This blog presents Metropolitan Engineering Consulting & Forensics (MEC&F) claim management and claim investigation analyses of some of the typical claims we handle
Updated 1 hr 48 mins ago CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago fire officials said 12 people were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries after a crash involving a CTA bus in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood.
Officials said the bus collided with a car shortly before 5 p.m. at the intersection of East 67th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue. Five ambulances were called to the scene.
Fire officials said five people refused treatment at the scene. All bus passengers were evaluated for injuries.
No citations were issued for the crash, police said. The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
OSHA cites food supplier after worker suffers amputation from unguarded machinery; proposes $76K in penalties Keystone Foods cited for 12 serious safety violations
Employer name: Keystone Foods
Inspection site(s): 57 Melvin Clark Road, Bakerhill, Alabama 36027
Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Keystone Foods on Sept. 6, 2016, for 12 serious safety violations.
Investigation findings: OSHA began an investigation
at the processing plant in Bakerhill after learning an employee suffered
an amputation of the tip of his left index finger on March 7, 2016. The
65-year-old worker was cleaning an overhead saw and made contact with
the unguarded saw blade, causing the injury.
After its investigation, OSHA identified violations that led them to issue serious citations for:
Exposing employees to falls due to unguarded platforms.
Exposing workers to amputation hazards due to unguarded saws and other machinery.
Failing to follow safety procedures to prevent machinery from starting while cleaning.
Failing to address the hazards of propane tanks stored near the ammonia refrigeration.
Not including procedure to follow in the emergency action plan related to ammonia release.
Proposed penalties: $76,734
Quote: "Keystone Foods is exposing workers to
numerous serious safety hazards and must be more proactive with
assessing the workplace for deficiencies and taking action to correct
them," said Joseph Roesler, OSHA's area director in the Mobile Office.
"This incident could have been prevented if management had followed OSHA
standards."
Based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Keystone Foods is a global food
services company that supplies fresh and frozen products such as
poultry, beef, fish and pork. 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 Mobile
Area Office at 251-441-6131.
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.
# # #
We provide high-quality food solutions to the world’s finest
and most-recognizable brands, partnering to feed a growing world
sustainably.
Keystone Foods is a global food services company that supplies the
world’s finest consumer brands with high-quality, fresh and frozen
animal protein products including poultry, beef, fish and pork. We make
some of consumers’ favorite foods including beef patties, chicken
fillets and patties, nuggets, wings and more.
Through our international footprint and the resources of our parent company, Marfrig Global Foods,
we are a well-positioned industry leader with unparalleled global
assets. Our reach and breadth of resources allow us to be nimble and
create tailored programs for our customers – whether quick-service
restaurants (QSRs), retailers or industrial food service companies –
while maintaining a superior commitment to corporate social
responsibility, sustainability and the protection of our customers’
brands.
We aim to surpass our customers’ expectations and enrich people’s
lives through our products. That’s why food safety, quality and
innovation are the underpinnings of our business, and every day, our
five values are at the center of everything we do:
OSHA again finds Indiana framing contractor failing to protect workers from dangerous fall hazards; proposes $44K in penalties After second failed inspection in five months, LLG Construction named severe violator
PERRYSBURG, Ohio - For the second time in five months, federal inspectors have cited an Indiana framing contractor for failing to protect workers from fall hazards on residential construction sites. Preventable falls account for nearly 40 percent of all deaths in the construction industry.
As the construction industry continues to grow, falls continue to be the leading cause of death. Source: http://www.bls.gov
Federal investigators observed four workers exposed to fall hazards at two stories high as they constructed a Perrysburg home on May 12, 2016. Inspectors found LLG failed to provide an adequate fall protection system and to train employees to work safely at heights. OSHA also cited the company for exposing workers to fall hazards in March 2016 and December 2014.
"It is inconceivable that an employer continues to recklessly expose workers to serious injury and death by failing to provide fall protection and train workers to avoid hazards," said Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "OSHA is committed to protecting construction workers from unnecessary injuries or worse."
Federal safety and health officials are determined to reduce the numbers of preventable, fall-related deaths in the construction industry. OSHA offers a Stop Falls online resource with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection standards. The page provides fact sheets, posters and videos that illustrate various fall hazards and appropriate preventive measures. OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection be in use when workers perform construction activities 6 feet or more above the next lower level.
LLG Construction LLC has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal 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 Toledo area office at 419-259-7542.
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.
OSHA cites Illinois contractor for again ignoring dangers of trench collapse Lansing inspection marks 7th time P.T. Ferro allowed similar hazards
LANSING, Ill. - For a Joliet construction contractor in business more than 50 years, the dangers of working in an unprotected trench should be nothing new. Yet, the company's history of allowing employees to work in unsafe trenches continues - this time to excavate utility lines 7-feet deep in June 2016 at a Torrence Avenue job site.
Each year, dozens of workers die and hundreds suffer injury when trench walls collapse and bury them in soil and rock - sometimes weighing several thousand pounds. With this grim reality in mind, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors issued one willful and two serious safety citations to the man's employer, P.T. Ferro Construction Co. for putting workers at risk at the Lansing work site. The agency issued the citations on Aug. 30, 2016, and has proposed penalties of $104,756, following its inspection.
OSHA cited Ferro for allowing its employees to work in the trench without cave-in protection and a means to exit the trench quickly in a collapse. In addition, inspectors determined a competent person was aware of the hazardous conditions but still allowed the worker to enter the trench.
"Ground soil is an unpredictable aspect in all trenching and excavations. It gives no warning prior to giving away, and a collapse can bury workers in just seconds," said Kathy Webb, OSHA's area director in Calumet City. "One cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a small automobile making it almost impossible to avoid tragedy. Inspection, use of protective systems and proper training can be the difference between life and death."
This is seventh time since 1976 that OSHA has cited P.T. Ferro for allowing similar hazards to endanger workers. The agency also cited the company in 1990, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2010.
OSHA's trenching standards require protective systems on trenches deeper than 5 feet, and that soil and other materials remain at least two feet from the edge of trench.
Established in 1964, P.T. Ferro is a Joliet-based construction contractor that has held contracts awarded by Illinois Department of Transportation, county and local governments, and the private sector. Its current projects include multi-million contracts in Joliet, Lockport/Romeoville, Crest Hill, New Lenox and Shorewood.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal 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 Calumet City Area Office at 708-891-3800.
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.
# # #
P.T. Ferro Construction Company is an Illinois
Department of Transportation Prequalified General Contractor providing
the following services:
ALM BAY, Fla. - Three people are dead in a helicopter crash in The Compound area of Brevard County.
The six-blade Sikorsky S-61N helicopter, which was operating out of Melbourne Airport, was reported at 1:35 p.m. at The Compound at Sapodilla Road and Wingham Road. A Public Works employee called 911 after witnessing the crash.
Police said the helicopter was reportedly flying low and is an older military-style aircraft, but was not believed to have been operating in any kind of military capacity.
News 6 partner Florida Today reports the aircraft was reportedly fully engulfed in flames, on the ground, when it was located. The helicopter is privately owned and operated out of Orlando Melbourne International Airport and was performing test flights in the area, investigators told Florida Today.
The victims have not been identified, pending next-of-kin notification.Police said they believe the victims are not members of the military.
Police said there is no threat to the general public, but residents are asked to stay clear of the area
======================
ERIN DOOLEY Updated 6 mins ago Three people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Palm Bay, Florida, authorities told ABC News.
"My understanding is that no one walked away," Brevard County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Don Walker said of the accident.
The Sikorsky S-61N crashed approximately 10 miles southwest of the Melbourne International Airport this afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
According to the Palm Bay Police Department, the chopper -- a "military style aircraft" that was not operating in any military capacity -- was reportedly "flying low." This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
EP Aviation LLC is an aviation company that owns and leases aircrafts. The company is based in Mclean, Virginia. As of April 7, 2010, EP Aviation LLC operates as a subsidiary of AAR Corp.
Updated 1 hr 18 mins ago WEST MILFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- New Jersey State police say a hit-and-run boating accident left four people injured over the holiday weekend, including two men who suffered serious head injuries.
The accident happened on Greenwood Lake in West Milford around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
Sergeant Jeff Flynn says an unknown vessel, possibly a ski boat, struck an 18-foot Bayliner boat. The boat's driver, 72-year-old Edwin Lane, and a passenger, 76-year-old Robert Roon, both suffered head injuries and were airlifted to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson. They remain in critical condition.
Two women, 74-year-old Mary Lane and 70-year-old Eileen Roon, were being treated at a hospital for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Authorities were still searching Tuesday for the other vessel.
The State Police's Marine Unit is investigating the accident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper I Shane Diehl of Carteret Station at 732-541-0491.
Crews were dispatched to the five-bedroom, five-bathroom Narragansett house after a fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. Monday
Firefighters have battled a blaze at a multi-million dollar Rhode Island oceanfront estate owned by the family of the co-owner of a minor league baseball team.
Crews were dispatched to the five-bedroom, five-bathroom Narragansett house after a fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
The home is owned by the family of late Pawtucket Red Sox co-owner James Skeffington.
No one was inside at the time. A caretaker on the grounds first noticed the blaze.
Fire officials say strong winds from Hermine coupled with "water problems" made it difficult for firefighters to control the flames.
The two-story home and surrounding two-acre property is valued at $3.1 million.
Skeffington briefly owned the PawSox before his sudden death in May 2015. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Published at 7:56 AM EDT on Sep 6, 2016
Container fire on barge draws 100 firefighters and hazmat response on West Marginal Way Fire blamed on spontaneous combustion of garbage
By Patrick Robinson 09/05/2016
Update 9:55pm Seattle Fire said the cause of a major fire aboard a barge in the Duwamish River was the spontaneous combustion of garbage. Once the fire was out, container were moved to facilitate overhaul operations.
Original Post A fire broke out in a stack of containers moored at Alaska Marine Lines at 5600 West Marginal Way SW shortly after 3pm on Monday drawing a huge response of 36 fire engines, a fireboat, the Coast Guard and more than 100 firefighters plus a hazmat response to the scene. Ladder trucks were called in to keep the flames and heat down as the fire appeared to be coming from the stack of containers.
Aboard the barge were cars, diesel fuel, and tanks with "residual propane" according to the Seattle Fire Department.
Seattle Fire PIO Harold Webb said, "We got the call about 3:30pm with a report of flames and smoke from containers. Units arrived and found the containers sitting on barge in the Duwamish (River), they are making a quick aggressive attack on this fire at this time...We have approximately 36 engine companies and 6 truck companies and about half of our force here at this time We've gone to a 211 response and also a Hazmat response. It probably puts over a hundred firefighters here on the scene. The containers have multiple use. There's also some hazmat with propane, residual propane tanks and diesel fuel. There are also containers that contain garbage. The fire seems to be in the center of the containers."
He explained that the plan was to cool the fire down then have the port come in and remove containers once the fire was completely out and the situation secured.
Officials from the Washington State Dept. of Ecology were on the way to the scene to check on the runoff from the fire in the event it was contaminating the river.
Oklahoma shuts down wastewater disposal wells after recent earthquake By Barclay Nicholson (US) and Johnjerica Hodge (US) on September 6, 2016
For years, the oil and gas industry has been blamed for the increase in seismic activity in various areas of the United States. Previous posts on this blog have tracked the allegations that hydraulic fracturing operations have contributed to seismic activity. A recent earthquake over the weekend has again sparked a debate regarding the alleged connection between hydraulic fracturing and seismic activity.
On Saturday, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake occurred in Oklahoma. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 9 miles northwest of Pawnee, Oklahoma, but reports suggest that several states felt the impact of the earthquake. In light of the earthquake, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) issued an order to shut down wastewater disposal wells within a 500-square-mile radius of the epicenter of the earthquake. Officials at the OCC anticipate that the shutdown will impact 35 wastewater disposal wells.
A number of scientists and organizations have studied potential causes of the increased seismic activity. Some scientists have argued that all wastewater disposal wells in Oklahoma should be investigated to ensure the wells are not close to fault lines or areas with high levels of seismic activity. In fact, some scientists have urged states to encourage the oil and gas industry to develop alternative forms of disposal.
Ohio has applied some of these suggestions by prohibiting deep injection wells close to fault lines. These scientists have suggested that the increased seismic activity is the result of the use of wastewater disposal wells in hydraulic fracturing operations. However, the wastewater in the disposal wells primarily consists of saltwater, not the fluids used in hydraulic fracturing.
Hot Topics
EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE: The Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s
Oil and Gas Division (OGCD) is in the process of implementing a
mandatory directive to shut down all Arbuckle disposal wells within a
725 square mile area,
based on the location of the earthquake that occurred
shortly after 7 a.m. on September 3, 2016 near Pawnee.
The area includes 211 square miles of Osage County, which is
outside of OGCD jurisdiction.
OGCD is working with the Environmental Protection Agency,
which has sole jurisdiction over disposal wells in
Osage County. The EPA will determine what action to take in
that area.
TO: All Intersted Parties From: Tim Baker RE: Reduction of volumes for Arbuckle disposal wells located in the Area of Interest for Triggered Seismicity Pawnee Area Date: Sept. 3, 2016 The Commission’s Oil and Gas Division (OGCD) is exercising its authority pursuant to 17 O.S. Sec. 52, 52 O.S. Sec. 139 (D) (1) and OAC 16: 10-5-7(g) to respond to an emergency situation having potentially critical environmental or public safety impact resulting from the operation of saltwater disposal wells. The affected area highlighted on the attached map was previously designated as an area of interest based upon the dramatic increase in earthquakes within the immediate area. The OGCD has reviewed the report of earthquake activity of magnitude 5.6 MW as reported by the Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) on Saturday Sept. 3rd, 2016. The reported earthquake activity constitutes an emergency situation. The following instructions pertain to your operations within the designated area of interest and affect the wells listed below. These instructions are mandatory and to be implemented immediately. The following schedule applies to all wells within the defined zone in the Area of Interest: Zero to 5 miles ( 0-5 miles ): A managed shut-in of wells currently authorized to inject, to be completed on or before Sept. 10th, 2016. Five to ten miles ( 5-10 ): A managed shut-in of wells currently authorized to inject, to be completed by Sept. 13th, 2016. The actions directed in this letter will be reviewed as more information becomes available. Subsequent actions may be necessary if the data warrants such action. Objections to this action must be submitted in writing by email to Charles Lord or Jim Marlatt at the email address listed below, or at the address or facsimile number indicated in the letterhead. Failure to comply may result in formal legal action by the OGCD. If you have any questions, contact the OGCD: Charles Lord or Jim Marlatt 405- 522-2751 405- 522-2758 c.lord@occemail.com j.marlatt@occemail.com Sincerely, Tim Baker, Director Oil and Gas Conservation Division
=============
More than 635 Oklahoma disposal wells directed to reduce depths, volumes by Paul Monies Published: November 29, 2015 Updated: Nov 30, 2015
Map via NewsOK Graphics
As the top oil producer in the water-heavy Mississippi Lime formation in northern Oklahoma, it's probably no surprise that SandRidge Energy Inc. leads the list of companies for saltwater disposal well volumes into the Arbuckle.
Oklahoma oil and natural gas producers have long targeted the deep Arbuckle layer as a favored location for getting rid of the briny "fossil water" that comes up with oil and gas. But as the state deals with a huge increase in earthquakes, regulators are focusing on the links scientists have made between the amount of wastewater disposal into the Arbuckle and man-made earthquakes.
Oklahoma oil and gas producers inject wastewater into other formations, but by far the largest volumes — more than half — go into the Arbuckle. The total volume disposed into Arbuckle layers in 2014 would more than fill Norman's Lake Thunderbird.
SandRidge accounted for about one-third of all the produced saltwater disposed into Arbuckle zones in 2014, according to an analysis of volume data from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
That alone is enough produced saltwater to fill Edmond's Arcadia Lake.
Most of those volumes went into SandRidge disposal wells in Alfalfa, Grant, Garfield and Woods counties. Those counties are also where the number of earthquakes greater than 3.0-magnitude has increased in the past few years. The counties are among dozens targeted by regulators for reduced volumes or depths for saltwater disposal wells.
Oklahoma has had more than 810 earthquakes greater than 3.0-magnitude this year, surpassing last year's total of 585 in that category.
Disposal rises
Chesapeake Energy Corp. injected about 14 percent of the saltwater into the Arbuckle in 2014, with Devon Energy Corp. accounting for about 10 percent, according to the analysis by The Oklahoman.
Overall, operators injected more than 835 million barrels of produced saltwater into Arbuckle disposal wells last year. That's up 39 percent from the 602 million barrels in 2013. Operators injected about 280 million barrels into Arbuckle disposal wells in 2012.
SandRidge injected more than 254 million barrels of saltwater into Arbuckle disposal zones in 2014. That's up from 214.6 million barrels in 2013 and just 7.3 million barrels in 2012.
Duane Grubert, SandRidge's executive vice president for investor relations and strategy, said the company started its development of the Mississippi Lime formation in 2012. Production in that formation brings up more than 10 barrels of saltwater for every barrel of oil.
SandRidge has invested heavily in the Mississippi Lime formation, building out disposal wells and gathering infrastructure. It's also worked closely with local electric cooperatives to make sure its equipment has enough electricity.
The company originally planned to spin off its Oklahoma disposal well infrastructure into a midstream partnership, although those plans have been put on hold as the price of oil remains low. The partnership, CEBA Midstream LP, is permitted for up to 3 million barrels of saltwater disposal per day.
Grubert said it's unlikely the company would ever use all of that capacity. That's because the network is spread across several areas of production. Also, the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing means wells have fairly high "decline curves." Much of the production comes in the first three years, with it tapering off to a steady flow in subsequent years.
"There's capacity in areas we're not developing," Grubert said. "There's production declines in areas that are getting older that create under-utilized capacity that we might use in the future."
Oklahoma regulators have issued directives to operators of more than 635 Arbuckle disposal wells to reduce depths or volumes this year because of their proximity to nearby earthquakes. There are 969 disposal wells permitted for the Arbuckle.
Grubert said low oil prices are causing the volume of saltwater disposed to decline as operators lay down rigs. SandRidge reduced its rigs to four by the end of the third quarter, down from 35 at the end of 2014.
"The volumes from the whole sector are going down with less incremental drilling," Grubert said. "You've got a situation where if there's a directive to reduce volumes from specific wells, there's a volume reduction happening naturally with national declines and lack of reinvestment related to the lower oil price."
Data updates
The Corporation Commission disposal well volume data doesn't include Osage County, which is under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency. Researchers have found numerous errors in data from earlier years, but Corporation Commission officials said they have been assured those problems have been fixed for the volume data from 2012 to 2014.
Still, about one-third of the Corporation Commission's 2014 volume data doesn't list which layer was used for saltwater disposal. That means the data likely is undercounting the volumes disposed into Arbuckle zones.
Kyle Murray, a hydrogeologist with the Oklahoma Geological Survey, said his latest estimates show more than 1 billion barrels disposed into the Arbuckle last year.
Murray is working on an update to a preliminary report he wrote last year detailing Oklahoma injection well volumes from both saltwater disposal and enhanced oil recovery injection, a method of production that uses significant volumes of water.
"Seismic activity from 2009–2014 far exceeds historic seismicity and, in a few cases, has been correlated to subsurface fluid injection in the Midcontinent," Murray's 2014 report said. "Therefore, there is an urgent need to quantify volumes and pressures of injections by geologic zone of completion, and use this information to develop best management practices for water that is co-produced with oil and gas."
Researchers aren't as worried about the links between enhanced oil recovery and induced seismicity because the pressure holds steady as producers recover about as much water as they inject. In those "water flooding" operations, the water is re-injected into the same rock layer.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Sierra Club and Washington-based Public Justice have notified four Oklahoma oil and gas companies they intend to sue them over the volumes of saltwater injected into disposal wells and the links to earthquake activity.
The groups plan to bring a lawsuit under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, a 1976 law that allows citizen lawsuits over hazardous waste. They sent letters to SandRidge, Devon, Chesapeake and New Dominion LLC earlier this month outlining their concerns.
Initial report in drowning points to pump failure at Raleigh pool
Authorities examined the equipment at Heritage Point Pool (WTVD)
Monday, September 12, 2016 06:48PM RALEIGH
(WTVD) -- An initial report from the Wake County Inspections
Administrations says a pool motor failure and a broken conductor led to
the death of a teen lifeguard in Raleigh.
Rachel Rosoff, a senior
at Enloe High School, was on duty and alone when a fellow employee
showed up for work and found her floating face down in the water on
September 3.
The report outlines everything investigators uncovered at Heritage Point Pool.
The pool was installed and permitted in 1979. Since then, no other construction permits have been filed.
The
inspector cited a number of actions that, while unpermitted or not up
to code, did not lead to the water being electrified. Among them, he
found an unknown contractor repaired the electrical feeder to the pump
in 2011 without the required permit. Also, a motor bonding wire had been
cut and loosely wrapped around the equipment bonding wires, which does
not comply with National Electrical Code.
In his conclusion, the
inspector found the pool pump motor failed and when it faulted to
ground, the grounded conductor was broken, causing the current to travel
into the water and pool equipment.
"Since this conductor was
open (broken) it could not conduct the necessary current to cause the
overcurrent device (breaker) to open (trip)," Gregory Vance, Inspections
Administrator, wrote. "The fault current then followed the only path
available to it, the pool water, creating a voltage gradient across the
pool and pool equipment."
The investigation was conducted at the request of the Wake County Sheriff's Office.
The
NC Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Division is also
carrying out its own investigation to find whether safety or health
standards were violated at Heritage Point Pool.
Authorities release the scene, but are still searching for clues as to why a pool became electrified. ======== DATE: September 9, 2016
FROM: Gregory A. Vance, Inspections Administrator
TO: Investigator W. O’Neal, Wake County Sheriff’s Office
RE: Investigation of Wiring at Heritage Point Community Pool On September 6, 2016 Wake County’s Chief Electrical Inspector and Inspections Administrator
met with representatives of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the North
Carolina Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Division,
Aquatic Management Group and Future Connections Electrical, Inc. at
Heritage Point community pool to investigate the electrical wiring
pursuant to the drowning death that occurred on September 3, 2016. The
investigation and this report were performed at the request of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office.
The
pool was originally installed in 1979 and permitted under Wake County
permit number A016724. There are no subsequent construction permits
related to the pool or pool equipment on record. At the time of original
installation of the pool, the 1978 National Electrical Code (NEC) was
in effect. Unless otherwise noted, all code references are to that
edition.
The investigation found that the pool pump was fed
underground from a house panel (see image 1) located on the exterior of
the community club house. The electrical feeder consisted of three
conductors (two ungrounded and one grounded), typical of electrical
practices of the period and compliant with NEC 250-61(a). Overcurrent at
the panel was a 60 ampere breaker and conductors were #4 aluminum. The
insulation type could not be identified. The electrical feeder to the
pump had been repaired (see image 2) in 2011 per the representative of
Aquatic Management Group. Approximately
5 feet from the pool house, the old electrical feed had been relocated
above ground, spliced to new type URD #2 aluminum conductors and the new
conductors ran to the existing fused disconnect in the pool house. The
County has no knowledge of who performed this work. Such work requires
an electrical permit per N.C.G.S. 153A-357.
Representatives of
Future Connections Electrical tested the grounded conductor of the
electrical feeder to the pump for continuity between the house panel and
the pool house disconnect and found that the conductor was open
(broken/could not conduct electricity). They then tested to the junction
at the repair and the conductor was still open indicating a break in
the original ungrounded conductor installed in 1979.
Representatives
of Future Connections Electrical located and excavated the break in the
conductor (see image 3). The conductor was fully corroded and unable to
conduct electricity. The electrical feeder terminated in a 60 ampere
fusible disconnect (see image 4) inside the pool house. The disconnect
was fused as 40 amperes on one leg and 60 amperes on the other leg. The
disconnect appeared to be in proper working order and the overcurrent
was set to within acceptable limits for code compliance.
From the
disconnect, the motor branch circuit ran to a timeclock controlled
motor starter and then to the motor. This branch circuit consisted of
three conductors (two ungrounded and one grounding). The conductors
were #6 copper. The insulation appeared to be type THHN. The conductors
appeared to be properly terminated in the disconnect, the motor starter
and the motor.
Representatives of Future Connections Electrical
tested the ungrounded conductors feeding the motor at the motor starter
and found that phase A had faulted to ground. The motor bonding wire was
terminated properly at the motor but had been cut and loosely wrapped
around the equipment bonding wires (see image 5).
This
alteration was located behind piping concealed from normal view. This
is not compliant with NEC680.22 that required all metal parts of the
pool structure, metal fittings, metal piping and fixed metal parts
within five feet of the inside walls of the pool, and all electric
equipment associated with the pool water circulating system, including
pump motors to be bonded together.
However,
it was discovered that an alternate electrical path provided a
connection to the motor bonding wire and it was determined that the cut
wire noted above did not contribute to the electrical charge in the
pool. Furthermore, the function of the pool bonding system, in
accordance with NEC 680.22, could not be verified at the time of the
investigation.
It is my conclusion that, the pool pump motor
failed and phase A faulted to ground. The underground feeder had an
open ungrounded (neutral) conductor. The only load on this feeder is the
230 volt pump, therefore there was no indication that the ungrounded
conductor had failed. Article 250-61(a) of the 1978 NEC states “A
grounded circuit conductor shall be permitted to ground
noncurrent-carrying metal parts of equipment . . . on the supply side of
main disconnecting means of separate buildings. . .” This is intended
to provide an effective ground-fault current path. Article
100 of the 2014 NEC defines effective ground-fault current path as “. .
. a low- impedance circuit facilitating the operation of the
overcurrent device . . .” When the phase A faulted to ground, the
intended path for fault current was the grounded(neutral) conductor.
Since this conductor was open (broken) it could not conduct the
necessary current to cause the overcurrent device (breaker) to open
(trip). The fault current then followed the only path available to it,
the pool water, creating a voltage gradient across the pool and pool
equipment. Gregory A. Vance Inspections Administrator Wake County PDI ==================
Officials release scene, seek clues in teen's pool death
Authorities release the scene, but are still searching for clues as to why a pool became electrified.
By
Andrea Blanford
RALEIGH (WTVD) --
The
Wake County Sheriff's Office is still searching for clues as to what
caused the community swimming pool where a 17-year-old lifeguard died
Saturday, to become electrified.
Rachel Rosoff, a senior at Enloe
High School, was on duty and alone Saturday when a fellow employee
showed up for work and found her floating face down in the water.
Rachel Rosoff died after going into a pool that had electrified water (WTVD)
"She
was right up against the ladder, looking like she has almost just
gotten in and something must have happened," the employee said in a 911
call.
A
sign posted near the pool's entrance states the premises is under video
surveillance. Sheriff Donnie Harrison told ABC11 that investigators
were planning to return to the scene Wednesday to see whether the
incident was caught on camera.
By
late Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff's office released the scene, but
said it's continuing to work alongside the NC Department of Labor and
the Wake County inspections department.
The pool has passed county safety inspections the last two years. The county does not inspect or regulate electrical systems.
The
state Occupational Safety and Health Division, under the labor
department, said its investigation into whether health and safety
standards were violated could last three to four months.
Heritage
Point's Homeowners Association owns the pool. Professional Property
Management, which runs the HOA, released the following statement to
ABC11 on Wednesday:
"We are devastated to hear about this tragedy
and our deepest sympathy is extended to the family. We are working to
the fullest extent possible with investigators. At this time we are
unable to comment further since this is an active investigation," said
Brooke Hoff, of PPM.
Students at Enloe High School returned to school with heavy hearts
According
to PPM's website, it serves neighborhoods across the Triangle and
nearly a dozen surrounding cities including Wake Forest, Cary, and Apex.
Rachel's funeral is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home.
=========================
Investigators work to find cause of electrified water
Rachel Rosoff died after going into a pool that had electrified water (WTVD)
By
Andrea Blanford
RALEIGH (WTVD) --
An investigation into what caused a young lifeguard to be
electrocuted and drowned in a neighborhood swimming pool seemed to
center around a breaker box attached to the pool clubhouse Tuesday.
A
preliminary autopsy released Monday revealed Heritage Point Pool where
Rachel Rosoff, 17, died Saturday, had an electric charge and that may
have knocked the Enloe High School senior unconscious.
Friends returning to school from the long Labor Day weekend placed flowers and messages on Rosoff's parking space.
An
employee who went to the Heritage Point Pool after Rosoff for the next
shift Saturday afternoon called 911 and told the emergency operator: "I
just got in for my shift. I can't get into the pool. The water seems to
be electrified," the caller explained. "Her cell phone is on the table
here, and I can see where she texted someone to ask them a question
about how to check something in the pool."
The caller said the lifeguard was floating face down in the water.
The Wake County Sheriff's Office is still investigating what caused the water to become electrified.
Students at Enloe High School returned to school with heavy hearts
A
large group of investigators, inspectors, and others crowded around the
breaker box attached to the side of the pool clubhouse. One man removed
the outer panel to take a closer look at the wiring inside. One
man who has not been identified, could be overheard saying, "Yeah, I'm
scared to death. I've got somebody's- somebody's life on my hands."
ABC11
went to the experts at Raleigh's Rising Sun Pools who explained only
new pools have to meet electrical code and pass bonding inspections.
"After
that it's done, the opening inspections and the things that the county
does before pools are opened, doesn't have anything to do with
electricity because the electricals all underneath the concrete," said
Tara Onthank, Rising Sun Pools owner. "Everything's buried."
Onthank said even some renovation work doesn't require permits or new inspections to see whether electrical wiring was impacted.
It's
unclear whether Heritage Point Pool underwent renovations in recent
years. Onthank said Rising Sun Pools quoted the owner for re-plastering
work in 2012, but lost the bid. Wake County inspections records
show over the last two years, Heritage Point Pool received 8 demerits,
all in 2015, for things such as trip hazards and improper storing of
chemicals and equipment. The county does not regulate electrical
components.
The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health
Division opened its own investigation to determine whether safety and
health standards were violated.
OSH said Aquatic Management Group
is the employer in the case. The company has declined to comment
further than a prepared statement released Monday:
We are shaken
by the loss of such a vibrant young life. Our deepest sympathy is
extended to the family in this time of unfathomable grief. We are
cooperating with investigators in every possible way and are hopeful
that the investigation may provide an explanation for this tragedy. ================ 911 caller said Raleigh pool where teen drowned was electrified By Chris Cioffi
ccioffi@newsobserver.com RALEIGH
A caller told a 911 dispatcher Saturday afternoon that he couldn’t try to help a 17-year-old girl found floating in a community pool because the water was electrified.
Rachel Anna Rosoff was electrocuted and drowned in the Heritage Point subdivision pool in North Raleigh, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said. The address of the pool is 2226 Valley Forge Dr, Raleigh, NC. The 911 caller, whose name was not released, said he had just arrived for a shift at the pool and found Rosoff floating in the water.
He said he thought Rosoff, a lifeguard at the pool, had arrived for an earlier shift and was cleaning debris from the pool after a storm the prior night.
The caller said he tried to reach Rosoff but was shocked by the water.
“I realized immediately if I dive in there to get her out, I’m not going to be able to handle that shock and I might join her,” he said in the call.
He said he saw Rosoff’s cellphone on a table and it had text messages she had sent requesting instructions on how to check something in the pool.
Rosoff was a senior at Enloe High School in Raleigh, said Michael Yarbrough, a spokesman for Wake County schools.
The pool is managed by Aquatic Management Group, according to the 2016 Heritage Point pool rules. Someone who answered the phone at Aquatic Management Group on Tuesday declined to comment, citing an investigation.
In a statement Sunday, the sheriff’s office said results of a preliminary autopsy “are consistent with the decedent entering the pool that had an electrical charge that may have rendered the decedent unconscious apparently leading to drowning.”
Often times the pool lights malfunction, they draw high current due to faulty bonding/grounding and they cause the electrocution. This has happened several times this summer season alone.
Most of the time, it’s not the pool light that’s the problem, but the electricity flowing through to the other equipment. It flows through the bonding wire that connects all the metal components together—the pump, heater, lights, slide legs, dive stand, and handrail. Faulty bonding/grounding is the cause of many pool electrocution incidents.
Pool lights don’t have to be on to be a potential hazard. In fact, most problems come from incorrectly grounded or bonded lights, not from lights that are improperly powered. This can send electricity through a pool light even if it’s not on during the daytime. Anything that has electricity running to it AND is underwater is a potential hazard. =================== Teen girl found dead in neighborhood pool in Wake County, officials say
By CBS North Carolina Published: September 3, 2016, 3:34 pm Updated: September 5, 2016, 12:41 pm
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A teen girl was found dead in a neighborhood pool in the north Raleigh area on Saturday afternoon, officials say.
Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told CBS North Carolina that crews responded just after 2:30 p.m. to an area near 2226 Valley Forge Road for reports of an electrocution and/or possible drowning.
Authorities said that a 17-year-old female was found dead in the pool and pulled from the water. However, authorities said they could not confirm how she died.
Officials said electrocution was possible, but the girl might have died from natural causes. The teen’s name will not be available until after relatives are contacted.
“This incident occurred at the community pool in the north Raleigh subdivision of Heritage Point, at some point between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.,” Wake County officials said in an email.
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting that if anyone has information that would aid in the investigation to please call 919-856-6911.
Duke Energy confirmed that a power line was down in the area, but the line was not property of Duke, a company official said.
Neighbors say the pool opens up before noon on Saturday’s and usually has a lifeguard. Harrison said that an autopsy would be conducted Monday to determine a cause of death.
The swimming pool is located east of Creedmoor Road and just south of I-540 — just outside the Raleigh city limits.
======================
Investigators say 17-year-old girl found dead in pool was electrocuted and drowned
RALEIGH, NC
Investigators think a 17-year-old girl who was found dead in a community pool Saturday was electrocuted and drowned, according to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office.
The girl has been identified as Rachel Anna Rosoff, the sheriff’s office said in a news release Monday afternoon.
The incident happened about 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Heritage Point subdivision pool. The address of the pool is 2226 Valley Forge Dr, Raleigh, NC.
Results of a preliminary autopsy “are consistent with the decedent entering the pool that had an electrical charge that may have rendered the decedent unconscious apparently leading to drowning.”
Investigators are still waiting for the results from the official autopsy.
P.P.M., Inc. Heritage Point is proudly managed by Professional Properties Management of Raleigh, Inc. (PPM)
Community Manager: Kristina Goodman
11010 Raven Ridge Road Raleigh, NC 27614
How do I make sure my pool is safe?
There’s only so much you can do about a pool over which you do
not have dominion. If you’re worried about your children using a public
pool, you can ask a manager about whether or not the electrical work has
all been up to code, but I’m not sure if you can depend on that person
to be 100% forthcoming. But when you have your own pool, there are a few
things you can make sure of: If you haven’t already, you can make the switch from 120V lights to
12V pool lights that run through a pool light transformer. The
transformer works in conjunction with the GFCI protected circuit breaker
and the pool light junction box and steps the voltage way from 120 to
12. The 12V lights are safer when installed properly by a licensed
electrician. ALWAYSget a permit when performing electrical work
in your pool, pool lamp replacements included. A permit may cost some
money, but it means that someone will have to check your work and be
sure that it is safe. There are a few electrical related pool jobs that are DIY friendly,
like replacing pool light bulbs. If you have to replace the whole lamp
socket or are upgrading to LED pool lights, you’ll want to get a
licensed electrician to do the work. Electricians can help you install
low voltage pool lights that work alongside a transformer on a GFCI
circuit that is grounded and bonded. Pool lights reach the end of their service life at around 20-30
years. Get a licensed electrician to replace them when they stop
working.
Building Permits for Your Pool
If you think your pool was built without permits or wired by someone
who may not have known what they’re doing, hire an electrician that can
certify its safety or bring it up to code. If you purchase a house that
has a pool built before 1975, do the same. In the event that someone has been shocked in the pool, don’t use a
metal pole like the ones that attach to your skimmer or pool
brushes—they’ll conduct electricity and shock the user. Likewise, don’t
go jumping into the water, as the person jumping in also runs a risk of
serious injury. Instead, shut off all the power to the pool at the breaker box before
making an attempt to save the victim. Work quickly as they have
probably become submerged in the water. To sum up, remember that anything electrical used in conjunction with
water can be very dangerous, but it doesn’t have to be life
threatening. Whether you’re building a pool, repairing electrical
elements, or bringing an older pool up to code, just make sure whoever
works on it is doing proper wiring, grounding, and bonding. Your pool
light breakers and other power outlets SHOULD be on a GFCI protected
circuit. Get a permit for any electrical work needed around the pool to
protect yourself and your loved ones.
Map via NewsOK Graphics 
