Two firefighters and one employee were taken to a hospital after a fire erupted at the Georgia-Pacific factory in Palatka, FL

Crews battle 3-alarm fire at Georgia-Pacific mill in Palatka
2 firefighters, 1 employee injured in fire
By Francesca Amiker - Reporter , News4Jax.com Staff 
Updated: 12:40 PM, July 21, 2016



PALATKA, Fla. - Two firefighters and one employee were taken to a hospital after a fire erupted at the Georgia-Pacific factory in Palatka early Wednesday evening, according to a spokesperson for the paper mill.

More than 50 firefighters from the Palatka Fire Department and Putnam and Clay counties responded just before 5 p.m. to the three-alarm fire at the paper mill on County Road 216.

The fire broke out in the mill's converting area, in the mechanics of the broke beater, which is a large industrial-sized mixer that turns pulp into paper, said Terry Hadaway, a spokesperson for Georgia-Pacific.


Hadaway said crews contained the fire, but due to the heat and smoldering, the fire kept restarting.

It was mostly a "smoke fire," Hadaway said.

After five hours of battling the blaze, crews were able to isolate the fire and put it out.

Two firefighters were transported to a hospital due to heat exhaustion, Hadaway said. An employee was also taken to the hospital after slipping and falling in the water, according to Hadaway.

There is no word yet on the extent of the damage.

The facility employs more than 900 people from Palatka, Putnam County and the surrounding areas.

Two killed, 1 critically injured in fiery head-on crash near Halls Ferry Circle during police pursuit in St. Louis. MO

By Ashley Jost and Kristen Taketa St. Louis Post-Dispatch

UPDATED at 5:30 p.m. with more information about chase and collision.

ST. LOUIS, MO • Two people were killed and another was critically injured Thursday afternoon in a fiery, three-vehicle head-on crash that occurred during a police pursuit, authorities said.

County Police officers pursued the car into the city from north county. A county department spokesman said its officers had been looking for the car since Monday, when they detected a live streamed social media video showing its occupants with handguns.

The crash occurred shortly before 3 p.m. on Riverview Boulevard at Edna Street, one block east of the Halls Ferry Circle. Police said the Chevrolet Impala being pursued was speeding the wrong way on Riverview and crashed head-on into an oncoming SUV. The impact pushed the SUV into a parked pickup truck, and the Impala and caught fire. The fire quickly spread to the other two vehicles.

St. Louis County Police Sgt. Shawn McGuire confirmed that a pursuit by one or more county police cars began about three miles north in an unincorporated neighborhood near Chambers and Halls Ferry roads. A city Fire Department spokesman confirmed that two people were killed in the crash.

A man in the SUV was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. Firefighters put a blue tarp over the burned Impala that contained the bodies of the two dead men.

That vehicle was wanted by police because they had seen four armed people in the car in a live video on social media on Monday, McGuire said. Authorities sent out an intelligence bulletin with the car’s Georgia license plate and names and photos of the suspects.

A police officer saw the car parked near Ventura and Bella Clare drives in Jennings and waited, McGuire said. When men left a residence and got in the car, the officer tried to pull it over, but the car sped away, he said.

The officer pursued the Impala on Chambers Road and south on Halls Ferry Road, where the Impala turned left the wrong way onto the circle and then north in the southbound lanes of Riverview, McGuire said. The car collided with an oncoming vehicle.

Peggy McNutt, who lives on Riverview a few doors from the wreck scene, said she looked out her kitchen window and saw the car speeding the wrong way and pursued by a police car. McNutt said she went outside and saw the wrong-way car collide head-on with an oncoming vehicle.



Riverview is a divided street with a grass median at that location.

McNutt said police officers were approaching the wreck with pistols drawn when the pursued car exploded.

“It blew up,” McNutt said. “Blew up like, boom.”

She said police officers pulled the man out of the other vehicle. His legs were on fire, she said, and officers extinguished the flames by rolling the victim in the median.

She said fire spread to the second vehicle and a parked pickup that also was struck during the wreck. McNutt said there were several more explosions before firefighters extinguished the blaze.

McGuire said that department policy requires officers to obtain approval from supervisors to continue pursuits. He did not say whether the pursuing officer had done so.

“I’m not going to have the answers right now on whether it’s a good pursuit or not,” McGuire said. “I just want you guys to know that it’s under investigation ... an internal investigation.”

Doug Hollis of St. Louis, who said he was driving behind the SUV on Riverview and witnessed the collision, asked McGuire during the press conference why police couldn’t have used another way to detain the wanted men.

“You’re endangering lives here,” Hollis said to police of the pursuit.

Tim O’Neil of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Construction worker dies after falling 30 feet in wind turbine accident in Huxley, Iowa

 

UPDATED 6:59 PM CDT Jul 21, 2016
HUXLEY, Iowa —One person has died after falling Thursday afternoon in a construction accident near Huxley.

The Story County Sheriff’s Office said a 31-year-old man fell approximately 30 feet inside a wind turbine that was under construction at 32891 535th Ave.

It is unclear what caused the fall.

Father and son were electrocuted to death after their ladder touched a high-voltage power line in Lynchburg, VA

Police identify two men killed after being electrocuted in Lynchburg



Posted: Wed 4:51 PM, Jul 20, 2016 |
Updated: Wed 8:45 PM, Jul 20, 2016


LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ7) UPDATE: According to Lynchburg police Timothy Lee Chittum Sr. and Timothy Lee Chittum Jr. both died.



The father and son were apparently doing maintenance work on a chimney when it happened.

AEP and OSHA are currently investigating.

ORIGINAL STORY

Two people were killed in Lynchburg after they were electrocuted, according to the Lynchburg Police Department.

Police received their first call about the incident around 3:15 Wednesday afternoon. A neighbor called 911 after finding two people lying in the yard next to 203 Rowland Drive, just off Rivermont Avenue near Randolph College.

The ladder touched a high-voltage power line, electrocuting and killing both people. We don't know their names or genders yet. Police aren't confirming that information right now because they're still trying to notify family members. Neighbors say both of the people who died were landscapers and did not live in the neighborhood.

Officers at the scene said the incident appears to be a tragic accident and they don't think any foul play was involved.


Check back for any updates.

Here is the press release from Lynchburg Police:

On July 20, 2016 at approximately 15:15 hours the Lynchburg Police department responded to 203 Rowland Drive in reference to a possible electrocution incident. When Officers arrived on the scene they discovered two white male adults unresponsive and not breathing in the yard beside 203 Rowland Drive. LFD responded as well and declared the victims deceased. Upon speaking to several witnesses it was determined that the two W/M victims were doing maintenance work on a chimney at 203 Rowland Drive address. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that the two victims attempted to erect an extension ladder against the chimney at 203 Rowland Drive when the ladder came in contact with a high voltage primary powerline running between the two properties. The two victims appear to have been electrocuted and died at the scene. AEP and OSHA representatives responded and are currently investigating the incident as well. 

The two victims are father and son and were identified as: *Timothy Lee Chittum Sr. age 55 of Lynchburg VA *Timothy Lee Chittum Jr. age 26 of Lynchburg VA The victims have been transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for an autopsy and confirmation on the cause of death. The Investigation is continuing. Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to contact Det. T.C. Barley at 434-455-6162 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Det. T.C. Barley at 434-455-6162 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900. Visit the Central Virginia Crime Stoppers website at www.cvcrimestoppers.org to enter a web tip, or text “CVCS” plus your message to 274637.

Construction worker with Labrador Construction in critical condition after he falls 4 stories from building near UVU in Orem, Utah

by Ashton Edwards, Updated at 02:47pm, July 21, 2016




OREM, Utah – A 33-year-old construction worker is in critical condition after falling four stories from a building near Utah Valley University.

Orem Police said the man was working on the fourth floor of a building and walking backwards when he fell off the structure onto a dirt road near 1100 S. and 1350 W.

Officials said the worker went to the hospital with several broken bones.

Orem Police Lt. Martinez said the man works for Labrador Construction, a roofing contractor out of Spanish Fork.

Authorities have not released the name of the worker.

Florida Governor Suspends Mayor Robert Wolfe After Insurance Fraud Charge; Judge Orders Yurizan Cuevas, a Washington Woman, to Repay Nearly $25,000 in Workers’ Comp Scam

Florida Governor Suspends Mayor After Insurance Fraud Charge

Gov. Rick Scott has suspended from office the mayor of the central Florida city of Tavares after he was charged with insurance fraud.

Scott issued the executive order on Thursday, one day after Mayor Robert Wolfe was arrested on the third-degree felony charge. Prosecutors say Wolfe filed false insurance claims for $9,300 regarding damage to his home, including a phony claim that he had to vacate the home during repairs.



Wolfe turned himself in to the Lake County Jail Wednesday night and was later released on bail. Court records don’t indicate whether he has hired an attorney and Wolfe did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Wolfe has been mayor of Tavares since 2009. 

Judge Orders Washington Woman to Repay Nearly $25,000 in Workers’ Comp Scam

A Federal Way, Wash., woman who worked full time as a nanny while claiming she was too disabled to work pleaded guilty Monday to felony theft.

Yurizan Cuevas was ordered to repay the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) $24,847, the amount she received in wage-replacement payments over a period of almost two years. King County Superior Court Judge Bruce Heller also sentenced Cuevas to 20 days in jail, which was converted to 160 hours of community service.

Cuevas was a baker and cashier at a cafe in the White Center neighborhood of Seattle when it was robbed in November 2010. While running from the robber, she hit a wall and injured her back.

Health care providers verified Cuevas couldn’t work because of injuries from the incident, allowing her to receive wage-replacement payments from L&I.

An L&I investigation later found that Cuevas worked as a nanny for nearly two years while stating on official forms that she was unable to work because of her injuries.

“Workers’ compensation is intended to help employees heal from on-the-job injuries so they can return to work,” said Annette Taylor, deputy assistant director in L&I’s Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards. “People like Ms. Cuevas who try to game the system are cheating their employers and fellow employees.

Cuevas, who’s also known as Yurizan Cuevas Nava, pleaded guilty at the hearing this week to second-degree theft.

The Washington Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case based on an L&I investigation.

The Associated Press contributed content.

Insurance fraud: Michelle Buggs allegedly lied about injuries and employment status in order to receive more than $69,000 in disability payments and workers’ compensation insurance payments in Nassau County

Restaurateur charged with insurance, workers comp fraud

By: Adina Genn July 21, 2016

An Inwood resident faces charges of insurance and workers’ compensation fraud, officials said Thursday.

Michelle Buggs allegedly lied about injuries and employment status in order to receive more than $69,000 in disability payments and workers’ compensation insurance payments, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office said.

“Workers’ Compensation Insurance was designed to protect those vulnerable employees injured on the job,” District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a written statement. “However, when individuals decide to scam the system by filing fraudulent disability insurance claims, they are undermining that very system designed to help those in need. Workers’ compensation fraud is a serious crime that ultimately cheats honest taxpayers who are then forced to shoulder the burden of increased premiums.”

Back in October 2006, Buggs worked at Waldbaum’s in Glen Head as a baker and cake decorator, the DA’s office said. Buggs injured her wrist and fourth finger at Waldbaum’s while helping a customer up from the floor and onto her walker. The Workers’ Compensation Board granted her disability payments, according to officials.

In August 2012, Buggs filed incorporation with New York State for a restaurant “It’z All 4U.” The restaurant was also featured in the local Rockaway newspaper, The Wave, in January 2014, according to the DA’s office.

But in December of 2014, Buggs signed paperwork at at an independent medical exam stating that she had not worked since the date of the accident and that she was unable to work. On Feb. 26, 2015, Buggs testified under oath at a workers’ compensation hearing that she did not start a company or own a business, the DA’s office said.

Surveillance conducted in February of 2015 allegedly showed Buggs cooking, working the cash register and serving customers. She was also allegedly observed carrying items with her right hand and making deliveries to customer locations, according to the DA’s office.

Represented by attorney Scott Gross, Buggs is charged with second-degree grand larceny, second-degree insurance fraud, third-degree grand larceny, third-degree insurance fraud, first-degree perjury, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and workers’ compensation fraud.

She is due back in court on Aug. 26, and faces up to five and 15 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.

13 people were injured when a tour bus slammed into a tree on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Kemberly Richardson is live with the latest details.

By Kemberly Richardson
Updated 9 mins ago
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- 13 people were injured when a tour bus slammed into a tree on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

The accident happened at about 1:15 Thursday afternoon at 5th Avenue and East 63rd Street.

The double-decker bus is operated by Go New York Tours.

Two people, a pair of tourists in their 70's, were seriously injured, while 11 other people suffered minor injuries.

Police say the bus was heading south on 5th Avenue when it swerved to avoid being cut off by a taxi, went onto the sidewalk and struck the tree.

Many of those injured were on the top deck of the bus.

The bus's front end was heavily damaged and the windshield smashed in.

Rescue crews climbed to the top of the bus to get to the passengers.


A group of construction workers across the street heard the impact and rushed to help.

"At that point it was so fresh, people were in shock," said Danny Palletto. "We were basically telling people to stay calm, making sure the bus wasn't leaking gas. Mainly the people on the top of the bus hit the seats in front of them."

Parks workers had to bring the tree down after the crash.

5th Avenue is closed between 62nd and 63rd Streets.

There are extensive traffic delays in the area as a result of the accident, and drivers are being advised to use alternate routes.

Records show that on March 15th, one of the buses in the company's fleet was involved in an accident with a car in Queens.

The company has 22 buses and 40 drivers. In the last two years, three buses failed federal inspections and were taken off the road.

The company has 18 violations, one of which was because a driver did not have a commercial driver's license.

Several witnesses did not see a taxi, but said a city bus had stopped in that spot, and that the tour bus driver swerved to avoid the other bus.

NIOSH’s Engineering Controls Database

NIOSH’s Engineering Controls Database

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Brennan Lockwood and Trudi McCleery, MPH 



The hierarchy of controls shows us that engineering controls can protect workers by eliminating or reducing hazardous conditions to acceptable exposure levels. The idea behind the hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of the graphic are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom. Following the hierarchy of controls can lead to safer systems, where the risk of illness or injury has been substantially reduced. Examples of controls include elimination, substitution, local exhaust ventilation to capture and remove airborne emissions, or machine guards to protect the worker. Well-designed engineering controls can be highly effective in protecting workers. Controls generally do not interfere with worker productivity or personal comfort and make the work easier to perform rather than more difficult. The initial cost of engineering controls can be higher than some other protective methods, but over the longer term, operating costs are frequently lower, and in some instances, can provide a cost savings. The new NIOSH Engineering Controls Database provides information on effective engineering controls. You can search by occupation or work process to find a solution that may work to control the exposure in your workplace.

HISTORY

Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was established in 1970, NIOSH has been developing valuable information, best practices and guidance on engineering control technologies tested during laboratory and field research. These control technologies have been published in a variety of reports, publications and journal articles, but never in a single repository. Most of these publications are accessible through the NIOSH website; however, to have found the design and operating specifications of an engineering control, you must have (1) known that they exist, (2) known where to search, (3) known exact keywords to use in your search, and (4) read through sometimes lengthy, comprehensive reports to find the details on the control. To make the control information more accessible, a database was created to collectively house all the engineering control material. The database is easy to search, and the control pages are easy to read and understand.

DESCRIPTION

The NIOSH Engineering Control Database contains summaries and schematics/pictures of the controls and details about their effectiveness. The objective of the database is to provide basic information on engineering control technologies as well as deliver information to users who need engineering control solutions to reduce or eliminate worker exposures. The database contains only previously published material authored by NIOSH researchers. All database entries have been reviewed and edited by subject matter experts for accuracy. Please submit your comments or questions below or email ecd@cdc.gov.

Five Steps for Proper Handling of Solvent-contaminated Rags or Wipes

Dirty Rags: How to Get Rid of Them by Clare Condon Topic: Hazardous Waste Management

Over 2.2 billion solvent-contaminated rags are used in workplaces in the United States on an annual basis. It is no surprise then that environment, health, and safety (EHS) managers must contend with requirements from both the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for managing these rags. Yesterday we reviewed how OSHA wants you to deal with rags. Today we will take a look at options under the EPA for handling solvent-contaminated rags (or wipes, as the Agency refers to them).

As an EHS manager, you have to make sure that your workers handle these rags safely, and you also must ensure their proper management for reuse or disposal. In 2013, the EPA published a rule that allows some flexibility for managing solvent-contaminated wipes. Note. Check with your state environmental agency to see if your state has adopted the Solvent-Contaminated Wipes final rule. You Can Toss or Wash Wipes, If … If you go through the waste determination process and figure out that the wipes are a solid or hazardous waste, and you decide to toss them, you can’t just throw them in the trash. If hazardous, you must contract with a treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF) and a hazardous waste transporter (among other storage requirements) before you send them off. Make sure you don’t treat them yourself unless you want to be classified as a TSDF. But here is where the federal rule provides you with some flexibility: Solvent-contaminated wipes that are determined to be hazardous are exempt from the definition of hazardous waste (and therefore can be thrown out), provided certain conditions are met concerning container management, a time limit, free liquids, recordkeeping, and the disposal facility to which the wipes are sent. The key here is the solvent. If after you use the wipe, if it contains a F001–F005-listed solvent or its corresponding P- or U-listed solvent (check 40 CFR 261.31 and 40 CFR 261.33 to see if the solvent you use is a listed hazardous waste), it may be eligible for the exclusion from the definition of hazardous waste. In addition, you may be eligible for the exemption if (1) the solvent exhibits a hazardous characteristic resulting from being listed or (2) if it exhibits only the hazardous ignitability characteristic because of solvents that are not listed wastes. Just make sure that there are no free liquids in the wipes themselves or in the container holding them and that your wipes are not hazardous because of the presence of trichloroethylene. Wipes with trichloroethylene are ineligible for the exclusion from the definition of solid waste and must be managed as a hazardous waste. The rule also provides flexibility should you decide to clean and reuse your wipes. Solvent-contaminated wipes sent for cleaning and reuse are exempt from being solid wastes provided certain conditions are met concerning container management, a time limit, free liquids, recordkeeping, and the laundry or dry-cleaning facility to which the wipes are sent. So, here’s what to do if you’ve decided that the best option for managing your solvent-contaminated wipes is to get them exempt from EPA’s definition of solid (nonhazardous) and/or hazardous waste. Step 1. Contract with an eligible laundry or landfill. If your solvent-contaminated wipes are excluded from the solid waste definition, they must be sent for cleaning and reuse to a laundry or dry cleaner whose discharge, if any, is regulated under the Clean Water Act. Solvent-contaminated wipes that are sent for disposal but are excluded from the definition of hazardous waste must be sent to a landfill that is either a municipal solid waste landfill or a hazardous waste landfill. Other options are to send the wipes to a municipal waste combustor or other combustion facility or to a hazardous waste combustor, boiler, or industrial furnace. Wherever you send them, make sure that the facility is following the regulations applicable to it. The following Steps 2 through 5 apply to both the solid waste and hazardous waste exclusions. Step 2. Set up containers. Follow these instructions for containers used to accumulate, store, and transport solvent-contaminated wipes. The wipes must be contained in nonleaking, closed containers. The containers must be labeled “Excluded Solvent-Contaminated Wipes.” The containers must be able to contain free liquids should free liquids occur. The container must be sealed with all lids properly and securely affixed to the container and all openings tightly bound or closed to prevent leaks and emissions when any of the following occur: The container is full. When the solvent-contaminated wipes are no longer being accumulated. When the container is being transported. Step 3. Observe time limits for accumulating solvent-contaminated wipes. As a generator of solvent-contaminated wipes, you may accumulate the wipes for up to 180 days from the start date of accumulation for each container before being sent for cleaning or disposal. Step 4. Say no to free liquids. The solvent-contaminated wipes must contain no free liquids at the point of being sent for cleaning or disposal. Note: Any free liquids removed from the solvent-contaminated wipes or from the container holding the wipes must be managed according to the applicable hazardous waste regulations. Step 5. Keep good records. As a generator, you must maintain at your site documentation that contains: Name and address of the laundry, dry cleaner, landfill, or combustor that is receiving the solvent-contaminated wipes; Documentation that the 180-day accumulation time limit in is being met; and Description of the process you are using to ensure the solvent-contaminated wipes contain no free liquids at the point of being transported for disposal.

Best Aire Compressor Services Inc., a Grand Rapids-based air compressor sales company to pay $13K in unpaid overtime wages, damages to 13 employees

Best Aire Compressor Services Inc., a Grand Rapids-based air compressor sales company to pay $13K in unpaid overtime wages, damages to 13 employees
Employees misclassified as exempt from overtime


Type of Action: Fair Labor Standards Act consent judgment

Names of Defendants: Best Aire Compressor Services Inc.
Thomas Russell

Allegations: An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that Best Aire Compressor Services Inc., which does business as Best Aire CSI, misclassified salaried parts managers and some office clerical staff as exempt from overtime. The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based air compressor sales company and its owner, Thomas Russell, failed to pay these employees and, on some occasions, hourly service technicians overtime for hours worked beyond 40 in a work week in violation of the FLSA. The employer also failed to maintain accurate pay records.

Resolution: Under terms of a consent judgment, the company has agreed to pay a total of $13,603, including $6,801 in back wages and an additional $6,801 in liquidated damages to 13 former and current employees. Five of the employees work in the Grand Rapids office, six in Millbury, Ohio, and two in Greenfield, Indiana.

The company is also required to provide information on the FLSA and specific Wage and Hour Division fact sheets on rules governing overtime to employees.

Quote: “Simply paying an employee a salary does not necessarily mean the employee is not entitled to overtime,” said Mary O’Rourke, district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Grand Rapids. “When these employees were shorted their overtime pay, it not only hurt them and their families, it also created a competitive disadvantage for this employer’s competitors. We remain committed to ensuring that workers take home every penny they have earned rightfully, and to leveling the playing field for employers who play by the rules.”

Information: The FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for individuals employed in bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales positions, as well as certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. Job titles do not determine exempt status. For an exemption to apply, an employee's specific job duties and salary must meet all the requirements of the department's regulations.

The FLSA requires that covered, non-exempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also must maintain accurate time and payroll records. The FLSA provides that employers who violate the law are liable to employees for their back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages.

Court: U.S. District Court for the District, Western District of Michigan, Southern Division

Docket Number: 1:15-cv-00842-RJJ-RSK, Perez v. Best Aire Compressor Services Inc., and Thomas Russell
WHD News Brief:
07/21/2016

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

   

             Indiana Branch  

Ohio Branch

Michigan Branch

                                                                             

Welcome to Best Aire Compressor Service Inc!

We have Midwest Coverage with branches in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan to help better serve all your compressed air and blower needs. Allow me to introduce you to some of Best Aire's products and services we can provide. Since 1982, Best Aire CSI has been servicing all makes and models of centrifugal, rotary screw and reciprocating air and gas compressors. Our dedication to providing the finest parts and services at the most competitive prices has made us a leader in compressor technology.

We are well equipped to provide a variety of services to your company. Our technicians are factory trained and certified to handle both your compressor and blower needs by doing repairs either on-site or in-house, depending on how extensive your needs may be. We can handle simplest task from preventative maintenance to the most complex task of complete machine overhaul. Other services available to you are a 24-hour emergency service, a full service machine shop, valve repair, cooler and exchanger repair, leak audits and vibration analysis.

We specialize in complete design and engineering services for compressor, dryer, cooling tower and chiller PLC Controls - as well as service on any other manufacturers controls.

Our stall of fully trained technicians, sales and support staff are ready to help you solve your air system problems with state-of-the-art solutions. From engineering to field service to shop repairs, Best Aire CSI is Your Single Source for quality, value and service.

Thank you for visiting our site and look forward to hearing from you soon!

Labor Department investigation finds Atwater Construction, a Phoenix, AZ construction business failed to pay overtime wages; pays $85K in back wages, damages to 68 workers

Labor Department investigation finds Phoenix construction business failed to pay overtime wages; pays $85K in back wages, damages to 68 workers

Employer: Atwater Construction Company, Inc.

Sites: 22640 N. 21st Ave., Phoenix, Arizona

Investigation findings: Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that the Atwater Construction failed to pay employees one and one-half times their hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a work week, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provision. The investigation revealed that employees regularly worked in excess of 40 hours per work week but were not paid an overtime premium; rather, they were paid straight time for all hours. The employer also failed to maintain accurate time and payroll records in violation of the law.

Resolution: Atwater Construction has paid $42,889 in overtime back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 68 employees. The company has also paid over $18,300 in civil penalties to the federal government for willful violations of the FLSA.

Quote: “Many of Atwater Construction’s workers were regularly putting in more than 50 hours a week without any overtime pay. That is unacceptable and illegal,” said Eric Murray, director of the Wage and Hour Division office in Phoenix. “Thanks to this investigation, these workers will receive the pay they rightfully earned and should have received in the first place.”

Information: For more information about federal wage laws administered by the Wage and Hour Division, call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd/.

Workplace safety inspection finds Georgia's Chaparral Boats exposing employees to serious hazards; OSHA proposes $47K in fines

U.S. Department of Labor | July 21, 2016

Workplace safety inspection finds Georgia's Chaparral Boats exposing
employees to serious hazards; OSHA proposes $47K in fines

Employer name: Chaparral Boats Inc.

Inspection site: 300 Industrial Blvd., Nashville, Georgia 31639

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer on July 18 for one repeated and two serious safety violations. OSHA initiated the follow-up inspection prompted by serious citations the agency issued in July 2013.

Investigation findings: OSHA issued the repeated citation for exposing employees to dust particulates above the permissible exposure limit. The agency cited the company for the same violation at this facility in December 2013. The serious violations include failure to provide medical evaluations for employees required to wear respiratory protection and not implementing engineering/administrative controls to minimize exposure to airborne particulates.

Proposed penalties: $47,000

Quote: "Like all employers, Chaparral Boats has the obligation to protect workers from known safety and health hazards such as excessive dust from cutting and grinding operations. Failing to do so can lead to long-term respiratory disease," said Kimberly Austin acting director of OSHA's Savannah Area Office. "All employers should take steps to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and control potential health hazards in their workplace."

The citations can be viewed at:
https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/newsroom/newsreleases/OSHA20161449.pdf

Chaparral is a leading manufacturer of fiberglass boats. The employer 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 amputations, eye loss, 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 Savannah Area Office at 912-652-4393.

# # #

OSHA cites Air Liquide Large Industries US LP, a Corpus Christi Steam methane reformer plant for willful, serious violations for safety failures that exposed workers to health dangers

July 21, 2016

OSHA cites Air Liquide Large Industries US LP, a Corpus Christi Steam methane reformer plant for willful, serious violations for safety failures that exposed workers to health dangers

Employer name: Air Liquide Large Industries US LP

Inspection Site: 5880 Up River Road, Corpus Christi, Texas 78408

Citations issued: July 20, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the Jan. 27, 2016, inspection after following a complaint of unsafe working conditions at the company's facility in Corpus Christi. The agency cited Air Liquide Large Industries US LP for one willful and one serious violation. The willful citation was issued for failing to perform air monitoring to assess employee exposure to carbon monoxide gas. The serious citation was issued for failing to protect workers from a potentially hazardous atmosphere created by inadequately maintained valves found leaking within the pressure swing adsorption skid.

Proposed penalties: The fines total $77,000

Citations: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Air_Liquide_1119754.pdf

Quote: "Air Liquide is a large, multinational organization with vast holdings but it chooses to ignore simple processes to keep its employees safe," said Travis Clark, OSHA's Area Director in the Corpus Christi office. "Carbon monoxide can be deadly if it is not controlled and monitored closely."

Information: Air Liquide is headquartered in Paris, Air Liquide has more than 50,000 employees in 80 countries. It is the largest supplier of industrial gases by revenues worldwide. The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, eye loss, 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 Corpus Christi office at 361-888-3420. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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Air Liquide aims to deliver innovative gas solutions and technologies to a wide range of customers, driving their performance and helping them reduce their environmental impact. No matter where, we make sure our solutions are safe, reliable, cost-effective and sustainable.

Historical Timeline: Air Liquide in the U.S.

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Our capabilities include the following:

• Industrial gas production – oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases
• Specialty gases and advanced precursor materials
• Gas supply modes – cylinder, bulk, microbulk, pipeline delivery, as well as on-site production
• Gas handling equipment
• Gas and chemical management
• Analytical and laboratory services
• Cogeneration – steam and electricity
• Research & Development – Delaware Research & Technology Center
• Engineering & Construction

Industrial gas production and distribution

Industrial gas production and distribution has remained at the core of Air Liquide’s business since its founding in 1902. In the U.S., our robust production and distribution networks are engineered to serve the needs of our diverse customer base. Air Liquide owns and operates more than 140 industrial production facilities throughout the U.S.
Primary production facilities:

• Air Separation Unit (ASU) – oxygen, nitrogen and argon
• Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) – hydrogen and syngas
• Carbon dioxide capture – purification and liquefaction
• Cogeneration – electricity and steam

We deliver a range of industrial and specialty gases in bulk and in cylinders through a robust distribution network.

• 700+ professional truck drivers
• 500+ tractors and trailers
• 60+ truck and rail depots

We deliver enormous volumes of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and syngas to large industrial customers in Texas and Louisiana through extensive pipeline networks.

Air Liquide owns and operates more than 2,000 miles of industrial gas pipeline in the U.S.

Air Liquide has developed an array of on-site industrial gas production technologies to meet the needs of many industries. We install, operate and maintain a range of on-site production systems, which generate medium to large volumes of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen at hundreds of customer sites.

Safety first

Safety is a core value at Air Liquide and we take pride in our high safety standards. Our safety performance, which has improved steadily for more than 20 years, attests to the active involvement of employees in Air Liquide’s strong safety culture. 

Innovation

Innovation is at the heart of Air Liquide’s strategy. We constantly reinvent our business, anticipating market challenges and opening up new markets to create new growth opportunities. Air Liquide also innovates for the benefit of society, exploring new technologies to meet the needs of customers and patients.
The Delaware Research & Technology Center (DRTC), one of Air Liquide’s nine major R&D centers worldwide, was established in Newark, Delaware in 2007.

Today more than 100 researchers representing over 20 nationalities are based at the DRTC.

Major fields of research include bioresources, electronics, membranes, oxy-combustion, process control and logistics, hydrogen energy and modeling.

Sustainable development

Air Liquide is creating new high value-added applications and services, fostering innovation to reduce pollution, lower energy consumption, maximize the value of our natural resources, develop alternative energy sources and improve quality of life – for the benefit of customers, patients and society.

Community partnerships

At Air Liquide, we view community investment not as a choice but as a serious responsibility. We are committed to supporting the communities in which we live and invest both financially and through volunteering time and expertise. In the U.S., Air Liquide’s community engagement program supports philanthropic initiatives dedicated to improving STEM education, youth enrichment and relief efforts for natural disasters.

WEAR YOUR HELMET TO SAVE YOUR LIFE: A 13-year-old boy has died from head trauma in an all-terrain vehicle crash in Buckland, Massachusetts

13-year-old boy dies in ATV crash in Western Massachusetts

AP,
1:58 PM

BUCKLAND, Mass. (AP) — A 13-year-old boy has died in an all-terrain vehicle crash in Western Massachusetts.

The Northwestern district attorney’s office says the boy was the only person on the ATV when it crashed Wednesday afternoon in Buckland.

He was taken by ambulance to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield with significant head trauma and was pronounced dead at about 5:30 p.m.

The boy was not wearing a helmet.

The boy’s name has not been made public but authorities say he was from Buckland.

An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death, which remains under investigation. The significant head trauma suggests that he hit his head after the ATV crashed.










ATV And Dirt Bike Accidents Can Lead To Head Injuries


This month we brought you the News-Times story of five different all-terrain vehicle accident injuries in the state of Maryland - that all happened in just one day. In the three separate accidents, all involving teens, ATVs, and dirt bikes, summer fun was suddenly replaced with tragedy as five young people were rushed to Cumberland Memorial hospital with serious head injuries.

Why do ATVs and dirt bikes often lead to closed head injuries and traumatic brain injuries? Often times, those riding off-road do not wear protective gear such as helmets. Helmets can significantly reduce the severity of a head injury, even if they cannot prevent head injuries altogether.

Secondly, riding vehicles off-road also often means riding vehicles over bumps, rocks, and ditches - these varied terrains can make for a fun day of adventure and fun, but all too often these difficult paths can lead to vehicle rollovers and passenger ejection.

Thirdly, riding an ATV or dirt bike off road mean that there are no official "rules of the road." In many cases, drivers have to decide for themselves what the speed limit is and what is considered reckless driving. Those on dirt bike courses may collide with each other. Those on ATVs may drive faster than is considered safe, resulting in serious injury.

Finally, off-road vehicle drivers may try "stunts" with their ATVs or dirt bikes, sometimes involving jumps or other obstacles. All too often, these dare devil moments can lead to serious, debilitating, and even deadly head injuries and brain damage.


Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

Accidents happen every day, and not just to other people. Accidents probably happen to you every day. That isn’t an outlandish statement if you really think about it. You bump an elbow on the stairwell. You stub your toe in the middle of the night. You get distracted and burn your dinner.

These are the sort of accidents that happen regularly, to all of us, and there are no real lasting repercussions. You say “ouch” or some variation thereof, or you phone out for pizza or Chinese, and life goes on.

More serious accidents happen with less frequency, but the consequences aren’t really all that different. Safety advances in seat restraints, airbags, global positioning satellites with instant emergency contact and improvements in body design have drastically improved the odds of walking away from an accident unscathed. Trips to the hospital, if needed at all, are usually for treatment of minor injuries. And the insurance will usually recoup the property damage, so, minor inconvenience aside, life goes on.

But what happens if an accident is more serious? What happens if it’s the sort of accident where, despite the seat restraints, despite the airbags, despite everything, your life is irrevocably changed? What happens if you lose the ability to walk, or move at all, or breathe without a respirator? What happens if you sustain severe brain damage? What happens to your family if you are unable to work?

The rules change when the injury gets severe. The insurers, faced with the prospect of living up to real financial obligations, start dragging their feet or looking for loopholes. If the accident wasn’t your fault, and the other driver’s insurance company faces the liability, you can expect them to do everything possible to get out of paying you what you deserve. This includes outright denial of a claim, lowball settlement offers, and delays in payment.

In order for this to make sense, you should consider that the insurance company of the person that caused your accident doesn’t represent you. There is no sense of “doing the right thing” among insurance companies. Millions of people on the Gulf Coast are being told by their own insurers that there is nothing that they can do. If that’s how they treat their own clients, what sort of treatment do you think you’ll receive? Getting what is necessary out of an insurance company in serious situations takes absolute command of the facts and a thorough understanding of insurance company tactics and liability law.





Most accidents don’t require the services of an attorney. After all, the word “accident” has many different meanings. Dropping something on the kitchen floor is an accident. So is cutting yourself shaving. Tripping on the curb and skinning your knees isn’t a life changing event. Hitting your head on a low hanging beam might cause a bruise or a bump, but it won’t adversely affect your life in the long run, or even really the short term.

But there are some accidents that are not events that you can simply shrug off. Some accidents bring with them consequences that can alter the lives of the victims. Accidents that result in spinal injuries, brain damage or other lifelong conditions are not only serious, but very expensive.

It goes without saying that serious brain or spinal injuries bring with them a huge amount of medical bills, but that is only part of the cost. If the damage is serious enough it could prevent the victim from working or earning a living, or the injury could require constant care from specialists. There is also a severe emotional cost, as the victim might no longer be able to engage in activities that he or she enjoys. There is no shortage of ways in which this could cost the victim and their families physically, financially and emotionally.

Brain Injuries: Since the brain is the most complex organ in the body, there is no shortage of ways in which damage to the brain can adversely affect the rest of the body. Among some of the more common problems associated with a traumatic brain injury are balance problems, behavior problems, cognitive disabilities, nerve damage, personality disorders, frequent seizures or sensory problems.

Even slight brain injuries can be expensive. The cost of treating head injuries can run anywhere from $85,000 to $3,000,000, depending on the level of severity.

Spinal Cord Injuries: Along with the brain, the spinal cord has the distinction of being one of the only structures in the human body that does not heal. Damage to the spine can be permanent, life altering and very costly. Movement is an important part of how the human body functions, and immobility can cause any number of complications. Changes in circulation and respiration, atrophy of muscles, joints and bones, muscle spasms, blood clots, pressure sores, bacterial infections, disruption of organ function, or any number of serious problems that require constant care and maintenance.

The costs of a spinal injury are staggering. In order to maintain the health and living standards of the victim of a spinal cord injury, it costs around $25,000 per person per year. And that’s only after there has been a decent amount of recovery time. The initial cost of the injury, including hospitalization, home modifications, medical equipment such as wheelchairs and respirators and the hiring of nursing staff if they are needed costs an average amount of $240,000.

You can also factor in the economic costs of what the victim won’t be earning anymore. A victim can suddenly go from earning $60,000 per year to earning nothing. And while it is difficult to put a price tag on emotional happiness, it should be considered that the great majority of activities that the victim used to enjoy will be closed off to him or her.

Most of you are thinking that while these bills are tragic, this is what insurance is for, right? If insurance companies lived up to their financial responsibilities, then you would be correct. But the problem is that they rarely do. Insurance companies stall, deny claims and offer low ball settlements on accidents that aren’t comparatively serious, and when the accident results in serious spinal or brain injuries, they kick their tactics into overdrive.





Traumatic Brain Injury Frequently Asked Questions (Part One)


Traumatic brain injuries can change the life of you or a loved one for life - and unlike a broken arm, they can be hard to diagnose and difficult to prove. Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).What is considered a traumatic brain injury?

Traumatic brain injuries encompass a vast range of damage and can look vastly different in different brain injury victims. In general, TBI occurs when some outside trauma takes place to the head, damaging the brain. Some suffers may not even lose consciousness during their traumatic brain injury, while other could die immediately from their injuries.What are the symptoms of traumatic brain injury?

Again, traumatic brain injuries can display a huge range of symptoms, ranging from mild memory problems to severe, permanent paralysis or coma. Many people who suffer a traumatic brain injury may report headaches that get worse or do not go away, blurred vision, tired eyes, ringing in the ears, behavioral problems, mood swings, memory problems, cognitive problems, fatigue, sleep problems, bad taste in the mouth, attention issues, concentration issues, dizziness, lightheadedness, and confusion. More severe cases may have symptoms that include seizures, slurred speech, weakness in the limbs, unconsciousness, and severe agitation.How are traumatic brain injuries treated?

Depending on the age of the individual, much of the initial brain damage will be permanent, although many younger patients are often able to re-route and re-learn throughout their rehabilitation and recovery. When TBIs are initially treated, doctors concentrate on controlling brain swelling against the skull, which can cause further damage than the initial accident. After the patient is stabilized, the brain injury victim usually have many months of rehabilitation ahead of them - and it is almost impossible to predict how far individual recoveries will progress. While some might never regain speech or consciousness, others could return almost to normal.