MEC&F Expert Engineers : 07/29/17

Saturday, July 29, 2017

The widow of Luis Velazquez who was chopped to death at a Nabors Drilling USA site in West Texas filed lawsuit against the company for negligence












The widow of a worker who was killed in a workplace accident involving an industrial sized blender has sued Nabors Drilling USA for negligence, according to a lawsuit filed this week in state district court in Harris County.

Luis Velazquez was working in March at an above ground mud pit at a drilling site in West Texas. He was cleaning the giant metal blades used to stir mud to keep water and dirt from separating when the machine was turned on and the blades began to rotate.


Velazquez, 47, was conscious as the blades chopped his body and suffered before he died, said Chad Inderman, a trial lawyer in Lubbock who is representing Velazquez's widow, Olga Lidia Mendivil Soto.

"All that was left of him was his chest and his head," said Inderman. "It's horrible."

Nabors did not immediately return a request for comment.





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Culberson County Sheriff officials and EMS were busy in the Northern portion of the county near Orla, the site of busy oil and gas activity. Upon arrival to a Nabors Drilling Rig, Sheriff Oscar Carrillo reported he was escorted to the site of the fatal accident. Sheriff Carrillo was advised that 44-year-old Jose Velasquez, of Lovington, New Mexico was killed underneath the drilling rigs deck plate where he was tethered and working in a chamber with rotating blades that requires periodic cleaning when the accident happened.

The unattended death was documented by Sheriff Carrillo as the initial process of the investigation. Carrillo told The Advocate the accident was with Man Welding Services based out of Lovington, New Mexico.

The accident marks six fatalities, according to the Sheriff, associated with drilling in the county since about 2005. The last incident involved a fire, which broke out at the Ramsey Natural Gas Processing Plant near Orla in December 2015. During that incident, 200 people were on site with two minor injuries reported. Eyewitnesses as far away as Carlsbad report feeling the explosion.





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Nabors Blamed in Death of Oilfield Worker

 

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has placed Nabors Completion and Production Services Co. on its list of the nation’s most dangerous employers after finding the company could have prevented a massive explosion that killed a 28-year-old Marine combat veteran in October 2014.

Dustin Payne’s employer “failed to clean the water hauling tank thoroughly” prior to welding and cutting operations that killed him in North Dakota, OSHA investigators found, issuing one willful and four serious safety citations and proposing fines of $92,000.

“Payne and his fiancée should be discussing marriage and their future together. Instead, she is left stricken and trying to move forward without him,” said Eric Brooks, OSHA’s area director in Bismarck. “This tragic incident was recognizable and preventable.”

Last year, OSHA placed a different subsidiary of Nabors Industries Ltd., a Bermuda-based company that maintains a corporate and executive office in Houston, on a list called the Severe Violator Enforcement Program. However, that subsidiary, Nabors Drilling USA, was later removed from the list, after Nabors went to court and successfully contested part of the violations related to a different North Dakota death.

Nabors spokesman Dennis Smith did not immediately return an e-mail from the Chronicle seeking comment. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before an independent commission.

A 2014 Houston Chronicle investigative series on oilfield accidents found that Nabors Drilling USA had reported more deaths than nearly all other oil and gas employers involved in drilling, well service or petroleum extraction businesses. From 2007-14, the Chronicle found that three Nabors sister companies – Nabors Drilling USA, Nabors Well Services Co. and Nabors Completion and Production Services Co. – together had reported at least 18 fatal accidents or worksite deaths to OSHA, according to a review of records from multiple states.

A previous analysis by the newspaper showed that Nabors Drilling and Nabors Well Services had reported more deaths in Texas than any other similar oilfield employer in the boom years from 2007-11.

Federal statistics, which run about two years behind, show that Texas and North Dakota have had some of the nation’s highest reported oilfield deaths. From 2008-2012, Texas reported 216 deaths and North Dakota reported 31 out of a national total of 545, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Oilfield deaths declined in Texas in 2013 compared to a decade high of 65 in 2012. But OSHA reports oil and gas and construction-related fatal accidents in North Dakota have continued to rise – with 21 killed from January 2012 to July 2014.


Mine worker Gabriel Benitez crushed to death while inside his Ford F550 truck at the ASARCO Mine in Sahuarita when the vehicle he was in was run over by a large dump truck



Gabriel Benitez. (Source: Facebook)
 















Worker dies after being run over by large dump truck at ASARCO Mine in Sahuarita 

Friday, July 28th 2017




TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -

A worker died Thursday night at the ASARCO Mine in Sahuarita when the vehicle he was in was run over by a large dump truck, officials said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed Gabriel Benitez, 41, died at the scene.

"It appears Benitez was sitting in his work truck, a Ford F550, when he was ran over by a large mining dump truck that had just finished dropping its load," PCSD spokesman Cody Gress said in a news release."

Gress said there were no signs of impairment from the other driver.

ASARCO issued this statement:


"Work-related injuries are felt deeply in ASARCO’s company and community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and co-workers.”


The haul trucks carry the ore out of the pit along a haulage road with a slope of no more than about nine percent. They dump the ore into a gyratory crusher which reduces the ore to eight inches or less — about the size of soccer balls.






ASARCO was organized in 1899 as American Smelting And Refining COmpany. Originally a consolidation of a number of lead-silver smelting companies, the Company has evolved over the years into an integrated producer of copper, and other metals.

The Company is a fully integrated miner, smelter and refiner of copper in the United States. ASARCO’s domestic mines annually produce approximately 350 – 400 million pounds of copper. Significant copper mines include the Mission, Silver Bell and the Ray open-pit mines, all three in Arizona.

ASARCO has solvent extraction/electrowinning product at our Ray and Silver Bell mines. ASARCO operates a copper smelter in Hayden, Arizona, which produces almost half a billion pounds of anodes annually. The Company’s Amarillo Copper Refinery in Texas and the SX/EW plants at the Ray and Silver Bell mines produce about 375 million pounds of refined copper per year.

Suicidal Muslim Burak Ulus committed suicide by driving the wrong way on the Parkway East and crashing head-on into another vehicle, injuring the driver, Joyce Grimm, 60, of Penn Hills.



A Pittsburgh man committed suicide Monday by driving the wrong way on the Parkway East and crashing head-on into another car, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Thursday.

Burak Ulus' eastbound car exited the Squirrel Hill Tunnel about 7:15 p.m., crossed Squirrel Hill Plaza and drove into the westbound lanes, according to state police. He crashed into a westbound vehicle driven by Joyce Grimm, 60, of Penn Hills.

Ulus, 27, died several hours later at a hospital. Grimm was in fair condition Thursday at Allegheny General Hospital, a spokeswoman said.

Police said they determined Ulus committed suicide based on what family members told them about his state of mind before the crash.

According to court records, Ulus pleaded guilty to speeding and driving the wrong way on a street in 2014; he was found guilty of speeding and failing to follow traffic signals in 2015; and he pleaded guilty to failing to follow traffic signals in 2016.

He was found not guilty of reckless driving in 2016, records show. 


Here is the funeral announcement (the Janazah Prayer) for this crazy Muslim dude.  We would not be surprised if he was trying to kill other drivers - therefore,  what he did was an attempted murder-suicide incident by a Muslim loser.


Janazah Prayer for Brother Burak Ulus

Today (Wednesday 7/26) after Duhr Prayer (1:30PM) at Attawheed Islamic Center

 
Please join us to pray for our Brother Burak Ulus today after Duhr Prayer at 1:30PM at Attawheed Islamic Center (401 Washington Ave, Carnegie, PA 15106). The burial will be at Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie, PA (801 Noblestown Rd, Carnegie, PA 15106), and there will be a procession that will leave from the AIC after the Janazah. His family would greatly appreciate our support at this difficult time, so please keep him and his family in your prayers. May Allah SWT grant him Jannat Al Ferdaws 
االلهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـه ، وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْـه ، وَأَكْـرِمْ نُزُلَـه ، وَوَسِّـعْ مُدْخَـلَه ، وَاغْسِلْـهُ بِالْمـاءِ وَالثَّـلْجِ وَالْبَـرَدْ ، وَنَقِّـهِ مِنَ الْخطـايا كَما نَـقّيْتَ الـثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَـضُ مِنَ الدَّنَـسْ ، وَأَبْـدِلْهُ داراً خَـيْراً مِنْ دارِه ، وَأَهْلاً خَـيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِـه ، وَزَوْجَـاً خَـيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِه، وَأَدْخِـلْهُ الْجَـنَّة ، وَأَعِـذْهُ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر وَعَذابِ النّـار
Muslim 2/663.
Allaahum-maghfir lahu warhamhu, wa 'aafihi, wa'fu 'anhu, wa 'akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi' mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bilmaa'i waththalji walbaradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataayaa kamaa naqqaytath-thawbal-'abyadha minad-danasi, wa 'abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi, wa 'ahlan khayran min 'ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa 'adkhilhul-jannata, wa. 'a'ithhu min 'athaabil-qabri[wa 'athaabin-naar].

O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him and cause his entrance to be wide and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home, and a family better than his family and a wife better than his wife. Take him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave [and from the punishment of Hell-fire].

Muslim 2/663.

RECKLESS AND IMPAIRED DRIVER RAMON VALENDA, JR. KILLS COUPLE, THEIR DOG AND SELF IN VENTURA, CA: Brandon Thompson, his girlfriend Rachel Cline (Panda) and their dog "pips" were killed in a head on colision on the 101 freeway in Ventura with a speeding black Toyota Scion; the suicidal driver of the Scion also died













Friday, July 28, 2017 04:22PM
VENTURA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Ventura County Coroner's Office has identified the three people who died after a wrong-way driver slammed into a car on the 101 Freeway in Ventura.

The wrong-way driver was identified as Ramon Valencia Jr, a 34-year-old man from Santa Paula.

Police said Valencia slammed into a car driven by 25-year-old Brandon Thompson of Riverside. The passenger in Thompson's vehicle was identified as 28-year-old Rachel Cline of Lake Elsinore. Their dog was also killed.

The violent wreck happened on the southbound 101 Freeway near the Seaward Avenue exit at 12:03 a.m. Thursday.

A California Highway Patrol officer spotted Valencia's Toyota Scion getting on the freeway in the wrong direction at a very high rate of speed. According to police, Valencia was driving nearly 100 mph.

The officer tried to keep pace with the car on the other side of the freeway while calling additional units to help him, but it was too late. Valencia, Thompson and Cline were all pronounced dead at the scene.





One of two cars involved in a head-on crash is seen on the 101 Freeway in Ventura on Thursday, July 27, 2017.

The Ventura Fire Department says both cars were mangled. One went over a guardrail and the other came to a rest about 50 yards north of the crash.

Authorities are looking into whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident. Anyone who witnessed or has information about the crash is urged to call the Ventura Area CHP office at (805) 662-2640.



Most of the drunk (or impaired, in general) crashes occur in the early a.m hours, like this one.  So, always be aware of these reckless, moronic lunatics who drink and drive and speed their way to their final destination.  They will not be missed, but the innocent victims of their murderous behavior will be missed.  RIP  Brandon, Rachel and their dog "peeps".

A GoFundMe account was started to help the families pay for funeral expenses for Thompson and Cline: https://www.gofundme.com/narc7q-funeral-expenses


At about 12:10am today Brandon Thompson and his girlfriend Rachel Cline (Panda) were killed in a head on colision on the 101 freeway.  They had spent the day in Ventura tothere and had a picnic and were headed home when this happened.  Even their little dog "peeps" was killed in the accident.
Assistance for final expenses are needed by the family as no life insurance is available.  Brandon was only 25 years old and Rachel was 28
years old and just starting their life together.
Any financial assistance will be so extremely helpful in this sudden horrible event as no money has been set aside for such circumstances.
If anyone has pictures of Brandon and/or Rachel (Panda) please send to my email account for memorial services.  an email:gonecrazy1973@gmail.com   Arrangements are pending.  


 Ramon Valenda, Jr - the crazy dirver who killed two people and their dog in Ventura.
Ramon Valenda, Jr - the crazy dirver who killed two people and their dog in Ventura.  A GoFuckMe account was also started for this idiot and/or criminal

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3 killed after wrong-way driver slams into another car on 101 Freeway in Ventura

Three people were killed after a wrong-way driver sped into oncoming traffic and slammed into another car on the 101 Freeway in Ventura Thursday.

The wreck occurred on the southbound 101 Freeway near the Seaward Avenue exit around midnight. A California Highway Patrol officer witnessed the driver getting on the freeway in the wrong direction. The officer said a black Toyota Scion was traveling at a very high rate of speed - close to 100 mph.

The officer tried to keep pace with the car on the other side of the freeway, but it was too late. The Scion collided head-on with a Nissan with two people inside. The driver of the Scion and the two people inside the Nissan were all pronounced dead at the scene.

The man and woman inside the Nissan were from the Riverside area, and the person inside the Scion was from Santa Paula, according to CHP. Their identities were not immediately released.

Authorities said drivers can protect themselves from such incidents by staying out of the fast lane.

"One tip that I might suggest is - if driving early morning hours, try to drive on the right-handed lanes. This suspect vehicle in this crash struck another vehicle, and that vehicle was traveling in the middle lane at the time," said CHP Sgt. Tom Webster

The crash was under investigation. Authorities are looking into whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident.

Multiple lanes on the 101 Freeway were shut down due to the wreck, but lanes have since reopened.




================



Three people were killed when a wrong-way driver going about 100 mph slammed into another vehicle on 101 Freeway in Ventura, officials said Thursday.


A gray Nissan Versa is seen following a deadly crash in Ventura on July 27, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

Emergency crews responded just after midnight to a collision on the southbound side of the freeway near Seaward Avenue, the Ventura City Fire Department stated in a news release.

Firefighters found two vehicles that were involved in a high-speed head-on collision.

One of the vehicles was hanging from the guard rail on Lemon Grove Bridge as the second vehicle came to a stop on the roadway about 50 yards to the north.

Three adults found inside the two vehicles were all pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Fire Department.


A vehicle involved in a deadly crash in Ventura is seen in July 27, 2017. (Credit: City of Ventura Fire Department)

The wrong-way driver was traveling on the center median and then in the fast lane of the 101 Freeway when the collision occurred, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Tom Webster said.

Authorities tracking the vehicle on the northbound side of the freeway recorded the driver’s speed at about 100 mph, Webster said.

The victim’s struck by the wrong-way driver had little chance to avoid the vehicle, said Webster, who offered advice to early morning drivers.

“In all practicality it’s much better in the early morning hours, when drunk drivers are out there … to drive in the right-hand lane,” Webster said.

Investigators have not said if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.

None of the those killed in the crash were immediately identified. The southbound 101 Freeway was down to one lane for several hours Thursday morning during the investigation

71-year-old Diane M. Linker of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota died after a Aerofab Lake LA-4-250 seaplane crash on Lake Winnebago shortly during a takeoff attempt in rough water conditions





OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) - Update: Officials have identified the woman who died on Thursday in the seaplane crash on Lake Winnebago.


The Winnebago County Sheriff's office says 71-year-old Diane M. Linker of Sauk Rapids Minnesota died in the crash.

Authorities say three people from Minnesota were on the Lake Renegade seaplane, leaving to return to Minnesota. Winnebago County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident at 7:45 p.m.

Witnesses tell Action 2 News the plane was taking off but barely left the water when it tipped over near seaplane base. Winnebago County Sheriff's Lt. David Roth said the water was choppy and the plane was possibly taken over by a bigger wave and ended up flipping over.

Two people were trapped on the plane. The third was able to get out when the door opened in the crash. Two suffered critical injuries; the third person's injuries are described as "not life-threatening."

One of the first responders -- a diver, we're told -- suffered a cut to the hand and a burn from fuel in the water.

The sheriff's office estimate the plane was going about 70 knots (80 miles per hour) when it crashed.


Photos during the rescue show the plane almost completely submerged. Authorities say the plane will remain in the water until Friday morning.

EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski said the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.

He also said flights are still going in and out of the seabase and no delays due to the crash. Knapinski said the last incident on the lake in relation to the EAA AirVenture was July 2011, when a plane traveling from event had engine issues over the lake and ended up crashing into Lake Winnebago. It killed the two people on board.

Police have blocked off the road to the seaplane base, which is off Highway 45 south of Wittman Regional Airport. The base is used by pilots attending EAA AirVenture.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Oshkosh Fire Department and people from the seaplane base assisted.

NTSB is doing a water investigation. They will be pulling the plane out of the water when they are done and take it toa secure hangar to continue investigating.

Lynn Murray was at the scene and took the pictures attached.






Date: 27-JUL-2017
Time: 08:00 p.m.
Type: Aerofab Lake LA-4-250
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N1400P
C/n / msn: 3
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: Lake Winnebago, Oshkosh, WI - United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature: Private
Departure airport: EAA Seaplane Base (96WI)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The seaplane crashed shortly during a takeoff attempt in rough water conditions. Two occupants were seriously injured, and one occupant onboard the amphibian received minor injuries. One first responder received minor injuries. One of the seriously injured passengers later succumbed to the injuries received.

Sources:
www.whbl.com
http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Seaplane-rescue-on-Lake-Winnebago-437082213.html
http://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/local/oshkosh/airventure/2017/07/28/eaa-spokesman-airplane-crashed-after-hitting-large-wave-lake-winnebago/519588001/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=
______________
http://www.asias.faa.gov/pls/apex/f?p=100:95:733652478614::NO::P95_EVENT_LCL_DATE,P95_LOC_CITY_NAME,P95_REGIST_NBR:28-JUL-17,OSHKOSH,N1400P
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N1400P
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1463823

Pilot Joel Black of Ohio killed after his Cessna U206G Stationair plane operated by Regal Air crashed in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska.


















Small plane crashes in Southwest Alaska

  Author: Laurel Andrews


A commercially operated Cessna 206 crashed 12 miles northeast of Port Alsworth on Thursday, according to officials.

The plane was a Regal Air aircraft, and the pilot was the sole occupant, according to Megan Richotte, public information officer with Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

Alaska State Troopers were en route, Richotte said. A recovery mission would take place Thursday evening by both troopers and park rangers.

Brice Banning, senior aircraft accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said that NTSB investigators were also heading to the scene.

The plane had departed from Lake Hood Seaplane Base in West Anchorage, Banning said.

It was reported missing around 9:30 a.m., when the Rescue Coordination Center said a emergency locator transmitter had activated in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, according to Richotte.

A search party of Lake Clark National Park rangers responded, Richotte said. They found the plane around 1:45 p.m., according to Banning. It was found downed and burning in the Miller Creek drainage of the park.

Richotte described the area of the crash as "a forested valley bottom in mountainous terrain."

Port Alsworth is around 165 miles southwest of Anchorage.


=====================


A 22-year-old man died Thursday when the single-engine plane he was piloting crashed in Southwest Alaska, according to authorities.

The pilot, identified as Joel Black of Ohio, was the only person onboard the Cessna 206, according to a statement from Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the plane was operated by Regal Air and carrying freight.

It departed from the Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage and was headed for "a remote landing site in the Bristol Bay area," said Brice Banning, NTSB senior aircraft accident investigator.

Banning said Friday he did not have a more specific destination and did not yet have information on what time the plane left Anchorage.


A woman who answered the phone at Regal Air on Friday morning declined to comment.

Megan Richotte, public information officer with Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, said the plane was reported missing around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, when the Rescue Coordination Center said an emergency locator transmitter had activated inside of the vast national park.


Around 1:45 p.m., park rangers found the plane, downed and burning in the Miller Creek drainage about 12 miles northeast of Port Alsworth.

Richotte described the area of the crash as "a forested valley bottom in mountainous terrain."

Alaska State Troopers and park rangers recovered the pilot's body Thursday night, Richotte said. The body was flown to the medical examiner's office in Anchorage, she said.

Banning said he expected an NTSB investigator to travel to the scene of the crash Friday. He said what caused the crash remained under investigation.






Date: 27-JUL-2017
Time: 09:30 a.m.
Type:
Cessna U206G Stationair
Owner/operator: Regal Air
Registration: N1749R
C/n / msn: U20604963
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Miller Creek drainage, 12 miles northeast of Port Alsworth, Alaska - United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature: Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Lake Hood Seaplane Base (PALH)
Destination airport: Bristol Bay, AK
Narrative:
The plane was found burnt. The pilot died in the crash.



Sources:
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2017/07/27/small-plane-crash-reported-near-port-alsworth/
http://www.ktva.com/small-plane-crashes-near-lake-clark-pass-no-word-casualties-728/
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2017/07/28/pilot-killed-in-southwest-alaska-plane-crash/
__________________
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N1749R
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8639422
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000642678.html