Wintry mix causes crashes, spin-outs, pileups and an explosion
By Saeko Robinson | @WTOPsrobinson
and Hanna Choi December 17, 2016 7:26 am
Saturday morning's wintry blast wreaked havoc on D.C.-area roads, where conditions led to a 55-vehicle pileup and sent fire engines careening off the roads.
WASHINGTON —From a deadly crash involving at least 55 vehicles to fire engines skidding off the road, the number of traffic problems have skyrocketed across the greater D.C. area as a result of Saturday morning’s blast of winter weather.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the major crashes by region.
Virginia
Slick road conditions triggered a chain-reaction crash involving 23 vehicles on the Inner Loop of the Beltway, near Gallows Road, at around 5:15 a.m., Virginia State Police said.
Icy conditions wreak havoc in DC region Weather
Freezing rain, sleet batter parts of Eastern US Weather Police said a man who walked away from his disabled vehicle in that crash was later found dead on the side of the side of the highway, about a mile away from the crash site.
State police did not identify the man and said they were still in the process of notifying his next of kin.
Four others were treated for minor injuries, police said.
Ice-coated morning in DC area captured in photos
Wintry weather walloped local roads and put the D.C. region in a deep freeze on early Saturday. WTOP listeners sent in these scenes. Due to the crash, tolls on northbound Interstate 495 express lanes were lifted as of around 8:30 a.m. Drivers were directed through the express lanes to detour the pileup. Officials on the scene closed northbound lanes of I-495 for the investigation and clean up.
All major roads were pre-treated, according to officials, but the wintry mix late Friday into early Saturday caused havoc — especially on bridges, overpasses and ramps.
Even fire engines were not safe from the icy roads. Two crashes were reported involving fire engines as they were responding to an emergency. One was on U.S. Route 50 near Interstate 66 in Fairfax County. Officials say an engine slid on ice and went off the road around 5:30 a.m. The second major fire engine crash occurred in Maryland.
Maryland
On Interstate 95 through Baltimore, a fuel tanker slid over a jersey wall and burst into flames early Saturday, Baltimore City Fire Chief Roman Clark said. Omar Jimenez of WBAL posted video of the crash on Twitter.
Clark said the roads were very icy, but it’s too early to say what caused the tanker to careen off the highway.
In a separate incident, two people were killed in a chain-reaction crash involving 55 vehicles. Clark said it’s unclear whether the pileup started before the tanker crash or if it was caused by the incident.
As of 4:30 p.m., 23 people were being treated at University of Maryland Medical Center, with injuries ranging from head trauma and broken bones to cuts and scrapes, hospital officials said Saturday.
Four people were listed in “critical” condition; two others were listed in “serious” condition, hospital officials said.
Scores of traffic accidents were being reported across the region due to slick roads.
As of 1 p.m., Maryland state troopers had responded to 330 crashes across the state.
In Prince George’s County, Bowie Volunteer Fire was on the road in response to a call, but slid on ice and hit a power pole on Maryland Route 450, near Route 3.
There were no reports of serious injuries.
The National Weather Service issued a freezing rain advisory for the Baltimore-Washington D.C. region early Saturday and warned of travel difficulties on slippery roads.
Despite warming temperatures late Saturday afternoon, police were urging motorist to remain cautious and warned that dropping temperatures on Sunday could create a similar scenario in the morning.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – With temperatures dropping below 30 degrees overnight in the greater Charlotte area, patches of ice formed on roads creating hazardous driving conditions.
Despite the Department of Transportation’s attempts to pre-salt the roads on Friday night, there have been 129 traffic reported crashes between since midnight, according to Medic. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments’s Traffic Accident & Roadway Obstruction Information reports two accidents that occurred last night were fatalities. Some additional accidents resulted with life-threatening injuries.
The first was reported at 5:32 a.m. at the intersection of Shopton Road and Ayrshire Glen Place in the Steele Creek division. Upon arrival, officers located a vehicle that had run off the roadway, down an embankment, and struck a tree.
Medic responded and pronounced the driver, Humberto Daumont Sanchez, 43, dead on scene. The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle and no other vehicles were involved in the crash. CMPD confirmed that icy road conditions were a factor in this crash. Speed and alcohol do not appear to be contributing factors at this time.
The second fatal wreck was reported at 5:44 a.m. off of Westinghouse Blvd in the Steele Creek division. Upon arrival, officers located a Nissan Pathfinder that had traveled off of the road and had struck a tree. Medic arrived and pronounced the driver, Shane Dante Cornwell, 37, dead due to the crash. The CMPD Major Crash Investigation Unit responded to conduct an investigation. It appears that the vehicle lost control on a bridge due to ice covering the road surface and ran off the left side of the roadway. The vehicle then overturned and struck a tree. The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle and was wearing a seatbelt. The crash is still under investigation to determine if speed contributed to the crash.
The amount of crashes that occurred overnight was nearly six times the usual call volume according to Medic.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police department released a traffic alert just after 1 a.m. telling drivers to keep a safe following distance between their car and the car in front of them and to use extra caution due to black ice.
CMPD cautioned that driving conditions continued to worsen later into the night on local roadways, especially in South End Charlotte. CMPD even urged drivers that, if at all possible, they should stay off the roads until they improve.
NBC Charlotte's Diana Rugg spoke with one of the drivers featured in the crash below:
When speaking about the crash and the road conditions, Phillip Eddens said, "It’s put the fear of God in me... I’m gonna go home. I’m gonna stay in today."
A Freezing Rain Advisory is in place until 11 a.m. Saturday morning.
Drinking Water Update for Corpus Christi, Texas
12/17/2016
Contact Information:
David Gray (gray.david@epa.gov)
Drinking Water Update for Corpus Christi, Texas
Contact: David Gray, gray.david@epa.gov
DALLAS – (December 17, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and Texas Department of State Health Services remind residents to follow drinking water restrictions announced by the City of Corpus Christi.
People living in Zone 3 SHOULD NOT use water from the tap. People living in Zone 2 SHOULD NOT ingest or otherwise consume drinking water from their taps. A copy of each zone information is included at the end of this warning.
Within the last 24 hours, there have been four unconfirmed reports of possibly related symptoms from prohibited water use by people living in Corpus Christi. The Texas Department of State Health Services recommends that citizens with health questions should contact their local healthcare professional.
Citizens concerned about their drinking water quality should contact TCEQ at 888-777-3186.
The City of Corpus Christi’s DO NOT USE advisory remains in full effect for Zone 3. This is the zone where the tap water should not be used and only bottled water should be used for all drinking, beverage and food preparation (including baby formula and juice), making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes or clothes, washing hands, and bathing until further notice. You may flush toilets.
EPA and TCEQ have integrated their operations in both Austin and Corpus Christi to ensure the situation is handled as swiftly as possible. The top priority is the safety of Corpus Christi residents and a transparent response, and both organizations will continue to provide any and all support to remedy this situation as quickly as possible. EPA has made available emergency analytical services from the EPA laboratory located in nearby Houston, Texas. The TCEQ and EPA are continuing to collect and analyze samples from drinking water in Corpus Christi.
As a reminder, following are the current advisories for Zones 1-3:
• ZONE 1 is defined as the zone where the current DO NOT USE advisory has been rescinded. This City zone has resumed using the tap water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and all regular uses.
• ZONE 2 is defined as the zone where LIMITED USE of the tap water may resume. The limited activities include bathing, showering, flushing toilets, and washing clothes. However, due to the potential for contaminated water, infants and young children should not bathe using water since they may swallow some of it and additional water testing is needed. Immuno-compromised individuals (e.g., those individuals undergoing chemotherapy, those with HIV/AIDS) should likewise avoid consuming the water. Also, this zone should not use the tap water for drinking or cooking /food preparation; only bottled water should be used.
• ZONE 3 is defined as the zone where the DO NOT USE advisory remains in full effect. This is the zone where the tap water should not be used and only bottled water should be used for all drinking, beverage and food preparation (including baby formula and juice), making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes or clothes, washing hands, and bathing until further notice. You may flush toilets.
As soon as further information is available, the TCEQ and EPA will provide additional detail. Public information regarding this incident is available on the TCEQ's website at https://www.tceq.texas.gov/response/corpus-christi-emergency-response.
Connect with EPA Region 6:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6
OSHA Trade Release 
U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Office of Communications
Washington, D.C.
www.osha.gov
For Immediate Release
December 16, 2016
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999
OSHA issues final rule clarifying the ongoing obligation to make and
maintain accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses
WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday will issue a final rule that clarifies an employer's continuing obligation to make and maintain an accurate record of each recordable injury and illness. The final rule becomes effective Jan. 18, 2017.
OSHA's longstanding position has been that an employer's duty to record an injury or illness continues for the full five-year record-retention period, and this position has been upheld by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission in cases dating back to 1993. In 2012, the D.C. Circuit issued a decision in AKM LLC v. Secretary of Labor (Volks) reversing the Commission and rejecting OSHA's position on the continuing nature of its prior recordkeeping regulations.
The new final rule more clearly states employers' obligations. "This rule simply returns us to the standard practice of the last 40 years," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "It is important to keep in mind that accurate records are not just paperwork; they have a valuable and potentially life-saving purpose."
The amendments in the final rule add no new compliance obligations and do not require employers to make records of any injuries or illnesses for which records are not already required.
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 www.osha.gov.
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December 16, 2016
Statement of US Labor Secretary Perez on fatal occupational injuries in 2015
WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued a statement regarding today's release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of its Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
The census shows a slight increase in 2015 in the number of fatal work injuries, the highest annual total since 2008. The census also finds that 4,836 workers died from work-related injuries in 2015, an increase from the 4,821 fatal injuries reported in 2014. Based on the results, the rate of fatal workplace injuries in 2015 was 3.38 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, lower than the 2014 rate of 3.43.
The secretary's statement follows:
"These numbers underscore the urgent need for employers to provide a safe workplace for their employees as the law requires. We have a moral responsibility to make sure that workers who showed up to work today are still alive to punch the clock tomorrow. The fact is, we know how to prevent these deaths. The U.S. Department of Labor is - and will always be - committed to working with employers, workers, community organizations, unions and others to improve safety and health in our nation's workplaces. This effort is essential to ensuring that no more workers are taken unnecessarily from their families."
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December 16, 2016
OSHA cites numerous hazards at Missouri sheet metal manufacturer after
court orders employer to let inspectors investigate safety complaints.
Agency finds more than a dozen repeated, serious violations; proposes $138K in fines
EL DORADO SPRINGS, Mo. - A f finedederal workplace safety inspection - that occurred only after a federal court ordered an El Dorado Springs sheet metal manufacturer to allow inspectors to respond to complaints of unsafe working conditions and employee injuries - led to the discovery of more than a dozen repeated and serious violations and an assessment of $138,430 in proposed fines.
With a warrant in hand from the U.S. District Court in Missouri, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors arrived at Hammond Sheet Metal, which operates at Barrington Manufacturing Corporation, and soon found one repeated and 15 serious safety and health violations. A review of injury logs also found numerous workers had suffered lacerations to the hands and wrists as alleged in the complaint. The inspection began on July 7, 2016.
"Employers have a legal responsibility to provide safe working conditions and allow OSHA to investigate complaints when safety is overlooked," said Karena Lorek, OSHA's acting area director in Kansas City. "Barrington Manufacturing must make immediate changes to its safety and health programs to ensure workers are protected from injuries and illnesses in its facility."
The agency also found Barrington failed to:
- Evaluate the workplace for hazards.
- Ensure workers used eye and face protection and other personal protective equipment as necessary.
- Train workers on the hazardous chemicals used in the facility, proper handling and safety precautions.
- Install adequate machine guarding.
- Develop energy control procedures which include training workers and conducting periodic inspections of machine safety procedures.
- Keep spraying areas free from accumulation of combustible residues.
- Locate spark producing equipment at least 20 feet from the spray area.
- Remove damaged powered industrial trucks from service.
- Keep chromium from accumulating on surfaces.
View current citations here.
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 Kansas City Area Office at 816-483-9531.
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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