencies, including the Lee County Sheriff's Office, and numerous fire and EMS, responded to the scene.



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CAPE CORAL, Fla - - Cape Coral Police are on the scene of a second boat crash on the river in Cape Coral.

Emergency crews swarmed Jaycee Park as they conducted an investigation of the single vessel incident.

FWC says there were 4 people on the boat, two men and two women.

One of the men was ejected from the boat and pulled to shore by Good Samaritans. Cape PD and Fort Myers PD arrived to the scene and performed CPR. He was later transported to Cape Coral Hospital with unknown conditions.

The second man involved sustained injuries to the knee and was transported to the hospital as well.

One of the two women involved in the crash is said to have suffered minor injuries.

The Everest Boat Ramp will remain closed at this time as it is being used for staging areas for emergency personnel.

Drivers, boaters, and residents in the area will continue seeing increased police activity on the water in the area of Horton Park and the Everest Boat Ramp for the next few hours.
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2 hospitalized after 2nd boat crash in Cape Coral Posted: May 27, 2017 2:38 PM EST Updated: May 27, 2017 2:42 PM EST

 
CAPE CORAL, Fla. -

One man was hurled into the water after a boat crash, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife officials.

A second boat crash Saturday afternoon has the Cape Coral Police Department on the scene.

FWC says there were four people – two men and two women – on board the boat when the crash happened on the water across from Jaycee Park.

When the man was thrown into the water, a good Samaritan pulled him out.

One man with a knee injury and one woman with minor injuries were taken to the hospital.

The Everest Boat Ramp will stay closed as it's being used for emergency personnel and staging, according to Cape police.

Drivers, boaters, and residents in the area will see more police activity on the water and in the area of Horton Park and the Everest Boat Ramp until later this evening, police say.

Around 9 a.m., Cape Coral police were on the scene of a boat crashed into the base of the Midpoint Bridge. The impact killed a 12-year-old boy and injuring his 10-year-old brother, their 44-year-old father, and their 72-year-old grandfather.

Several agencies, including the Cape Coral Fire Department and Fort Myers Police Department, were assisting.

No word on whether alcohol was a factor in the crash or not.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:

- The names of those involved and the full extent of their injuries
- What led to the crash
- When exactly it happened

DELGADO FAMILY TRAGEDY: 2 drivers were killed, and several other members of a Eureka family (the Delgados) were injured in a fiery head-on collision just after midnight on U.S. Highway 101 north of Willits, CA after a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup was hit when the driver of a 1994 Ford Bronco crossed over into its path


 Angelica Delgado
 Gilberto Delgado
 Gilberto Delgado
 Gilberto Delgado
 Gilberto Delgado


 Angelica Delgado
Fiery Head-On Collision Involving a Eureka, California Family Kills Two, Several Injured

Posted By Kimberly Wear on 

 

Friday, May 26, 2017

Two people were killed, including a Eureka man, and several other members of a local family were injured in a fiery collision just after midnight on U.S. Highway 101 north of Willits. But a Good Samaritan pulled five injured passengers from the wreckage just before both vehicles burst into flames.

Three Eureka residents — identified as 43-year-old Rosa Delgado, 24-year-old Gilberto Delgado and 19-year-old Anajelica Delgado — suffered major injuries. Two children, a 1-year-old Eureka girl and a 7-year-old boy from Fortuna, received minor injuries in the head-on crash that killed both drivers, who were trapped inside as the vehicles became engulfed in flames.

A motorist who came upon the crash scene was able to get all of the passengers out of the 2008 Dodge Ram pickup that was hit when the driver of a 1994 Ford Bronco crossed over into its path, according to a California Highway Patrol release.

Neither driver has been identified. The CHP is investigating the fatal incident and reports that impaired driving may have been a factor in the crash.

Driver impairment is suspected and may have contributed to the accident, according to the CHP.  Most drunk-related accidents occur in the early am hours, like here.

Read the full release from the CHP below:

On 05-26-17, at approximately 12:30 A.M., a 1994 Ford Bronco was driving north on US-101, north of Reynolds Highway in Mendocino County. For unknown reasons, the Ford made a turning movement to the left and crossed over the double yellow lines, proceeding into the southbound traffic lane. At the same time, a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup was driving south on US-101, north of Reynolds Highway in Mendocino County. The Ford crossed into the opposing traffic lane right in front of the Dodge and the two vehicles collided head on. Both vehicles came to rest within the southbound and northbound traffic lanes and caught fire. The Dodge had five passengers inside, not including the driver. The drivers became trapped within the driver seats of their respective vehicles as a result of the collision.
Immediately after the collision, a Good Samaritan came upon the scene and got out of his vehicle in order to see if everyone was okay. He quickly realized that the fire was spreading and began to extricate everyone that he could from the Dodge. Due to his quick thinking and expediency, all five passengers from the Dodge were safely rescued from the vehicle. Unfortunately, the driver (identity being withheld pending family notification) was trapped in the driver seat as the Dodge became fully engulfed and suffered fatal injuries. The driver of the Ford (identity being withheld pending family notification) was also trapped and was not extricated before his vehicle became engulfed as well, and he suffered fatal injuries.

All injured parties were transported by ambulances from Ukiah, Willits and Laytonville to area hospitals. Personnel from Little Lake Fire Department, Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, Willits Police Department, Verihealth, Laytonville Fire Department and Ukiah CHP assisted with the control of, and the investigation of, the collision scene. This collision remains under investigation by the Garberville CHP.

At this time, the cause of this collision is under investigation and it appears impaired driving may have been a factor as well. 


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Two drivers were killed early Friday and five people injured when their vehicles slammed head-on into each other, bursting into flames on Highway 101 north of Willits, according to the CHP.

The toll could have been far worse. A good Samaritan helped the injured passengers escape from the wreckage as the fire began to spread, CHP officials said.

Driver impairment is suspected and may have contributed to the accident, according to the CHP.  Most drunk-related accidents occur in the early am hours, like here.

The accident happened about 12:30 a.m. Friday on Highway 101, just north of Reynolds Highway. A 1994 Ford Bronco heading north crossed over double-yellow lines directly into the path of a southbound 2008 Dodge Ram carrying six people, the CHP said.

Both drivers were trapped inside the vehicles immediately after the fiery crash and were pronounced dead at the scene.

As the flames grew, an unidentified person helped five people get out of the Dodge.

Four of the passengers in the Dodge were from Eureka: Rosa A. Delgado, 43; Gilberto Delgado, 24; Anajelica Delgado, 19; and Natalie Grace Delgado, 1, according to the CHP. A fifth passenger, Jacob Douglas Clifford, 7, is from Fortuna.

The injured were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial and Howard Memorial hospitals. The Fortuna boy suffered minor injuries while the others were being treated for major injuries, the CHP said.

The name of the male driver of the Dodge, from Eureka, was withheld late Friday until his family could be notified, the CHP said.

Investigators also withheld the name of the Bronco driver until they could confirm the driver’s identity. The CHP declined to say which driver was impaired.

A formal OSHA complaint was filed against Sugar Creek Construction citing health and safety violations in the I-77 work zone in North Carolina


OSHA Investigating Possible Health, Safety Violations on I-77 Project


The complaint specifically addresses the dust clouds coming from the project

May 26, 2017

An investigation has been opened into whether or not OSHA health and safety procedures were violated by the contractor working on the Interstate 77 toll lane project.

OSHA officials say that a representative conducted an inspection of the site. That inspection is open and usually takes about six to eight weeks to complete.

A formal complaint was filed against Sugar Creek Construction on May 15 citing health and safety violations in the work zone, which could put workers in danger of developing lung cancer and cost the company thousands of dollars. The complaint specifically addresses the dust clouds coming from the project.

In a previous statement, Sugar Creek Construction said that they "and I-77 Mobility Partners take the safety of our workers and the traveling public very seriously."

FOX 46 Charlotte asked specifically about the dust clouds, the workers not wearing hard hats, and the machine door left open during operation on a previous story. A representative declined to answer the station's questions or do an interview.

It won't be known if the company will be cited until the inspection is complete.



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OSHA investigating possible health, safety violations on I-77 



Updated: May 25 2017 06:49PM EDT

CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46) - An investigation has been opened into whether or not OSHA health and safety procedures were violated by the contractor working on the Interstate 77 toll lane project.

OSHA officials tell FOX 46 Charlotte that a representative conducted an inspection of the site. That inspection is open and usually takes about six to eight weeks to complete.

A formal complaint was filed against Sugar Creek Construction on May 15 citing health and safety violations in the work zone, which could put workers in danger of developing lung cancer and cost the company thousands of dollars. The complaint specifically addresses the dust clouds coming from the project.

In a previous statement, Sugar Creek Construction said that they "and I-77 Mobility Partners take the safety of our workers and the traveling public very seriously."

FOX 46 Charlotte asked specifically about the dust clouds, the workers not wearing hard hats, and the machine door left open during operation on a previous story. A representative declined to answer the station's questions or do an interview. It won't be known if the company will be cited until the inspection is complete.

Largo Concrete Inc. is now the main focus of an investigation by Cal/OSHA after 13 people were hurt when a building under construction partially collapsed in Oakland, CA











Cal/OSHA investigating after partial building collapse in Oakland

Updated: May 26 2017 06:18PM PDT

OAKLAND (KTVU) -- Largo Concrete Inc. is now the main focus of an investigation by Cal/OSHA after 13 people were hurt when a building under construction partially collapsed Friday morning.

The workers were pouring concrete at the building on Broadway near Hawthorne Avenue at about 9:30 a.m. when the floor fell out from under them.

by Taboola


Shortly after building collapsed, Cal/OSHA investigators arrived to conduct a probe into what happened.


"They are going to be looking at what happened," said Paola Laverde, a Cal/OSHA spokeswoman. "They will interview the employer, they will be interviewing the workers (and) they will be looking at the safety records of the company."

Largo concrete is the concrete subcontractor on the project at 3093 Broadway, which is the former Bay City Chevy dealership and is being transformed into a mix of residential apartments and retail space.

Workers were apparently pouring concrete when the accident hapened.

"It's the first time I've heard of flooring (that) has gone out from under them," Laverde said.


Records show that over the past 10 years, Largo has paid more than $34,000 for various violations.
  • In 2007 a Largo worker was paralyzed after falling 10 feet onto a concrete slab. The company was fined $5,400 in that case.
  • In 2008, the firm was hit with a $19,000 fine after a worker cut his foot with a chainsaw.
  • And in 2015, Cal/OSHA fined Largo more han $6,000 for having rebar that was installed in an unsafe manner.
  • And Largo has had four accident investigations over the past five years with three citations issued for minor violations.

"If Cal/OSHA determines there were any violations they will cite the company," Laverde said.

Safety regulators will also examine the general contractor, Johnstone Moyer of San Carlos. Records show that company has had a handful of relatively minor violations.

"The goal of Cal/OSHA is to ensure workers are safe at the workplace and can go home safe to their families," Laverde said.

The investigations typcally take about 3-4 months to complete. and Largo would be required to correct any violations.

Largo refused a KTVU request to comment.

Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Tractor overturns are the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers.





AGRICULTURAL SAFETY

 tractor silhouette
Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries; and farming is one of the few industries in which family members (who often share the work and live on the premises) are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries.

In 1990, NIOSH developed an extensive agricultural safety and health program to address the high risks of injuries and illnesses experienced by workers and families in agriculture. NIOSH supports intramural research and funds extramural research and prevention programs at university centers in 10 states. These programs conduct research on injuries associated with agriculture, as well as pesticide exposure, pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal disorders, hearing loss, and stress.

Who’s at Risk?

  • Approximately 1,854,000 full-time workers were employed in production agriculture in the US in 2012.
  • Approximately 1.4 to 2.1 million hired crop workers are employed annually on crop farms in the US.
  • An estimated 955,000 youth under 20 years of age resided on farms in 2012, with about 472,000 youth performing farm work. In addition to the youth who live on farms, an estimated 259,000 youth were hired to work on US farms in 2012.

Fatalities

  • In 2012, 374 farmers and farm workers died from a work-related injury, resulting in a fatality rate of 20.2 deaths per 100,000 workers. Tractor overturns were the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers.
  • The most effective way to prevent tractor overturn deaths is the use of a Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS). In 2012, 59% of tractors used on farms in the US were equipped with ROPS. If ROPS were placed on all tractors used on US farms manufactured since the mid-1960’s, the prevalence of ROPS-equipped tractors could be increased to over 80%.
  • On average, 113 youth less than 20 years of age die annually from farm-related injuries (1995 -2002), with most of these deaths occurring to youth 16-19 years of age (34%).
  • Of the leading sources of fatal injuries to youth, 23% percent involved machinery (including tractors), 19% involved motor vehicles (including ATVs), and 16% were due to drowning.

Injuries

  • Every day, about 167 agricultural workers suffer a lost-work-time injury. Five percent of these injuries result in permanent impairment.
  • From 2008-2010, 50% of all hired crop worker injuries were classified as a sprain or strain.
  • In 2012, an estimated 14,000 youth were injured on farms; 2,700 of these injuries were due to farm work.
A national occupational safety and health agenda for the agricultural production industry has been developed as part of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) process. Further information on agriculture production safety and health is also available as part of the activities.
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Growing Hazards: Safety Rules Often Don’t Apply To Farming, One Of The Most Dangerous Jobs
By Nicole Erwin



May 26, 2017

Jeanna Glisson has two lives: her life before August 20th, 2007, and her life after. That day is so vivid, Glisson can still hear the sounds of her son’s feet coming down the stairs.

“I remember Derek when he got up that morning, he was on the phone talking to my dad. He was excited,” Glisson said.

It was the first day of harvest at Swift Farms in Murray, Kentucky, and Derek couldn’t wait to get to the corn fields. Glisson remembers it feeling like the hottest day of the year. It was a Monday, she said.

“He looked forward to it. I remember him getting in the shower. And then after that…” Her voice trails off. She remembers that the phone rang. It was her brother. Derek had been hurt. Before Glisson or any of the emergency responders could get to the farm, it was too late.

Courtesy Jeanna Glisson

Derek Glisson as a young boy, with his father.

“He was dead on arrival,” she said.

Just hours before, Derek, his grandfather, and a couple other farm workers had been trying to reattach a piece of equipment to a combine. They had gone through the motions to make sure the part was attached, even lifting the piece three times before Derek crawled under the machine. But somehow, the equipment slipped.

“It was a tragic, tragic accident is the best way I can explain it. I don’t think there was one thing they could have done differently,” Glisson said.

On her way through the flashing emergency lights and long line of neighbors along Faxon Road, Glisson finally made it to her son. “He looked peaceful, like he was asleep,” she said.

The Calloway County Coroner said Derek died from mechanical asphyxia from crushing injuries.

Farming is among the country’s most dangerous occupations. Government statistics show the industry consistently has some of the highest risks for injury and death from work-related accidents, and the Ohio Valley region is no exception.

A ReSource review of data on agriculture-related deaths shows that from 2011 to 2015, Ohio had 101 fatalities, the fifth highest such number in the nation. Kentucky had 65 fatalities over those five years, the 14th highest in the nation. West Virginia, which has relatively few people in farming, had six fatalities.
Alexandra Kanik | Ohio Valley ReSource

Agribusiness leaders say voluntary training and awareness are improving safety. But veteran safety regulators say enforcement is also lacking. Unlike with other industries, safety regulators are restricted on what they can do to help when it comes to injuries and fatalities on the farm.
Farm Loophole

Jordan Barab is a former deputy assistant secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, who has been blogging on worker safety issues since leaving government at the end of the Obama administration. Barab said the agency faces frustrating limitations when it comes to farms, especially small farms, which statistics show are generally more hazardous.

“Basically, OSHA is not allowed to go on any small farm,” he said. “And that means for any reason.”

“Small” is defined as having fewer than 11 workers other than family members and no migrant labor housed on the farm.

Barab said this loophole in worker safety for small farms exists because of the political sway of agriculture lobbyists, including the Farm Bureau.

“If there is a worker complaint, if a worker gets killed, if ten workers get killed, OSHA can’t even step foot on there to cite or anything,” he said.

A lot of people get hurt and killed on farms and Barab said it’s because of the nature of the work environment. Risky activity, confined spaces such as grain silos, and dangerous, heavy machines are all areas where he thinks inspectors could be helpful.

“There are all kinds of issues on farms that OSHA could address,” he said.

Courtesy Jeanna Glisson

Some of the heavy equipment at Swift Farms. Equipment accidents such as tractor roll-overs account for many farm injuries and deaths.

During Barab’s time at OSHA, he said, the department was often stopped in its tracks if it came close to issues regarding agriculture. In Barab’s blog “Confined Space” he wrote that agribusiness lobbyists accused his agency of “destroying the great American family farm” when it attempted what he considered common sense safety improvements:

When OSHA tried to protect workers — not through regulations, but through clarifications or new enforcement initiatives for existing regulations…when we were trying to save the lives of workers — often teen-age kids — from suffocating in grain silos, when we tried to correct a misinterpretation of OSHA’s Process Safety Standard to compel small fertilizer establishments (like West fertilizer that exploded in 2013, killing 15 people and leveling part of the town) to take basic precautions with hazardous materials that other chemical establishments were required to take.

Barab said OSHA offers more than just enforcement. Consultation services in every state allow for inspections to improve practices without penalty.

“There will always be employers who want to cut corners” said Barab, and that’s who needs enforcement.
Alexandra Kanik | Ohio Valley ReSource

Even getting accurate numbers on farming injuries and deaths can be frustrating. A study by the Ohio Commission on the Prevention of Injury found that “there is a gap in the fatality and injury reporting systems for the agricultural occupation.” With at least ten different sources of data on work-related safety incidents, “the United States does not have a unified reporting system.”

Farm Bureau spokesperson Paul Schlegal said bureau policies are decided by delegates from all fifty states at annual meetings. He said their consensus is that safety awareness works best through grassroots training efforts with local programs.

“I don’t think OSHA was set up to regulate safety on small farms,” he said. “And you have seen for literally decades a Congressional directive that supports that point of view, so I don’t think that is going to change.”

“Safety begins with each individual employer,” Schlegal said, and responsibility to follow safe working rules and conditions falls on the employees.
Future Farmers

Future Farmers of America provides some of this training. In the Ohio Valley the FFA has chapters with more than 45,000 students.

Kentucky FFA Executive Secretary Matt Chaliff said farm safety “seems to have renewed interest.” Just this year national FFA is moving to include safety as one of its “15 areas of interest” to drive safety awareness to all its member chapters. A new agreement with Safety in Agriculture for Youth will also provide online resources.

Chaliff said instilling safety awareness into behavioral practices is different when it comes to younger farmers who often exhibit what he calls an “invincibility” attitude. They tend to overestimate their abilities and underestimate risk. Add a four-wheel All Terrain Vehicle, or ATV, into the mix, and those risks increase significantly, he said

“We see a huge issue with ATV’s,” he said, noting the many injuries resulting from their use. “ATVs have become such a prevalent part in agriculture. It’s something we need to get a handle on.”
Life Lessons

Farmer and college student Brandon Pepper attended FFA classes before he graduated from LaRue County High School in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Last year, Pepper had a freak accident on the farm that he said resonated more than the FFA seminars ever could.
Alexandra Kanik | Ohio Valley ReSource

“My father and a couple of hired hands were working on a piece of tillage equipment out in the field,” Pepper said. His family repurposes old farm equipment as a small side business.

“We had a guy hitting metal with a hammer, and my father was running the torch, and I was running the bottle-jack, and putting a lot of pressure on this piece of metal that we were trying to move,” he said. “All of the sudden it moved very fast.”

Pepper said he didn’t realize what had happened until he looked down at his hand.

“My thumb,” he said, “was hanging by a little bitty piece of skin, I could have cut it off with a pair of fingernail clippers.” The thumb was spared, but the knuckle was not.

But even after nearly losing his thumb, Pepper still resists regulations. If he could turn back the clock and bring an agency like OSHA on the farm, he said, he wouldn’t.

“It makes things more difficult to do,” he said.

Pepper’s comments reflect a deep mindset in farming country, one that prizes independence and self-reliance and resents government intrusion. However, he is open to other ways of improving safety practices.

“If there was some kind of nonprofit organization that wasn’t going to come in and tell us what we could and could not do and just try and help us,” he said. “I feel like that could be beneficial.”
Putting Safety In Neutral

That is where organizations such as Ag Safe, a nonprofit farm training organization, can step in. Ag Safe started in California in 1991. This year Development Director Natalie Gupton opened an office in Kentucky.

“In our 26 years of existence we have yet to meet a farmer that wants something bad to happen to their workers,” Gupton said.

Gupton said Ag Safe offers a “neutral third party” for farmers who need better safety training and awareness and help managing the regulations they face. She expects the organization will likely expand to include Ohio and West Virginia as well. From proper pesticide use to updated farm equipment, she said, a myriad of compliance concerns that come with at least eight government organizations can overwhelm farmers.

“There’s so many organizations that a farmer has to deal with, big or small, when they’re working with our nation’s food supply,” Gupton said.

Gupton said she doesn’t think additional regulation is the right approach. She said communication often isn’t good among different government departments. That means rules can overlap and farmers can be confused on whether allowing one regulator on their fields could create a conflict with another agency limiting who can be among crops.

Courtesy Jeanna Glisson

Cornfields at harvest time.


Because Ag Safe isn’t a regulator, farmers and insurance companies seem to welcome its presence.

“We’ve had stories from past clients that an issue happened on their farm but because they were involved with AG Safe the liability was waived. Because they had taken the measures and had established protocols and procedures in place, they were not found at fault,” Gupton said.

In some parts of farming country, insurance companies offer incentives for safety training. North Dakota, for instance, encourages farmers to enroll in specific training programs with a discount of up to 25 percent on annual premiums. No such incentives are available in the Ohio Valley.
Painful Reminders

Whether the solution lies in more voluntary programs, more enforcement efforts, or some combination, the numbers on farming’s risks indicate that more should be done to make farms safer for families and workers.

Jeanna Glisson lives with painful reminders of the lives those numbers represent. This summer marks the tenth anniversary of Derek’s death at age 21.

“We used to live in a world where you think bad things don’t happen,” she said. “And now we’re like, ‘bad things could be right around the corner at any given moment.’ So we try to stay more aware, we try to be more safety conscious, I believe.” Glisson has her own incentive plan for bringing awareness to young farmers. This August, she is organizing a tractor pull to raise awareness about the dangers of farming through a scholarship in Derek’s memory.



Hazards & Controls

What hazards are agricultural workers exposed to?
Farmworkers are exposed to numerous safety, health, environmental, biological, and respiratory hazards. These include vehicle rollovers, heat exposure, falls, musculoskeletal injuries, hazardous equipment, grain bins, unsanitary conditions, pesticides, and many others.
VEHICLE HAZARDS
In 2011, vehicular accidents caused close to half (276) of the 570 fatalities in agriculture.1 Injuries from vehicular incidents are serious and debilitating to farm activities. For more information, visit the Vehicle Hazards page.
Heat Safety Fact Sheet
HEAT
Heat-related illness. HEAT ILLNESS CAN BE DEADLY. Every year, thousands of workers become sick from exposure to heat, and some even die. These illnesses and deaths are preventable.
Workers exposed to hot and humid conditions are at a high risk of heat illness, especially if they are doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. New workers may also be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions. Employers must take steps to help workers become acclimated.
Prevention. Heat-related illnesses, while potentially deadly, are easily preventable. When working in hot conditions, remember "WATER, REST, SHADE." Drink water every 15 minutes, even when not thirsty. Wear a hat and light-colored clothing. Rest in the shade. Be sure to watch out for fellow workers and know your location in case you need to call for assistance. Get help right away if there are any signs of illness.
LADDERS & FALLS
Deaths and injuries from falls remain a major hazard for farmworkers.
  • According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), agricultural workers had a non-fatal, fall-related injury rate of 48.2 per 10,000 workers in 2011—far higher than the same type of injury rates in the transportation, mining or manufacturing industries.1
  • Between 2007 and 2011 the BLS reported 167 agricultural workers' deaths were due to falls.1
Fall protection and ladder safety. OSHA's Fall Protection topics page and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace site provide general information on different types of fall protection. The following resources provide fall protection guidance for farm workers and employers:
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES
Workers in agricultural operations for both crop and animal production typically use repetitive motions in awkward positions and which can cause musculoskeletal injuries.2
Ergonomic risk factors are found in jobs requiring repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands; frequent or heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy objects; and prolonged awkward postures. Vibration and cold may intensify these conditions.
New technology may reduce some types of ergonomic injuries but increase others. For instance, while dairy farmers have traditionally been at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee3, more recent research has shown new technology used in milking has resulted in a shift in musculoskeletal disorders to the shoulders, hands and arms.
Ergonomic protections. Proper tools, padding to reduce vibration, and fewer activities with high repetition are some methods for reducing musculoskeletal injuries.4 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's page on Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders provides general information on the topic. In addition, NIOSH's Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farmworkers has information about early intervention to prevent these injuries for growers, safety specialists, human resources managers or anyone with an interest in safe farms.
HAZARDOUS EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY
Farmworkers routinely use knives, hoes, and other cutting tools; work on ladders; or use machinery in their shops. However, these simple tools can be hazardous and have the potential for causing severe injuries when used or maintained improperly.
  • All tools should be maintained in good condition and used according to the manufacturers' instructions.
  • Power tools must be properly grounded or double insulated and all guards or shields must be in place.
  • Farmworkers should wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and make sure that clothing has no strings or loose ends that could be caught by machinery. Long hair should be tied back to prevent entanglement.
  • In addition, shops should be well lit and have clear walkways to eliminate slips, trips and falls.
grain silos
GRAIN BINS AND SILOS
While safety issues surrounding grain bins and silos are sometimes overlooked on farms, they pose many dangers. Farmworkers are exposed to suffocation or engulfment hazards when working with grain bins and silos, as well as grain dust exposures and explosions. Suffocation is a leading cause of death in grain storage bins. In 2010, the number of workers engulfed by grain stored in bins hit a record high of 57 engulfments and 26 deaths. As a direct result, OSHA issued a Hazard Alert and an illustrated hazard wallet card* explaining the dangers of working inside grain storage bins. In 2012, 19 workers were engulfed by grain stored in bins, and 8 died.5
Suffocation can occur when a worker becomes buried (engulfed) by grain as they walk on moving grain or attempt to clear grain built up on the inside of a bin. Moving grain acts like "quicksand" and can bury a worker in seconds. "Bridged" grain and vertical piles of stored grain can also collapse unexpectedly if a worker stands on or near it. Additional information on safety and health issues associated with grain handling, such as personal protective equipment, use of lifelines, lockout/tagout, and training is located on the OSHA Grain Handling Safety and Health Topics Page.
UNSANITARY CONDITIONS
The lack of drinking water, sanitation facilities and/or handwashing facilities can lead to many health effects. Farmworkers may suffer heat stroke and heat exhaustion from an insufficient intake of potable water, urinary tract infections due to urine retention from inadequate availability of toilets, agrichemical poisoning resulting from lack of handwashing facilities, and infectious and other communicable diseases from microbial and parasitic exposures.
The Field Sanitation standard (1928.110) applies to any agricultural establishment where eleven (11) or more workers are engaged on any given day in hand-labor operations in the field. OSHA standards require covered employers to provide: toilets, potable drinking water, and hand-washing facilities to hand-laborers in the field; to provide each worker reasonable use of the above; and to inform each worker of the importance of good hygiene practices.
PESTICIDES AND OTHER CHEMICALS
Pesticide exposure. Pesticides pose risks of short- and long- term illness to farmworkers and their families. Workers who mix, load or apply pesticides (known as pesticide handlers) can be exposed to toxic pesticides due to spills and splashes, defective, missing or inadequate protective equipment, direct spray, or drift. Workers who perform hand labor tasks in areas that have been treated with pesticides face exposure from direct spray, drift or contact with pesticide residues on the crop or soil.
Pesticides can present a hazard to applicators, to harvesters reentering a sprayed field, to family members due to take-home contamination, and to rural residents via air, ground water and food. Workers may be exposed to pesticides in a variety of ways, including: working in a field where pesticides have recently been applied; breathing in pesticide "drift" from adjoining or nearby fields; working in a pesticide-treated field without appropriate PPE; eating with pesticide-contaminated hands; eating contaminated fruits and vegetables; and eating in a pesticide-contaminated field. Workers may also be exposed to pesticides if they drink from, wash their hands, or bathe in irrigation canals or holding ponds, where pesticides can accumulate.
Pesticide protection. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees pesticide use through the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). The WPS is a regulation for agricultural pesticides which is aimed at reducing the risk of pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. The WPS protects employees on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses from occupational exposure to agricultural pesticides. The regulation covers two types of workers:
  • Pesticide handlers -- those who mix, load, or apply agricultural pesticides; clean or repair pesticide application equipment; or assist with the application of pesticides in any way.
  • Agricultural workers -- those who perform tasks related to the cultivation and harvesting of plants on farms or in greenhouses, nurseries, or forests. Workers include anyone employed for any type of compensation (including self-employed) doing tasks -- such as carrying nursery stock, repotting plants, or watering -- related to the production of agricultural plants on an agricultural establishment. Workers do not include office employees, truck drivers, mechanics, and any others not engaged in handling, cultivation, or harvesting activities.
The WPS contains requirements for pesticide safety training, notification of pesticide applications, use of personal protective equipment, restricted-entry intervals after pesticide application, decontamination supplies, and emergency medical assistance. While EPA covers the use of respirators in the application of pesticides, OSHA's Safety and Health Topic page on Respiratory Protection provides general information on respirator use and OSHA standards that may apply with the use of other chemicals.
Hazard Communication. Chemicals must be properly labeled so farmworkers know the identity and hazards of the chemicals they may be exposed to at work. OSHA has information to assist employers and workers ensure that hazard communication is properly addressed in their workplaces. In addition, certain OSHA standards address hazard communications. As explained in 1910.1200(b)(5)(i), pesticides covered under FIFRA are exempt from the OSHA labeling requirements since EPA regulates these labels.
RESPIRATORY DISTRESS
Respiratory hazards. Respiratory hazards. Respiratory hazards in barns, manure pits, machinery and silos range from acute to chronic air contaminants. Farmworkers' most common respiratory hazards are bioaerosols, such as organic dusts, microorganisms, and endotoxins and chemical toxicants from the breakdown of grain and animal waste. Inorganic dust, from silicates in harvesting and tilling, is prevalent but less significant.6
Changes to farming mechanisms have both improved working conditions and increased exposure to respiratory hazards—mainly due to the increased density in animal confinement.6
Respiratory protection. Control of aerosols might include the enclosure and ventilation of tractors, applying moisture to friable material, and respirators.6
Helpful links include:
ZOONOTIC INFECTIONS & RELATED HAZARDS
Zoonoses are infectious diseases common to animals and humans. As new infections evolve, the numbers and types of zoonoses change. More recent types of these infections include avian flu, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and West Nile virus. The agricultural worker's risk of acquiring a zoonotic infection varies with the type and species of animal and the geographic location.
The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Veterinary Infection Control Committee* have identified several methods to prevent zoonotic infections, including:
  • Personal protective actions and equipment, such as, hand hygiene, the use of appropriate gloves and outer protection, facial and respiratory protection and the tracking of aggressive animals, so that restraints are used when necessary.
  • Environmental infection control, such as cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and equipment, vaccinating healthy animals, isolating diseased animals, disposing of infected tissues or dead animals appropriately and controlling the infestation of pests which can be a carrier of these infections.
  • Worker health, such as vaccinating workers and providing proper training.
Worker health, such as vaccinating workers and providing proper training.7 Worker health, such as vaccinating workers and providing proper training. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Veterinary Infection Control Committee* have identified several methods to prevent needlestick and related injuries, including:
  • Having an approved sharps container,
  • Never removing the needle cap with one's mouth,
  • Avoiding the recapping of needles,
  • Wearing the appropriate personal protection equipment, such as gloves.
NOISE
Thousands of workers every year suffer from preventable hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels, and research has shown that those who live and work on farms have had significantly higher rates of hearing loss than the general population.8 In fact, farming is among the occupations recognized as having the highest risks for hearing loss.9
Tractors, forage harvesters, silage blowers, chain saws, skid-steer loaders, grain dryers, squealing pigs and guns are some of the most typical sources of noise on the farm. Studies suggest that lengthy exposure to these high sound levels have resulted in noise-induced hearing loss to farmworkers of all ages, including teenagers. Hearing loss is not as dramatic nor as sudden as an injury from a tractor overturn or machine entanglement, but it is permanent.
Employers can achieve noise reduction in several ways - usually related to the maintenance of the equipment:
  • Worn, loose, or unbalanced machine parts can increase decibel levels during operation. Regular lubrication and parts replacement (bearings, mufflers, silencers, etc.,) reduce friction and lower noise levels.
  • Larger engines that can be operated at lower speeds reduce noise levels, and may even conserve fuel.
  • Vibration isolation pads may be installed under the legs of noisy equipment to reduce noise generated by the equipment vibrating on a cement floor.
  • Newer chainsaws and leaf blowers have flexible mountings to reduce vibration-induced noise as well.
  • Tractor and skid-steers can be purchased with sound reducing cabs and tightly fitted cab doors and windows to reduce how much outside noise reaches the operator.
  • Acoustical materials may be installed on walls and ceilings to enclose sound.
In addition, employers may provide workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) but must train them in using the PPE correctly. OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page on PPE describes proper use of personal protective equipment.
Noise and Hearing Conservation - OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page on Occupational Noise Exposure provides a comprehensive review of the hazards of noise, the means of protection, as well as OSHA requirements.
OTHER HAZARDS
Farmworkers may face a number of other hazards due to being outside. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH's) Workplace Safety and Health Topics page on Hazards to Outdoor Workers includes information on:
  • Other Biological Hazards. These include vector-borne diseases, venomous wildlife and insects, and poisonous plants.
  • Extreme Cold.
  • Lightning.
  • Ultraviolet Radiation.
Confined Space. Besides grain storage, farmworkers face dangers in entering other confined spaces such as:
A NIOSH Alert publication, Preventing Deaths of Farm Workers in Manure Pits, provides basic guidance. In addition, OSHA's Safety and Health Topics page on Confined Space, provides further guidance on different types of confined spaces.
Skin Disorders. Workers in the agricultural sector are at risk of potentially harmful exposures of the skin. The NIOSH Workplace Safety & Health Topics page on Skin Exposures & Effects provides information on the different types of exposures and the associated hazards.
Electrical Hazards. Electrical hazards in agriculture range from the dangers of hitting overhead wires when using large equipment to the possibility of hitting underground wires when digging. OSHA's page on Electrical Safety and the NIOSH Workplace Safety & Health Topics page on Electrical Safety provide resources on preventing a range of electrical accidents.

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), United States Department of Labor. Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and Fatal Injuries Profiles database queried by industry for Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (GP2AFH), Accessed June 2013.
2 Kirkhorn, S.R., Earle-Richardson, G., Banks, R.J., "Ergonomic Risks and Musculoskeletal Disorders in Production Agriculture: Recommendations for Effective Research to Practice." Journal of Agromedicine, 15:281-299, 2010. Davis KG, Kotowski SE, "Understanding the ergonomic risk for musculoskeletal disorders in the United States agricultural sector." American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 50(7):501-511, 2007. Douphrate, D.I., Nonnenmann, M.W., Rosecrance, J.C., "Ergonomics in Industrialized Dairy Operations." Journal of Agromedicine, 14:406-412, 2009.
3 Nonnenmann, M.W., Anton, D.C., Gerr, F., Yack, H.J., "Dairy Farm Worker Exposure to Awkward Knee Posture During Milking and Feeding Tasks." Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 7:483-489, 2010.
4 Cook, K.E., Field, W.E., "Proceedings of the 'Arthritis, Agriculture, and Rural Life: State of the Art Research Practices, and Applications' Conference", West Lafayette, Indiana, May 11-13, 2011. Journal of Agromedicine, 16:311-318, 2011.
5 Issa, S., Roberts, M., Field, B., 2012 Summary of Grain Entrapments in the United States. Purdue University.
6 Kirkhorn, S.R., Garry, V.F., "Agricultural Lung Diseases." Environmental Health Perspectives, 108(4):705-712, 2000.
7 Langley, R., Morgan, W.E., "Livestock Handling-Minimizing Worker Injuries." Journal of Agromedicine, 2010 July; 15(3):226-35.
8 Ehlers, J.J, Graydon, P.S., "Noise-induced hearing loss in agriculture: Creating partnerships to overcome barriers and educate the community on prevention." Noise & Health, March-April 2011, 13:51, 142-46.
9 Sliwinska-Kowalska M, Davis A., "Noise-induced hearing loss." Noise Health [serial online], 2012;14:274-80.