A concrete bridge railing in St. Louis was deteriorating before a car struck it and caused a 1-ton of concrete to fall, killing the driver below, Janet Torrisi-Mokwa, 58.

A woman crashed into the bridge Monday. The impact caused concrete to fall onto a car below the bridge being driven by Janet Torrisi-Mokwa, 58.

ST. LOUIS, MO (AP) — 

A concrete bridge railing in St. Louis was deteriorating before a car struck it and caused a chunk of concrete to fall, killing a driver below, according to a state inspection report.

City officials on Wednesday released a 2017 report from the Missouri Department of Transportation, which called the underside of the bridge "basically intolerable requiring high priority of replacement."


The inspection report gave the bridge the worst rating possible before the structure would need to be shut down, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Structurally deficient bridges aren't necessarily considered unsafe or likely to collapse. The report's classification indicates load-bearing parts of the bridge had been damaged and required significant maintenance.


A woman crashed into the bridge Monday. The impact caused concrete to fall onto a car below the bridge being driven by Janet Torrisi-Mokwa, 58.

Police and city officials have labeled the incident as "a freak accident," saying both the bridge and intersection were safe.

"If the bridge were not safe to traverse ... we would have closed the bridge," said city engineer Richard Bradley.

The Transportation Department started inspecting the bridge annually instead of every other year after inspectors found "overhead hazards" and "excessive cracking" in 2016. But the almost 60-year-old bridge has been considered structurally deficient by the state since 2005.

The bridge is slated for replacement, but it could take a decade and cost millions, city officials said.

"In order to increase the bridge's structural rating, it would need to be fully rehabilitated," said Koran Addo, spokesman for Mayor Lyda Krewson.

St. Louis officials haven't released the 2018 report based off an April inspection, which is still under review by the transportation agency.

Construction worker employed by Bel Air Foam & Roofing, Inc. fell to his death from the roof of 211 E. Pleasant St., a six-story storage at Pleasant and Guilford streets in Baltimore, MD

The Baltimore Police Department and state workplace investigators are probing the death of a construction worker who fell off a building’s roof in downtown Baltimore on Thursday morning.

The man fell from the roof of 211 E. Pleasant St., a six-story storage at Pleasant and Guilford streets, police spokesman Detective Jeremy Silbert said.

The victim’s age was not immediately available, and police are withholding his identity pending the notification of family, Silbert said. Police received a call about the incident at 6:55 a.m.

The man worked for Bel Air Foam & Roofing, Inc., in Bel Air, Silbert said. A receptionist referred questions to the company’s owner, who couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Friday.

Theresa M. Blaner, a spokeswoman for Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, said the death is under investigation by Maryland Occupational Safety and Health.

CubeSmart, a Malvern, Pa., self-storage company, operates in the building. CubeSmart did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment, and a woman who operates the Pleasant Street location said she was not permitted to speak to the news media.

Online property records list the building’s owner as Tuck-It-Away Balt LLC, with a mailing address in Alexandria, Va. Efforts to reach a company representative Friday morning were not successful.

Tuck-It-Away Balt is not in good standing with the state Department of Assessments and Taxation. The entity was forfeited for failure to file a required annual personal property tax return in 2016, according to department spokeswoman Fallon Patton. That means its right to conduct business in Maryland has been relinquished and it has no right to use its name.

Across the state, at least four other people have died in workplace accidents since June.

On June 5, 20-year-old construction worker Kyle Hancock died when a trench collapsed around him while he was working in Baltimore’s Clifton Park neighborhood.


Michael David Zeller, 31, died June 8 after he fell down an elevator shaft at a building being remodeled for McCormick & Co.’s planned headquarters in Hunt Valley.

On June 9 in Annapolis, a worker was fatally injured when he was pinned by a branch from a tree he was trimming. And another man died June 13 after he was electrocuted while installing siding on a new house in Odenton. The most recent government data reflect a rise in fatal workplace injuries in Maryland. In 2016, 92 people died of injuries while working in Maryland, a 33 percent jump from 2015, when 69 work-related fatalities were reported, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics.

=================

Welcome to Bel Air Foam & Roofing

Our firm was established in August of 1967

We specialize in:

• Urethane Foam Insulation – this application takes us to many different fields such as building & home insulation, cold storage, controlled atmosphere, duct work, tank and insulated roof systems.
• Duro-Last Roof Systems – We are a Master Elite Applicator, a heat welded copolymer alloy that offers many advantages over other roof systems.
• Protective Coatings – Specialty coatings that can be used in a variety of applications.
• A certified ABAA (Air Barrier Association of America) Installer includes:
       -Spray applied polyurethane foam applications
       -Fluid applied coating applications
• A qualified installer of Duradek.

1 fisherman dead, 800 gallons of diesel and 300 gallons of hydraulic fluid spilled after fishing vessel F/V Pacific Knight capsized and sunk just north of Clark's Point in Alaska

Fuel sheen from the overturned Pacific Knight has closed commercial fishing in the Nushagak District. (Viewer Submitted Photo)

UPDATE: Fuel from sunken vessel closes fishing in Nushagak District  

 By Kortnie Horazdovsky & Leroy Polk |

Updated: Thu 5:24 PM, Jul 26, 2018


ANCHORAGE, AK (KTUU) - 5:00 p.m. Update:

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation says 800 gallons of diesel and 300 gallons of hydraulic fluid was on board F/V Pacific Knight when it capsized and sunk just north of Clark's Point, about 11 nautical miles south of Dillingham early Wednesday.

Reports of sheen were reported early Thursday morning, prompting the Department of Fish and Game to issue an emergency closure of the Nushagak District to fishing Thursday afternoon.

The owner of F/V Pacific Knight has reportedly hired contractor Resolve Marine to carry out salvage operations. A dive team departed from Anchorage Thursday morning and is scheduled to dive to the vessel at 9:30 p.m. during slack tide to conduct an initial assessment.

3:00 p.m. Update:

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the closure of the Nushagak District to all commercial fishing as of 1:00 p.m. Thursday after fuel from the sunken fishing vessel Pacific Knight was observed by air.

According to ADF&G, fuel was seen by Fish and Game staff pooling in tide rips. The sheen is expected to spread across Nushagak Bay toward Dillingham with the tide, and presents a "significant chance of gear and fish being exposed to fuel."

The department also warns of the chance for gear and fish to be contaminated on Dillingham's beaches.

ADF&G says staff will continue to monitor the spread of fuel. There is no immediate timetable for when fishing might reopen.

7 a.m. Update:

The search has been suspended for a fisherman who went missing after the boat he was on capsized, the Coast Guard said Wednesday evening.

Two were rescued in the incident, Jeb Phillips, 31 of Petersburg, and a teenager, were able to escape the sinking ship, but the third, John Phillips, 59 of Juneau, could not be found.

In a statement, they said that crews searched for Phillips over more than 25 square nautical miles and 23 nautical miles of coastline, for approximately six hours, before calling off the search.

"Ending a search is never easy, especially when working alongside so many people dedicated to finding the missing person. Our condolences go out to this man’s family and friends during this time of hardship," Coast Guard lieutenant Stephen Nolan said in a statement.

The USCG also extended their appreciation for the search efforts that ultimately saved the two other passengers.

"The reports and assistance from good Samaritans and State Trooper personnel allowed for a timely search and the immediate rescue of two people in this case," Nolan said.

Original Story:

A search is underway for a crewmember of a fishing tender that capsized in Nushagak Bay Wednesday morning. Alaska State Troopers and the Coast Guard were notified at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday by a Good Samaritan vessel that the 58-foot vessel had capsized.

It was reported that the three crewmembers on the "Pacific Knight" woke up to the boat taking on water near Clark's Point, south of Dillingham.

Two of the crew members were rescued from the water by another Good Samaritan vessel.

The Coast Guard, Troopers and Good Samaritan vessels are still searching for the third person.




Coast Guard suspends search for person in the water in Nushagak Bay
Jul 26th, 2018




Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter file photo by PA1 Kurt Fredrickson

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard has suspended their search for a man reportedly missing after the fishing vessel he was on capsized with two other people aboard in Nushagak Bay, south of Dillingham, Alaska, Wednesday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, Alaska State Trooper personnel and good Samaritans searched the area since the initial notification of distress was received. The Jayhawk crew searched more than 25 square nautical miles and 23 nautical miles of coastline, for approximately six hours.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received a relayed report from the good Samaritan crew of the Bella Catherine reporting that a fishing vessel had capsized near Clark’s Point with three people aboard. Sector Anchorage watchstanders notified Coast Guard District 17 watchstanders who launched the Jayhawk crew. A good Samaritan crew aboard the fishing vessel Amanda C rescued two people from the water and transferred them to an Alaska State Trooper.

“The reports and assistance from good Samaritans and State Trooper personnel allowed for a timely search and the immediate rescue of two people in this case,” said Lt. Stephen Nolan, the District 17 command duty officer. “Ending a search is never easy, especially when working alongside so many people dedicated to finding the missing person. Our condolences go out to this man’s family and friends during this time of hardship.”

Weather on scene was reported as 5-10 mph winds and 2-3 ft seas.



======================



The United States Coast Guard received a report Wednesday morning that the F/V Pacific Knight capsized near Clark’s Point. The 58-foot long liner has been operating as a tender in Bristol Bay this summer.

The good samaritan vessel Amanda C reportedly rescued two people from the water. A third person who went overboard is still missing. It is unknown whether this person was wearing a personal flotation device.

A MH60 helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak is on scene searching for the missing person.

The Coast Guard has suspended their search for a man reportedly missing after the fishing vessel he was on capsized with two other people aboard in Nushagak Bay, south of Dillingham, Alaska

Fuel sheen from the overturned Pacific Knight has closed commercial fishing in the Nushagak District. (Viewer Submitted Photo)

UPDATE: Fuel from sunken vessel closes fishing in Nushagak District  

 By Kortnie Horazdovsky & Leroy Polk |

Updated: Thu 5:24 PM, Jul 26, 2018


ANCHORAGE, AK (KTUU) - 5:00 p.m. Update:

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation says 800 gallons of diesel and 300 gallons of hydraulic fluid was on board F/V Pacific Knight when it capsized and sunk just north of Clark's Point, about 11 nautical miles south of Dillingham early Wednesday.

Reports of sheen were reported early Thursday morning, prompting the Department of Fish and Game to issue an emergency closure of the Nushagak District to fishing Thursday afternoon.

The owner of F/V Pacific Knight has reportedly hired contractor Resolve Marine to carry out salvage operations. A dive team departed from Anchorage Thursday morning and is scheduled to dive to the vessel at 9:30 p.m. during slack tide to conduct an initial assessment.

3:00 p.m. Update:

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the closure of the Nushagak District to all commercial fishing as of 1:00 p.m. Thursday after fuel from the sunken fishing vessel Pacific Knight was observed by air.

According to ADF&G, fuel was seen by Fish and Game staff pooling in tide rips. The sheen is expected to spread across Nushagak Bay toward Dillingham with the tide, and presents a "significant chance of gear and fish being exposed to fuel."

The department also warns of the chance for gear and fish to be contaminated on Dillingham's beaches.

ADF&G says staff will continue to monitor the spread of fuel. There is no immediate timetable for when fishing might reopen.

7 a.m. Update:

The search has been suspended for a fisherman who went missing after the boat he was on capsized, the Coast Guard said Wednesday evening.

Two were rescued in the incident, Jeb Phillips, 31 of Petersburg, and a teenager, were able to escape the sinking ship, but the third, John Phillips, 59 of Juneau, could not be found.

In a statement, they said that crews searched for Phillips over more than 25 square nautical miles and 23 nautical miles of coastline, for approximately six hours, before calling off the search.

"Ending a search is never easy, especially when working alongside so many people dedicated to finding the missing person. Our condolences go out to this man’s family and friends during this time of hardship," Coast Guard lieutenant Stephen Nolan said in a statement.

The USCG also extended their appreciation for the search efforts that ultimately saved the two other passengers.

"The reports and assistance from good Samaritans and State Trooper personnel allowed for a timely search and the immediate rescue of two people in this case," Nolan said.

Original Story:

A search is underway for a crewmember of a fishing tender that capsized in Nushagak Bay Wednesday morning. Alaska State Troopers and the Coast Guard were notified at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday by a Good Samaritan vessel that the 58-foot vessel had capsized.

It was reported that the three crewmembers on the "Pacific Knight" woke up to the boat taking on water near Clark's Point, south of Dillingham.

Two of the crew members were rescued from the water by another Good Samaritan vessel.

The Coast Guard, Troopers and Good Samaritan vessels are still searching for the third person.




Coast Guard suspends search for person in the water in Nushagak Bay
Jul 26th, 2018




Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter file photo by PA1 Kurt Fredrickson

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard has suspended their search for a man reportedly missing after the fishing vessel he was on capsized with two other people aboard in Nushagak Bay, south of Dillingham, Alaska, Wednesday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, Alaska State Trooper personnel and good Samaritans searched the area since the initial notification of distress was received. The Jayhawk crew searched more than 25 square nautical miles and 23 nautical miles of coastline, for approximately six hours.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received a relayed report from the good Samaritan crew of the Bella Catherine reporting that a fishing vessel had capsized near Clark’s Point with three people aboard. Sector Anchorage watchstanders notified Coast Guard District 17 watchstanders who launched the Jayhawk crew. A good Samaritan crew aboard the fishing vessel Amanda C rescued two people from the water and transferred them to an Alaska State Trooper.

“The reports and assistance from good Samaritans and State Trooper personnel allowed for a timely search and the immediate rescue of two people in this case,” said Lt. Stephen Nolan, the District 17 command duty officer. “Ending a search is never easy, especially when working alongside so many people dedicated to finding the missing person. Our condolences go out to this man’s family and friends during this time of hardship.”

Weather on scene was reported as 5-10 mph winds and 2-3 ft seas.



======================



The United States Coast Guard received a report Wednesday morning that the F/V Pacific Knight capsized near Clark’s Point. The 58-foot long liner has been operating as a tender in Bristol Bay this summer.

The good samaritan vessel Amanda C reportedly rescued two people from the water. A third person who went overboard is still missing. It is unknown whether this person was wearing a personal flotation device.

A MH60 helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak is on scene searching for the missing person.

Matthews Sweet Potato Farm, based in Wynne, Arkansas, has paid $56,193 in back wages to 113 employees, and $6,600 in civil money penalties to settle violations of the labor provisions of the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program.

U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Sweet Potato Farm Paying $62,793 in Back Wages and Penalties

WYNNE, AR – As a result of a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, Matthews Sweet Potato Farm, based in Wynne, Arkansas, has paid $56,193 in back wages to 113 employees, and $6,600 in civil money penalties to settle violations of the labor provisions of the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program.

WHD investigators found the employer gave H-2A workers preferential treatment when they paid American workers less than those paid to H-2A workers. The employer also failed to reimburse H-2A workers for the full cost of their transportation from their home towns to the farm and back again, as the law requires. Additionally, Matthews Sweet Potato Farm failed to provide local workers engaged in similar work as the H-2A workers with written work contracts. The employer also failed to record the time the workers began and ended each workday.

"Any employer seeking H-2A workers must abide by all of the program's requirements," said Wage and Hour Division District Director Hanz Grünauer, in Little Rock. "This case demonstrates the Department of Labor's commitment to safeguard American jobs, level the playing field for law-abiding employers, and ensure that workers are paid the wages that they are legally owed."

The H-2A temporary agricultural program establishes a means for agricultural employers, who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers, to bring non-immigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

The program requires an employer to attest to the U.S. Department of Labor that it will offer a wage that equals or exceeds the highest of the following: the prevailing wage for the occupation and geographic area, applicable federal minimum wage, state minimum wage, or local minimum wage. This wage must be paid to the H-2A workers and certain similarly employed U.S. workers during the entire period of the approved labor certification. The program also establishes recruitment and displacement standards to protect similarly employed American workers.

The Department offers numerous resources to ensure employers have the tools they need to understand their responsibilities and to comply with federal law, such as online videos, confidential calls, or in-person visits to local WHD offices.

For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Division, contact the toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at www.dol.gov/whd including a search tool for workers who may be owed back wages collected by WHD.

OSHA has cited Wilmington Fibre Specialty Company Inc. for exposing employees at its New Castle, Delaware, facility to workplace safety hazards. The company faces $146,152 in proposed penalties.

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Delaware Manufacturing Company For Exposing Employees to Amputation and Other Hazards


NEW CASTLE, DE – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Wilmington Fibre Specialty Company Inc. for exposing employees at its New Castle, Delaware, facility to workplace safety hazards. The company faces $146,152 in proposed penalties.

OSHA inspected the facility in December 2017 after an employee suffered an injury while using an improperly guarded punch press, and had three fingers subsequently amputated. OSHA cited the company for inadequate machine guarding, and failing to use lockout/tagout procedures to control hazardous energy, and report this incident and previous amputations to OSHA.

"Companies must monitor their facilities to ensure workplace health and safety procedures are adequate and effective," said OSHA Wilmington Area Office Director Erin G. Patterson. "When lockout/tagout is not implemented and machines are not guarded, employees are exposed to hazards that can cause amputations, and other serious injuries."

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the 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.

=====================




Wilmington Fibre was founded in 1904 as a non-metallic fabricator. A pioneer in the field of industrial laminates, the company established itself as craftsmen of vulcanized fibre. Through years of experience we have become one of the leading fabricators of this versatile material.

With the advent of modern engineering plastics the company expanded its craftsmanship in machining, stamping, fabricating, and tooling, to accommodate the needs of the ever-growing plastics market. In addition, our comprehensive range of fabricating extends to a variety of insulating papers, rubbers and even some metals.

Through commitment to our craft Wilmington Fibre has established an outstanding reputation for quality, service, and competitiveness. We invite your inquiries for small or large quantities; simple or complex challenges.

OSHA has cited Berry Marble Company Inc. – doing business as U.S. Granite – for exposing employees to machine hazards. The Tyler, Texas, natural stone countertop manufacturer faces $318,687 in proposed penalties.

U.S. Department of Labor Cites East Texas Countertop Company for Safety and Health Violations


TYLER, TX – 

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Berry Marble Company Inc. – doing business as U.S. Granite – for exposing employees to machine hazards. The Tyler, Texas, natural stone countertop manufacturer faces $318,687 in proposed penalties.

OSHA inspectors determined that the company failed to remove damaged lifting slings from service; train workers in lockout/tagout procedures; review the company's lockout/tagout procedures; complete a hazard assessment; and provide employees with adequate hand protection. OSHA cited the company for similar violations in May 2015.

"It is unacceptable for an employer to continue to expose employees to serious hazards by disregarding known safety requirements," said OSHA Dallas Area Office Director Basil Singh.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the 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. The citations can be viewed here.

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 help 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.

=======================
 

Berry Marble and Granite has been helping East Texans with their home dreams since 1993. Although we have a state of the art cultured marble plant, and the most modern natural stone fabricating facility in Texas, we still firmly believe that it is our people who make the biggest difference. That difference translates to a Quality and Value that is unsurpassed within our industry.

Marble Institute of America accredited, as well as offering Artisan Lifetime Warranty. By offering one of the only all Digital CNC machined fabrication facilities, we not only have amazing precision, but we will email pictures of your countertops on the exact material selected for approval before any fabricating begins. This takes out any guesswork about what the tops will look like. Our Buy Only What You Need, non-waste program removes the stress and expense of buying material you do not need.

So whether you need Marble, Granite, Quartz, Quartzite, Travertine, or Onyx for your new home/major remodeling project, or just a small table top, let Berry Marble and Granite help.

Services Provided

Countertop Installation, Countertop Repair, Countertop Sales, Custom Countertops, Granite Countertops, Marble Countertops, Natural Stone Countertops, Quartz Countertops, Solid Surface Countertops, bath countertop, kitchen countertop

Areas Served

Chandler, Lindale, Tyler, Smith County, Athens, Bullard, Palestine, Whitehouse, Canton

Certifications and Awards

MIA Accreditation (Marble Institute of America)
Better Business Bureau accredited

A Bergen County DPW employee, 48, was killed by a tree he was cutting behind East Allendale Road in Saddle River when the river bank gave way and it fell on him

(Photo: Joshua Jongsma/NorthJersey.com)

Bergen County DPW employee killed while removing tree in Saddle River, mayor says
Marsha Stoltz and Joshua Jongsma, NorthJersey 

July 26, 2018

A Bergen County Department of Public Works employee was killed Thursday while removing a tree behind East Allendale Road in Saddle River, the borough's mayor said publicly during Thursday night's council meeting.

The 48-year-old employee, who was not identified, was one of five workers removing the tree at about 5:15 p.m. at the Saddle River when the bank gave way and it fell on him, Mayor Albert Kurpis said. He was trapped and the other workers were unable to lift the tree, and it was too late by the time help arrived, Kurpis said.

On Thursday night, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco released a statement that the worker was seriously injured and taken to The Valley Hospital. Saddle River Police Chief Jason Cosgriff could not confirm or deny if the employee died.

The Bergen County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. When contacted county officials deferred comment to Tedesco's statement that the "county employee was transported to Valley Hospital in serious condition for treatment."


A Bergen County spokesman said that the State Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health will investigate the incident.
=====================


Thursday, July 26, 2018

SADDLE RIVER, New Jersey (WABC) -- 

A Bergen County employee was seriously injured when he was struck by a tree in a New Jersey park Thursday afternoon.

County executive Jim Tedesco said the Department of Public Works employee was working in Saddle River Park when the accident happened at about 5:15 p.m.

He was removing a tree that had partially fallen into the Saddle River. As he was cutting it, the root gave way and he fell into the river, then was struck by the tree.

The worker was taken to Valley Hospital in Ridgewood in serious condition.

He has been a DPW employee for four years.


A Bergen County spokesman said that the State Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health will investigate the incident.