(Image: Hawaii News Now/file) KAPOLEI, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) -
A 41-year-old man was killed in an industrial accident at the H-POWER plant on Thursday.
Authorities say the man died of critical injuries to his lower extremities.
The accident happened at around 12:20 p.m., according to Emergency Medical Services officials. He was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no obvious signs of foul play, according to police investigators.
Covanta, the company that runs the H-POWER plant, issued a statement saying, "All of us at Covanta are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and co-worker. Our deepest sympathies are with his family and friends at this most difficult time."
H-POWER, owned by the City and County of Honolulu, burns garbage to produce steam, which drives a turbine generator. The electricity is then sold to the Hawaiian Electric Company for distribution.
============
Investigation underway after H-Power worker killed in facility accident
By Web Staff Updated: April 7, 2017, 4:10 pm
The company behind H-POWER says an employee was killed in an accident at the facility.
Covanta says it happened at around noon Thursday.
The Honolulu medical examiner has identified the victim as Gulston Spragling, 41, of Waianae.
The state Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division is investigating the incident. Inspectors were at the scene Thursday and Friday.
Officials say Covanta has a clean record, and participates in HIOSH’s Hawaii Voluntary Protection Program, which means the company has a good safety record and met high safety standards for several years.
According to Covanta, “the investigation into the accident is ongoing and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as we work diligently to determine exactly what happened.”
In a statement, the company said, “All of us at Covanta are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and co-worker. Our deepest sympathies are with his family and friends at this most difficult time.
“At Covanta, the safety of our employees is our top priority. Tragedies like this remind us how precious life is.”
============
Covanta Honolulu
Covanta Honolulu, known locally as the H-POWER (Honolulu Program of Waste Energy Recovery) facility, began commercial operation in May 1990 and is owned by the City and County of Honolulu. Covanta acquired the operating contract in 1993. Located in Kapolei, on the island of Oahu, the facility serves the municipal waste disposal needs of more than 850,000 residents and more than six million visitors to the island each year. The facility processes up to 3,000 tons per day of municipal solid waste, generating up to 90 megawatts of energy– enough to meet nearly 8 percent of Oahu's energy needs. H-POWER also recovers thousands of tons of ferrous (steel) and non-ferrous (aluminum alloy) metal for recycling each year. In 2012, Covanta completed an expansion that increased the facility's processing capacity by an additional 900 tons per day. The project was featured in Power Magazine.
Commercial Operation: May 1990
Waste Processing Capacity: 3,000 tons per day