CALINFERNIO!! A Medina Tours bus caught on fire on northbound Interstate 880 near Gish Road in San Jose

 
A Medina Tours bus caught on fire on northbound Interstate 880 near Gish Road in San Jose. (KGO-TV)

By Katie Marzullo
Updated 2 hrs 55 mins ago
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A tour bus with Medina Tours caught on fire on northbound Interstate 880 near Gish Road in San Jose.

Injuries were initially reported, but it appears all 16 passengers were able to get off the bus safely and without injury.

The California Highway Patrol said the bus was headed to a casino when the driver noticed the fire in the back of the vehicle. He was able to safely pull over and get all the people off the bus.

The driver tried to use his fire extinguisher to put out the fire, but it wasn't enough. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Crews worked to clean up the crash so they can reopen roadways. Only one lane was open on northbound I-880 near Gish Road. The connector ramp to northbound Highway 101 and Highway 880 was also closed.

Medina Tours was able to call another bus to pick up the stranded passengers.

MORE CARNAGE ON THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS: Three people were killed and 11 injured Wednesday from an apparent high-speed, two-car crash

Dray Clark and Heather O'Rourke reporting

Eyewitness News
Updated 22 mins ago

MASPETH, Queens (WABC) -- Three people were killed and 11 injured Wednesday when an apparent high-speed, two-car crash triggered another collision of four more vehicles on the Long Island Expressway in Queens.

The three were apparently thrown into the lanes of traffic on the eastbound lower level, near the Maurice Avenue exit in Maspeth, in the initial two-car crash just before 4:30 a.m.

At least four more vehicles then collided in a secondary accident.

Dray Clark was live at the scene:


Eleven other people were injured and are expected to survive. They were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital and Queens Hospital Center in stable condition.

The victims were in a yellow taxi cab, a grey SUV, a black sedan and a silver car. A large yellow dump truck was also involved in the second crash.


Speed is being investigated as a possible cause of the initial two car collision.

All Queens-bound lanes of the Long Island Expressway lower level were closed near Maurice Avenue due to the accident.

How commuters can get around the wreck:



s:

Nitrous Oxide tanks in the loading bay seem to be at the center of a deadly explosion at the Airgas Cantonment plant in Florida

OSHA investigating deadly plant explosion
By ANTHONY PURA Monday, August 29th 2016

CANTONMENT, Fla. (WEAR) — Nitrous Oxide tanks seem to be at the center of a deadly explosion at a Cantonment plant.

Airgas confirms one of their employees was killed in the blast, but they have not released his name. State investigators say crews found the employee 50 to 75 feet from where they believe the explosion occurred.

It happened around 12:15 p.m. Sunday at the loading bay of the Airgas plant, next to the Ascend Performance Materials site.

According to its website, Airgas supplies gases, welding and safety products.

A preliminary finding suggest it was an accident, as they have found no signs of foul play.

Investigators say there were two nitrous oxide storage tanks and a larger holding tank in the loading bay. Nitrous oxide is often used by dentists during procedures. It is also used in car racing. Experts say nitrous oxide can cause an explosion under certain conditions.

Investigators haven't said what caused the initial nitrous tank to explode, but when it did, the other two followed.

The state has turned the investigation over to Airgas.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also investigating the case.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of a member of our Airgas family. Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues of this associate," said an Airgas spokesperson in an e-mail to WEAR-TV.

It continued to say, "At this time there are no off-site impacts and area residents do not need to take any precautionary measures. Airgas' top priority is the safety of our associates, customers, and the communities in which we operate.

In the MSDS sheets for the Nitrous Oxide tanks, Airgas provides the following pertinent information:

Contains gas under pressure. Oxidizing material. This material increases the risk of fire and may aid combustion. Contact with combustible material may cause fire. In a fire or if heated, a pressure increase will occur and the container may burst or explode.

 If there is a small or large spill:  Immediately contact emergency personnel. Stop leak if without risk. Use spark-proof tools and explosion-proof equipment




Typically with these tank explosions there is a leak due to a malfunctioning valve or corrosion of the tank vessel.  Then, if the escaping gas finds a heat source it will catch fire.  As the tank heats up, it will explode.  These type of explosions have happened with acetylene tanks throughout the country.  Two photos above show exploded N2O tanks in Holland.
===============



Body found at Florida Plant following explosion
By Kristie Henderson and Allie Norton, WEAR Sunday, August 28th 2016


An explosion occurred at the Airgas facility located at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment, Fla. on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016. (WEAR/Hudson Miller)



CANTONMENT, Fla. (WEAR) - UPDATE: A preliminary investigation by The Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations found the explosion came from tanks in the loading bay. Findings indicate that the incident was an accident and no foul play is suspected. Airgas is also conducting its own investigation.

State investigators have confirmed they recovered the remains of at least one victim at the Airgas facility.

The body was found between 50 and 75 feet away from the explosion around 6:30 p.m. according to Capt. Kevin Fiedor of the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations. He says search crews were sent in to look for a male employee that was unaccounted for after the explosion.

Fiedor could not confirm if the body belonged to the missing employee. He also said they do not expect to make anymore recoveries. The medical examiner has been called to the scene.


According to The Bureau of Fire and Arson, the body was found 50 to 75 feet from where the blast is believed to have happened.

The explosion happened at the Airgas facility located at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment. According to investigators on the scene, the area looks like "a mini war zone." They added, "nitrous oxide was leaking in a 500-feet-by-500-feet area, but evaporated before it left the plant."


Mike Weaver, the Escambia County public safety director, said law enforcement, including K9s, are searching the area impacted, as well as outside the perimeter, for debris. He added the cause is still not known.

Workers have been evacuated to a field outside the plant.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has created a perimeter around the scene.

A worker at a local convenience store said the impact of the explosion sounded like a semi-truck had hit the plant.

Responding agencies include Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.

Airgas issued the following statement:

"Today at approximately 1:10 p.m. Eastern Time, an incident occurred at one of our Airgas production facilities in Cantonment, Florida. The facility is adjacent to [an] Ascend Performance Materials site. We are working with local authorities on scene. An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway. Our top priority at this time is the safety of our associates at the facility and of the community."

Ascend Performance Materials also issued a statement:

Statement from Ascend Performance Materials Regarding Event at Airgas Facility on August 28, 2016 Posted: Aug 28, 2016 8:44 PM EST Updated: Aug 28, 2016 8:44 PM EST


PENSACOLA, Fla. --(BUSINESS WIRE)

Today at approximately 12:10 p.m. central time, an explosion occurred at the Airgas facility located adjacent to an Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment, Florida.

Ascend personnel and contractors are all safe and accounted for at this time. Ascend’s site operations continue to operate safety.


The Ascend plant supplies a mixture of gases to the Airgas plant, which Airgas uses to make nitrous oxide.

Ascend is currently working with local authorities and first responders. According to Escambia County Emergency Management officials, at this time there are no off-site impacts and area residents do not need to take any precautionary measures.

Ascend’s facilities located near the event may have sustained some damage, which Ascend will assess after the completion of all necessary emergency response procedures.

NOTE TO EDITORS: ASCEND PERFORMANCE MATERIALS is a trademark of Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC. This trademark has been registered in jurisdictions throughout the world, including the United States of America. 

 


Chemical Safety Board Deploying to Site of Fatal Accident at the Airgas Facility in Florida



Washington, DC, August 30, 2016 -- An investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of an incident that fatally injured one worker at the Airgas facility next to the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment, Florida, outside Pensacola. Airgas makes nitrous oxide using materials supplied by the nearby Ascend plant.

The incident occurred on Sunday, August 28, 2016. According to initial inquiries, the explosion involved nitrous oxide tanks in the loading bay, where the incident is said to have taken place.

The investigative team will be led by Investigator-in-Charge Dan Tillema. Chairperson Vanessa Sutherland said, “Our condolences to the family suffering this tragic loss. The CSB’s accident investigation will determine the root cause of this fatal incident.”

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.

For more information, contact Hillary Cohen at 202-446-8094 or via email at public@csb.gov.



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





 

People who live nearby took photos of employees evacuating the plant into a nearby field. (Photo by Christina Davis)

Cantonment, FL (WALA) -


One person confirmed missing from explosion in Cantonment, Florida Posted: Aug 29, 2016 12:32 AM EST Updated: Aug 29, 2016 12:32 AM EST
By Renee Dials, FOX10 News Anchor


By Devan Coffaro, FOX10 News Reporter

 Escambia County officials confirm one person is missing from an explosion at the Airgas facility in Cantonment. We’re hearing reports that a body was found at the facility, but that has not been confirmed.

Escambia County Florida Emergency Management Agency responded to a possible explosion on Old Chemstrand Road around 12:15 Sunday.

It was initially believed to be an explosion at the Ascend Performance Materials Chemical plant. However, it was later determined the explosion had occurred at the Airgas facility on the same road.

According to a post on Twitter by Ascend, the Airgas plant is adjacent to Ascend, and the company supplies nitrous oxide to the Airgas.

The area is surrounded by neighborhoods. Several people took pictures and photos of yellow smoke coming from the plant.

“It felt and sounded as if a bomb had been set off,” said Tres Barrclough, who lives nearby. “I actually thought the windows were going to blow out. I came outside to check and see if there had been anything that hit the house and there wasn't. That's when I heard an alarm go off from the Ascend Plant, which is about a half a mile away from here.”

The Escambia County Public Safety Director, Mike weaver, said the yellow smoke was nitrous oxide. He explained there is no danger to the public.

The EMA website states: "Crews are on scene assessing the situation. At this time there is not off-site impact, and evacuating or sheltering in place is not necessary."

As we’ve reported, authorities say there is still one man unaccounted for. That man’s family waited outside the plant for hours, anxious and praying for good news.

Another post from Ascend stated all of its personnel and contractors had been accounted for.

There has been no word from Airgas on the situation.

Authorities say the explosion at the Airgas Facility happened in an isolated area and had no effect on the rest of the plant. Authorities also say there are no more threats to the area, and employees at the manufacturing plants nearby will continue working.

“Everything that possibly could have happened, has occurred. All the gas has been released,” said Weaver. “There will not be any subsequent explosions from this incident.”

FOX10 has asked several different agencies what the cause of the explosion was, but we haven’t gotten an answer yet. We’re told the investigation has been turned over to the state fire marshal.

We will keep you updated both on air an online at more information becomes available.

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


Statement from Ascend Performance Materials Regarding Event at Airgas Facility on August 28, 2016 Posted: Aug 28, 2016 8:44 PM EST Updated: Aug 28, 2016 8:44 PM EST


PENSACOLA, Fla. --(BUSINESS WIRE)

Today at approximately 12:10 p.m. central time, an explosion occurred at the Airgas facility located adjacent to an Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment, Florida.

Ascend personnel and contractors are all safe and accounted for at this time. Ascend’s site operations continue to operate safety.


The Ascend plant supplies a mixture of gases to the Airgas plant, which Airgas uses to make nitrous oxide.

Ascend is currently working with local authorities and first responders. According to Escambia County Emergency Management officials, at this time there are no off-site impacts and area residents do not need to take any precautionary measures.

Ascend’s facilities located near the event may have sustained some damage, which Ascend will assess after the completion of all necessary emergency response procedures.

NOTE TO EDITORS: ASCEND PERFORMANCE MATERIALS is a trademark of Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC. This trademark has been registered in jurisdictions throughout the world, including the United States of America.

About Ascend Performance Materials

Ascend Performance Materials is a global premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. Ascend is one of the world’s largest integrated PA66 producers, with its own in-house manufacturing facilities, ensuring total security of supply. Ascend’s product range has earned it an unequalled reputation for quality, innovative techniques and an enlightened approach to business that expands the horizons of possibility. With eight global locations and more than 3,200 people working at our sites around the world, Ascend has the inspiration, the expertise, the people and the attitude toward innovation to consistently deliver the right solution for customers.

Together, we’re making a difference.

Together, we’re inspiring everyday.

More information about Ascend can be found at www.ascendmaterials.com

About SK Capital

SK Capital is a private investment firm with a disciplined focus on the specialty materials, chemicals and healthcare sectors. The firm’s purpose is to build strong and growing businesses that create substantial long-term economic value. SK utilizes its industry, operating and investment experience to identify opportunities to transform businesses into higher performing organizations with improved strategic positioning, growth and profitability as well as lower operating risk. SK Capital’s portfolio companies generate revenues of approximately $8 billion annually and employ approximately 9,000 people. The firm currently manages more than $1.5 billion of committed capital. For more information, please visit www.skcapitalpartners.com



Ascend Performance Materials
Alison Jahn, +1 713-210-9809
Director of Global Communications
ajahn@ascendmaterials.com




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

Tanks in loading bay may be source of Airgas explosion Posted: Aug 29, 2016 3:30 PM EST Updated: Aug 29, 2016 4:29 PM EST
By Steve Alexander, FOX10 News Reporter


Cantonment, FL (WALA) -

Preliminary results of an investigation into a fatal explosion at a Cantonment chemical plant say the incident appears to be an accident and sheds some light on what may have been the cause.

It happened Sunday afternoon at the Airgas facility off Old Chemstrand Road in Cantonment after an explosion of nitrous oxide gas.

Escambia County Sheriff's Officials still haven't released the name of the person killed.

The Florida State Fire Marshal's office tells FOX10 News people nearby reported hearing three explosions.

A public information officer says preliminary results of an investigation find the explosions came from tanks in a loading bay, where two truck tankers and a holding tank were located nearby.

He says the victim's body was found 50 to 75 feet away, and the initial investigation found nothing suspicious.

Photos taken by people Sunday nearby show employees evacuating into a nearby field and a cloud of yellow smoke.

Monday morning, Airgas officials said an associate died in the incident, but didn't release an identity.

They also said there are no off-site impacts and area residents do not need to take any precautionary measures, but they are still investigating the cause.

People who live in apartment complex across a field from the plant remember what they saw.

Jan Ponquinette said, "It was horrifying. It was people everywhere. There was so much commotion."

Tamiya Jefferson said, "When I come out, you see all the yellow, orange smoke out there by the trees."

Now, they are wondering about the future.

Jefferson said, "I am worried about it again because that's not an ordinary problem."

Ponquinette said, "I'm concerned because, living across the street from a chemical plant, you have to always be ready to go."

Airgas officials say ­­­­their emergency response organization is on-scene and working alongside local emergency personnel to aid in the investigation.

All content © 2016, WALA; Mobile, AL. (A Meredith Corporation Station). All Rights Reserved.


===========




CompanyAirgas, an Air Liquide Company

Logistics and Supply Chain · 10001+ employees · Founded 1982 · Public Company
CompanyAirgas, an Air Liquide Company, is one of the nation's leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related products. Airgas is a leading U.S. producer of atmospheric gases with 16 air separation plants, a leading producer of carbon dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous oxide, one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products, and a leading U.S. supplier of refrigerants, ammonia products, and process chemicals.

After Ann Arbor, MI fires ReCommunity for numerous safety violations, injured worker Earl Roberts speaks about the unsafe environment

Screenshot from a Jan. 26, 2016, city inspection report for Ann Arbor's recycling plant at 4150 Platt Road.

Ann Arbor recycling plant worker injured on the job speaks out



By Ryan Stanton | ryanstanton@mlive.com

on August 29, 2016 at 1:02 PM, updated August 29, 2016 at 3:00 PM



(Warning: Graphic image below)

ANN ARBOR, MI – Earl Roberts says his employer, ReCommunity, gave him a long list of things to fix at Ann Arbor's recycling plant when he was hired.

"It was kind of chaotic," he said, adding he feels the plant wasn't very well maintained and it wasn't being run in a professional manner.

He said he witnessed firsthand some of the problems city leaders now are citing as the reason for firing ReCommunity, the North Carolina-based company under contract with the city to operate the plant at 4150 Platt Road.

The 47-year-old maintenance technician said he was on the job only two weeks when he was seriously injured in a Feb. 28 incident at the plant.

Roberts said his left arm was crushed under a piece of equipment weighing more than 500 pounds, and it severed tendons and muscle in his forearm.

He argues ReCommunity created an unsafe work environment without adequate staffing, and he claims the plant manager didn't listen to his concerns.

The city fired ReCommunity last month, citing repeated safety violations that the city claims jeopardized worker safety. ReCommunity is now suing the city, arguing the contract was wrongfully terminated.
Earl Roberts provided this photo showing the laceration on his left forearm that he claims he suffered during a Feb. 28, 2016, incident at Ann Arbor's recycling plant.Courtesy photo Meanwhile, Roberts, who lives in Yale, Michigan, is seeking redress for his injuries, which he said have left him unable to work.

He said ReCommunity's insurance company hasn't been cooperative since the incident. He has retained an attorney and has a disputed workers compensation claim pending with the Michigan Workers' Compensation Agency. He's also considering the possibility of suing ReCommunity.

Michael Hindelang, an attorney representing ReCommunity in its lawsuit against the city, declined to comment on the matter.

"The company can't comment on any specific incidents, but in general the safety of employees is very important to ReCommunity, and ReCommunity has significant training and safety resources — and injury prevention resources — in place," Hindelang said in an Aug. 23 interview.






Inspections reveal 'serious safety breaches' at Ann Arbor recycling plant

The list of findings is long.

Sean Duffy, ReCommunity's president, agreed to an interview on Aug. 25 and expanded on Hindelang's statements.

Duffy said he's aware of the Feb. 28 incident, but he said he wasn't aware that Roberts has a disputed workers compensation claim or that Roberts had raised staffing concerns. Still, he questioned whether having more workers on the job would have resulted in a different outcome that day.

David Zimmerman, the Sterling Heights attorney representing Roberts, said the issues surrounding his client's injuries still are being investigated. He has filed a petition for mediation or hearing with the Michigan Workers' Compensation Agency that indicates Roberts has disputed claims for both medical benefits and lost wages.

No mediation or hearing date has been set yet.

"I hired in there on a deal," Roberts said of his job at the plant. "They wanted me to be maintenance boss. I had a lot of credentials."

He said he quickly noticed workers smoked in the plant, which he considered a fire hazard, and lacked work ethic.

He said a number of the workers were employed through a temp agency and wore tethers around their ankles.

Duffy acknowledges ReCommunity had trouble keeping a stable workforce because of operational problems and inconsistencies at the plant. He said the company relied on a staffing agency for temporary labor.

Duffy blames the city for operational problems at the plant. He said ReCommunity tried for the last two years to convince the city of the need to purchase a new baler. He said the plant's baler was continually breaking down and was the root cause of most of the issues at the plant.

Roberts said ReCommunity tasked him with fixing equipment before an upcoming inspection by the city, but the plant was understaffed and he contends things were rushed.

He said he shared those concerns with a plant manager who he said didn't seem to care and left the day of the incident after he complained.

"Look, dude, somebody's going to get hurt and it's not going to be me," Roberts said he told the manager just a few hours before a gear box that Roberts and another person were working on came crashing down on his arm.

"I told the plant manager we needed more guys working," Roberts said, arguing two wasn't enough for the job.

Roberts said he was working with a second-class mechanic who was in a hurry and things went wrong.

"And I ended up getting hurt," he said.

He said the middle of his forearm was severely cut. He said he has seen five doctors over the last six months and he's still on pain medication. He said doctors tell him he's always going to have problems with his arm now.

He said he injured his shoulder while trying to pull his arm out. He said it now "sounds like a baby rattle" and he can't lift anything.

"I'm constantly in pain," he said, adding his shoulder locks up and he has stabbing pains.

He said he has no feeling in two of his fingers, which are cold as if there's no circulation, and the strength of his grip is gone.

In addition to his injuries, Roberts claims his toolbox and tools worth thousands of dollars still haven't been returned to him since the incident.

It's unclear whether Roberts' injuries were reported to the city or to the state by ReCommunity.

ReCommunity maintains there was no requirement under its contract to notify the city of the Feb. 28 incident.

"The company complied with all safety requirements in the contract, as well as the requirements for preparing and maintaining applicable safety and accident reports," the company said in a statement.

Tanya Baker, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said MIOSHA records do not indicate an injury on Feb. 28 was reported, though she said employers are required to report injuries only if they result in an amputation or an inpatient hospitalization.

Roberts said he understands another worker suffered a serious foot injury during an incident involving a forklift last year.

Duffy said that incident involved two temporary workers from a staffing agency and he didn't have many details, but he understands one of the workers had his foot crushed by a bin carried by a forklift.

Duffy said safety is the company's top priority, but injuries do happen, including people getting cut handling materials.

Still, he said, one injury is too many.

Craig Hupy, the city's public services administrator, did not respond to requests for comment.

City Administrator Howard Lazarus said he has heard third-party anecdotal information about injuries at the plant but he personally hasn't seen anything formally documented.

City Attorney Stephen Postema said the city is working to prepare its response to ReCommunity's lawsuit and safety concerns are a focus. He declined to comment on specific issues or incidents at this time.

Roberts said in the two weeks he worked at the plant, he put in 55 hours one week and 56 hours the other. He claims ReCommunity told the insurance company he only worked 33 hours and that's part of the dispute.
Earl Roberts provided this photo showing the equipment inside Ann Arbor's recycling plant he claims spun down and injured his left arm on Feb. 28, 2016.Courtesy photo The gear box he was working on was on a conveyor line, Roberts said, adding he was stuck for several minutes after it spun and crashed down on his arm, which he said became stuck on a piece of metal.

"It cut all the tendons in my arm that control the fingers," he said, adding it also caused nerve damage.

Roberts said he was pulled down by the machine and it seemed like an eternity as he and the other worker struggled to get his arm out.

"Nobody was there," he alleged. "Management had left and not told us."

After his arm was free, Roberts said, they tied a shirt around his bicep and drove to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Port Huron. He said the hospital then sent him to the McLaren trauma center in Mount Clemens.

In every case where there is an injury, Duffy said local medical treatment is available for the impacted employee, and it's the individual's decision whether he or she wants to take advantage of the local treatment option.

Roberts' filing with the Michigan Workers' Compensation Agency indicates he is married and has five children.

In the application for mediation or hearing, it's estimated the equipment that crushed Roberts' arm weighed 500-1,500 pounds. Roberts said the gear box itself weighs 550 pounds and the motor is probably another 300 to 500 pounds.





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




Inspections reveal 'serious safety breaches' at Ann Arbor recycling plant




Screenshot from a Jan. 26, 2016, city inspection report for Ann Arbor's recycling plant at 4150 Platt Road.

By Ryan Stanton | ryanstanton@mlive.com
 
on August 29, 2016 at 8:31 AM, updated August 29, 2016 at 1:44 PM




ANN ARBOR, MI – Ann Arbor's concerns about the way a private company was operating the city's recycling plant are documented in hundreds of pages of inspection reports and letters from the last several months.

The list of findings is long.

The inspections found materials blocking emergency exits and stop buttons for machines. Fire extinguishers missing or inaccessible. Exposed wires.

Improperly stored and labeled chemicals. Rotating machine parts with missing or damaged guards. Missing or broken railings. Unsecured areas.
Ann Arbor's recycling plant on Aug. 10, 2016.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Broken windows and doors. Missing and damaged building siding. An overhead fan held in place by a bungee cord directly over a walkway.

A rag used in place of a gas cap for a vehicle. A heavily damaged control panel. A chemical spill. An expired eyewash bottle.

Excessive trash and materials scattered inside and outside, blocking exits, plugging drains and creating slip, trip and fall hazards.

Flammables stored next to oxygen tanks. Damaged exit signs and lights. A misting system not being used to suppress dust and reduce risk of fire.

And multiple fires at the plant this year.

Those are the concerns raised by the city and its inspectors in hundreds of pages of reports.

For those reasons and more, the city terminated its longstanding contract with North Carolina-based ReCommunity, the company that for many years operated the city's Materials Recovery Facility at 4150 Platt Road.

City Administrator Howard Lazarus said he was briefed on the problems at the plant before he started on the job in late June.

After learning about all of the ongoing safety concerns, Lazarus said it actually wasn't a very difficult decision when he made the call in early July to fire ReCommunity. He said the facility was being operated in an unsafe manner in violation of the contract and employee safety was being jeopardized.

"Worker safety, public safety, kind of trumps everything else," he said.

ReCommunity has fired back by accusing the city of manufacturing an excuse to get out of a contract that wasn't working financially for the city following a downturn in the recycling market. ReCommunity, which doesn't think the safety concerns warranted termination, is now suing the city.

"Safety is paramount to ReCommunity, and taking efforts to ensure a safe working environment for its employees is a major focus of ReCommunity at all of its facilities," said Michael Hindelang, an attorney representing ReCommunity.

Hindelang would not discuss claims that multiple workers were injured at the plant since last year.

"The company can't comment on any specific incidents, but in general, the safety of employees is very important to ReCommunity, and ReCommunity has significant training and safety resources — and injury prevention resources — in place," Hindelang said in an Aug. 23 interview.

Earl Roberts, who worked as a maintenance technician at the plant, said his left arm was crushed under a heavy piece of machinery during a Feb. 28 incident that left him with severed tendons and muscle in his forearm. He argues ReCommunity created an unsafe work environment without adequate staffing, and he claims the plant manager didn't listen when he raised concerns.

Roberts claims another worker suffered a serious foot injury during an incident involving a forklift last year.






Ann Arbor recycling plant worker injured on the job speaks out

Earl Roberts says he witnessed firsthand some of the problems city leaders claim have plagued Ann Arbor's recycling plant.

Sean Duffy, ReCommunity's president, said in an interview on Aug. 25 he's aware of both incidents, though he maintains employee safety is his company's top priority. He blames the city for operational problems at the plant.

'The lack of the city's support'

Duffy said his company tried for the last two years to convince the city of the need to purchase a new baler. He said the baler used for processing recyclables required continual repairs and caused tremendous disruptions.

"The biggest problem that happened at the plant was the lack of the city's support to provide a replacement baler and that is the true pivot point within the plant," he said. "Everything that's processed has to go through this baler."

Duffy said a lot of time and money was spent making repairs to an inadequate baler that was past its useful life. Because it was continually breaking down, he said, it was difficult to have steady operations. And when the the baler was down, he said, materials would keep coming in and pile up.

He said that was the root cause of most of the issues at the plant. He also claims the city owed ReCommunity hundreds of thousands of dollars, which he said put the company in a difficult position.

Because of those problems and inconsistencies in the operation, Duffy said ReCommunity could not keep a stable workforce and there was high turnover, so the company relied on a staffing agency for temporary labor.

As for all of the safety concerns documented in the city's inspection reports, Duffy said "a lot of it was housekeeping."

He said ReCommunity tried to immediately address issues raised by the city, and sometimes that meant having to order parts or materials and wait for them to be delivered. As soon as they arrived, he said, repairs were made.

"It's always ongoing repairs or maintenance that we're doing within those facilities," he said.

"The type of business that we run is not the easiest business out there," he said, adding the recyclable materials arriving at the plant aren't always the cleanest and there are some items that can't be recycled, such as metals and heavy objects, and sometimes those jam or damage equipment.

'A cause of some of the safety violations'

Records obtained by The Ann Arbor News under the Freedom of Information Act show the city sent ReCommunity a three-page letter dated April 25, citing a breach of contract and raising safety concerns possibly related to the company's processing of certain third-party materials at the plant.

The city argued it appeared the company was processing recyclable materials at the Platt Road plant from sources other than Ann Arbor without the city's consent, including materials sourced from Toledo and Saginaw.

"From the safety inspections of the MRF, it appears that tonnages beyond the capacity of the MRF to process are being brought in and are a cause of some of the safety violations or concerns, and of stress on the MRF equipment," reads the letter signed by Craig Hupy, the city's public services administrator.

In the April 25 letter, Hupy ordered ReCommunity to cease processing non-city materials without the city's consent effective June 13, and to stop bringing in non-city materials that the plant did not have the capacity to process or that interfered with the proper processing of Ann Arbor's materials.

However, in that same letter, Hupy also gave ReCommunity a May 20 deadline to provide the city with documentation of agreements to accept certain non-city materials, saying the city would consider whether to consent to the delivery of materials from each source. It's unclear what happened after that.

Hupy did not respond to a request for comment for this story. ReCommunity's attorney declined to comment on the matter.

Duffy argues the city previously strongly encouraged ReCommunity to bring in third-party tons, and actually required it within a certain geographic area. One of Hupy's letters makes reference to that geographic area defined in the contract.

After the city raised concerns about the volumes coming in to the plant, Duffy said ReCommunity responded by sending termination notices to Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, to stop accepting materials from there.

In the lawsuit filed in late July, ReCommunity argued the city wrongly claimed both that it had not approved of the third-party agreements and that the tonnages were beyond the plant's capacity or causing safety issues.

ReCommunity claims the city accepted payments for its share of revenues from the third-party materials, raising objections only when faced with contractual obligations to pay "net negative" amounts after commodity prices fell.

Hupy's letter dated April 25 stated the city did not and would not consent to the processing of non-city materials that "require the city to subsidize for the benefit of ReCommunity and/or ReCommunity's non-city customers the services ReCommunity provides to those non-city customers." He also reiterated concerns about operational and maintenance problems.

'Serious safety breaches'

In a four-page letter dated June 10, Hupy again put ReCommunity on notice, calling out "serious safety breaches that the city has found to occur repeatedly," saying ReCommunity seemed unable to effectively prevent or correct them.

By that time, the city had increased the frequency of inspections at the plant, and Hupy said the city had repeatedly asked ReCommunity to correct numerous safety violations or deficiencies that were serious in nature.

"These safety deficiencies have persisted and/or recurred on a regular basis despite the repeated notices and opportunities to correct them," Hupy wrote.

Hupy's letter referenced a May 31 inspection report that listed several concerns. Just after that, he said, there was another fire at the plant.

The city believes the fire could have been prevented through proper maintenance of equipment and proper attention to and awareness of operations, and that the failures to do so resulted in the fire and created a serious threat to safety.

Hupy stated in his June 10 letter that inspections on June 4, 6 and 7 again found serious safety concerns.

"In addition, the water-misting system is still not operational," Hupy wrote in the letter, referring to a material misting system that a May 31 inspection report noted was not being used to reduce dust and risk of fire.

Hupy said the most serious safety deficiencies involved fire egress violations, electrical system deficiencies, machine guarding deficiencies, confined space violations, lockout/tagout violations, and fall protection violations. He said each of those posed a risk of immediate danger to life and health and should be grounds for ReCommunity to shut down operations until they were corrected.

Although ReCommunity sometimes corrected deficiencies, corrections were not always prompt, Hupy said.

"After correction, appropriate preventive measures apparently have not been put in place; the corrections made after a safety inspection report do not last and the same deficiencies are found again and again," he wrote.

In the June 10 letter, Hupy said the city was willing to give ReCommunity an opportunity to correct the safety deficiencies and implement an appropriate mode of operation to prevent recurring safety problems, including proper procedures to prevent injuries, and to continue operations at the plant.

Hupy also indicated the city was retaining a firm that would have a safety inspector on site at all times when the plant or the adjacent transfer station were in operation starting the week of June 13. He indicated the city would bill ReCommunity for the cost of the contracted safety inspections.

"This individual will communicate to ReCommunity all safety issues, both physical and operational, that they observe, and will report to the city both what they have observed and ReCommunity's response when safety issues have been brought to ReCommunity's attention," Hupy wrote.

City records show Proficient Training and Consulting LLC was brought in to observe plant operations and noted numerous safety violations and concerns in a series of reports in June and July. The firm was paid more than $20,000.

In a letter dated July 7, Hupy informed ReCommunity of the city's decision to terminate the contract effective July 11, saying safety deficiencies had continued without break since ReCommunity was put on notice on June 10.

The city has since approved temporary agreements with the Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority, Royal Oak Recycling and Waste Management while the city looks for a new company to take over the longer-term operation of the plant.

Duffy said he's been in the business for 33 years, operating 29 facilities, and this is the first time he's ever had a contract terminated. He said the city of Ann Arbor did a poor job of being a partner with ReCommunity.

2 construction workers with American Asian Inc. electrocuted at Darrtown United Method Church in Milford Twp., Ohio after their ladders touched power lines

2 workers hospitalized in accident with live wires Tuesday, August 30th 2016, 8:31 am EDTTuesday, August 30th 2016, 11:00 pm EDT
By Jennifer Baker, Digital Content Producer




Photo: Flickr MILFORD TWP, BUTLER COUNTY (FOX19) - -

Two workers were hurt at a Butler County church in an accident with live wires Tuesday morning.

Investigators with the Cincinnati office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to Darrtown United Method Church on Walnut Street, according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

A male worker on church grounds fell onto power lines and suffered electrical shock just before 8 a.m., initial emergency communication reports state.

"We’re a construction team, we were moving our ladders...the ladders hit the wires and we just got shocked,” one of the construction workers told dispatch in the 911 call. "I can’t tell if his chest is rising, but his eyes are open. His chest seems to be rising very slightly."

He was flown to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, county dispatchers said.

His condition is not available.

A second worker, who was on the phone with 911 was hurt, but it was not immediately clear how, said Sgt. Melissa Gerhardt, sheriff's spokeswoman.

"“My foot is fried…it’s burned. My foot is fried," the construction said during the 911 call. "Everything is fine around us, we just got messed us."He was taken to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford, she said.



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2 injured when equipment hits power lines at Butler County church



By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

MILFORD TWP., Butler County —


Two people replacing a roof on a Darrtown church were taken to area hospitals after their equipment touched a nearby power line, shocking them on Tuesday morning.

One person was transported by medical helicopter to University of Cincinnati Medical Center and another person was transported to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, according to Sgt. Melissa Gerhardt of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

She said both men were still alive when they were transported to the hospitals. An update on their conditions was not available Tuesday evening.

An official from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Cincinnati office said its in the early stages of the investigation and a compliance officer still needs to talk with the owner of the Oxford-based roofing company, American Asian Inc., and the injured employees.

The identities of the workers have not yet been released.

“We think potentially they were in the process of relocating a ladder,” said Ken Montgomery, OSHA’s Cincinnati area director. “There are safety regulations for the distance between ladders and power lines to prevent accidental contact.”

Montgomery said the men were removing Soffitt from under the overhang of the roof at Darrtown United Methodist Church, 4309 Walnut St., when they made contact with the hot line with their 40-foot extension ladder, which was extended to about 30 feet at the time of the accident.

The company had contact with OSHA in October 2008 concerning fall protection issues resulting in four serious violations and being assessed $1,500 for each violation, according to the OSHA enforcement database.

The owner, Chau Pham, was not available for comment. The company has been in business since 1980, according to its website.

Milford Twp. fire officials could not be reached for additional information about the incident.

Sally Thelen of Duke Energy said there were no electric outages as a result of the accident.

The Rev. Christopher Trumbull, the church’s pastor, declined to comment on the incident and referred questions about the roofers to the church’s trustees.


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American Asian Inc., proudly serves Oxford, Ohio, and surrounding areas with quality renovations, additions, and roofing projects.  Owned and operated by Chau Pham for over 30 years, American Asian Inc. remains the trusted contractor for all your home repair and maintenance needs.

REPLACE - REPAIR - RESTORE

Roofing

rubber, metal, shingle

Gutters

Siding

wood, vinyl, stucco

Windows and Doors

Painting

interior, exterior

Flooring

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Concrete

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