MEC&F Expert Engineers

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Worker was killed when he was crushed under a pavement roller as it overturned and rolled on top of him in Darien, NY




Worker killed in Darien pavement roller accident

By Evan Anstey, News 4 Digital Producer 

Published: August 26, 2016, 2:48 pm


DARIEN, N.Y. (WIVB) — A worker was killed in an accident involving a pavement roller in Darien Friday morning.  
 
The accident happened on Broadway Road in the Genesee County town of Darien, 25 miles east of Buffalo.

Aaron Wellman, 40, was driving the roller onto a trailer on Broadway when he lost control, according to New York State Police. At this time, the roller overturned off the trailer, crushing the worker, leaving Wellman unresponsive.

He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

Wellman’s death was an accident, and medical officials are working to determine his cause of death.  Which was "crushed by overturned pavement roller, suffering blunt force trauma to the head and torso".

These are typical accidents that happen with these rollers.  Here is another case where a worker killed by such machine.
 
Employee was operating an asphalt roller as part of a roadway repaving job. The roller ran off the edge of the shoulder, overturned, and rolled down a 10 ft bank. Employee #1 was killed when he was crushed under the vehicle as it rolled on top of him. 


Asphalt Roller Topples - Injures Driver

The operator of a double steel-drum roller was injured when the roller he was operating overturned during a loading operation.

The crew had just completed roadwork and was loading the roller onto a tilting float. Because the drums are smooth and have little traction, the operator positioned the machine some 20 feet behind the trailer to get up speed and gain enough momentum to drive it up the ramps onto the trailer.

The roller made it part way onto the float, but when the rear drum started up the ramps it lost traction, and the front roller started spinning and began to slide sideways. The operator decided his best move was to put the machine in reverse and back down the ramps. By this time the rear drum has spread the ramps apart, and as the machine slid backwards, it toppled to the side. Fortunately, the operator was wearing his seatbelt and received only minor injuries.

Recommended Preventive Action

  • Powered mobile equipment must be equipped with Rollover Protective Structure (ROPs); and the operator shall use a seatbelt or restraining devices while the equipment is in motion.
  • When possible, use the low-bed trailer with detachable gooseneck. Always load and unload the equipment at the front end of the low-bed. The trailer must be situated on a level and solid surface prior to before loading and unloading, and the wheels must be chocked. A slight downhill slope may assist the loading of double drum steel rollers (see Figure A).
  • Make sure the ramps are of sufficient width. Ramps should also be long enough to provide a safe loading slope and equipped with a locking mechanism to prevent the ramps from kicking out (see Figure B).
  • Ramp surface should be made of slip-resistant material to ensure maximum traction. Be sure the surface is kept clean and free of grease, oil, ice and loose material.
  • Roller should be within the manufacturer’s recommended speeds when loading. If the operator experiences difficulties, relocate the float to a more suitable terrain.
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$28,000 in penalties against L-M Asphalt Partners Ltd., doing business as ATS Construction in Lexington trench collapse that killed construction worker












 Lexington firefighters worked at the scene of the trench collapse that killed Samuel Tyler Williams, 22, of Frenchburg. The trench was being dug about 10 yards from Todds Road next to a 5-foot retaining wall. Charles Bertram cbertram@herald-leader.com

By Morgan Eads

meads@herald-leader.com

An inspection following a Lexington trench collapse that killed a construction worker in May found five serious violations, resulting in penalties of $28,000, according to a report on the website of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Samuel Tyler Williams, 22, of Frenchburg was killed May 4 when the trench he was working in near Todds Road and Hays Boulevard collapsed. Williams died of asphyxiation after being completely covered by dirt and gravel.

The report lists L-M Asphalt Partners Ltd., doing business as ATS Construction, as being the subject of the inspection.

The violations had to do with the inspecting of an excavation; the wearing of a helmet; having a properly placed stairway, ladder or ramp into a trench 4 feet deep or deeper; properly protecting employees from materials that could fall into a trench; and precautions against a trench caving in, according to the online report.

Each violation had a penalty cost of $5,600 listed, with a total penalty of $28,000.

Part Number:

1926
• Part Title: Safety and Health Regulations for Construction
• Subpart: P
• Subpart Title: Excavations
• Standard Number: 1926.651
• Title: Specific Excavation Requirements.
• GPO Source: e-CFR
1926.651(a)
Surface encumbrances. All surface encumbrances that are located so as to create a hazard to employees shall be removed or supported, as necessary, to safeguard employees.
1926.651(c)(2)
Means of egress from trench excavations. A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress shall be located in trench excavations that are 4 feet (1.22 m) or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet (7.62 m) of lateral travel for employees.
 1926.651(j)(2)
Employees shall be protected from excavated or other materials or equipment that could pose a hazard by falling or rolling into excavations. Protection shall be provided by placing and keeping such materials or equipment at least 2 feet (.61 m) from the edge of excavations, or by the use of retaining devices that are sufficient to prevent materials or equipment from falling or rolling into excavations, or by a combination of both if necessary.
1926.651(k)(1)
Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems shall be made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could result in possible cave-ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions. An inspection shall be conducted by the competent person prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the shift. Inspections shall also be made after every rainstorm or other hazard increasing occurrence. These inspections are only required when employee exposure can be reasonably anticipated.
1926.652(a)(1)
Each employee in an excavation shall be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section

 .1926.652(b)

1926.652(b)
Design of sloping and benching systems. The slopes and configurations of sloping and benching systems shall be selected and constructed by the employer or his designee and shall be in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b)(1); or, in the alternative, paragraph (b)(2); or, in the alternative, paragraph (b)(3); or, in the alternative, paragraph (b)(4), as follows:
1926.652(b)(1)
Option (1) - Allowable configurations and slopes.
1926.652(b)(1)(i)
Excavations shall be sloped at an angle not steeper than one and one-half horizontal to one vertical (34 degrees measured from the horizontal), unless the employer uses one of the other options listed below.
1926.652(b)(1)(ii)
Slopes specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, shall be excavated to form configurations that are in accordance with the slopes shown for Type C soil in Appendix B to this subpart.
1926.652(b)(2)
Option (2) - Determination of slopes and configurations using Appendices A and B. Maximum allowable slopes, and allowable configurations for sloping and benching systems, shall be determined in accordance with the conditions and requirements set forth in appendices A and B to this subpart.
1926.652(b)(3)
Option (3) - Designs using other tabulated data.
1926.652(b)(3)(i)
Designs of sloping or benching systems shall be selected from and in accordance with tabulated data, such as tables and charts.
1926.652(b)(3)(ii)
The tabulated data shall be in written form and shall include all of the following:
..1926.652(b)(3)(ii)(A)

1926.652(b)(3)(ii)(A)
Identification of the parameters that affect the selection of a sloping or benching system drawn from such data;
1926.652(b)(3)(ii)(B)
Identification of the limits of use of the data, to include the magnitude and configuration of slopes determined to be safe;
1926.652(b)(3)(ii)(C)
Explanatory information as may be necessary to aid the user in making a correct selection of a protective system from the data.
1926.652(b)(3)(iii)
At least one copy of the tabulated data which identifies the registered professional engineer who approved the data, shall be maintained at the jobsite during construction of the protective system. After that time the data may be stored off the jobsite, but a copy of the data shall be made available to the Secretary upon request.
1926.652(b)(4)
Option (4) - Design by a registered professional engineer.
1926.652(b)(4)(i)
Sloping and benching systems not utilizing Option (1) or Option (2) or Option (3) under paragraph (b) of this section shall be approved by a registered professional engineer.
1926.652(b)(4)(ii)
Designs shall be in written form and shall include at least the following:
1926.652(b)(4)(ii)(A)
The magnitude of the slopes that were determined to be safe for the particular project;
..1926.652(b)(4)(ii)(B)

1926.652(b)(4)(ii)(B)
The configurations that were determined to be safe for the particular project;
1926.652(b)(4)(ii)(C)
The identity of the registered professional engineer approving the design.
1926.652(b)(4)(iii)
At least one copy of the design shall be maintained at the jobsite while the slope is being constructed. After that time the design need not be at the jobsite, but a copy shall be made available to the Secretary upon request.
1926.652(c)
Design of support systems, shield systems, and other protective systems. Designs of support systems, shield systems, and other protective systems shall be selected and constructed by the employer or his designee and shall be in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (c)(1); or, in the alternative, paragraph (c)(2); or, in the alternative, paragraph (c)(3); or, i the alternative, paragraph (c)(4) as follows:
1926.652(c)(1)
Option (1) - Designs using appendices A, C and D. Designs for timber shoring in trenches shall be determined in accordance with the conditions and requirements set forth in appendices A and C to this subpart. Designs for aluminum hydraulic shoring shall be in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section, but if manufacturer's tabulated data cannot be utilized, designs shall be in accordance with appendix D.




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A construction worker died Wednesday after a trench collapsed on Todds Road near Hays Boulevard. cbertram@herald-leader.com


By Michael McKay

mmckay@herald-leader.com


A construction worker was killed Wednesday when the trench he was working in collapsed next to Todds Road near Hays Boulevard.

Samuel Tyler Williams, 22, of Frenchburg was completely covered by dirt and gravel in the 16-foot trench when emergency workers arrived about 9:40 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Harold Hoskins said. Dozens of firefighters worked to try to free him.

Williams, a married father of three, died of asphyxiation, Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday in Frankfort at the state medical examiner’s Office. Ginn said autopsies are standard in work-related deaths.

Fire department spokeswoman Jessica Bowman said the investigation would be turned over to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which arrived about 11: 45 a.m. OSHA investigates workplace deaths.

Hoskins said investigators would look at the soil and the structure of the trench to ensure that another collapse wouldn’t happen.

“This is a very complicated operation,” he said.

The trench appeared to be between a retaining wall and the pavement of Todds Road.

The work is part of a state transportation project to widen Todds Road.

This phase includes widening the road, and adding curbs and other improvements on Todds Road from the entrance of the Andover Forest neighborhood to just past Interstate 75. Construction began in October 2015 on the $9.9 million road widening project.

Natasha Lacy, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 7 office, said Kentucky Transportation officials were on the scene immediately after the accident.

“The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet extends our sincere thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and coworkers of the employee,” Lacy said. “Safety personnel from KYTC District 7 office in Lexington were on the scene immediately after being notified. A preliminary investigation is under way.”

Lacy said state OSHA officials were overseeing the investigation. Transportation officials did not release the name of the contractor employing Williams.

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A spike in on-the-job fatalities in Tennessee has safety officials on high alert. Last month alone, 10 workers died.


 


Tennessee safety officials say most construction site deaths in July were blamed on falls.
First Baptist Nashville / via Flickr


Spike In Tennessee Workplace Fatalities Blamed On Construction Boom, Worker Falls
By Blake Farmer • Aug 23, 2016
A spike in on-the-job fatalities in Tennessee has safety officials on high alert. Last month alone, 10 workers died.

Usually, most workplace deaths occur in the manufacturing sector. Of the 10 deaths in July, some were in factories. One was an incident involving a garbage truck. And four were on construction sites, according to the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

TOSHA administrator Steve Hawkins says most of the construction workers died because of a fall, and their deaths were likely preventable. He calls the spike "alarming," far surpassing a single month in recent memory.

"There's an influx of new employees to Tennessee. There may be employees attracted to construction who have not worked in the field before," Hawkins says. "We just know that there has been an increased number of fatalities in the month of July — a very large increase."

Hawkins says most of the fatalities have resulted in citations and fines for the employer. He's encouraging them to review safety procedures with workers. His agency also offers free consultations and will even send out a safety inspector at no charge who will point out violations without imposing fines. 


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



Nashville police investigate fall to death from Tennessee Tower Natalie Neysa Alund, nalund@tennessean.com 2:10 p.m. CDT July 14, 2016






Police are investigating a report of a person falling from the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower early Thursday morning Natalie Alund and Samuel M. Simpkins



(Photo: Samuel M. Simpkins/ The Tennesse)

Metro police say a man whose body was found at the foot of a state building in downtown Nashville Thursday morning died as a result of an apparent suicide.

Officers responded at 5:54 a.m. to 312 Rosa Parks Avenue after receiving a report that a man jumped off the top of the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower.

At the scene, crime scene tape surrounded a portion of the plaza entrance just off 7th Avenue and a Metro police captain confirmed the body of a man had been found.

The man, who was found on the north side of the skyscraper — just off Charlotte Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation revealed the man apparently committed suicide, police spokeswoman Kris Mumford said.

The official cause of death is pending an autopsy by the Davidson County Medical Examiner.

At the scene, a group of men working on the building's roof said they were on the roof at some point but did not see the tragedy unfold.

One of the workers did say they saw items on the roof they believe may have belonged to the man. They did not elaborate.

The building, which houses a slew of Tennessee government offices was named in honor of William R. Snodgrass, a public servant who served as Tennessee's Comptroller of the Treasury from 1955-99.

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Satellite dish worker who died in fall identified

Posted: Aug. 21, 2015


By News Sentinel Staff

Authorities have released the name of a man who fell to his death this week while working on a satellite dish on the roof of a West Knox County house.

The Knox County Sheriff Office said 32-year-old Brandon Duncan was found Wednesday afternoon by the homeowner of 7711 Cherokee Springs Way unconscious in her driveway shortly after 4:30 p.m.

According to a KCSO incident report, authorities do not believe Duncan’s death is suspicious or that there were any signs of foul play. Duncan was working on a satellite dish on the home’s roof. =======================


Saturday, July 16, 2016

1 tree worker electrocuted to death and another worker was injured while trimming trees in Piney Flats in TN





One person electrocuted, one injured in tree trimming incident in Piney Flats

  By News Channel 11 Staff Published: July 15, 2016, 1:48 pm Updated: July 15, 2016, 5:44 pm

SULLIVAN COUNTY, TN (WJHL) – Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed one person was electrocuted and was person was injured while working with a private landscaping company Friday.

According to Capt. Andy Seabolt, the incident happened in the 1,000 block of Haw Ridge Road in Piney Flats just after 12:30 p.m.

The sheriff’s office said workers for a private company were trimming trees for a homeowner when an employee made contact with a live electrical line.

According to the release, the employee who made contact with the line was killed and another employee received minor injuries.

The sheriff’s office is calling the incident an accidental electrocution.

Johnson City Power Board crews responded to the scene, along with Sullivan County EMS and Piney Flats Volunteer Fire Department.

Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) said they have an inspector on the way.
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EPA released the draft triazine risk assessments for public comment. Atrazine is part of the triazine chemical class

 

SOYBEAN

Mode: Photosynthetic Inhibitor Herbicide: Atrazine, Metribuzin Injury: Lower leaves display interveinal chlorosis with necrotic margins
Condition: Carryover of atrazine or high rate of metribuzin

 

 

SOYBEAN

Mode: Photosynthetic Inhibitor Herbicide: Atrazine, Metribuzin Injury: Lower leaves go from chlorotic to necrotic, fall off of stem, and in severe cases, complete death of plant
Condition: Carryover of atrazine or high rate of metribuzin; both herbicides are influenced by high soil pH making the herbicides more available to cause injury; eroded knolls in field are likely areas where injury may occur

 

Atrazine - Background and Updates

News

EPA released the draft triazine risk assessments for public comment.
Atrazine is a widely used herbicide that can be applied before and after planting to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. Atrazine is part of the triazine chemical class, which includes simazine and propazine due to their common mechanism of toxicity. It is primarily used in agriculture (with the greatest use on corn, sorghum, and sugarcane). To a lesser extent, it is used on residential lawns and golf courses, particularly in Florida and the Southeast. 
The Agency's oversight of atrazine is dynamic and includes periodic pesticide re-evaluation and intensive monitoring programs. Over the years, the Agency has consulted with the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) on a variety of atrazine topics.
On this page:

Registration Review of Atrazine

Atrazine is undergoing registration review, our periodic re-evaluation program for existing pesticides. All documents related to the registration review of atrazine can be found in the registration review docket: EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0266. In particular:
If at any time EPA determines there are urgent human or environmental risks from atrazine exposure that require prompt attention, we will take appropriate regulatory action, regardless of the status of the registration review process.

Additional Information

Additional information on atrazine’s registration review, reregistration, and food tolerance reassessment is available in the atrazine dockets:
Docket # at regulations.gov Docket Title and/or SAP Title
EPA-HQ-OPP-2003-0367 Atrazine Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED)
EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0481 Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment
EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0759 Presentation of the Atrazine Reevaluation Plan
EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0851 Draft Framework and Case Studies on Atrazine, Human Incidents, and the Agricultural Health Study: Incorporation of Epidemiology and Human Incident Data into Human Health Risk Assessment
EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0125 Re-Evaluation of Human Health Effects of Atrazine: Review of Experimental Animal and In Vitro Studies and Drinking Water Monitoring Frequency
EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0481 Re-Evaluation of Human Health Effects of Atrazine: Review of Non-Cancer Effects and Drinking Water Monitoring Frequency
EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0399 Re-Evaluation of Human Health Effects of Atrazine: Review of Non-Cancer Effects, Drinking Water Monitoring Frequency, and Cancer Epidemiology
EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0230 Problem Formulation for Reassessment of Ecological Risks from Use of Atrazine
EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0266 Atrazine Registration Review
Top of Page

Atrazine Monitoring Program - Drinking Water

The Atrazine Monitoring Program (AMP) monitors approximately 150 community drinking water systems (CWS), primarily in the Midwest, to determine whether concentrations of atrazine and its chemical degradates pose a risk to public health. This monitoring program is required as a result of the 2003 Atrazine Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision (IRED) and the Memorandum of Agreement (2004). 
Community water systems, which are a subset of public water systems (PWS), are selected for intensive monitoring based on a history of atrazine use and a screen of EPA's Office of Water monitoring data. CWSs included in the AMP are monitored on a weekly basis during peak atrazine use season and biweekly during the rest of the year. All other CWSs are monitored on a 90-day basis as part of the Office of Water’s routine monitoring under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
  • Any CWS with a total combined triazine (TCT) concentration exceeding the trigger values of 2.6 ppb for finished water or 12.5 ppb for raw water over a 90-day rolling average will be inducted into the AMP intensive water monitoring program for 5 years. Pesticide registrants implement the AMP.
  • If any CWS in the AMP meets or exceeds the trigger value for one year, registrants must submit a mitigation plan and begin implementation within 90 days of the exceedance.
  • If any CWS in the AMP meets or exceeds the trigger value for 2 out of 5 consecutive years, atrazine use is banned in the water system’s watershed.
  • If any CWS in the AMP does not exceed a TCT concentration of 37.5 ppb for five consecutive years, intensive monitoring can be terminated.
To date, EPA has determined that more than 100 systems no longer require monitoring under the program, and no system has exceeded the maximum allowable concentration more than once. More than 30 CWSs have been added to the program.
View Atrazine Monitoring Program Data and Results

Atrazine Ecological Exposure Monitoring Program

The Atrazine Ecological Exposure Monitoring Program assesses atrazine levels in streams in watersheds that are exposed to atrazine runoff from corn and sorghum production (small streams, high atrazine use areas, and vulnerable soils). This monitoring program is required as a result of the 2003 Atrazine Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision and the Memorandum of Agreement (2004). 
EPA currently regulates on an aquatic plant Concentration Equivalent Level of Concern (CE-LOC) of 10 ppb as a 60-day average concentration, which ensures that atrazine levels will not cause significant changes in aquatic plant community structure, function and productivity. 
If a watershed shows atrazine concentrations above this level of concern in any two years of monitoring, atrazine registrants must initiate watershed-based mitigation activities in concert with state or local watershed programs to reduce atrazine exposure. These mitigation activities can include, for example, label education, stewardship and outreach programs for growers and distributors. A watershed can be decommissioned from the monitoring program if the 60-day running average falls below the CE-LOC for two consecutive years.
  • Since the program's inception, up to 33 watersheds have been monitored for atrazine in corn-, sorghum- and sugarcane-producing areas.
  • As of 2015, nine watersheds in five states (Iowa, Texas, Missouri, Louisiana and Nebraska) are in the monitoring program.
  • As of 2013, all sugarcane sites were decommissioned from the monitoring program.
  • The registrant has addressed exceedances by implementing label education, stewardship, and outreach programs in these watersheds, and is attempting to quantify the impact and effectiveness of the mitigation activities through a grower survey.
View Atrazine Ecological Exposure Monitoring Program Data and Results
Top of Page

Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment

Atrazine is chemically related to two other herbicides, simazine and propazine, which together are called "triazines." The triazines have a common mechanism of toxicity, and are often evaluated together in cumulative risk assessments. As part of EPA’s registration review process, the Agency is currently conducting an updated cumulative human health risk assessment for the triazines. EPA expects to issue this risk assessment in 2016. 
The Agency conducted a triazine cumulative human health risk assessment in 2006, which concluded:
  • Cumulative exposures to atrazine and simazine through food and drinking water are safe and meet the rigorous human health standards set forth in the Food Quality Protection Act.
  • Levels of atrazine and simazine that Americans are exposed to in their food and drinking water, combined, are below the level that would potentially cause health effects.
View the 2006 Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment (Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0481-0003 at www.regulations.gov)

Triazine Ecological Risk Assessments

EPA released the draft ecological risk assessments for atrazine, simazine and propazine, which evaluate risks to animals and plants including, amphibians, birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, aquatic invertebrates, aquatic plant communities, and terrestrial plants. For ecological risks, each of the triazines (atrazine, propazine, and simazine) was assessed separately.

FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Meetings on Atrazine

The Agency has consulted with the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel on 12 occasions on various topics regarding the evaluation of atrazine data and key aspects of its risk assessments since 2000, all of which are listed in the table below. The SAP is composed of independent scientists who advise on technically challenging scientific assessment issues.


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Senate oversight hearing examines atrazine, anhydrous regulations




IFT photo by Bill Tiedje


During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in Dubuque on Aug. 17, Sens. Ron Johnson and Joni Ernst questioned witnesses on the impacts of federal regulations in agriculture.

August 25, 2016 9:09 am • By Bill Tiedje, Iowa Farmer Today





DUBUQUE — Federal regulation of the broadleaf herbicide atrazine and safety compliance requirements for retailers of anhydrous fertilizer were among the topics discussed Aug. 17 at a Senate oversight hearing held by Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Joni Ernst of Iowa.

Jim Zimmerman, a board member of the National Corn Growers Association who farms near Rosendale, Wis., testified the EPA’s call for a reduction in the allowable environmental concentration of atrazine in its standard 15-year reevaluation of the herbicide would be “practically unachievable” and would represent a “de-facto ban” on the use of atrazine.

“One of the most important tools I use on my farm is the herbicide atrazine — and I am far from alone in this regard,” Zimmerman said. “Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States — used on well over half of corn and sorghum acres and on as much as 90 percent of sugarcane acres.”

Zimmerman also questioned the validity of the EPA’s studies used in the “Refined Ecological Risk Assessment for Atrazine” released this June, citing “50 years of safe use.”

Responding to questioning from Johnson, Zimmerman declined to speculate why the EPA would want to limit use of atrazine.

“The point is if you can take a product that has been proven safe and used for over 50 years and you can minimize it, you can do anything. Then pretty much everything is at risk,” Zimmerman said.

The comment period on the draft ecological risk assessment of atrazine is open until Oct. 4.

A human health assessment for atrazine, propazine and simazine is also currently under review by the EPA and is expected to be released in 2016, according to the agency’s website.

Anhydrous retailer exemption

In her introductory remarks, Ernst criticized the Obama Administration for routinely “skirting the rulemaking process” and ignoring Congressional intent.

Ernst stated that in reclassifying process safety management (PSM) exemptions for retailers, including farmer-owned cooperatives that supply anhydrous, the Department of Labor did not go through the formal rulemaking process, denying many affected stakeholders, including farmers, the chance to comment.

“The changes OSHA has made will be difficult for the companies to implement and will yield little if any safety benefits,” Ernst said. “Further, they will costs these retailers tens of thousands of dollars per site, costs that will ultimately be passed on to the family farms that they serve.”

Ernst said the agency now plans to go through the formal rulemaking process, but still expects farmer-owned cooperatives to be in compliance with the changes this October.

The cost of regulation

Rick Vaughan, CEO of Innovative Ag Services, a farmer/member-owned cooperative with locations in eastern Iowa and southwest Wisconsin, testified that the estimated cost of implementing the new PSM requirements would be $725,112, or $28,856 per location.

He estimated at a total annual cost of $10,646 per location, including a five-year amortization of upfront costs plus $5,275 in ongoing annual costs per location, the cost of PSM compliance would equate to $10.31/ton of anhydrous.

“Today we are spending 64 cents per ton to invest in our current anhydrous training,” Vaughan said. “We do not believe the PSM will improve our safety performance.”

He said the company strives to create a safe work environment for its employees and currently invests $17,765 each year to train employees to safely handle anhydrous.

Vaughan said, “We will be forced to close 16 of our 27 plants (59 percent), affecting 389 (35 percent) of our customers. This will affect our other business with these same customers. This will put more anhydrous ammonia loaded trips and miles on the road.”

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), retailer compliance with the new rule may include “modifications to existing management system elements such as: standard operating procedures, hazard analyses, employee participation in the development and implementation of the process safety management systems, reviews prior to startup of new or modified processes, welding safety procedures and safety implications of process or equipment changes affecting covered chemicals.”

Ernst said the rule would lead to reduced competition in the anhydrous market and may cause smaller retailers to exit the market.

Ernst also stated the West Fertilizer plant explosion, which preceded this regulatory push, was caused by arson.
=======================








Farmers oppose EPA’s proposed Atrazine restrictions

August 17, 2016 By Larry Lee Filed Under: Crops, News

Farmers are asking Congress to stop the EPA’s attempt to put more regulation on Atrazine use.

Among those testifying Wednesday at a Senate committee field hearing was Wisconsin farmer and National Corn Growers board member Jim Zimmerman. Zimmerman tells Brownfield that EPA’s plan to drop the “Level of Concern” from 10 to only 3-point-4 parts per billion is unacceptable. “If it is at this level which they’re advocating, it would make it virtually impossible for us to use the product or use it at a rate that would mean anything to us.”

Zimmerman told the committee Atrazine has been proven safe in over 7,000 tests around the world, and the EPA hasn’t given adequate scientific grounds for its recommendations. “We do not believe that they are using procedure or policy that has been outlined for them to do reviews, and so all we’re asking for is that we have some oversight, and that they do follow the procedures and use the best science we have available.”

Zimmerman says there are other products on the market, but the key is to have a number of herbicides available to prevent over-use of one product as part of an effective resistance management plan.

Committee Chairman Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said, “We’ve reached a point where the annual regulatory burden is around $2 trillion.” He wants to eliminate unnecessary and burdensome federal regulations, saying, “We pile layer upon layer upon layer of new regulations atop the old ones without acknowledging that they may be doing little to improve the environment or make food safer.” Zimmerman told Brownfield, “We want a predictable regulatory system where we can all operate with clarity on how to move forward.”

Zimmerman says the cost of losing Atrazine would be both financial and environmental, since growers would be forced to do less no-till and low-till to control weeds…leading to increased soil erosion from traditional tillage. He says, “Atrazine is a safe product, and we want to make sure we have access to it.”
Posted by at

Construction contractor impaled to death by rebar after he fell 15 feet at the Clifton C. Williams Wastewater Treatment Facility in Mobile, Alabama





Victim identified in fatal impalement accident at water treatment facility Posted: Aug 24, 2016 7:06 PM EST Updated: Aug 24, 2016 7:06 PM EST
By Kati Weis, FOX10 News Reporter


 Cyrus Gates, 36, was killed Monday at a construction site at a MAWSS facility. (Facebook) MOBILE, AL (WALA) -

Mobile Police have confirmed Cyrus Gates, 36, of Semmes, as the victim in a fatal impalement accident at a water treatment facility Monday.

Police said Gates was cutting a beam 15 ft in the air when the beam shifted and caused him to fall. Police said Gates was impaled by rebar below. Gates died on scene. At this time, Mobile Police do not suspect foul play or criminal activity.

It happened at the Clifton C. Williams Wastewater Treatment Facility at 1600 Yeend street in Mobile, which is owned and operated by the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS).

Officials said Gates was working construction as a private contractor on a new addition to the facility. Work for the project began in February.

Local officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said they have an open investigation into Gates' death.

Wednesday, FOX10 News Investigates tried to find previous incidents or violations at the facility reported by OSHA, but there were no records, because OSHA does not have jurisdiction over the MAWSS facility.

That's because MAWSS is a public agency, and OSHA does not have jurisdiction over any local or state public entities, only private companies.

MAWSS said it has its own full-time safety manager to oversee safety issues, and that it follows all state and local guidelines.

In this case, OSHA is investigating Gates' death, because Gates was a private contractor.


OSHA said it should finish the investigation within the next six months.



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Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS).

Facilities

MAWSS currently owns and operates two conventional wastewater treatment facilities, the Clifton C. Williams Wastewater Treatment Facility on McDuffie Island and the Wright Smith Wastewater Treatment Facility off Conception Street. Both have sterling records of performance.

In addition, MAWSS owns and operates five decentralized wastewater treatment facilities including Hutchens, Copeland Island, Snow Road, Hamilton Oaks and a unique on-site treatment and disposal facility adjacent to Three Mile Creek. This demonstration project was funded through an EPA project grant. The primary objective of the facility is to demonstrate the use of decentralized facilities within a centralized infrastructure. To learn more about this unique project, view the DVD found by clicking on the "Decentralized Wastewater Systems" link above the photo.


Clifton C. Williams Wastewater Treatment Plant 
 
The Clifton C. Williams Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1957 as a sixteen million gallon a day treatment plant on McDuffie Island and was named the Mobile Sewage Treatment Plant. It was a diffused air activated sludge plant and was sized to treat wastewater from the downtown area of Mobile. Its influent flow was delivered by force main from the Virginia Street pump station. Within twenty years, the increase in population in the western part of the city began to require some planning for the smaller and aging treatment plants at Halls Mill Creek and Eslava Creek. The decision was made to upgrade the Mobile Sewage Treatment Plant to handle the increased flow from the down town area and also the flow from the Halls Mill Creek and Eslava Creek collection systems.

Completed in 1977, this upgrade project included the conversion of the Halls Mill and Eslava Creek plants to lift stations. Their force mains, along with the Virginia Street force main, are now the total influent flow for the pure oxygen activated sludge, 28 million gallon a day treatment plant on McDuffie Island. The plant's effluent discharges into Mobile Bay at the junction of Mobile River.

In 1987, the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners of the City of Mobile officially named the treatment plant at McDuffie Island after a former superintendent of MAWSS, Clifton C. Williams.

In 2005, the Clifton C. Williams Wastewater Treatment Plant was the recipient of the Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. This prestigious environmental honor was given to the Williams plant for five consecutive years of perfect operations with 100% compliance with NPDES permit requirements.

The Williams WWTP is the recipient of numerous state and national environmental awards including the Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). This prestigious honor is given to only a handful of plants in the nation that have five or more consecutive years of perfect regulatory compliance with NPDES permit requirements.

The plant has also been recognized as Best Operated Plant in Alabama by the Alabama Water Pollution Control Association (AWPCA) and Alabama’s Water Environment Association. Tours are available. Call or contact us online.


Wright Smith, Jr. Wastewater Treatment Plant 

The Wright Smith, Jr. Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1947 as a primary treatment plant and named Three Mile Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. As the population grew north and west of Mobile, the plant required a major upgrade.

Completed in 1964, this upgrade included two larger primary clarifiers, two trickling filters, two final clarifiers, one sludge thickener, and another digester. The upgrade increased the capacity of the plant to 10.0 MGD.

In 1987, the plant received another addition that included nitrification filters for the reduction of ammonia nitrogen in it's effluent. At this time, the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners of the City of Mobile named the plant the Wright Smith Jr. WWTP.

In 1993, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management increased the plant's design flow to 12.8 Million Gallons per Day based on treatment performance.

The Smith WWTP has been recognized with state and national environmental awards including the Platinum Peak Performance Award given by NACWA for five or more consecutive years of perfect regulatory compliance with meeting NPDES permit requirements. It has also been recognized as Best Operated Plant by the Alabama Water and Pollution Control Association and Alabama’s Water Environment Association. Tours are available. Call or contact us online.



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Municipal Water and Wastewater Facility Project Case Study in Alabama

This project information is pulled from our database of hundreds of thousands of construction projects that have been started over the past 5 years. Use it to research ideas and potential partners for your own project. Additional examples of municipal water and wastewater facility projects in Alabama are also available.

Project Overview

Project Title:CC WILLIAMS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Start Date:2006-06-01
Estimated Value:$94,163
The cost to build municipal water and wastewater facilities in Alabama depends upon the location, project scope, specific components used and current market conditions. If you are looking to size the cost of building a project similar to this one,

Project Location

State:Alabama
County:Mobile
City:Mobile
Address:1600 Yeend St

Project Type

Building Category:Municipal Water and Wastewater Facilities
Work Type:Alteration

Project Description:

Sewage Treatment Cat Generator Shelter And Electrical Room Scrubber Improvements To The Existing Generator Shelter, Installation Of Masonry Walls Leveling Concrete Floor With Generator Support Slab, Installation Of Mechanical Louvers, Mechanical Scrubbed Air Supply For Positive Pressurization And HVAC Modifications And Painting, Including Appurtenances And Accessories Necessary T Complete The Work

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