The National Weather Service predicts the Red River will crest at 34.5 feet -- the same level as in 1990 -- over the weekend before slowly receding.

Bossier authorities update flooding, river levels

JUNE 3, 2015

 

SHREVEPORT - BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTBS)

The National Weather Service predicts the Red River will crest at 34.5 feet -- the same level as in 1990 -- over the weekend before slowly receding.

Water levels of 27 or 28 feet could linger into August.

Residents in Bossier Parish south of state Highway 154 could see the same water levels as in 2009 over the weekend. Authorities expect some residential flooding.

Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington and other officials met with Kevin Davis, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, and Maj. Gen. Glenn Curtis, adjutant general for the Louisiana National Guard, this morning to discuss the flooding.

The National Guard is on standby to help if needed, Curtis said.

Cash Point RV Park and River Bluff subdivision off Benton Road are under recommended evacuation orders. Electricity has been cut off to both areas as a safety precaution.

Electricity also was shut off to Perrin Avenue in Shreveport this morning after water started flooding that area off Ford Street in the Allendale neighborhood.
Residents also are reporting flooding off Russell Road in Shreveport's Martin Luther King Jr. neighborhood and Wells Island Road in north Shreveport near the downtown Airport.
Source:KTBS.com

Worker dies after electrocution in Bossier City, Louisiana

JUNE 4, 2015

 

BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTBS)

An employee at Alexis Park Apartments in Bossier City died after an accidental electrocution today and another one was injured.

The man was working on a flagpole at the front of the apartment complex on Loreco Street when the pole apparently touched a nearby power line. 

Paramedics took the man to Willis Knighton Bossier, but he died of his injuries. The second worker received nonlife-threatening injuries. He also was treated at Willis Knighton Bossier.

SWEPCO removed the electrical hazard from the complex.

Police haven't released the name of the victim pending notification of the man's family.

A preliminary investigation points to accidental death, a Bossier City Police Department spokesman says.
Source:http://www.ktbs.com

1 Worker Injured After Tractor-Trailer Jackknifes on I-91 at Rocky Hill/Cromwell Line and Hits a Lift Platform south of Hartford, CT

JUNE 2, 2015

HARTFORD, CT

Traffic was at a standstill for as much as 13 miles on Interstate 91 south Tuesday afternoon and evening after a tractor-trailer jackknifed on the Rocky Hill/Cromwell line that sent at least one person to the hospital.

Fuel has spilled from the tractor-trailer in the crash, which happened just before 2 p.m. near exit 23, causing lane closures. The tractor-trailer swerved into the right breakdown lane, sideswiping an unoccupied parked truck. The big rig kept going, slamming into a Dumorr Lift Rentals LLC vehicle in the breakdown lane with a boom, state police said.

CMAC Electric Company employee Jason J. Brown, 38, was repairing a Department of Transportation traffic camera was thrown from the bucket he was harnessed to and later transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded to the crash due to a minor fuel leak, which they were able to contain and clean up.

Traffic got by in the left lane only and there were major traffic delays in the area late into the evening ours. Traffic was backed up to Hartford. Drivers either sought alternate routes or got stuck in the bumper to bumper traffic.

State police are investigating the crash.

AERIAL BUCKET COLLAPSE INJURES SPRINGDALE, PA TREE-TRIMMING WORKER

JUNE 4, 2015

SPRINGDALE, PA

A Springdale man trimming trees was seriously injured Wednesday when the aerial bucket he was working from crashed to the ground. 

The accident occurred on R.I. Lampus Way, which runs between the railroad tracks and the United Refineries property, just before 3 p.m., according to Springdale Patrolman Derek Dayoub. 

The bucket truck is owned by Mike's Tree Service of Upper Burrell, which was contracted to trim large evergreen trees hanging over the fence around the United Refineries property. 

Mike Seefeld, tree service owner, identified the injured man as Joe Henry, 41. Henry is Seefeld's brother-in-law. 

“He was up in the bucket about 40 feet when the hydraulic piston on the boom snapped and dropped the bucket,” Dayoub said. 

“He was using a chain saw and when (the bucket) came down the chain saw hit him in head and cut him,” Dayoub said. “They took him to UPMC Presbyterian. He's got four broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken wrist and a head injury above the right eye.” 

He said Dayoub was restrained by a safety harness, which prevented him from being thrown from the bucket and possibly sustaining more injuries. 

“Thank God he wasn't killed,” said Seefeld, who was not at the scene when the accident occurred. 

“This is the first time in 28 years I've been in business that anything like this ever happened,” he said. 

Cindee Zlacki, who lives about 200 feet away at the corner of Railroad and S. North streets, didn't see the bucket come down but she heard it. 

“You could hear a boom,” Zlacki said. “I didn't know what it was. It actually sounded like it blew up, that's how loud it was.” 

Seefeld said the truck is a 2006 model and is well-maintained. 

“We constantly go over it putting new bolts and hydraulic hoses on it,” he said.

Seefeld said a federal OSHA inspector who was at the scene told him to preserve the hydraulic cylinder that powers the boom. He said the inspector wants to ship it to a laboratory to undergo some metallurgical testing in an effort to determine what happened. 

Calls to OSHA's Pittsburgh office and to its national headquarters in Washington late Wednesday went unanswered. 

Dayoub said he was assisted at the scene by Springdale Township police and West Deer Police Department's motor carrier inspection unit.

Source: http://triblive.com

California is Neither Texas, Nor Oklahoma: Bill Passed to Ban New Drilling Offshore Santa Barbara

Published in Oil Industry News on Thursday, 4 June 2015

California state senate has passed a bill that would ban new offshore oil drilling in a nearby Marine Protected Area in the Santa Barbara Channel known as Tranquillon Ridge. 

The vote was 21-13. The Senate Bill 788 bill was jointly authored by Senator Mike McGuire (D- Healdsburg) and Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara).


In 1994, the California Legislature banned any new offshore oil and gas leases when it passed the California Coastal Sanctuary Act.

But as a statement issued by Sen Jackson puts it, “a loophole in state law left Tranquillon Ridge, which extends into state and federal waters, with reserves that are currently being tapped in federal waters from Platform Irene, uniquely vulnerable to offshore drilling.”

Senate Bill 788, the Coastal Protection Act, closes the loophole by repealing Public Resources Code 6244, banning any new drilling in these state waters.
In 2007, Tranquillon Ridge was designated as a Marine Protected Area because of its sensitive marine ecosystem.

The bill has been passed just a fortnight from the Refugio Beach oil spill in Santa Barbara county of California. A ruptured pipeline spilled approximately 2,500 barrels of oil, 480 of which into the Pacific Ocean.

“The Refugio Oil Spill has been a dramatic wake-up call, reminding us just how destructive and dirty oil can be, “ said Jackson. “Tranquillon Ridge is one of the most important bio-regions on the planet. It is a place of extraordinary and wonderous diversity. 

If there’s ever a place and time where were should commit to no new offshore drilling, it should be here, in this extraordinary place known as Tranquillon Ridge, and it should be now, when the consequences of oil – oil-covered birds and an oil-drenched coastline – are so fresh in our minds.”

“California’s coast is truly a worldwide wonder. Its natural beauty attracts 150 million visitors annually from all across the planet. It is a core part of this great state’s identity and our coastal economy is a main driver of our statewide economic engine. In the wake of last month’s devastating oil spill, we cannot afford to wait any longer to permanently ban new oil drilling off our coast,” said McGuire.

“In 1969, 35 miles of Santa Barbara County’s pristine coast was devastated by an oil slick resulting from offshore oil extraction. Yet again, the residents of my district are faced with a devastating oil spill. It’s clear that, despite assurances from the oil industry, we will continue to face tremendous environmental threat as long as we authorize offshore drilling. 

This bill closes an obvious loophole in the law and brings us one step closer to avoiding catastrophic events like these in the first place, “ said Assemblymember Das Williams, D-Carpinteria, a co-author of the bill.

Last year, Jackson authored an identical bill, SB 1096. It stalled on the Assembly floor last year after facing significant opposition from the oil industry.
Jackson represents the 19th Senate District, which includes all of Santa Barbara County and western Ventura County.

Senate Bill 788 now heads to the Assembly.
Source: www.offshoreenergytoday.com

Coast Guard cites Bellingham protesters, initiates civil penalties

June 4, 2015

Crew members from Coast Guard Station Bellingham, Wash., assist Chiara D’Angelo, an activist, down from the anchor chain of Arctic Challenger in the Port of Bellingham, May 25, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Station Bellingham)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound investigating officers initiated civil penalties, Friday, against four individuals who entered an established safety-zone around a Shell-contracted vessel in Bellingham during Memorial Day weekend.

Cody Erdman, Chiara D’Angelo, Paul Adler and Matthew Fuller were cited in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations for entry into or staying in a federally-regulated safety zone between May 22 and 24.

Coast Guard officials can seek a maximum civil penalty of $40,000 for each entry into the zone or day the individuals violated the zone. The final penalty will be determined by the Coast Guard Hearing Office in Arlington, Va. Hearing officers will be assigned and provide the individuals an opportunity to refute the charges or provide evidence on their behalf.

On April 28, the Coast Guard established 100-yard safety zones around Arctic drilling and support vessels while moored or anchored, and a 500-yard safety zone while transiting to allow maximum use of the waterway by all users consistent with safe navigation.

“The Coast Guard supports and defends the rights of the public to assemble peacefully and protest; however, prolonged violations of the safety zones tax Coast Guard resources and crews hindering the Service’s ability to quickly respond to mariners in distress or other life-threatening emergencies,” said Capt. Joe Raymond, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound and captain of the port.

“Most importantly, prolonged safety violations unnecessarily put protesters and law enforcement personnel at risk due to rapidly changing environmental conditions, fatigue and marine traffic.”

The Coast Guard assisted Fuller May 24 and D’Angelo May 25 from the Arctic Challenger and both were transported to Station Bellingham where they were met by EMS and the Bellingham Police Department. D’Angelo was issued a summons by the local police department.

Coast Guard medevacs man from container vessel southeast of Dutch Harbor, Alaska

June 4, 2015

MH-65 helicopter deployed with the Cutter Sherman

ANCHORAGE, Alaska

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew deployed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Sherman medevaced a crewmember from the 996-foot long container vessel DS Patriot, approximately 58 miles southeast of Dutch Harbor Wednesday night.

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Dutch Harbor received an email from the crew of the DS Patriot requesting the medevac of a 33-year-old man reportedly suffering symptoms of pneumonia.

The MH-65 helicopter crew hoisted the man and transported him to Dutch Harbor.  The man was then transferred to EMS personal and flown to Anchorage for further treatment.

“Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter crews often deploy aboard flight deck equipped cutters throughout Alaska,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Amy Canny, a watchstander at 17th District Command Center. “They are valuable assets that help us respond to mariners in distress throughout the state.”

The weather on scene was reported as 17 mph winds and 6-foot seas.

Suburban General Construction Inc. exposes worker to trench cave-in hazards while repairing water lines in River Forest, Illinois

June 3, 2015

Suburban General Construction Inc. exposes worker to trench cave-in hazards while repairing water lines in River Forest, Illinois

Employer name: Suburban General Construction Inc., 1019 E. 31^st Street, La Grange Park, Illinois

Investigation site: 1515 Lathrop Ave., River Forest, Illinois

Date investigation initiated and what prompted inspection: On Jan. 16, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's office initiated an inspection under the National Emphasis Program on Trenching after witnessing a worker exposed to trenching hazards.

Investigation findings: An employee was performing repair work on a water service line in a trench that was more than six feet deep. OSHA cited one willful citation for failing to provide cave-in protection. OSHA standards require the use of cave-in protection in a trench 5 feet or deeper.

Proposed Penalties: $42,350

Quote: "Unprotected trenches can become gravesites in seconds. Violations of OSHA's trench protection standards remain a pervasive condition in this industry and it needs to stop," said Angeline Loftus, OSHA's area director at is Chicago North Office in Des Plaines. "No worker's life should be at risk for a job."

Proposed Penalties: $42,350
To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Chicago North Area Office at 847-803-4800.

OSHA urges employers, workers, homeowners and others to protect themselves during flood cleanup. Safety and health of public is a priority

June 3, 2015

OSHA urges employers, workers, homeowners
and others to protect themselves during flood cleanup.

Safety and health of public is a priority

DALLAS, TEXAS

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration urges everyone engaged in cleanup after the recent floods in Texas - employers, workers and the public - to avoid potential hazards and take steps to protect themselves.

"People must be aware of possible hazards - from chemically contaminated water to unstable structures -created in the aftermath of the disaster," said John Hermanson, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "Everyone involved in the cleanup needs personal protective equipment and proper training to prevent injury and illness. The safety and health of the public is a priority."

Before entering buildings or structures after a flood, an assessment of the potential hazards and exposure must be done. Using that information, an employer must ensure that workers, at a minimum, are provided with education on the hazards they face and how to protect themselves.

The nature of cleanups varies by location. While a flooded residential home may not present the obvious hazards that a commercial property with stored hazardous chemicals would, each situation has its own challenges. Homeowners should be aware that damaged structures may be at risk of collapse, and the onset of mold may have already begun. 

Workplaces may have these same dangers, in addition to many other serious safety threats, including chemical exposure. Employers should evaluate chemical workplace hazards and create a chemical inventory, which is part of a workplace hazard communication program. 

In either situation, homeowners and employers should request the assistance of a safety and health professional.

People involved in flood cleanup should take the following precautions:

• Wear a hard hat, safety glasses, reflective vest, gloves and steel-toed work boots.
• In wet environments, stay dry with waterproof gloves and boots.
• Breathe safely and use respiratory protection, especially where dust and mold exists.
• Avoid dangerous falls and use fall protection when working more than 6 feet off the ground.
• Protect your hearing. In loud and noisy environments, hearing protection is important.
• Work cleanly. Stop the spread of contaminants and disease with proper hygiene and sanitation.
• Wash your hands regularly. Where suitable facilities are absent, use hand sanitizer.

OSHA's Hazard Exposure and Risk Assessment Matrix provides information on tasks and operations associated with disaster response and recovery, and common and significant hazards that response and recovery workers might encounter. The matrix can help employers make decisions during risk assessment that will protect their employees working in hurricane-impacted areas.

The following organizations provide additional resources:

• OSHA Flood Response and Recovery Resources at http://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/flood/response.html.
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Hurricane and Flood Response Resources at http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/index.cfm?id=2472.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Emergency Response Resources at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emres/flood.html.

Shoreline Foundation exposes workers to drowning and other hazards Company issued 15 safety citations and faces nearly $84K in fines

June 4, 2015

Shoreline Foundation exposes workers to drowning and other hazards.

Company issued 15 safety citations and faces nearly $84K in fines.

Employer name: Shoreline Foundation Inc. 

Inspection site: 2781 SW 56th Avenue, Pembroke Park, Florida 33023 

Date inspection initiated: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the Dec. 18, 2014, inspection after receiving a complaint alleging workplace hazards.

Inspection findings: OSHA issued the employer 12 serious and three other-than-serious safety violations. The violations include: failing to ensure workers were trained to perform diving operations; not training divers in CPR; failing to ensure the two-way voice communication system for divers was operational; lack of air purity tests for the compressor used by divers; and not ensuring divers wore safety harnesses while performing diving operations. 

Quote: "This inspection has identified several safety hazards that put workers at risk of drowning or serious injury," said Condell Eastmond, OSHA's area director in Ft. Lauderdale. "Shoreline management must follow OSHA standards and fulfill its responsibility to protect employees from workplace hazards." 

Proposed penalties: $83,600

The citations can be viewed at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20151119fs.pdf* 

Shoreline Foundation Inc. specializes in marine, heavy highway and deep foundation construction services. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Ft. Lauderdale Area Office at 954-424-0242.

GBW Railcar Services faces OSHA violations and fines after blast injures 7 workers, 2 severely in Cummings, Kansas. Investigation finds electric heater and fumes caused gas explosion

June 4, 2015

GBW Railcar Services faces OSHA violations and fines
after blast injures 7 workers, 2 severely in Cummings, Kansas
Investigation finds electric heater and fumes caused gas explosion

CUMMINGS, KANSAS

Two workers endured several weeks of skin graft surgery and physical therapy after suffering second-degree burns when gas vapors exploded in a railcar in December 2014 at GBW Railcar Services LLC. The car was being prepared for cleaning when an electric heater ignited the flammable gas. Seven other workers were treated for injuries and released from the hospital.

After the incident in Cummings, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors identified 11 serious safety violations and proposed penalties totaling $46,900.

"Two employees suffered painful injuries that put them out of work for three months because GBW Railcar Services ignored worker safety," said Judy Freeman, OSHA's area director in Wichita. "Failing to eliminate potential ignition sources from areas where flammable substances were likely to be present proved an explosive combination. Worker protection must always be job one."

A 30-year-old laborer, who was preparing the railcar for cleaning, suffered second-degree burns to the hands, face, neck and torso when the explosion occurred. He had been on-the-job for three months. 

The fireball from the explosion ignited the paint booth where a 47-year-old worker also became engulfed in the flames, causing second-degree burns to his face, neck, hands and torso. The worker also sustained injuries from the paint booth door striking him during the explosion. The painter worked for the company for more than three years. 

OSHA's investigation found that GBW Railcar Services exposed workers to fire and explosion hazards by not eliminating potential ignition sources, such as electrical equipment and heating appliances, from areas where flammable vapors and materials could be present, and did not use electrical equipment rated for hazardous locations. The company stored flammable materials improperly near paint booths; failed to maintain gauges to show air velocities; and did not protect above-ground fuel tanks from vehicle collisions.

GBW Railcar Services has more than 40 facilities nationwide and employs more than 2,100 people to perform repair, maintenance and recertification services for railcars. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in Wichita, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the Wichita office at 316-269-6644.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

1 TRUCK DRIVER KILLED WHEN A SEMI-TRUCK REAR-ENDS A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK, CAUSING MASSIVE FIRE ON I-80 NEAR DOURANT, IOWA

JUNE 4, 2015

I-80, DOURANT, IOWA

The westbound lanes on Interstate 80 west of Durant, Iowa remained closed after two semis reportedly caught fire in a crash that killed one person.

The wreck was reported at mile marker 272 just before 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 4, 2015.

Two semis and a passenger car were involved.  Police at the scene said the driver of the passenger car was not injured, and was able to drive their vehicle away from the scene of the crash.

Traffic was slowed as vehicles approached a construction zone at the 269.5 mile marker, according to state police trooper Dan Loussaert. At mile marker 272, one rig struck the back end of a trailer on another semi; one driver was killed in the wreck, police said.

There was no information available about the identity of that driver.

The driver of the front semi reportedly saw the fire spreading to his trailer, and was able to unhook the trailer and drive the tractor portion of his rig away from the fire.  That driver was up and walking around the scene of the crash, and appeared to be unhurt.

It was not clear what was in the loads carried by the semis involved.

Motorists in the area reported flames were visible and westbound traffic was at a standstill.  A News 8 viewer reported smoke from the fire was visible in Walcott.

Shortly after 4 p.m. it was reported that all lanes were reopened to traffic, according to Loussaert.  Around 4:15 p.m. it was announced that the westbound lanes were still closed.

Loussaert said crews hoped to have the westbound lanes open around 6 p.m.

A driver stuck in the traffic jam said cars were starting to move around 5:30 p.m.

Police confirmed all westbound lanes had been blocked, and that eastbound traffic had also come to a stop in the area of the wreck.  The Iowa Department of Transportation reported the road closure was between Exit 277 at County Road Y26 and Exit 271 at US 6.

Westbound traffic was detoured, forced to exit from I-80 at the Durant exit to Highway 6.

Westbound lanes remained closed, and eastbound traffic was slow and backed up, more than three hours after the wreck was first reported.  Emergency workers were still working to get the wreckage cleared and the road reopened as of 2:30 p.m.

Source: http://wqad.com