Saturday, June 9, 2018

Iowa Fines Fink Electric Company for Exposing Workers to Asbestos and Lead Hazards. Nevada Cites Brady Linen Services, LLC for Amputation and Other Machinery Hazards

Iowa Fines Electric Company for Exposing Workers to Asbestos and Lead Hazards


Iowa
Iowa OSHA issued Fink Electric, Inc. in Sioux City 15 citations and $159,798 in penalties for exposing workers to lead and asbestos hazards while removing asbestos- insulated piping. Inspectors concluded that the company failed to conduct required exposure assessments for asbestos and lead; train workers on respiratory hazards from lead and asbestos; and provide personal protective equipment for exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.




Nevada
Nevada Cites Linen Company for Amputation and Other Machinery Hazards

Nevada OSHA issued three citations and $84,000 in penalties to Brady Linen Services, LLC in North Las Vegas for exposing workers to amputation and struck-by hazards from moving machinery. Inspectors discovered that the company had disabled safety switches on automatic towel folding machines. The company also failed to provide machine guarding on conveyor belts, exposing workers to caught-in and amputation hazards.
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OSHA cited C & D Technologies Inc. for exposing employees to lead and failing to implement an effective lead management program.




May 18, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Wisconsin Battery Company
For Exposing Employees to Lead, Other Hazards

MILWAUKEE, WI – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited C & D Technologies Inc. for exposing employees to lead and failing to implement an effective lead management program. The Milwaukee battery manufacturer faces proposed penalties of $147,822 for two repeated and six serious violations.

OSHA inspected the facility, and determined that 14 employees were exposed to airborne lead at levels 11 times the permissible exposure limit. The company failed to implement sufficient controls to prevent exposure; monitor ventilation for the presence of lead; post warning signs in work areas that exceeded the permissible exposure limit; provide respiratory protection; install machine guarding; and guard floor holes. OSHA cited the company for similar violations in 2010.

“Employers are required to continually evaluate their facilities for hazards, and use the proper safety controls and equipment to keep their worksites safe and healthful,” said Chris Zortman, OSHA Milwaukee Area Director. “This company failed to protect their employees from the serious risks of lead exposure.”

C & D Technologies 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.

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 https://www.osha.gov.
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OSHA cited Douglas N. Higgins Inc., a South Florida utility company, after an employee suffered fatal injuries at a Naples Park worksite. The company faces $162,596 in proposed penalties, the maximum allowed.



May 22, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Cites South Florida Utility
After Employee Sustains Fatal Injuries

NAPLES, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Douglas N. Higgins Inc., a South Florida utility company, after an employee suffered fatal injuries at a Naples Park worksite. The company faces $162,596 in proposed penalties, the maximum allowed.

The employee suffered the fatal injuries when a steel plate fell on him as he installed sewer lines. OSHA cited the company for permitting employees to work in a trench without adequate cave-in protection; failing to provide safe entry and exit from a trench, perform atmospheric testing, and train employees on signals used when moving trench boxes; and allowing employees to use defective equipment to hoist a compactor. The Agency cited the company for a similar violation in January 2017 after three employees succumbed to toxic gases while working in a manhole.

“Employers have a responsibility to ensure a working environment free from recognized hazards,” said Condell Eastmond, OSHA Fort Lauderdale Area Office Director. “This company’s continued failure to protect and train their employees on well-known hazards resulted in another preventable tragedy.”

Douglas N. Higgins Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed 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.

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 https://www.osha.gov.
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OSHA cited All Power Construction Corp. and staffing agency Labor Finders of Tennessee Inc. after a temporary employee installing sewer lines suffered a fatal injury in a trench collapse.



May 11, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Contractor and Staffing Agency
Following Fatal Trench Collapse at Alabama Work Site

HUNTSVILLE, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited All Power Construction Corp. and staffing agency Labor Finders of Tennessee Inc. after a temporary employee installing sewer lines suffered a fatal injury in a trench collapse. All Power Construction Corp. faces $139,684 in proposed penalties and Labor Finders of Tennessee Inc. faces the maximum allowed $12,934 in proposed penalties.

OSHA issued willful and serious citations to All Power Construction Corp. for allowing employees to work in a trench without cave-in protection, failing to provide a safe means to enter and exit the trench, and not having a competent person inspect the trench to identify potential hazards. OSHA cited the staffing agency for one serious violation for not ensuring that employees were trained on trenching and excavation hazards.

The investigation was part of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation.

“Employers are responsible for ensuring their worksites are free of recognized hazards,” said Ramona Morris, OSHA Birmingham Area Office Director. “This tragedy could have been prevented had the employer followed the necessary steps to ensure that protective systems were used.”

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of their citations and proposed 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.

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 https://www.osha.gov.
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OSHA cited New Windsor-based Verla International LTD, and proposed fines of $281,220 for failing to protect its employees from dangerous chemicals, and other hazards.







May 11, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Cites New York Cosmetics Manufacturer
For Safety and Health Hazards Following November 2017 Fire

ALBANY, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited New Windsor-based Verla International LTD, and proposed fines of $281,220 for failing to protect its employees from dangerous chemicals, and other hazards.

In November 2017, OSHA investigated the cosmetics manufacturer after an employee was fatally injured in a fire. The company was cited for 11 violations for fall, and compressed air hazards, and for failing to ensure proper electrical grounding and bonding to prevent flammable vapors from igniting; properly dispose of flammable materials; develop and implement an emergency response plan; provide employees with first responder awareness level training; and record a workplace fatality in its OSHA 300 illness and injury log.

“An employer’s adherence to safety and health standards, including the proper and safe transfer of flammable liquids, is critical to preventing fire, explosions, and other incidents that can seriously or fatally injure workers,” said OSHA Albany Area Office Director Robert Garvey, who also noted that OSHA cited the company in 2013 for similar violations.

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.

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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Donald E. Wood, Jr. and Woody’s Trucking, LLC Found Guilty for Mislabeling and Falsifying Records Related to Transporting Explosive Materials






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 

Baker Man and Trucking Company Found Guilty for Mislabeling and Falsifying Records Related to Transporting Explosive Materials


BILLINGS, MONTANA - On Tuesday, May 22, 2018, The United States obtained a guilty verdict in United States v. Woody’s Trucking, LLC and Donald E. Wood, Jr. after an 8 day jury trial in Billings, Montana before the Honorable Susan P. Watters. Both Defendants were charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, placarding violations and obstruction of justice stemming from an explosion at an oil and gas processing facility in Wibaux, Montana. The defendants were convicted of 13 of 14 counts. The one count of acquittal related to one of the placarding violations. Forfeiture in the case amounts to $644,689.70.

On December 29, 2012, a driver for Woody's Trucking, loaded natural gas condensate, or "drip gas," from a pipeline station that transports products from the Bakken oil fields in Montana and North Dakota. The drip gas was hauled from Watford City, North Dakota, to Custom Carbon Processing, Inc. (CCP). CCP is a slop-oil processing/recycling company based near Wibaux, Montana. The bill of lading that accompanied the shipment identified the product as "slop oil and water," which is a non-hazardous substance. However, while the driver was pumping from the truck’s front tank into the CCP facility, a fire ignited, injuring three employees. The tanks on the truck burned for eight days until the local fire department could determine that they held drip gas and not slop oil and water, as indicated on the bill of lading. Drip gas is a hazardous material and the truck was not placarded to indicate it held a flammable liquid. Three employees were seriously injured in the explosion.

Witnesses at trial testified that the CEO of the company, Donald Wood, Jr., directed the driver to place a falsified Bill of Lading in the burned out truck several days after the explosion. The reason was to cover up the fact that the company was hauling drip gas without placards. Furthermore, the company had no insurance coverage for hauling drip gas.

Sometime after the explosion, the employees of the burned facility sued Woody’s Trucking, the owners of the CCP facility and others for negligence in a civil action. Woody’s submitted the lawsuit to their insurance company for payment of costs, attorney fees and payment of the eventual settlements to the injured workers. The insurance company agreed to settle the claims, but always maintained that there was no coverage for hauling drip gas.

U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme stated, “I want to thank the prosecution team and the representatives from the Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency that coordinated on this important investigation. Mislabeling and submitting false documents to conceal the presence of explosive material on public highways are serious criminal matters that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As this case demonstrates, the failure to properly disclose and label hazardous materials can endanger lives.”

“The defendants in this case tried to cover up safety violations by providing falsified documents to first responders, showing little regard for the safety of first responders, public health, or environmental damage,” said Susan Bodine, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s guilty verdict shows that EPA, our law enforcement partners, and the jury agree that those who choose to disregard laws designed to keep our communities safe from chemical accidents should be held accountable for their actions.”

The jury deliberated for 3 hours before finding both defendants guilty of 13 of 14 counts.

The case was tried by AUSA Adam Duerk and SAUSA Eric Nelson of the EPA. The United States’ Attorney’s Office conducted this investigation with the Environmental Protection Agency - Criminal Investigation Division as well as the Department of Transportation. 

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Trucking Company, Owner Face Fraud Trial After Explosion
Explosion at an oil product processing plant near Wibaux injured three workers and caused a fire that burned for eight days

By ASSOCIATED PRESS // May 9, 2018

BILLINGS — A trial begins next Monday in Billings for a Montana trucking company and its owner charged with crimes including moving hazardous materials without the proper paperwork.

The case was revealed after a December 2012 explosion at an oil product processing plant near Wibaux injured three workers and caused a fire that burned for eight days.

Woody’s Trucking of Baker and owner Donald Wood Jr. have pleaded not guilty to federal wire and mail fraud and obstructing a federal investigation.


Prosecutors say Woody’s Trucking was hauling flammable natural gas condensate from North Dakota to Custom Carbon Processing Inc. after telling its insurance company it was hauling saline water. Wood also is charged with ordering a driver to falsify a bill of lading that Wood sent to his insurance company and federal investigators.

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OSHA Proposes Rule to Ensure Crane Operators Are Qualified To Safely Operate Equipment





OSHA Proposes Rule to Ensure Crane Operators Are Qualified
To Safely Operate Equipment

WASHINGTON, DC – 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced a proposed rule to increase the safety of America’s construction sites. In addition to providing long-term clarity regarding crane operator certification requirements, the proposal reinstates the employer duty to ensure that a crane operator is qualified to safely operate equipment.

Under the proposed rule, a change to the categories of certifications for crane operators would ensure more operators are able to meet the requirement. The proposal discontinues a 2010 requirement, which never went into effect, that crane operator certification must include the crane lifting capacity for which the operator is certified. The proposal would expand the type of certification programs for crane operators.

Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal, or by facsimile or mail. See the Federal Register notice for submission details. Comments must be submitted by June 20, 2018.

OSHA recently published a final rule extending the operator certification compliance date until November 10, 2018, in order to provide the agency with additional time to complete this rulemaking to address stakeholder concerns related to the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard.

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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June is National Safety Month, an opportunity to help prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths at work, on the roads, and in our homes and communities.






Make One Change for Safety this National Safety Month

Posted on by Dawn Castillo, MPH and Kim Shambrook
June is National Safety Month, an opportunity to help prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths at work, on the roads, and in our homes and communities. With this year’s theme, No 1 Gets Hurt, we are encouraging readers to think of at least one change you can make to improve safety this month. This joint blog from NIOSH and the National Safety Council (NSC) highlights the weekly themes of emergency preparedness, wellness, falls and driving. Help us spread the word about National Safety Month to your family, friends and co-workers. Use the information below, download and share free materials from the NSC website, and visit the NIOSH website to help ensure that No 1 Gets Hurt.

Week 1: Emergency Preparedness

NIOSH: The NIOSH Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) program integrates occupational safety and health into emergency responses during planning and preparedness activities to protect response and recovery workers. Workers are the common denominator in an emergency event. Visit the EPR Program website for resources to protect the safety and health of first responders.

NIOSH’s Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance™ (ERHMS™) framework provides recommendations for protecting emergency responders during small and large emergencies in any setting. You can download the free ERHMS Info Manager™ software from the NIOSH website.

NIOSH has been active in addressing the opioid epidemic and the workplace. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug that is similar to morphine and heroin, but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Fentanyl and related drugs can pose a potential hazard to law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, and firefighters who could come into contact with these drugs through the course of their work day. See the blog Fentanyl Exposure Risks for Law Enforcement and Emergency Response Workers  for information about exposure routes, prevention, and recent research.

NSC:   Emergency situations can happen at any time, making it crucial that you are prepared for the unexpected including natural disasters, fires, active shooter situations or chemical or gas releases. It is best to be prepared both at work and home. Actively participate in workplace drills. With violent acts on the rise, know how to respond to an active shooter with free NSC training at nsc.org/communitytraining. At home, create emergency plans with your family. It is also helpful to put together emergency kits for both your home and car.

In the event of an emergency, one of your best defenses against harm is to be trained in First Aid. Our First Aid infographic and App can help you be prepared. Since the first week of June is also CPR and AED Awareness Week, the Council is offering our NSC First Aid Online course for free between June 1 and June 10. Availability is limited.

Week 2: Wellness

NIOSH: The Total Worker Health® (TWH) program at NIOSH advocates for a holistic approach to worker safety, health and well-being that explores opportunities to both protect workers from hazards and advance their health and well-being. The TWH approach integrates health protection with broader interventions to advance worker well-being by targeting job conditions and encouraging health and safety improvements starting at the organizational level.

Getting enough sleep is important to do your job safely. And, there are some jobs where sleep plays an even more important role in ensuring the safety and health of workers and the people they serve. For example, NIOSH has guidance on organizational and individual strategies on how to reduce risks from workplace fatigue for truck drivers, pilots, emergency responders, and healthcare workers. Nurses can earn free CEs for taking the course!

High stress levels, especially for prolonged periods of time, can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. Work-related stress can lead to risk of injury and depression, which contributes to absenteeism, presenteeism (workers going to work when they are sick), disability, and unemployment [Schnall, Dobson, Landsbergis, 2016[i]]. Further evidence demonstrates that employees who report stressors such as low job control or high job strain have an increased incidence of ischemic heart disease [Theorell et al., 2016[ii]]. 

 Providing training for supervisors on approaches to reducing stressful working conditions can improve employee health, reduce turnover, and increase employee retention. Learn about Total Worker Health strategies to reduce worker stress by viewing this NIOSH Total Worker Health webinar: Intervening for Work Stress: Work-life Stress and Total Worker Health Approaches.   For more information about designing programs to support worker safety, health and well-being, please see Fundamentals of Total Worker Health® Approaches: Essential Elements for Advancing Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being and https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/hwd/default.html


NSC: As NIOSH mentioned earlier, opioid-related deaths have reached epidemic levels. Part of the problem is, many people don’t know they are taking an opioid, which include commonly prescribed drugs such as Vicodin and Percocet. It is important for doctors and patients to have a conversation about the medications being prescribed, the potential risks and whether an alternative non-opioid treatment may be more appropriate. Be proactive and order free Warn Me labels for insurance and prescription cards to help prompt that critical discussion. Order labels for yourself or sheets of labels for your workplace. Visit stopeverydaykillers.org for more information.

You can also find out what opioids are costing your organization by using our NSC Substance Use Cost Calculator. Addressing this issue is not only the right thing to do, but can help your organization’s bottom line.

Another growing concern that organizations need to pay attention to is worker fatigue. Employer practices and policies have a significant influence on the potentially deadly impact of employee fatigue. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep every day is key. The Council has many resources on fatigue including infographics, videos, research and reports, including another that will be released in mid-June as the second of a three-part series. Fatigue also has many economic costs for organizations. Check out the NSC Fatigue Cost Calculator to assess how fatigue financially impacts your workplace.

Week 3: Falls

NIOSH: Falls remain a persistent but preventable problem in the workplace.   Falls are the number one cause of construction-worker fatalities, accounting for one-third of on-the-job deaths in the industry. This year marked the fifth National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction part of the larger National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction. Join the campaign today and download the fall prevention infographics.

The highest number of nonfatal fall injuries continue to be associated with the health services and the wholesale and retail industries. Data show that in 2016, work-related ladder fall injuries in the United States resulted in 172 fatalities[iii], an estimated 16,990 nonfatal injuries[iv] that involved days away from work, and an estimated 46,000 nonfatal injuries treated in emergency departments[v]. Download NIOSH’s award-winning Ladder Safety app today to learn how to prevent extension and step ladder falls. You can also watch the joint ISSA and Total Worker Health webinar on “Preventing Slips, Trips, & Falls at Work and Beyond”.


NSC: Falls are the third leading cause of unintentional-injury-related deaths for all ages and the No. 1 cause of death for those 65 and older, according to Injury Facts. Falls from heights often cause more serious injuries and deaths. The Council’s new Safety from Heights resources offer best practices, planning tools and more to keep workers safe.
Falls are a safety risk for many age groups. Use the Council’s Safety Checkup Tool to identify your personal risks. In fact, preventable injuries are now the third leading cause of the in the U.S. Register now for our free webinar on June 21 to find out Why Preventable Deaths Are on the Rise.

Week 4: Driving

NIOSH: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. All workers are at risk of crashes, whether you drive light or heavy vehicles, or whether driving is a main or incidental job duty. Behind the wheel, driving is your number 1 job. There are simple actions you can take to stay safe while driving:
  • Buckle up: every trip, every person. It only takes a second.
  • Do not drive if you are fatigued. Stop and take breaks as needed.
  • Focus on driving and stay aware of your surroundings. Other drivers may be impaired, fatigued or distracted.
  • Talk to your supervisor and co-workers about potential hazards on your planned route, including road construction, bad weather, or dangerous curves.
View this animated image to learn why motor vehicle safety matters, and access more resources about how to stay safe while driving on and off the job.

NSC: We all believe ourselves to be safe drivers, yet up to 94 percent of motor vehicle crashes involve human error. One simple step we can all take is to buckle up every trip, every time.

Impairment plays a role in many crashes and can take several forms – distraction, drugs, alcohol as well as fatigue. NSC offers a free Safe Driving Kit to help employers address all of these issues. NSC is also offering a free 20-minute Avoiding Fatigued Driving online session between June 24 and June 30 – availability is limited.

Although new technologies have added to the distraction on the roads, there are other technologies making us all safer. Visit MyCarDoesWhat.org to stay up to date on the safety features in your car. You can also visit CheckToProtect.org to regularly check your vehicle for recalls.

The Council believes we can eliminate preventable deaths on our roadways. If you do too, consider joining the Road to Zero Coalition, comprised of more than 700 organizations committed to ending all roadway fatalities by 2050.

Please share with us what actions you will take this month to ensure that No 1 Gets Hurt.

Dawn Castillo, MPH, is the Director of the NIOSH Division of Safety Research.
Kim Shambrook is Senior Director of Safety Education & Training at the National Safety Council.

References

[i] Schnall P, Dobson M, Landsbergis P [2016]. Globalization, work, and cardiovascular disease. Intl J Health Serv 46(4):1–37.
[ii] Theorell T, Jood K, Jarvholm S, Vingard E, Perk J, Ostergren PO, Hall C [2016] A systematic review of studies in the contributions of the work environment to ischaemic heart disease development. The European Journal of Public Health 26(3): 470-477.
[iii] U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Fatal occupational injuries by selected worker characteristics and selected primary source (Ladders, code 74XXXX), All U.S., all ownerships, 2016. May 14, 2018. Available from: https://data.bls.gov/gqt/RequestData.
[iv] U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected worker and case characteristics and source of injury/illness (Ladders, code 74XXXX), All U.S., private industry, 2016. May 14, 2018. Available from: https://data.bls.gov/gqt/RequestData.
[v] NEISS-Work data (ED-treated) for 2016. May 16, 2018.

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National Safety Month Free Materials

Thank you for your interest in National Safety Month. Download and share these materials to help identify risks and ensure No 1 Gets Hurt. 
Think of at least one change you can make to improve safety this June. Use these resources during the designated weeks, or create a schedule that works best for your organization.


Week 1: Emergency Preparedness



Week 2: Wellness



Week 3: Falls



Week 4: Driving



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Elevator Construction worker Michael David Zeller, 31, with KONE Elevator Company, killed after falling down 20 feet an elevator shaft in Cockeysville, MD



The I.U.E.C. Brotherhood has lost a brother in the line of work. Please pray for Michael Zeller and his family as they go through this difficult time. Thoughts to all those in local 7. 

31 year old Apprentice Michael Zeller was killed in an on the job accident. He was working new construction for KONE Elevator Company in Local 7 Baltimore MD. He began with The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) in May of 2015


Cockeysville, MD
 
Friday, June 8, 2018

Phil Yacuboski and Tyler Waldman, WBAL NewsRadio 1090


Baltimore County fire officials said a construction worker died Friday after he fell down an elevator shaft in Cockeysville.

The call came in at 8:30, fire officials said, from a building being renovated in the unit block of Schilling Road. The victim was later identified as Michael David Zeller, 31, of the 800 block of Creek Road in Essex.

Medics from the Cockeysville Volunteer Fire Company responded, then called in additional resources, including the Urban Search and Rescue Team from Texas Station. Within 15 minutes of the medic unit's arrival, crews were able to pull Zeller out. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Preliminary findings indicate that Zeller may have fallen roughly 20 feet and became trapped between a wall and the counter-weight from one of the elevators. No other injuries were reported.

Police and Maryland Occupational Safety and Health officials are still investigating.

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Authorities investigating death of construction worker at planned McCormick & Co. headquarters in Hunt Valley



A man died after being trapped behind weights in an elevator shaft in Hunt Valley on Friday morning, the Baltimore County Fire Department said.
Nicholas Bogel-BurroughsContact ReporterThe Baltimore Sun


Authorities are investigating the death Friday of a 31-year-old construction worker who was pinned against a wall after falling down an elevator shaft at McCormick & Co.’s planned headquarters in Hunt Valley — the second construction fatality in the Baltimore area this week.

Michael David Zeller of Essex was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics after he fell 20 feet Friday morning and became trapped between the wall of an elevator shaft and the elevator’s counterweight, Baltimore County fire officials said.
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A Cockeysville medical unit arrived at the scene above the corner of Shawan and York roads shortly after 8:30 a.m. and the man was extricated 15 minutes later, officials said.

Maryland Occupational Safety and Health investigators and Baltimore County Police were at the scene and both agencies are probing the circumstances that led to Zeller falling and being pinned against the elevator shaft.

Zeller worked for Kone, an international elevator and escalator company. The company is cooperating with local investigators “to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” spokesman Patrick O’Connell said in an email. 



Michael Zeller, left, with Frankie Valentin, one of his best friends. Zeller was killed Friday after falling down an elevator shaft at the planned McCormick and Co. headquarters. (Courtesy of Frankie Valentin)

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a KONE team member, Mike Zeller, from our Baltimore operation,” O’Connell said. “Our heartfelt thoughts go out to Mike’s family and friends during this time. The safety and well being of our employees remains at the forefront of all we do.”

Zeller’s death is the second incident this week in which a construction worker has died on the job in the Baltimore area. Kyle Hancock, 20, of Glen Burnie, died Tuesday after a 15-foot-deep trench caved in on him while he was working on a city sewer line in the Clifton Park neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore. Maryland state officials are investigating the circumstances of Hancock’s death.

Zeller had been working as an elevator mechanic for several years after two tours in Iraq over eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to his mother and one of his friends.

They said Zeller had graduated from Archbishop Curley High School in 2005.

“Not just because he’s my son, but he was one of the kindest people that I ever knew,” said his mother, Debbie Zeller, in a phone interview. “He would always do something for somebody. If somebody needed something, he was there.”

Zeller was working in the elevator shaft of 99 Shawan Road on Friday when he was killed. The 339,000-square-foot former phone company building is being redeveloped to be the next global headquarters of spice maker McCormick & Co.

“All of us at McCormick offer our sincerest condolences to the family of the worker involved in an accident at the construction site of our future headquarters today," said Lori Robinson, a vice president and spokeswoman at McCormick. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic news.”

A spokeswoman for Connecticut-based Greenfield Partners LLC, which owns the property and is leading the redevelopment, did not return a phone message seeking comment.

Zeller was a tinkerer, his mother said. Debbie Zeller said she and his friends used to joke that his property looked like a used car lot because of how many old cars he kept there.

Frankie Valentin said he and Zeller would spend days outside with their friends in Middle River, usually boating, fishing or working on and riding motorcycles and old cars.

“He was one of the most giving, loving, honest people you could ever meet,” Valentin said. “If you needed something, he would be there for you. He would give you the shirt off his back — literally.”

Valentin said Zeller was the kind of guy who wanted to see his friends succeed and got joy from their happiness.

“One of the saddest things about this situation is he’s not going to meet my daughter,” said Valentin, whose partner is nearing her due date.

The first of 900 McCormick employees are scheduled to move into the building at the end of July, and a grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 2. McCormick announced its move in 2015 after studying 60 possible sites in three states.

Much of the parking lot was gated off Friday morning and dozens of construction workers were working outside the building.

No one else was injured in the incident, fire officials said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, one in five worker deaths occur in the construction field. Of those, the leading cause of death was falls, which accounted for 384 out of 991 total deaths in the industry in 2016.

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Cockeysville Confined Space Rescue Leaves One Dead
Jun 08, 2018 2:00:00 PM EDT


A 31-year-old man was killed in an industrial accident this morning in the unit block of Schilling Rd., 21030. Michael David Zeller, of the 800 block of Creek Rd., 21221, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the Baltimore County Fire Department.

At 8:30 this morning, a medic unit from the Cockeysville Volunteer Fire Company was alerted for a fall subject. The location of the incident is a building which is currently under renovation. Upon arrival, the medic crew found a single patient who was trapped in an elevator shaft. Preliminary information indicates that the patient may have fallen approximately 20 feet and became trapped between a wall and the counter-weight from one of the elevators.

Crews immediately requested additional resources for a confined space rescue, including the Urban Search and Rescue Team from Texas Station #17. Within fifteen minutes of the medic unit's arrival, the patient was extricated. Zeller was pronounced dead at the scene.

There were no other injuries as a result of this incident.

The Baltimore County Police Department, along with Maryland Occupational Safety and Health, continue to investigate.




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