Marine Accident Brief: Engine Room Fire on Board Recreational Vessel La Pietra, with Subsequent Sinking

Executive Summary


​ On July 4, 2014, at 1058 local time, a fire broke out in the engine room on board the 79-foot-long recreational vessel La Pietra, when the vessel was near Destruction Island, Washington. 

The onboard vessel owners (husband and wife) were rescued by the US Coast Guard; the husband was treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns. 

La Pietra burned to the waterline and sank with 600 gallons of diesel fuel onboard.


Probable Cause


​ The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the LaPietra accident was an engine room fire of unknown origin. 

Contributing to the loss of the vessel was the owners’ inability to access and shut off the engine room ventilation system, which diminished the effectiveness of the fire suppression system and extinguishing efforts.

Digital/computer eye strain“affects some 64% to 90% of office workers

6 ways to avoid digital eye strain
 

Sep 9, 2015
By Naomi MacKenzie

 

With it being the 21st century, the amount of time we spend in front of a computer screen is massive. Whether it be for work or personal, a lit screen is something we stay glued to. Did you know that this comes with health risks?

Our eyes get weaker over time as is, but we do ourselves a disservice when we over do the digital devices. According to a study featured in Time Magazine, digital/computer eye strain“affects some 64% to 90% of office workers.” And though digital eye strain is not a permanent disorder, it can cause other permanent health issues. Here are some of the things you should stay aware of.

1. Rest your eyes.

Rising of the eyes at a regular interval will help avoid discomfort caused by staring at the computer all day. According to the the American Optometric Association “A simple rule-of-thumb is to take a 20 second break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away.” If you feel like you can’t remember to do this, try downloading an app called Eye Defender or WorkRave. These will do the work of remembering for you!

2. Keep proper distance.

Visual strain definitely can come from not properly distancing yourself from a device. This goes for any device with a lit up screen, large or small. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration “viewing distances that are too long can cause you to lean forward and strain to see the text, while distances that are too short may make your eyes work too hard to focus.” Try playing around with desk and keyboard placement in order to find the perfect amount of space between you and your computer.


3. Adjust the light.

The light on your monitor should be the brightest light in the room. Ambient light should be about half as bright as your monitor’s light. If using a lot of natural light, a best practice is to try and position the windows so that it is to the side of the device versus in the front or back of it. Full spectrum lights are better than fluorescent lighting as it is too harsh.

4. Use simple fonts.

With all of the apps out there to customize your phone with fancy fonts, it’s hard not to be tempted. For your eyes’ sake, it is in your best interest to stick to an easy to read font. According to a recent study done by the American Optometric Association “Fonts without serifs, such as Arial or Verdana, are better than those with serifs, such as Times New Roman.”

5. Keep the monitor clean.

The last thing you need is for your screen to be full of debris, causing you to have to squint even more. Clean your screen! Also, to prevent a glare, try purchasing an anti-glare screen protector. Another alternative is to paint the walls within your workspace with matte paint, as glare occurs when light reflects off surfaces. This can’t happen with paint that has no gloss.

6. Wear glasses

There are plenty of options out there for those with and without a prescription. For those of you with a prescription, try to remember to wear your glasses. They are given to you for your protection and can even be ordered with anti-glare in them. If you don’t have a prescription, most sporting goods stores carry polarized glasses that can help with the glare as well.

OSHA list details how Georgians workers die on the job

 









September 9, 2015

One worker died when a granite countertop fell on him at his job in Marietta. Another in Murrayville was electrocuted while working on a fluorescent light. A list of other Georgia worker deaths this fiscal year highlights the perils many face on their jobs. Others died when a crane’s brakes failed; from inhaling toxic fumes from asphalt; from being struck by a dump truck; crushed between poles in a kiln; and falling from a variety of structures. 



Erik Hilario

You rarely hear about most of them.

A 2011 death made the news this Labor Day week. That’s because a Fulton County jury awarded $29 million to the family of a 19-year-old burned to death while doing his job at Newell Recycling in East Point. The jury wanted to punish the company for what it saw as unsafe practices by the company, but jurors themselves won’t know how Erik Hilario’s case winds up. That’s because after the verdict, the scrap metal company and the family reached a confidential settlement, with the company agreeing not to appeal.

In recognition of labor Day week, here are the Georgia workplace deaths reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration so far this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. 

Georgia workplace deaths, FY 2015 through July 16



Date Employer City Incident

16-Jul CLM Quality Inc. Marietta Worker struck and killed by granite countertop slab
7-Jul Fieldale Farms Poultry Murrayville Worker electrocuted by fluorescent light balance
22-Jun International Paper Company Augusta Worker killed when crane’s brakes failed
10-Jun Masonry by Design Fayetteville Worker killed in fall
29-May ER Snell Contractor Lithia Springs Worked struck and killed by dump truck
8-May Southeastern Gin Inc. Surrency Work struck and killed by falling fan shroud
1-May Wade Blackwell Norcross Worker killed in fall from attic window
22-Apr Asphalt Refining & Technology Co. Douglasville Worker died from hydrogen sulfide exposure
19-Mar Quality Steel Corp. Thomasville Worker loading truck struck and killed by falling propane tank
17-Mar SynCot Plastics Cartersville Worker killed after being caught in extruder machine
11-Mar Parkway McIntyre Lumber Co. Marietta Worker struck and killed by falling tree
26-Feb G.P.S. Enterprises Bonaire Worker fatally crushed by rebar that fell from truck
24-Feb Ace Pole Co. Blackshear Worker fatally crushed between poles in a kiln
18-Feb Roofing Professionals Inc. Savannah Worker on roof killed in fall through skylight
16-Feb Medellin Concrete Chipping Service Marietta Worker fatally engulfed by gravel after falling into silo during cleaning operations.
10-Feb JDF Welding Toccoa Worker killed in fall from steel structure
23-Jan Gilman Building Products Co. Dudley Worker fatally crushed inside banding machine
21-Jan Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation Inc. Dahlonega Worker killed in fall from tree
15-Jan Macuch Steel Products Augusta Worker killed in fall from scissor lift that was struck by crane
12-Jan Georgia Architectural Stone Tate Worker fatally crushed by marble slab that fell during loading
10-Jan W H Reeves & Co Inc. Evans Worker fatally crushed by fracking storage tank that fell from trailer
11-Dec TLC Building Valdosta Worker struck and killed by forklift
9-Nov Power Corp. of America, dba Southeast Power Corp. Midland Worker struck and killed by truck that rolled over chock during maintenance
4-Nov Parks Volkswagen Repair Gainesville Worker fatally crushed under vehicle while making repairs
31-Oct Boston Gin Co. Boston Worker breaking overhead seed jam in storage container fatally engulfed when seeds fell
27-Oct Claude Howard Lumber Co. Statesboro Worker crushed by lumber banding and strapping machine while trying to clear jam
20-Oct Harold Billingham Alapaha Worker drowned when tractor overturned in pond
14-Oct Michael Scott Moseley Doraville Worker struck and killed by electrical cabinet that fell from forklift
7-Oct Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. West Point Crane operator pinned and fatally crushed by casting machinery
2-Oct Design Print and Display Group Atlanta Worker fatally crushed between truck and dock lift
2-Oct WBT Farms Services Rebecca Worker struck and killed by loader bucket

TRAFFIC DEATHS/INJURIES ON THE RISE: Wyoming workplace deaths increase in 2014, with most of them traffic related

Hampton Young, Contributed


Smoke billows following a head-on collision between two commercial trucks May 16, 2014 on U.S. Highway 287 near Muddy Gap Junction. Two people were killed in the crash. Workplace deaths in Wyoming grew to 34 in 2014, many of which were traffic related.


September 08, 2015

Benjamin Storrow 307-335-5344, Benjamin.Storrow@trib.com




The number of Wyomingites who died on the job in 2014 grew by more than 60 percent over the previous year. That was the major finding of the third annual Fatal & Non-Fatal Injuries report released Tuesday by the state Department of Workforce Services.

It found 34 people died in on-the-job accidents in 2014, up from 21 reported to state officials the previous year. Federal officials recorded 26 workplace fatalities in Wyoming during 2013. The discrepancy is due to varying reporting requirements.

The finding represents a setback for state officials, who have long grappled with how to improve the safety of working conditions in the Cowboy State.

Wyoming consistently ranks among the most dangerous states in the country to work, thanks in part to dangerous driving conditions and the prevalence of high-risk jobs in the energy industry and agriculture.

In 2013, the last year for which nationwide figures were available, Wyoming's workplace fatality rate of 9.5 deaths per 100,000 workers ranked second in the nation behind North Dakota.

“I know the pain a family goes through when a loved one does not return home from work,” Gov. Matt Mead said in a statement. “I am concerned about the increased fatalities in Wyoming."

Oil and gas overtook transportation as the most dangerous sector, accounting for 10 deaths. The industry recorded three deaths in 2013.

The uptick in oilfield deaths, which corresponded with a spike in drilling across the state, was largely due to a change in how Wyoming counts fatalities.

In previous years fatalities were largely classified by cause, meaning if an oilfield driver died in a traffic accident it was counted as a transportation death.

This year's report considers the sector where the deceased person was employed, said State Occupational Epidemiologist Meredith Towle. The change was made to give employers a better sense of the challenges facing their respective industries, she said.

Seven of the 10 oilfield fatalities were traffic-related. Icy conditions, for instance, were cited as the reason for three deadly rollovers involving oilfield workers.

An additional seven people died in the transportation sector incidents, equal to the same number last year. Agriculture recorded four deaths, while three people were killed in the construction sector.

Failure to wear a seat belt was a common cause for traffic related deaths. Five people killed in traffic incidents were not wearing a seat belt, the report found.

Former state Occupational Epidemiologist Mack Sewell issued a call for a seat-belt law prior to his retirement last year. The law would allow police to pull over drivers and cite them for failure to wear a seat belt.



Research shows seat belts are the most effective way to prevent a fatality in a crash, Towle said. Seat belt use has increased in states with seat-belt laws, she noted.

Mead, in his statement, noted efforts Wyoming has made to improve workplace safety, hiring additional safety inspectors, focusing on data collection and offering businesses incentives for taking precautionary actions.

"More work needs to be done so those in the workplace return home safe to their families,” the governor said.

The state hired five additional safety consultants and added two inspectors in 2012. Safety consultants do not conduct inspections but offer consultations to businesses.

A 2014 Star-Tribune investigation found the Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration has had difficulty retaining consultants and inspectors in recent times, with many leaving the public sector for better-paying jobs in the oil patch.

Safety consultations have increased in recent years, but inspections hit a five-year low in fiscal year 2014, the investigation found.

An electrician working for Tampa Electric was electrocuted to death after he touched live wire in Seffner, Florida

Electrical worker dies after touching live wire in Seffner, Florida
TBO.com staff
Published: September 9, 2015

A man, working as a subcontractor for Tampa Electric, was killed this morning when he touched a live wire while working near a power line in Seffner, Florida.

The unidentified worker was about 30 feet in the air, using a saw inside a bucket truck, when he touched the live wire at Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard and Kingsway Road South, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The worker was transported to Brandon Hospital and was pronounced dead, deputies said.

The incident closed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in both directions at Kingway Road South, deputies said.