Worker was killed after he was pinned between two trailers at the FedEx hub in Willington, Connecticut.

Worker killed in accident at FedEx hub in Willington
Posted 12:20 PM, December 7, 2016, by Katie Harris, 

December 7, 2016 WILLINGTON — A Texas man was killed Tuesday during an industrial accident at the FedEx hub in Willington, Connecticut.

State Police said they were called to the facility on Ruby Road around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday evening. The man was pinned between two trailers on facility grounds, police said.

Other workers were able to get him out from between the trailers and started CPR. Emergency responders took him to Rockville Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The victim has been identified as Steven Rost, 30, of Killeen, Texas.

State Police and OSHA are investigating.

A construction worker died after being struck by a construction truck in a work zone in St. Louis, MO

Construction worker killed in I-55 work zone
Alexandra Martellaro, KSDK 2:10 PM. CST December 08, 2016





ST. LOUIS, MO - A construction worker has died after being struck by a construction truck in a work zone.

It happened around 10:49 Thursday morning at SB I-55 at 7th Street.

According to police, the truck was already on the construction zone. The worker apparently exited the truck, which moved forward and struck him as he walked in front of it.

The worker was taken to a local hospital where he later died.This story will be updated as more information becomes available

A construction worker fell to his death from scaffolding at the old Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY

(Google Maps)

Eyewitness News
Updated 1 hr 58 mins ago
WILLIAMSBURG, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A construction worker fell to his death from scaffolding at the old Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg on Friday.

The 59-year-old man fell from the sixth floor to the fourth floor on 325 Kent Avenue around 8 a.m. He was later pronounced dead at Woodhull Medical Center.

The man was reportedly putting a window into a window frame, and then fell through the frame.

In late-November, two construction workers died in Queens after a beam fell at what was deemed an 'unsafe' work-site. According to President of Building and Construction Trades Council Gary LaBarbera, in the last two years alone there have been 29 fatalities at construction sites in New York City, with almost 90 percent of those incidents on non-union sties.

LaBarbera released a statement Friday saying in part,

"Incidents like today's, which are preventable, happen all too often and underscore the need for the Mayor, the City Council and the Department of Buildings to work together to enact greater site safety regulations and mandatory safety training and apprenticeship programs."

LACK OF PROPER MAINTENANCE CAUSED THE RADIATOR STEAM BLAST THAT KILLED TWO CHILDREN IN THE BRONX

Investigators looking into cause of radiator steam blast that killed two children in the Bronx.  The most likely cause is the lack of proper maintenance of the radiator bodies, including the replacement of failing valves and/or piping





Dray Clark has the latest on the investigation

Eyewitness News
Updated 33 mins ago
HUNTS POINT, Bronx (WABC) -- Investigators are looking into the cause of a radiator steam blast that killed two young children Wednesday in a Bronx apartment.

The Bronx District Attorney's Office is also opening an investigation into landlord Moshe Piller and into 720 Hunts Point Avenue, where the children died.

The sisters, identified as Scylee Vayoh Ambrose, 1, and Ibanez Ambrose, 2, were taken to a hospital where they were pronounced dead after suffering steam burns.

An autopsy confirmed that the cause of death for both girls was hyperthermia and thermal injuries due to exposure to hot steam. The manner of death for both is "accident."

A memorial grew Thursday at the building on Hunts Point Avenue near Spofford Avenue in the Hunts Point section, where people dropped off balloons and teddy bears.

Peter Ambrose lit a cigarette Thursday night and stared out at the vigil that has risen where his two daughters died.

The girls' mother, Danielle came by as well.

There are candles now and flowers, grim reminders all of what no one there, will ever forget.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the girls were in the bedroom with the door closed when the valve started leaking, allowing a tremendous amount of steam to build up in the room.

"If the door had been open I think it would have been a much different reality," said the mayor.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

10:12 a.m.
A city official said the mother left the apartment, with both girls sleeping in the bedroom with the door closed. The father was sleeping in the living room.

11:46 a.m.
The official said the mother returned, knocked on the apartment door and the father opened. The mother then opened the bedroom door to find room filled with steam and girls unconscious.

A large amount of steam spread from the apartment into the common hallway. Parents and neighbors who rushed in attempted to perform CPR.



"I couldn't sleep, the image of that father was screaming was still in my head," said eyewitness Marisol Rodriguez. "The father came out of the apartment with the two girls in his arms screaming, 'my daughters, my daughters, they burned."

She said the mother was giving one daughter CPR, and the father was holding the other daughter, desperately trying to wake her up. Both children were badly burned, showing no signs of life.

Officials say it appears a radiator valve blew off, causing scalding hot steam to shoot out and severely burn the girls.

Outside the building, police consoled the father, who was overwhelmed with grief.

In an interview for Channel 7's "Up Close" Thursday, Mayor de Blasio said the apartment didn't seem to have any serious violations, that there was an inspection there just last month, and that the circumstances there Wednesday, obviously under investigation, sound like a perfect storm.

"The fact that somehow, as much steam could have come out of that valve, an extraordinary amount, and of course the door of the room was closed, which allowed the steam to accumulate," said the mayor.

Steam is over 230 degrees.

"That's deadly. That'll burn you in a heartbeat. You can see the threads are all worn out there," said Michael Petri, of Petri Plumbing in Bay Ridge.

Petri says the threads on either the valve or the radiator itself must have gotten stripped over time.

"If this isn't secured in the end of the radiator (steam builds up?) Right," Petri said.

The father, so overwhelmed in grief Wednesday, seemed Thursday to blame the city.

"That's New York public housing, I guess," he said.

The city's public advocate visiting the site struck a much different tone from the mayor.

"Government failed these two children and we need a full investigation by all these agencies so it will never happen again," said Public Advocate Letitia James.

She suggested a lack of transparency in certain apartments inspected by the Department of Homeless Services as opposed to others for full-time residents.

"This was not a freak accident by no means," said James.


The radiator was taken away as part of the investigation. Eyewitness News has learned the boiler in the building passed its last inspection in August and showed no signs of a defect.

"All of the radiators in the building were inspected last night and the heat was restored after that inspection," de Blasio said. "Nothing in the inspections that we have seen so far indicated anything in any apartment that would have led to this."





N.J. Burkett has the latest details.

The family, which is originally from Maine, was staying in an apartment that was being used to house homeless families.

The couple was the subject of a total of six child welfare cases in New York State and Maine. The most recent case was in January 2016 in New York State.

Peter Ambrose has two prior arrests -- possession of a hypodermic needle in July 2015 and fare beating in 2012.

TOO MUCH GOOSE SHIT? Nutrient pollution is widespread in the nation’s lakes, with 4 in 10 lakes suffering from too much nitrogen and phosphorus.

EPA’s National Assessment Finds Nutrient Pollution is Widespread in Lakes
12/08/2016
Contact Information:
Tricia Lynn - news media only (lynn.tricia@epa.gov)
202-564-2615, 202-564-4355

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Washington, Dec. 8, 2016) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the results of a national assessment showing that nutrient pollution is widespread in the nation’s lakes, with 4 in 10 lakes suffering from too much nitrogen and phosphorus.

Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms, lower oxygen levels, degraded habitat for fish and other life, and lower water quality for recreation. The National Lakes Assessment also found an algal toxin – microcystin – in 39 percent of lakes but below levels of concern. Low concentrations of the herbicide atrazine were found in 30 percent of lakes.

“America’s lakes and reservoirs provide many environmental and public health benefits; we use lakes for drinking water, energy, food and recreation, and our fish, birds, and wildlife depend on lakes for habitat,” said Joel Beauvais, deputy assistant administrator for Water at EPA. “The National Lakes Assessment provides us with valuable information to help protect and restore our lakes across the country.”

The assessment is part of a series of National Aquatic Resource Surveys designed to provide information about the condition of water resources in the U.S. The surveys are conducted in partnership with states and tribes to provide national-scale assessments of the nation’s waters.

An earlier National Lakes Assessment was conducted in 2007, but this latest study is expanded to include smaller lakes and increase the number of lakes assessed. Lake managers can use the new interactive dashboard to evaluate site-specific information and to explore population-level results. Conducted on a five-year basis, future lake surveys will help water resource managers assess broad-scale differences in the data and perform trends analyses.

Nutrient pollution is one of America’s most widespread and costly environmental and public health challenges. EPA is working on many fronts to reduce the severity, extent, and impacts of nutrient pollution in our nation’s lakes and other waters. These efforts involve overseeing regulatory programs, conducting outreach and engaging partners, providing technical and programmatic support to states, financing nutrient reduction activities, and conducting research and development. In September, EPA called upon states and stakeholders to intensify their efforts to reduce nutrient pollution in collaboration with EPA.

For more information, visit EPA’s website.

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OSHA cites Kerry Inc., a global food company, after 2 workers suffer severe injuries at Melrose Park, Illinois, processing facility

December 8, 2016

OSHA cites Kerry Inc., a global food company, after 2 workers suffer
severe injuries at Melrose Park, Illinois, processing facility
Kerry Inc. exposed workers to machine hazards

MELROSE PARK, Ill. - Just six weeks after a machine amputated a maintenance worker's left hand as he cleared jammed material stuck in a machine at its Melrose Park bread products facility, the company reported a second worker's right forearm suffered multiple fractures as he cleaned another machine. Federal safety inspectors investigating the injuries found, in both instances, the company allowed employees to service machinery without isolating operating parts, a process known as lockout/tagout.

On Dec. 5, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed penalties of $86,942 for one repeated and two serious violations to Kerry Inc., a leading global food products company.

"The tragic loss of one employee's hand failed to serve as a catalyst for Kerry to re-evaluate its machine safety procedures. Subsequently, the lack of such procedures caused a second worker to suffer severe injuries," said Angeline Loftus, OSHA's area director for its Chicago North Area Office in Des Plaines. 

"The injuries suffered by these employees could have been prevented if their employer had followed required safety procedures to isolate energy to machines before allowing workers to service them. Kerry needs to make immediate changes to its safety procedures to protect its workers on the job."

Investigators determined the 52-year-old worker was clearing material in the bread crumb conveyor when his injury occurred on Aug. 17, 2016. The machine's cyclone pulled his left hand into the machine, causing the amputation. On Sept. 27, 2016, a 57-year-old man's forearm - who was cleaning a dough machine - was injured a mixing blade rotated unexpectedly.

OSHA also found the company failed to:

• Conduct periodic inspections of machine lockout/tag out procedures.
• Document and utilize written energy control procedures when servicing machines.

The agency cited Kerry for similar hazards in 2011 at the company's Flemington, New Jersey facility.

View current citations here.

Based in Ireland, Kerry provides food and beverage products to consumers in 140 countries. The multi-billion dollar company operates facilities on six continents and employs more than 20,000 worldwide. The company's U.S. headquarters are based in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Kerry 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 Chicago North Area Office at 847-803-4800.

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.

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Alliance Laundry Systems faces $124K in additional penalties for willful safety violations after second worker suffers amputation injury in less than two months

December 8, 2016

OSHA cites global commercial laundry equipment manufacturer
after second worker suffers amputation injury in less than two months
Alliance Laundry Systems faces $124K in additional penalties for willful safety violation

RIPON, Wis. - For the second time in less than two months, federal safety and health inspectors found an employee at one of world's leading commercial laundry equipment manufacturers suffered an amputation injury because a machine lacked adequate safety guarding.

OOn Dec. 6, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed penalties of $124,709 to Alliance Laundry Systems after its investigation of a July 20, 2016, injury identified one willful safety violation. Inspectors found the Ripon-based company returned a hydraulic press to operation without adding safety guarding after a 65-year-old employee's right middle finger tip was amputated as he lowered a press used to square parts for washing machines and dryers.

"Despite earlier machine related injuries, Alliance Laundry Systems allowed workers to operate a machine without installing safety guards. We find these failures troubling," said Robert Bonack, OSHA's area director in Appleton. "Ignoring guarding methods required by OSHA creates a culture where employees' well-being is deemed unimportant, and workers are left to suffer the consequences."

In a previous investigation, OSHA learned that a grommet cutting machine severed a 26-year-old employee's right index finger on June 3, 2016. In that case, the agency issued four serious violations to Alliance in July 2016. The incidents in the summer of 2016 continue a recent history of preventable worker injuries at the company. On Aug. 12, 2015, a 51-year-old employee's right hand was crushed when he came in contact with operating parts of a folding machine. The injury resulted in the amputation of his right middle finger.

View current citation here.

Headquartered in Ripon, Alliance Laundry Systems is a global manufacturer of commercial laundry equipment. Its products are sold under the Speed Queen, UniMac, Primus, Huebsch and Ipso brands to laundromats, multi-housing laundries and on-premise laundries. Founded in 1908, the company has more than 2,500 employees working in its global manufacturing facilities in Ripon, Wisconsin; Pribor, Czech Republic; and Guangzhou, China.

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 Appleton Area Office at 920-734-4521.

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.

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CPE Feeds Inc. fined $83K by OSHA after 22 violations were found at the Texas feed manufacturer's plant

December 8, 2016

OSHA emphasis program finds 22 violations at Texas feed manufacturer

Employer Name:

CPE Feeds Inc.

2102 Lubbock Road

Brownfield, Texas

Citations issued: Nov. 28, 2016

Investigation Findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected CPE Feeds in June 2016 as part of the Regional Emphasis Program for Grain Handling Facilities. The agency cited the company, which manufactures feed and sells used agricultural machinery for processing feed, for failing to provide a safe working environment for its employees. OSHA inspectors identified 22 violations including:

• Lack of guarding on machines.
• Exposed energized wires.
• Lack of guarding on runways and platforms.
• Lack of handrails on stairwells.
• Welding cylinders not properly stored.
• Fire extinguishers not kept in designated locations.
• Using flexible cords as fixed wiring.
• Not providing hearing protection.

Proposed Penalties: $83,059

Quote: "As an employer, CPE Feeds must protect its employees from amputation, electrocution and grain- handling hazards. It must also train its workers in how to work safely," said Elizabeth Linda Routh, OSHA's area director in Lubbock. "Our emphasis program will continue to target the industry and CPE Feeds until safety becomes part of a critical part of this company's culture." 

View citations at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/CPEFeeds_1152337.pdf

Information: CPE Feeds 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 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 Lubbock Area Office at 806-472-7681.

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