THIS IS HOMICIDE: 20-year-old construction worker Kyle Hancock buried alive after unshored trench collapse in Clifton Park, MD

20-year-old construction worker Kyle Hancock burried alive after unshored trench collapse in Clifton Park, MD

Construction Worker Recovered From Baltimore Trench Identified
June 6, 2018


BALTIMORE, MD (WJZ)– After an hours-long effort, first responders recover a construction worker who was trapped in a trench in Clifton Park.

Officials were at the park located near Sinclair Lane and Chester Street in northeast Baltimore, where they finally recovered 20-year-old Kyle Hancock just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, after nearly 12 hours of rescue efforts.


The construction company that was onsite was R.F. Warder Inc.

Construction crews were working from Tuesday afternoon to recover the body. Hancock was buried alive when dirt collapsed on top of him as he was working.


“It appears that the hole the worker was inside, it was not properly shored up,” said Baltimore Fire Spokesperson Blair Skinner.

If someone is working four feet or deeper it is required that temporary walls are built or a metal box is put down to protect anybody working that deep. The hole in question was 14 feet deep.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

However, the scenes from the site show that the trench was unshored.  What makes this reckless violation even more reckless is the fact that there is water at the bottom of the trench.  The presence of the water makes the slopes and the ground even more unstable and subject to movement.

The company that allowed this to happen need to go out of business and jailed for life.

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BALTIMORE, MD (ABC7) — A 19-year-old construction worker is dead after he was buried over 15 feet underground Tuesday and crews spent over seven hours trying to dig him out.

The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service was one of multiple agencies who aided the Baltimore City Fire Department after the man became trapped at a site in the area of North Chester Street and Sinclair Lane Tuesday afternoon.



Fire officials say the man's body was found around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and pulled from the debris around 3:45 a.m.

The fire department has not said specifically how the man became trapped.



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Crews Continue Hours-long Recovery Of Construction Worker Trapped In Baltimore Trench
By Kimberly Eiten

June 5, 2018


BALTIMORE, MD (WJZ)– First responders recover a construction worker who is trapped in a trench in Clifton Park.

Officials are at the park located near Sinclair Lane and Chester Street in Northeast Baltimore, where they were attempting for hours to recover a 20-year-old man Tuesday afternoon into the night.

“It appears that the hole the worker was inside, it was not properly shored up,” said Baltimore Fire Spokesperson Blair Skinner.

Neighbors watched as the construction crew began working Tuesday morning.

“We was out here when these guys first start working. Then I was coming back across town from another project, and I saw all the confusion going on,” said Goether Roberts, who works nearby.

“I’ve never seen anything happen like this. Never. In all of my days,” neighbor Wanda Marshall said.



The Montgomery County Fire Department tweeted that structural engineers are assisting in the recovery.

52-year-old drill rig operator Melvin Self working for Case Foundations, died after he was trapped beneath his rig that fell into a foundation hole at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Arizona

PHOENIX, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -

Family and friends of a construction worker killed in an accident at Sky Harbor Airport are remembering him as "a hell of a good man."

Melvin "Wayne" Self, 52, was killed when a drilling rig toppled over Monday. Self was trapped beneath the collapsed rig.

It took several days for rescue crews to finally locate and recover Self's body Thursday afternoon.

The four-day wait was painful for his family.

Greg Self, Wayne's younger brother, doesn't want Wayne remembered as the "missing construction worker."

"He wasn't just a nobody," he said in a phone interview.

"He liked to hunt and fish. We’d go out to the wilderness out all the time," he continued. "Just an outgoing person all the time. Every weekend we go out buggying. He was just full of life."

"There's nothing I think my brother couldn’t do. He’s a fabricator, a welder, he taught me a lot…he’s an awesome guy," said Greg.

Greg Self also said he wanted to thank everyone for the support for the family his week.

"I want to thank everyone out there, all over the country, who supported my brother and the firefighters," said Greg.

Greg said his brother lived in Chino Valley and leaves behind five children, grandchildren, and a fiancée.

To make matters even more difficult, Greg is also coping with the death of his father, who died last month.

Jay Darrow is Self's best friend. The two had worked together for years and he described him as a good man.

"We miss him," said Darrow.

"Wayne never put himself in a predicament like that," continued Darrow. "If it wasn’t right, he wouldn’t have put himself in that spot."

According to the information on the GoFundMe account, Self's last action was an act of bravery as he yelled for coworkers to get away when the hole began to give way around his drill rig.


The accident happened while construction crews were working on the Sky Train guideway system at Sky Harbor International Airport. They were digging the holes for the concrete columns that will support the track connecting Terminal 3 with the rental car area.

According to the information on the GoFundMe account, Self's last action was a selfless act of bravery as he yelled for co-wokers to get away when the hole began to give collapse around his drill rig.

"It was just a freak accident, basically what happened," said Darrow.

A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help Self's family.

[The Wayne Self GoFundMe account]




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Police have identified the construction worker killed in a drill-rig collapse at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as 52-year-old Melvin Self.

Phoenix police made the announcement one day after crews located and recovered his body.

Self was believed to be the operator of the drill who fell into a hole that was then blocked by heavy machinery, making a rescue mission much harder, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.

Rescue crews started the rescue mission on Monday, but that turned into a recovery mission by Tuesday, as officials cited the length of time Self would have been in the hole he excavated on Monday morning.

The drill tipped over as he was moving heavy equipment, per officials.

Recovery crews found Self's body on Thursday evening, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Phoenix Fire Department Capt. Rob McDade.

Hensel Phelps, the company overseeing construction on the PHX Sky Train, issued a statement Friday morning to The Arizona Republic.

"All of us at Hensel Phelps and on the project team at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport are deeply saddened by the death of a team member who worked as a drill rig operator for Case Foundations, a subcontractor to Hensel Phelps at the airport.

"Hensel Phelps places the highest value on safety and this incident will be thoroughly investigated to understand exactly what happened," it said.

McDade said the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office and the Phoenix Police Department would be in charge of the investigation moving forward.

A Southwest Utility Systems worker died while installing a new water and sewer line inside a manhole in northwest Cape Coral.

CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA

A Southwest Utility Systems worker died Friday afternoon while installing a new water and sewer line beneath a manhole in northwest Cape Coral.

The name of the man had not been released Friday afternoon.

About a dozen of the man’s family and friends gathered at what was believed to be a construction accident. Two women could be seen sobbing about 20 feet from where the man died as paramedics spent almost two hours working to recover his body, which had been submerged under water, according to a witness.

“He was a great guy,” said a man who wouldn't give his name but acknowledged he knew the dead man. “That’s all you need to write. Short and simple. He didn’t have a bad bone in his body.”

Just before noon, Paula and Derek Rabe were working from their home, just north of Mariner High School and Tropicana Parkway on the 800 block of Northwest 13th Avenue, when a utilities worker had knocked on their door.

“It took me a little time to get up and go to the door,” Paula Rabe said. “I walked out, and he was standing by his truck, and I said, ‘Can I help you?’ He said his friend had passed out. I went and got my phone and called 911. I looked down and saw he was underwater.”

Southwest Utilities declined to comment. It took an hour and 45 minutes from the noon 911 call until paramedics removed the body from the hole at the foot of the Rabe’s driveway and into an ambulance. The paramedics covered the man’s body and walked slowly with the stretcher before loading it.

Fire trucks from South Trail, Iona McGregor and Cape Coral responded to the scene, where rain sprinkled as paramedics and firefighters recovered the body.

Rabe said the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced the man had died before she even called for help.

Cape Coral Police spokesman Dana Coston, who arrived to the scene after the body had been moved, said he was not sure whether the man had fallen into the hole or had suffered a medical problem while in the hole. But Rabe said she was almost certain the man had been in the hole – meaning he did not fall – and passed out because of a lack of oxygen.

“The things that come to my mind is that he was down there and had a heart attack or that he passed out from the lack of oxygen and he passed out from that,” said Rabe, who is a registered nurse. Once he quit breathing, he must have fell under the water, she said.

“He was definitely under the water," she said. "In those situations without oxygen, your body just shuts down.”

While waiting for paradmedics, Derek Rabe attempted to get the man above water with the end of a broom, but the broom couldn’t reach him, Paula Rabe said.


“Shortly thereafter, a bunch of construction workers pulled up,” she said. “They were trying to pull him out. Then the police came and the fire truck came. I think they were able to quickly ascertain that he had passed.

“Luckily, I haven’t dealt with much death in my nursing career, but it’s still traumatic.”

A number of family members of the man, including his son-in-law and two nephews, declined to comment, saying they needed time to grieve.

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CAPE CORAL, Fla. -

A utility worker died Friday along NE 13th Avenue in Cape Coral.

The man was working in a manhole when he became unconscious, according to a report.

It is unclear at this time if the man died as a result of a work-related accident or if it was due to medical reasons.

The worker is an employee of the Utility Extension Project contractors in Cape Coral and is not a city contract employee.

OSHA is currently investigating.

Residents in the area should expect to see police and EMS on the scene for the next several hours.

No further information has been provided at this time.

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Cape residents concerned over speeding near utilities project

The Utilities Expansion Project in northern Cape Coral is raising safety concerns among residents as drivers speed down dirt roads.

Residents who live near the intersection of Northwest 3rd Terrace and Northwest 7th Avenue are frustrated and said nothing is being done to prevent drivers from exceeding the speed limit.

“People that cut through this part of Cape Coral, they don’t believe in following the speed signs at all,” resident John Black said.

The Cape Coral Police Department said they’re aware of the construction zones and are patrolling the area.


Crews are digging up roads to install water, sewer and irrigation lines — the goal is to eventually hook up homes to the city’s utilities.

Residents said speeding cars are only adding to the mess.

“A lot of dust is kicked up, but that’s pretty typical for a construction area. You see mainly sand and dust,” resident Heaven Grinsell said.

Police advise drivers that speeding through work zones will result in an increased fine.

The construction will continue into 2019.

A Sims Crane & Equipment crane toppled over and fell on two homes in Lauderhill, Florida crashing the roofs and causing minor injuries to two people

The boom is a common suspect to tipping accidents. As the boom raises or lowers through an arc, the boom's center of gravity moves towards or away from the tipping axis. When the movement of a hydraulic boom is combined with the movement through the arc, we have encouraged a tipping accident.

LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA (CBSMiami) – 

A massive task was at hand Wednesday night as crews worked to dismantle a Sims crane that somehow toppled over and fell on two homes in Lauderhill causing minor injuries to two people.

Chopper 4 was over the scene in the area of NW 11th St. and 43rd Ave. following the incident around 3:30 in the afternoon.

“The crane was in the area working in conjunction with Florida Power & Light from our understanding replacing power poles in the backyards of houses. Therefore, it required really large cranes to reach over houses and get into the backyards with this,” said Lauderhill Fire Dept. Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Levy.

Lauderhill Fire Rescue says the crane lost stability for unknown reasons and ended up on its side, while the boom, the extension part of it, fell on the roofs of the two homes causing significant damage.

At the home that suffered the worst damage, Glennise Charles lived there with her fiancé, three children, and her nephew. Her nephew, Johncarry Dorilas, was the only one home at the time of the collapse and was transported to the hospital.

“He’s doing ok,” said Charles. “He’s in pain but once you get injured you don’t feel the pain right away. He’s in pain but I don’t know how he’ll be tomorrow.”

Lauderhill Fire Dept. says the second person injured was the crane operator, who was treated and released on scene.

Crews also had a water main break to deal with, which officials were not sure was caused by the crane collapse.

Those who’ve been displaced by this incident are now wondering what to do next. For now, they have nothing but the clothes on their back unable to gather any of their belongings from the home. “They said we’re not even able to get in even after they lift up the crane. We’re not even sure if we’re going to be able to get in,” said Charles.

Lauderhill Fire said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, has wrapped up the on-scene investigation. They say about 50 homes are without power because of this situation.

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LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA:

When John Ruffin turned on the kitchen tap in his Lauderhill home Thursday, nothing came out. The unexpected drought began the day before, when a massive crane crashed and disrupted the neighborhood that, for a second day, was still in disarray.

The retiree said the halted water service was the result of a water main break on the block of Northwest 44th Terrace that soon was followed by “a thundering noise” from the crane that he heard fall onto a home three doors down from his.


“It’s very inconvenient to not have water,” Ruffin said. But it could have been worse: He said he and his wife Sharon have air conditioning, their wireless internet works, and their roof is intact.

Two of the couple’s neighbors were not as fortunate.
 
The crane boom, perhaps hundreds of feet long, had been extended over homes to install backyard utility poles for Florida Power & Light.

It crashed into two roofs, leaving the crane operator and a resident of the neighborhood with minor injuries, the fire department said.
 
A crane fell over and its boom crashed into two homes in Lauderhill Wednesday, leaving a resident and the crane operator with minor injuries, fire officials said.

Until the crane is removed, engineers won’t be able to say what caused the collapse or what happened first, the water main break or the fallen rig, Lauderhill Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Jeff Levy said.

Once the crane is removed, city utilities crews will be able to investigate what occurred and repair the water lines, Levy said.

It was not clear when the neighborhood, which is north of West Sunrise Boulevard and west of Lauderhill Mall, would return to normal and work crews would depart.

“It’s not a quick process, as you can see,” Levy said. “It’s a large piece of equipment, and it takes a lot of time and planning at this point, for safety reasons, to make sure the crane is righted in a safe manner. So there is no time frame.”

Ruffin was unharmed, and lost power for only about 12 hours.

Forty-nine customers lost electricity that was restored to most around 1 a.m., FPL said. A couple of damaged homes will not get power back right away, according to the utility.

The crane has to be removed before their electricity can be restored, and about 55 homes still lacked water on Thursday, Levy said.

Lauderhill issued a cautionary boil-water notice for the blocks between Northwest 11th Street and Northwest 12th Street, and Northwest 43rd Terrace and Northwest 46th Avenue. If residents have power and don’t have bottled water, they should boil tap water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes, the city said.

The crane, operated by Sims Crane & Equipment, was still on its side Thursday afternoon. Engineers were waiting for other cranes to arrive to put it upright.

Before sunrise, two end sections of the boom had been removed but most of it was still connected to the crane and remained in a homeowner’s roof.

Devon Whittaker, Sheryl Nandram and their son spent Wednesday night in a hotel and returned to their house Thursday to removed some belongings. The crane had fallen into their front yard and missed the house, but pulled down wires.

"The power pole broke and the power lines came down in my yard and they said we had to leave," Devon Whittaker said. He didn’t know where the family would take shelter Thursday night.

"They told us the crane would be gone by now and it's still here," Whittaker said.

Sims Crane & Equipment did not return calls seeking comment Thursday. The crane was leaking diesel and there were plans to have the fuel pumped out, Levy said.

Staff photographer Taimy Alvarez contributed to this report.

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Understanding the Center of Gravity to a Mobile Crane

 
With mobile cranes, there are three basic components that has individual center of gravity points. We have the Superstructure, carrier and boom. Each of these components have their own center of gravity. Depending on how each piece lays they can affect the others center of gravity. Let’s breakdown each component and see what it does.

Superstructure

 
     The superstructure also known as the upper structure is the revolving frame which holds the operators cab. Usually the upper structure supports the counter weights on rear, then the boom and/or other attachments on the front. With this component, no matter the position of the crane the center of gravity will always remain the same.

Carrier

 
     The carrier also known as the carbody is the under carriage of the crane. Dependent on the type the carrier usually holds the carrier cab, wheels/tracks, outriggers, etc. It is manufactured for transporting the superstructure. Unlike the superstructure where the center of gravity will always remain the same. The center of gravity will vary on the carrier. This is reliant on the location of the direction of the boom. For example, when the boom is over the rear axles the center of gravity will be forward of the rear axles. If the boom is perpendicular to the carrier the center of gravity will be center of the carrier’s width.

Boom

 
      The last component to keep in mind is the boom. Just like the other components it as well has a center of gravity to keep in mind. The center of gravity can be affected depending if you are increasing or decreasing the length of the boom. Unless, one is using a lattice boom in the case of this the center of gravity will remain the same until a jib or other ancillary items is added.

      The boom is a common suspect to tipping accidents. Let me explain, when we apply boom angles. As the boom raises or lowers through an arc, the booms center of gravity is moves towards or away from the tipping axis. When the movement of a hydraulic boom is combined with the movement through the arc, we have encouraged a tipping accident.

For more blogs and safety information about this topic check out our website at www.simscrane.com/blog . Also, be sure to check out our YouTube channel (Simscrane) for a wide variety of construction safety videos and follow us on your favorite social media sites.

Part 3: Mobile Crane Stability – Taking the Crane Apart. (2017, October                 30). Retrieved from CraneTech

It’s important that all construction companies have a written hurricane preparation and site safety plan to reduce the risk of unnecessary damage

For builders the weather plays a major role in any construction plan.

If you have not already done so, now is the time to put a hurricane safety plan into place for any construction site.

Having a clear strategy ready to go reduces the risk of unnecessary damage, helps prevent injuries on the site and gives you peace of mind.

Let’s start with the basics.

A hurricane watch is issued when a storm is expected to arrive within 48 hours, and a warning is issued when tropical storm conditions are within 36 hours.

When a hurricane watch is announced, it’s time to put your plan in place and prepare the construction site.

Steps for creating a contingency plan

The first step is to create a checklist for areas and equipment in need of protection. This list will most likely include tools, heavy equipment, generators, fuel tanks, portable toilets and other materials that cannot be moved to an inside location. Be sure each item on the check list is assigned to a specific member of the team and take time to review the checklist prior to any potential threats.

Your contingency plan should also include a communications piece. In addition to notifying your on-site team, subcontractors should be notified that the site is halting all work until further notice.


Planning for large amounts of water is key to any plan.

Heavy rains and flooding are leading causes of damage to construction sites.

It is imperative that any construction site is equipped with permanent and temporary drainage systems to maintain the structural stability of the area.

If there are vehicles on the site, they should be moved to higher ground and away from structures that could be damaged. Plus, consider filling the tanks on these vehicles prior to any hurricane or storm.

One of the last but most crucial steps is to turn off access points for all utilities. Now is also the time to remove any project documents from the construction trailer and secure them to an offsite location. As you leave the site, snap a few photos on your phone for future reference. These may come in handy if any items are missing or damaged after the fact.

After effects

Any good contingency plan will include necessary steps for clean-up and getting back in business after a hurricane.


Once you return to the site, assess and document any damage, giving special attention to downed power lines, unstable structures or wet electrical panels. Items to have on hand include cleaning supplies and fuel for vehicles. Finally contact the appropriate utilities and contact your insurance carrier for any assessment needs.

It’s important that all construction companies have a written hurricane preparation plan. Ideally, the plan will be detailed with specific assignments and action deadlines.

And during hurricane season, be sure to monitor the weather on a regular basis.

This type of preparation does require added cost, effort and time but can be extremely valuable in the long run and may be your best investment. If construction managers follow these outlined steps and provide clear communication, any site will be up and running considerably quicker and suffer much less loss.

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Preparing Your Construction Site for Severe Weather

Property damage from severe weather events can add both cost and time to a project. While it’s not possible to fully predict and react in a timely fashion to strong winds and storms, a documented and practiced contingency plan can help contractors prepare for the unexpected. Protect your site and project timeline by evaluating site-specific risks, properly securing materials and equipment and anticipating alternate construction plans.

Wind Hazards

Wind damage to structures under construction leads to millions of dollars in damages and delays every year.¹ At construction sites, wind damage primarily involves masonry walls, framework, forms and roof coverings. Evaluate your site’s wind exposures to eliminate or significantly reduce the risk of damage or delay.

• Brace building components. Tilt-up panels, masonry walls and other building components should be braced and inspected according to engineering design or recommended manufacturer guidelines. Anchor roof panels on partially installed roofs, weld or secure decking each day, and consider covering large wall openings with tarp until windows, doors or glass curtain walls are installed.
• Properly store and handle materials for windy conditions. Loose materials such as sand, topsoil and mulch may need to be covered with a tarp or sprayed with water to prevent erosion. Erecting temporary windbreaks also can help keep the stockpile from being blown from the job site. It is also important to secure larger materials (e.g. metal sheeting or plywood), which could become projectiles and cause additional damage. Closely follow crane manufacturers’ guidelines for when operations should cease, and secure all other equipment from impending weather events.
  

Hurricanes

Hurricanes can be destructive, but they can also be anticipated, which allows time for planning and preparation. If your job site is located in an area subject to hurricanes, have it surveyed to determine the potential exposure to high winds and flooding. Create a hurricane contingency plan to help prevent loss to the job site due to winds, flooding, mud deposition and theft.

• Develop a preparedness checklist. Identify areas in need of protection, such as the field office trailer equipment files, tools, heavy equipment, generators, compressors, welding machines, cranes, cranes on barges, tugs, work boats, fuel tanks, permanent materials and forms.
• Have a relocation plan. If the job involves work on or near bodies of water, make plans to relocate or protect all equipment and watercraft, including tugs and barges. Account for the amount of time it would take to complete any relocation.
• Secure the necessary supplies in advance. When a tropical storm has been identified by the National Weather Service, make sure tie-downs, banding material, blocking, anchors and other necessary protection supplies are available and organized.
• During a hurricane watch, prepare to take action. The project superintendent should review the preparedness checklist, formulate a plan to protect the job site, identify items to secure and consider moving material and equipment to higher, protected ground.
• In a hurricane warning, prepare for the potential for hurricane-force winds within 24 hours. The project superintendent may need to implement all protection measures.
• When landfall is predicted in the area of the job site within 24 hours, suspend all work activities. Complete the hurricane plan by assigning staff and timetables for completion and evacuate all personnel.
• After the storm has passed, assess damage, take steps to prevent theft and begin clean up. Hazards may include unstable structures, downed power lines that may still be energized, and wet or damaged electrical panels. Secure the site, including any equipment or materials being permanently installed, and assess and document damage. Notify appropriate utilities and contact your insurance carrier for damage assessment.
  

Heavy Rain and Water Damage

Water is one of the leading causes of damage to buildings under construction. Heavy rains can flood a site when drainage systems aren’t complete. These same rains can enter the exterior building envelope through unfinished window and door openings. If roof drains are obstructed, the rising water may find another drain path or try to settle across a level surface.

• Identify potential for flood and evaluate site drainage. Permanent and temporary drainage systems should be installed, maintained and inspected to ensure they are free of obstructions in the event of heavy rains or flooding. Delay installation of high-value subgrade equipment, such as electrical switchgear, until drainage systems are in place and operational.
• Avoid installing finished product, such as drywall, flooring, millwork, etc., until window and door openings are closed, roof is secured and the building is watertight. Use temporary coverings if necessary to protect finished work. 
• The location and construction of temporary roofs should be part of the construction planning process or where installation of the permanent roof is delayed.
• Have a site-specific plan in place, including emergency response, clean-up kit and trained personnel, to assist with mitigating the damage.