Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Worker Phillip Dehart, 58, with Quality Cable and Fiber Services was critically injured after he fell from a bucket truck as he was working at the historic Gulfview Hotel in Fort Walton Beach, Florida













FWBPD Active Investigation: Fall with Serious Injury During Gulfview Hotel Relocation

Fort Walton Beach - On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at 3:08 a.m., Fort Walton Beach Police and Fire Departments, as well as Okaloosa County EMS, responded to a fall that occurred at a pole on the eastbound side of Miracle Strip Parkway, across from Circle K Convenience Store. Mr. Phillip Dehart, 58, of Milton, Florida, was rendered immediate aid at the scene by City personnel who were staged in the area and subsequently transported to the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center with serious injuries. He is currently listed in critical but stable condition and has his daughter with him for support.

Further investigation by the Fort Walton Beach Police Department indicated that Mr. Dehart was in a bucket truck in efforts to relocate cable lines during the relocation of the Gulfview Hotel. An employee of Gulf Power was operating a truck on Miracle Strip when he ran over a cable that was draped from a pole that Mr. Dehart was working on. This contact with the cable pulled Mr. Dehart out of the bucket and caused him to fall 20” 4” to the roadway. Mr. Dehart was wearing a safety harness, but it was not secured to the bucket.

Mr. Dehart is a contractor with QFCS (Quality Cable and Fiber Services), a contractor for Cox Communications. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Fort Walton Beach Police Department at 850-833-9546 or Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS, emeraldcoastcrimestoppers.com or by using the P3 Tips Mobile application.

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FORT WALTON BEACH, FL (WKRG) -



A worker was critically injured early Wednesday morning while helping move the historic Gulfview Hotel to its new location on Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach.

The man fell out of a bucket truck around 3 a.m., according to Jo Soria, the city's public information officer.

The worker, who has not been identified, was rushed to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. He was responsive but in critical condition, Soria confirmed.

The 112-year-old Gulfview Hotel reached its final location at 115 Miracle Strip Parkway S.E. before the accident. U.S. Highway 98, which was closed between Beal Parkway and Florida Place for several hours for the move overnight, has reopened.

The hotel will eventually reopen as the Fort Walton Beach Welcome Center.



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Gulfview move seriously injured in fall


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By Staff report


Posted at 8:16 AM Updated at 3:45 PM




FORT WALTON BEACH, FL — 

A contractor who was helping the Gulfview Hotel down U.S. Highway 98 Wednesday was seriously injured when he fell from a bucket truck.

Phillip Dehart, 58 of Milton, was working to relocate cable lines at about 3 a.m. Wednesday when he fell over 20 feet onto the road, according to a press release from the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.

An employee of Gulf Power was operating the truck on Miracle Strip Parkway when he ran over a cable that was draped from a pole Dehart was working on, the press release said. The truck’s contact with the cable pulled the victim out of the bucket.

Dehart was wearing a safety harness but it was not secured to the bucket, the press release said. Spokeswomen Jo Soria said there is no information at this time as to why the safety harness wasn’t attached.

The victim was a contractor with Quality Cable and Fiber Services working with the Gulfview Hotel relocation project, where crews moved the 5,500-square-foot historic building a quarter-mile down Miracle Strip Parkway in downtown Fort Walton Beach. The move began at 9 p.m. Tuesday and the hotel was secured in its final location just past 4 a.m. Wednesday.

The fall occurred at a pole on the south side of U.S. 98 across from the Circle K convenience store and Gulf Coast Seafood Market, the press release said. The hotel already had been moved beyond that spot when the accident occurred.

Crews with the Fort Walton Beach Fire Department were already staged on site in case of emergencies, and immediately rendered aid to the man. The Fort Walton Beach Police Department and Okaloosa County EMS also responded.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday Dehart was listed in critical but stable condition. His daughter was by his side for support, the press release said.



Fort Walton Beach Police is investigating the fall.

This story will be updated with new information as it becomes available.




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Construction worker Logan French, 25, an employee of Thompson Construction in Fremont, Nebraska, suffered a severe cut to his face when a concrete saw he was using kicked back and struck him

Logan French
Intro









Worker cutting concrete pipe flown to hospital with saw injury to face

By Nancy Gaarder / World-Herald staff writer


A construction worker suffered a severe cut to his face when a saw he was using apparently struck him.


Logan French, 25, was flown from 180th Street and Cornhusker Road to the Nebraska Medical Center in serious condition.


The work site injury occurred about 11 a.m. Tuesday. Emergency personnel from the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and Gretna Fire Department were called to the scene. Initial reports indicated that French was injured by a saw, according to the Sheriff’s Office.


French was lying on the side of the road when sheriff’s officers arrived. Paramedics from Gretna EMS stabilized French and called for a medical helicopter.

French was using a saw to cut a concrete pipe, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

French is an employee of Thompson Construction in Fremont, Nebraska.


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GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) -



Authorities say a construction worker was injured by a saw while cutting concrete in eastern Nebraska's Sarpy County. The accident occurred around 10:50 a.m.

Tuesday at a construction site just southwest of Omaha. Gretna fire department medics treated the man for a severe face laceration, and then he was flown to Nebraska Medical Center for treatment.

He's been identified as 25-year-old Logan French. 


Kickback can occur whenever the blade stops suddenly by binding up, jamming or hitting a foreign object. Saw blades build up tremendous kinetic energy during cutting and when they stop suddenly the energy must go somewhere, causing the blade to strike the operator or causing the operator to drop the saw on their legs or feet.
There are two main ways to reduce saw kickback: prevent the blade from stopping suddenly and reduce your chances of being struck if the saw does stop. There are four elements that you can control to reduce the chances of kickback.
Saw:
  • Do not use a saw that is too heavy for you to control.
  • Do not try to remove or pull back the blade guard.
  • Do not cut with the upper front quadrant of the saw’s blade.
  • Operate the saw at the manufacturer’s recommended speed.
  • Set the blade at no greater than 1/8″ to 1/4″ more than the thickness of the material to avoid contacting foreign items while cutting.
Blade: 
  • Keep your blade sharp. Dull blades are more likely to bind up in cuts.
  • Keep your blade clean. Blades sticky with sap or other materials increase the chance of binding.
  • Avoid using tooth blades as these increase the risk of kickback.
  • Never allow the blade to overheat.
  • Make sure your blade is the right size for the saw.
Operator:
  • Wear all the appropriate personal protective equipment while cutting.
  • Make sure you are trained in proper cutting techniques, safety, and how to hold the saw.
  • Maintain your balance and footing at all times. Avoid overreaching and sawing in awkward positions.
  • Don’t stand directly behind the saw. This reduces the chances of being struck if it does kick back.
  • Avoid long-term, repetitive cutting. Cutting while tired will cause you to stand closer to the saw and increase your risk of being struck.
Technique:
  • Be careful.
  • Allow the saw to reach full speed before starting the cut.
  • Don’t lean into the cut. Leaning in places you closer to the saw and makes it more likely to be struck if the saw kicks back.
  • Don’t make off-center or crooked cuts. Only cut in straight lines.
  • Take your finger off the trigger or power switch if the blade binds up, the saw stalls or the power is interrupted.
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Common Defects and Design Flaws Found in Circular Saws

There are a number of safety features that must be included in the design of modern circular saws that include the presence of a safety guard, kickback dog and saw stop device. While the design of the saw may include these features, it is possible for them to fail during use, which could result in catastrophic injury or death. Some common defects we have noticed include the following.
  • Defective safety guard— the safety guard is designed to keep the saw from contacting the operator’s hand during use. If the guard fails and the operator’s hand slips, it can result in the loss of fingers or the victim’s hand.

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  • Kickback dog failure— the kickback dog is meant to keep material that has been cut from being propelled back in the direction of the person using the saw. When the device fails, the objects being cut can become high speed projectiles and cause injuries to the face, head or brain.

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  • Defective blade— if the saw blade does not perform its intended function, it can fracture and send debris flying into the operator’s face or body. Others in the area around the saw may also be injured by flying pieces of metal if they are in the path of the objects when the blade fails.

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  • Device alterations— an employer may alter a circular saw after purchase in order to make it more efficient for its intended use. Such alteration may compromise safety, however, putting an employee at risk of injury.

Types of Injuries Experienced Due to Circular Saw Defects

The most commonly associated injury linked to circular saws is the loss of fingers or a hand, but there are a number of injuries that may result from the saw’s failure or a poor design. These can include the following.
  • Crushed limbs or digits— it is possible for the circular saw to crush the operator’s hand or fingers when it fails rather than removing the affected body parts.

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  • Injuries to the eyes— if the safety guard or kickback dog fails, projectiles can cause injury to the eyes. In some cases, the worker may be blinded.

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  • Facial injuries— blade fractures, explosions, projectiles and other failures can send materials into the victim’s face. This may result in permanent scars, disfigurement and blunt force trauma.

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  • Traumatic brain injuries— when objects strike the head at a high velocity, it is possible for the victim to experience an injury to the brain even if he or she doesn’t notice any symptoms immediately. Microtears inside of the brain can cause swelling over time that may lead to permanent brain damage.
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