USA
Electrical fatality at Indiana
bakery
A maintenance worker of VIM Recyclers has died in an electrical
accident at Aunt Millie's Bakeries in Fort Wayne, Indiana, when he
contacted a live source while working on a baler machine for cardboard
boxes. He recoiled in shock and struck his head against machinery and
also sustained a degree of crushing.
3rd July 2009.
|
USA
Crush accident at Rhode Island
submarine plant
A fatal crush accident has occurred at the General Dynamics/Electric
Boat submarine plant in North Kingston, Rhode Island, where a worker
became pinned between a closing door and a large steel section being
moved at the premises.
3rd July 2009.
|
Qatar
30 missing in oil support vessel
capsize
The capsize off Doha of the oil support services vessel Demas Victory,
a St Vincent & The Grenadine-flagged vessel of Midgulf Offshore Ship
Chartering, has left 30 people missing. Of the 35 people on board, 24
were employees of HBK Power Cleaning of Doha, as well as 9 crew
members and 2 caterers. The incident happened at the entrance to the
Doha canal, little hope is now held of finding survivors. The vessel
had attempted to return to Doha on account of rough weather, which
precluded its negotiation of the channel to the harbour. The capsize
occurred in rough seas at an outer anchorage.
2nd July 2009.
|
Thailand
Rampaging elephant kills 3 Trang
rubber workers
Three rubber plantation workers have been killed in separate incidents
by a rampaging elephant at different locations in Trang, police are
considering charges of negligence against its owner with regard to its
tethering. Allegations have been made that the same 38-year old
elephant has been involved in previous attacks leading to injury.
2nd July 2009.
|
Union of the Comoros
Girl survives airbus crash in
Indian ocean
A 14-year old girl has survived the crash of a Yemenia Airways Airbus 310
which crashed into the Indian Ocean 12 miles north of the Comoros
islands. The flight comprised of 142 passengers and 11 crew and had
departed from San'a in Yemen for Moroni on Grand Comore, with a stop
at Djibouti. Weather conditions were locally poor at the time of the
accident and have been hampering attempted rescue operations.
The 19-year old aircraft had failed a technical inspection 2 years ago
in France but Yemenia Airways is not restricted from using
French air facilities.
The aircraft had been in the ownership of Yemenia Airways for 10
years, completing 17,300 flights covering 51,900 miles. 1st July 2009.
|
The Netherlands
Girl drowns at Gelderland sailing camp
A 14-year old girl drowned on Tuesday at a sailing camp at the
Kerkdriel water feature. The accident appeared to have happened
suddenly, she was rescued from the water but died later in hospital in
Utrecht. 1st July 2009.
|
China
Train collision leaves 3 dead
At least 3 people were killed and 63 injured in a train collision in
Chenzhou station when a train from Changsha travelling to Shenzhen hit
a train from Tongren, the derailment saw several carriages strike
nearby houses. 30th
June 2009.
|
USA
Maintenance worker electrocuted
A maintenance supervisor was electrocuted upon contacting a 450-volt
conductor while working on the heating and air conditioning unit on
the roof of the Quakertown Farmers Market building in Pennsylvania.
30th June 2009.
|
Nigeria
8 killed in Lagos building
collapse
The Lagos State Director of Fire Services has announced that 8 people
have died in Sunday‘s building collapse in railway premises close to
the Ebutte Metta district of Lagos. The 3-storey building housed a
warehouse at ground level with the upper floors given over to
residential use for as many as 50 people. Rescuers safely evacuated 42
people, many have been hospitalised with fractures.
29th June 2009.
|
China
Worker killed in collapse at
Shanghai multi-storey site
A 28-year old worker was killed on Saturday when a 13-storey
building under construction by Zhongxin Construction Company for
Shanghai Meidu Real Estate collapsed in Lotus Riverside, in the
Minhang district of Shanghai, it appears that he had only just
returned to the building to collect his tools when the instability
occurred. Local broadcast media has speculated that a section of
riverbank collapsed due to a load of earth excavated
from the site foundations for an
underground garage. 28th
June 2009.
|
USA
New York worker's burn injuries
from energised crane
A power line contractor sustained
serious burns to his legs when a crane adjacent to his position on the
ground became electrified during work at the Albany Medical Centre in
East Greenbush, New York. 28th
June 2009.
|
South Africa
Girl killed by falling wall in
high winds
A 14-year old schoolgirl was killed and 2 other children were badly
injured when a roof was blown off a school at Ntlonyana in Elliotdale,
Eastern Cape, on Thursday, causing a wall of the building to fall on
them. 26th
June 2009.
|
Italy
Lowest workplace death figures
in 57 years
Workplace deaths fell by 7.2% to 1,120 in 2008, the first time Italian
annual workplace deaths have fallen below 1,200 since 1951.
The fall in the period 2001-2008 has been 28%, which can be adjusted
to 33% when considering an 8.3% increase in the workforce over this
period. Workplace accidents of 875,000 in 2008 also fell by 4.1%
compared to 2007, with a 14.5% reduction observed over the 2001-2008
period, a 21.1% adjusted figure taking account of the workforce
increase. 26th
June 2009.
|
Canada
Worker killed in Toronto bank lift
shaft fall
An elevator technician died yesterday in a 10-storey fall in a lift
shaft at the Toronto Dominion Centre in Toronto, a number of passengers were
stranded in a stalled lift at the 35-storey building, it remains
unclear if he was assisting with their rescue or engaged in a separate
task. 25th
June 2009.
|
USA
Police progress Texas road work
site accident
A construction worker of the Texas Department of Transportation was
killed yesterday in a hit-and-run accident at a site on Interstate 35
near Onion Creek, Austin. Later in the day police recovered a
burned-out vehicle believed to have been involved in the accident and
a patient in a south Austin hospital is assisting police with their
inquiry into the accident.
25th June 2009.
|
Japan
Quadruple fatality in Fukushima
road work zone
An HGV driver has been arrested and charged with causing death by
negligence following an accident on Tuesday at a paving site on the
Joban Expressway in Iwaki, where he drove on to a closed lane of the
highway and killed 4 road workers. 24th June 2009.
|
China
Rescuers man pumps to save
trapped gold miners
A 20-hour rescue to pump water from
the flooded Yongjin Gold Mine in Tianzhu County, Guizhou, came to a
successful conclusion on Tuesday with the rescue of all 7 trapped gold
miners. 24th June 2009.
|
Austria
Driver fatigue implicated in
Czech bus crash
It is believed that driver fatigue
led to Sunday's bus crash in Austria in which a Czech bus carrying 48
Slovakian schoolchildren back from a break in Riccione crashed on the
A2 motorway in Austria between Mooskirchen and Lieboch.
The coach had left Italy at 22.00 on Saturday, the accident occurred
at 06.00 on Sunday. Both drivers were observing 4-hour periods of
driving and had changed at Kaiserwald, 5 miles prior to the accident.
At least 18 of the children from Senica are described as badly
injured. 23rd June 2009.
|
Australia
Falling beam kills worker in
MEWP
Workplace Safety Western Australia is investigating a fatal accident
at a construction site in Kwinana, Perth, where a 58-year old worker
in a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) has been killed by a
falling steel section.
23rd June 2009.
|
USA
Salt mining fatality
A collapse of an estimated 75 tonnes of salt from the salt dome of the
Morton Salt facility in Weeks Island, Louisiana, has killed the driver
of a tractor on an underground roadway there.
23rd June 2009.
|
USA
Pressurised ammonia pipe fatal
accident at NC poultry plant
A rupture in a high-pressure hose carrying ammonia led to the death of
a worker at Mountaire Farms, a poultry processing plant in Lumber
Bridge, North Carolina.
A hazardous materials unit monitored the atmosphere following
Saturday's incident in which 4 other workers were injured.
22nd June 2009.
|
Russia
Earthworks accident at Nizhny
Novgorod gas pipeline
An excavator breached a 700mm-diameter gas pipeline in Nizhny Novgorod
on Sunday, leading to a fire in which 5 workers sustained burns
injuries, 4 requiring hospitalisation. 22nd June 2009.
|
Germany
Pilot jailed over Eisenach air
show accident
A court in Eisenach has jailed a pilot for 2 years and 6 months after
he was found guilty of 2 charges of causing death by negligence and 17
charges of causing injury by negligence when his aircraft crashed into
2 food stalls at the Eisenach-Kindel air show in April 2008.
The classic aircraft had failed to
get airborne, the court heard that a test flight the previous autumn
had posed similar mechanical problems.
19th
June 2009.
|
France
Body found in Vendee well
Police in Sud Vendee are describing the death of a worker found in a
well at Sainte-Radegonde-des-Noyes as accidental, the discovery was
made by a neighbour, the body had lain at the bottom of the well for
an estimated 2 days. 19th
June 2009.
|
The Netherlands
Child buried under fallen wall
A child, 10, was badly injured on Wednesday when a boundary wall,
measuring 1.8m in height and 2.75m in length, collapsed on her in Soest, her
condition in hospital was not available. 18th
June 2009.
|
Australia
Gold Coast farmer run over by
tractor
A 42-year old female tractor driver has been hospitalised with
fractures and chest injuries after being run over by her vehicle in
Koplick Road, Running Creek. She had alighted from the tractor which
was pulling grass-cutting gear when the accident occurred, the
injuries were inflicted by one of the lighter front tyres. 18th
June 2009.
|
China
8 killed in LNG tank collapse in
Nantong
Tank Number One, a liquefied natural gas tank under construction at
PetroChina's first LNG terminal in Nantong, on the Yangtze River
estuary, collapsed during construction and killed 8 workers, the
incident occurred during the tank's roof installation. 17th
June 2009.
|
USA
Tractor rollover fatality on
Michigan farm
A 71-year old Michigan farm worker has died in a tractor rollover
accident in Clayton, 30 miles northwest of Bay City, he was found
pinned under the vehicle which had overturned into a ditch. 17th
June 2009.
|
Italy
Double confined space fatality
at Ligurian water treatment works
A confined space accident on Monday claimed the lives of 2 workers
aged 36 and 40 of CIEM who were hired by the municipal authority to
clean water purification systems in Riva Ligure, 70 miles southwest of
Genoa. A 4-man team was working when the accident occurred, a 3rd
worker was hospitalised after attempting a rescue in the
oxygen-deficient atmosphere.
16th
June 2009.
|
USA
Boy dies in church lift during
wedding reception
An 8-year old boy died in an accident in a lift shaft in a building at
the First Christian Church, Sturgis, Michigan, during a wedding
reception there. He was found with head injuries on the lower level of
the lift shaft and had been riding in the elevator which operates
between the 1st and 2nd floors of the building.
16th
June 2009.
|
Japan
Triple confined space fatality
in ore ship
Initial speculation of Saturday's triple confined space fatal accident
in the Hong Kong-registered Singapore Grace vessel at the Nikko Seiren
refinery in Oita suggests that the oxidisation of copper concentrates
led to an oxygen-deficient atmosphere. The 3 victims were employees of
a subsidiary of the refinery working in the ore carrier vessel.
14th
June 2009.
|
France
Wind-blown beach parasol kills
Cote d'Azur tourist
An elderly tourist has died in Cannes Hospital from head injuries
after being struck by a wind-blown parasol on Passoa Beach, east of
Cannes, beach officials indicate that parasols are normally closed
when winds begin to gust but on this occasion the suddenness and
violence of the gusts took people by surprise. 14th
June 2009.
|
USA
Californian highway worker
killed in work zone
A Californian highway construction worker was killed early on Thursday
after being struck by a car passing through a work zone at speed in
Arden Arcade, Sacramento, 2 colleagues who were in a 1-metre deep
excavation emerged unscathed, the car driver died in the impact of
subsequent collision with construction vehicles.12th
June 2009.
|
Australia
Refuge secures ore worker
trapped by rock fall
An earth tremor measuring 1.1 on the Richter scale produced a rockfall
at the Perseverance mine in Leinster, 225 miles north of Kalgoorlie,
which saw a 38-year old miner trapped and seeking refuge in an
underground shelter equipped with food, compressed oxygen and toilet
facilities.
Rescuers worked overnight to clear some 400 tonnes of rock, allowing
the miner to walk out uninjured on Thursday after 16 hours in the
shelter at the BHP Billiton mine.12th
June 2009.
|
USA
2 killed in lift failure at
Texas site
The failure of a temporary construction lift at the 21 Rio Apartments
site in Austin, Texas, led to the deaths of 2 construction
workers on Wednesday, another is listed with critical injuries. The
lift fell several storeys from the 11th floor, the 2 deceased fell
from the falling lift, the critically injured survivor managed to hang
on to the lift, another worker escaped with minor injuries by leaping
from it. 11th
June 2009.
|
Austria
Surgeons optimistic over German
girl's arm reattachment
On Wednesday, surgeons in Salzburg reported the successful
reattachment of the lower arm of a 14-year old girl injured in an
accident at a granite yard in Aicha, Bavaria, when she and 4 friends
sat on a section which failed suddenly, trapping her arm. Austrian
surgeons reported good blood flow through the reattached limb, the
girl has also experienced sensation and some movement in her fingers,
although medics caution that the success can only be measured fully in
about a year's time. 11th
June 2009.
|
Russia
Air China Airbus in emergency
landing in Moscow
The failure of one engine of a 340-300 Airbus of Air China with 155
passengers flying from Milan to Peking forced it to make an emergency
landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Tuesday, no injuries were
reported. 10th
June 2009.
|
USA
Alabama teenager fell into auger
A 15-year old youth helping out at Summerford Pallet sustained
multiple injuries after falling into a mulch-processing auger at the
family-owned business in Ashford, Alabama. His rescue from the machine
took 3 hours, yesterday his condition in hospital had improved to fair
and stable. 10th
June 2009.
|
Ukraine
2 miners killed, 10 missing in
Donetsk mine accident
An incident described as an ore or coal-and-gas mixture discharge has
led to the deaths of 2 miners and left 10 others missing at the
Skochinsky coal mine near Donetsk.
Around 50 miners were underground when the accident occurred at a
depth of 1,000 metres, the authorities have indicated that the
incident was not an explosion, but allegations that explosives work
was being undertaken the previous evening have yet to be discounted as
linked to the incident.
9th June 2009.
|
Malaysia
Arborist killed by colleague's
felled tree
A falling tree branch killed a 33-year old arborist on Monday in the
Stong Selatan Forest near Kampung Meranto where 2 arborists were
engaged in tree felling. The victim was just completing the felling of
a tree which was falling in the correct direction when he was struck
by a section of another tree which had just been felled.
9th June 2009.
|
India
Lorry runs over workers sleeping in yard
A transport accident claimed the lives of 3 workers early on Sunday at
the Surya Sponge Iron Ltd's premises in Budhakendua, Orissa. The workers had
lain down to sleep in an area of the yard close to where coal is
stored, they were run over by the unsuspecting driver of a coal-laden
lorry. It is alleged that workers have inadequate rest facilities on
the premises. 8th
June 2009.
|
Australia
Lathe accident in Melbourne
factory
A 50-year old Melbourne factory worker sustained a fractured skull,
shoulder and arm after his arm became trapped in a lathe in a factory
in Tullamarine, northwest Melbourne, drawing him into the machinery.
Medics put him into an induced coma prior to treatment in Royal
Melbourne Hospital.
8th June 2009.
|
Mexico
Sonora nursery fire kills 31
children
A fire in the ABC child nursery in Y Griego, south of Hermosillo,
Sonora, has left 31 children dead and at least 40 children and staff
injured, more than 176 persons were there when the incident occurred.
It appears that the fire originated in a tyre depot adjacent to the
nursery and spread to the roof of the building on de Mineros Street.
At least 15 of the injured are being treated across the border in the
burns unit of a hospital in Tucson, Arizona.
7th June 2009.
|
Japan
Hotel CO fatality linked to
crack in boiler chimney
A crack in the ventilation chimney of a boiler in a hotel in Yamaguchi
is the probable cause of the seepage and build-up of carbon
monoxide which has killed a 26-year old man and affected 20 other
teachers and children resident there.
5th June 2009.
|
USA
Worker killed by falling seafood
container
A falling container of clams packed in ice has killed a 20-year old
worker at Blount Fine Foods in Fall River, Massachusetts. Containers
were being lifted from a stack by a forklift when the upper one of two
became unstable and fell.
5th June 2009.
|
India
5 workers, 3 firemen killed in factory fire
A fire at the Advantic factory in Nalagarth, Himachal Pradesh, has
killed 5 workers and left another missing, with 19 others sustaining
serious burns. The factory manufactures air conditioning units and it
is speculated that gas cylinders exploded during the incident, causing
a wall collapse which claimed the lives of 3 firemen.
4th June 2009.
|
USA
Unapplied locking lever led to
farmer's death in baler
A 56-year Kentucky farmer died after becoming trapped in his baling
machine on a farm in Ottenheim when the machinery's heavy door came
down as he worked with his back to it. It is believed that he was
trying to clear a blockage and had neglected to apply a lever which
retains the door in an open position.
4th June 2009.
|
USA
Virginia female's arm amputated
in flooring machine
A 45-year old female worker of Lumber Liquidators in Williamsburg,
Virginia, has had her arm partially severed in an accident while
operating a machine which planes timber for hardwood flooring at
the premises on Stonehouse Commerce Park.
3rd June 2009.
|
Belgium
Girl injured in fall from
schoolroom window
A 12-year old schoolgirl was seriously injured on Tuesday in a fall
backwards out of a 2nd floor window of a school on Leuvensesteenweg in
Woluwe-Saint-Etienne (Sint-Stevens-Woluwe), northeast of Brussels, she
was still conscious upon transfer to Sint-Lucas hospital but her
condition remains unknown.
3rd June 2009.
|
South Africa
Dozens of illegal gold miners
killed in pit fire
Fire has killed at least 36 illegal miners at the Eland shaft of
Harmony Gold Mining in the Free State province. Almost 300 miners
managed to emerge safely to the surface where they were summarily
arrested, the precise number who died remains unknown.
2nd June 2009.
|
Sweden
Power outage investigation
A faulty circuit breaker
at a Vattenfall(Swedish power company, lit 'waterfall') transformer station in the Danderyd suburb of north
Stockholm appears to have been the catalyst for a chain reaction of
power failures. Simultaneously a fault developed at the Sollentina
station followed by transformer fires at Taby, north of Stockholm, and Danderyd, initial
investigation found no clues as to the cause. Widespread of loss of
power was experienced for several hours. 2nd June 2009.
|
China
35 Chongqing miners killed in
explosives and CO accidents
Two separate mining accidents in Chongqing have claimed the lives of
35 miners. Alleged premature detonation of explosives prior to safe
evacuation of the Tonghua Coal Mine in Anwen, Qijiang County, led to
30 of the 131 miners underground being killed, on Sunday local police
arrested the mine's owner, chief engineer and project manager.
In an accident on Sunday at the Xiangyang Coal Mine in Kaixian County
5 miners engaged in water pumping died after being overcome by carbon
monoxide. 1st June
2009.
|
USA
Worker crushed at New York
recycling facility
A fatal accident occurred at the Burt Adams Disposal recycling
facility in Chenango Bridge, New York, where a 35-year old worker died
after being pinned between the frame and bed of a recycling vehicle on
which he was working.
1st June 2009.
|
|
New Zealand
Forestry death in remote North
Island area
An investigation is being launched into a forestry worker's death in a
remote area of the country in the Rangitoto ranges, east of Te Kuiti,
Waikato. 3rd July
2009.
|
USA
Bricklayer killed in Ohio
scaffold collapse
A scaffold collapse at the new IGS Energy gas supply premises in
Dublin, Ohio, has led to the death of a brick-layer and injuries to 2
colleagues working at the site.
3rd July 2009.
|
China
4 drown in tourist raft capsize
A raft carrying 7 tourists and 5 crew has capsized on the Qingshuihe
river in Xingyi, Guizhou province, 2 of the tourists have drowned and
another 2 are missing. The mountainous nature of this stretch of the
river made rescue access difficult.
2nd July 2009.
|
USA
MEWP fatality at West Virginia
hire depot
A MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) fatal accident occurred at
United Rentals in Pleasant Valley, West Virginia, where a 48-year old
worker died when an aerial lift on which he was positioned collided
with a crane as he was reversing the MEWP out of the depot which
leases work platforms.
2nd July 2009.
|
Italy
Broken axle may have caused
Viareggio derailment
It is speculated that a broken axle may have caused the derailment of
the 14-wagon freight train in Viareggio yesterday. Although 16 people
were listed dead in the liquefied gas explosion following the train
derailment, this figure is expected to rise given the dozens of
seriously injured people. One wagon derailed, pulling 4 others with
it, the subsequent explosion saw 5 buildings demolished.1st July 2009.
|
France
Fishing boat collision in good
weather
The Me-Thi-Na and Condor fishing boats from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
collided 2 miles off Sables d'Olonne at 8am on Tuesday. The Condor
sank in 12 metres of water but the crew was picked up by the other
boat which limped back to port. Visibility was good and winds were
light at the time of the collision.
1st July 2009.
|
USA
Worker falls through roof at New
Jersey site
A construction worker of Site Contractors Inc was injured yesterday in
a 6m fall through the roof of the former fire department on East
Avenue, Vineland, New Jersey, where an Eastern Pacific Development is
taking place. 30th
June 2009.
|
Belgium
Ammonia plant explosion
An accident is being investigated at the Yara Tertre premises near
Saint-Ghislaine where an
explosion occurred at the plant which produces ammonia and finished
fertiliser products, no injuries were reported.
30th June 2009.
|
India
Workers killed in BSNL phone
tower collapse
Two contract workers have died and another was injured when a steel
frame BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) mobile phone tower on which they
were working in Sripurandan, Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu, collapsed on
Sunday.
29th June 2009.
|
New Zealand
Double fatality as digger hits
structure on piles
The new Manurewa Marae health
centre building, propped on temporary piles at its site in South
Auckland, collapsed and killed 2 workers, an excavator had apparently
rolled over and destabilized the whole structure.
28th June 2009.
|
Spain
Madrid suburban train collision
At least 57 people were injured
when 2 trains collided in Aluche station, Madrid, it is speculated
that an inappropriate use of the emergency cord by a passenger may
have precipitated the accident.
Around 1,000 passengers were on both trains at the time, 12 of the
injured required hospital treatment.
28th June 2009.
|
France
Workers breach WW2 gas canisters
at school extension site
Around 700 pupils were evacuated from the Louis Pergaud college in
Dozule, 20 miles east of Caen, on Thursday when contractors working on
the college extension breached German WW2 canisters of lacrymogene
gas, 1 pupil has been hospitalised in Lisieux.
26th June 2009.
|
Canada
Fire-resistant suit would have
prevented furnace burns accident
Peninsula Alloy Inc of Stevensville has been fined $70K(£37,007) at
the Ontario Court of Justice, St Catherines, after pleading guilty to
breaches of the Ontario Health and Safety Act in failing to ensure a
worker was wearing protective clothing.
In March 2008, a worker at its Fort Erie plant sustained 2nd and 3rd
degree burns to his head, back and arms when molten metal issued from
an exploding furnace. The worker was not wearing a Kevlar
fire-resistant suit.
26th June 2009.
|
New Zealand
Workers critically injured in
school boiler explosion
A boiler exploded at Orewa College, north of Auckland, leaving 2
workers, a Tubman Heating Services worker and a school employee, in
critical condition with burns and head injuries, 1 man with 90% burns.
25th June 2009.
|
France
Care home washing machine fire
A washing machine overheated and burst into flames at a care home on
rue Jean Moulin in Martigny-Ferchaud, Brittany, 10 of the 64 elderly residents
were evacuated on account of the risk of smoke inhalation.
25th June 2009.
|
USA
HGV driver unaware of worker
under vehicle
A worker was killed on Tuesday in an accident at the Office Creek Pump
Station construction site on Main Street, The Colony, Texas, where he
was working under a lorry when another worker, unaware of his presence
under the vehicle, drove off.
24th June 2009.
|
Germany
Under-18's banned from tanning
studios
The government is to ban under-18's from tanning studios, cancer
foundation Deutsche Krebshilfe believes that regular tanning sessions
commenced and pursued before the age of 30 can raise skin cancer risks
by 75%.
Around 140K Germans die annually of skin cancer, 22K of those
featuring black skin cancer. It is thought that 3mio 10-17 year olds
have been visiting tanning studios, the ruling will not apply to usage
at home. 24th June
2009.
|
Borneo
Miner killed in tunnel collapse
A miner has died and another was injured in a tunnel collapse on
Monday at a mine of PT Fajar Bumi Sakti in Tenggarong East Kalimantan,
preliminary investigation of the accident yesterday proved
inconclusive. 23rd
June 2009.
|
Australia
Gymnast's training death subject
to workplace investigation
Queensland's Workplace Health & Safety is undertaking investigation of
the death of a 19-year old female gymnast who died from head injuries
in a fall from a tumbling trampoline at a training class in a gym in
Townsville. 23rd
June 2009.
|
France
3 endurance event participants
found dead in mountains
Police in the Alpes-Maritimes have recovered the dead bodies of 3
participants of the Grand Raid du Mercantour, an endurance
cross-country event, who were reported missing by event
organisers on Sunday. The 2 men and a woman, aged 51 to 54 years, had
set off on Saturday at 4am from Saint-Martin-Vesubie, 50 miles north
of Nice, on a 50-mile course.
The alarm was raised when they
failed to complete the course by 10am on Sunday within the 30 hours
specified. It is believed that they died from hypothermia and
hypoglycemia, organisers had reduced the event by 15 miles on account
of the snow and hail conditions. 22nd June
2009.
|
USA
Miami Dade Transit track worker
killed
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an accident
in which a Florida rail maintenance supervisor was killed early on
Sunday while inspecting tracks on the Miami Dade Transit system, the
accident occurred 30 metres from College North Station when a
computer-operated Metromover struck him. 22nd June
2009.
|
USA
Window cleaner killed as
platform fails
A 21-year old Michigan window
cleaner has died in a 15-metre fall while working at Grand Rapids Art
Museum, it appears that his work platform failed as he was making his
way down from roof level. 19th June
2009.
|
USA
Lathe accident at Oregon machine
works
In the early hours of Thursday a fatal accident occurred at Western
Machine Works in the St Johns area of Portland where a worker became
trapped in a 13-metre lathe he was resurfacing.
19th June 2009.
|
Serbia
Soldiers injured in RTA
Six soldiers were injured when the vehicle transporting them to Novi
Sad overturned on the Crvenka-Kula highway on Wednesday, 5 of them are
listed in serious condition in the orthopaedic unit of Vrbas Hospital. 18th June
2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Engineer and company acquitted
in stair collapse accident
A judge at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has directed a jury to
return a not guilty verdict in the trial of a consulting engineering
company and a senior project engineer regarding a failure to
design a safe structural system and one without risk to the public in
respect of a fatal accident in February 2002 at the Watermarque
building, South Lotts Road, Ringsend.
It had been charged that the company failed to have an adequate
support system for a staircase with regard to its load bearing
performance. A 31-year old construction worker died when the staircase
fell.
The judge ruled that in order for the particular section of the Act to
apply in this case, the workplace must be constructed, this workplace
had been constructed "to some degree" but not fully to the original
design. The issue of the use of retaining bolts different from the
original specification had been central to the case. 18th June
2009.
|
Bangladesh
Gas cylinder explosion in blade
factory
A gas cylinder explosion on the ground floor of the Bidyut Bangladesh
Pvt Ltd blade factory in the Tongi Industrial zone of Gazipur led to
the deaths of 3 workers on Tuesday, 15 others were injured, 1 is
listed in life-threatening condition in Dhaka Medical College
Hospital. 17th June
2009.
|
Canada
Fines levied over Montreal crane
dismantling death
The Quebec Comision de la Sante et de la Securite du travail has fined
JM Francouer Cranes $16,550(£8,891) and Ster Grue a Tour
$14,530(£7,806) in respect of the death of a 44-year old worker during
the dismantling of a crane boom at the 26-storey Le Vistal site on
Pointe Sur Road, Montreal.
The Comision found that the workers lacked clear instructions
regarding the dismantling of a 30-metre section, which swung loose and
trapped the victim's head, as he hung 100 metres above ground. The
smaller mobile crane being deployed in the work had failed to respond
to the larger crane's centre of gravity and a safety cable moved too
early to prevent the section shifting. This case may result in the
implementation of regulations making such safety cables mandatory,
which is currently not the case. 17th June
2009.
|
Sweden
2 killed in Sundsvall light
aircraft crash
A Swiss-registered light aircraft crashed shortly after take-off on
Monday at Midlanda Airport, Sundsvall, killing both occupants. The
plane had failed to gain altitude and reported engine problems prior
to the crash near the runway.
16th June
2009.
|
Malta
Worker survives 4m fall
An elderly construction worker sustained serious but not
life-threatening injuries in a fall through one storey at premises on
Domenico Cachia Street, Birkirkara, central Malta, on Monday.
16th June
2009.
|
Croatia
Parachute fatality in east
Croatia
A 27-year old parachutist was killed on Saturday when his chute failed
to open after jumping from a Cessna 172 aircraft of a parachute school
in Vukovar, his body was recovered from the back garden of a house.
His jump was from an altitude of 1,000 metres, local media reports
from east Croatia are at variance as to the number of jumps he had
actually completed.
14th June
2009.
|
Belgium
Pilot survives light aircraft
crash in Limburg
The pilot of a light aircraft survived a crash at Hechtel Eksel,
Limburg, on Saturday after the plane encountered difficulties shortly
after take-off, crashing just south of the Bourg-Leopold military
academy whose fire crews managed to attend the accident within 6
minutes, controlling a fire which occurred after the pilot had left
the aircraft. 14th June
2009.
|
Zambia
Multiple death at abandoned
copper dump
At least 8 illegal miners
have died in a spoil collapse at the Nkana West mining dump in Kitwe
in the northern Copperbelt province.
Many miners turn up at the
disused dump owned by Chambishi Metals where they use improvised
equipment to scour for cobalt and copper deposits. 12th June
2009.
|
USA
Fatal explosion during propane
tank filling
A worker filling a propane gas tank at Waconia Farm Supply, 25 miles
west of Minneapolis, has died in an explosion there.
12th June 2009.
|
Australia
Burns accident at Tasmanian
airport
An explosion in Hangar 3 at Burnie Airport, Wynyard, Tasmania, has
left a 22-year old maintenance engineer working on an air compressor
at Island Air Maintenance with serious burns.
11th June 2009.
|
USA
Fatal crush accident in Kentucky
mine
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration has reported its first
fatal accident of 2009 when a miner died in a crush accident at the D
& C Mining Corporation's underground mine at Cranks, Kentucky. A chain
failed during the moving of concrete blocks for construction work,
causing the load to roll down a gradient and pin a 58-year old miner
against a conveyor belt.
11th June 2009.
|
USA
Lightning poses hazard for
outdoor workers in Florida
Parks and ground maintenance workers in Florida are urged to be
vigilant of lightning following the death this week of a landscape
gardener killed by lightning while cutting grass in Coral Springs,
Florida's instance of lightning strikes is the highest in the US.
10th June 2009.
|
Republic of Cape Verde
Ongoing search for AF447 black
boxes
The French vessel "Pourquoi Pas", jointly operated by Ifremer and the
French Navy, sailed from Cape Verde on Tuesday evening to assist in
the search for the black box recorder of Air France flight 447 which
came down in mid-Atlantic last week, the vessel is equipped with 3
robot submarines which can descend to a depth of 4 miles and will
arrive at the location tomorrow.
Today(Wednesday) a French nuclear
submarine will arrive to locate the beacon attached to the boxes,
prior to the unmanned submarine work.
10th June 2009.
|
Germany
Chimp bites off zoo director's
finger
Surgeons in Berlin were attempting to reattach a severed finger of the
director of Berlin Zoo who was bitten by the zoo's 38-year chimpanzee
Pedro on Monday morning. The incident occurred as he was feeding the
animal which pulled his arm through the fence, his finger was
retrieved by keepers and packed in ice.
9th June 2009.
|
Egypt
15 workers killed in bus crash
A bus carrying 30 workers crashed on Monday near Tenth of
Ramadan City, 35 miles east of Cairo, causing the deaths of 15 of the
workers on board.
9th June 2009.
|
Germany
Eifel level crossing collision
At least 28 people were injured when the Vulkan-Eifel-Bahn historic
diesel train was struck by a lorry on an unmanned level crossing and
derailed in Hohenfels-Essingel, rolling down a 3-metre embankment. The
59-year old train driver and a female guide were regarded to be in
life-threatening condition following Saturday's accident but their
condition improved on Sunday.
8th June 2009.
|
Palestinian
Authority/Israel
West Bank worker dies in
5-storey fall
A 28-year old construction worker was killed in a fall on Thursday
from the 5th storey of the Al-Qutub building in Tulkarem on the West
Bank. 5th June
2009.
|
The Bahamas
Contractor killed at Bahamas
power plant
A contract worker of Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor of Denmark has
died in an accident while carrying out maintenance work on a diesel
engine generator at the Clifton Pier Power Station of the Bahamas
Electricity Corporation on New Providence Island.
5th June 2009.
|
Canada
Trapeze artist's fall
investigation
WorkSafe British Columbia is investigating a trapeze artist's 3-metre
fall during Circus Gatti's performance at Richmond's Minoru Arenas.
The 22-year old female was performing aerial silk work, suspended
upside down from special fibre while performing acrobatics. Although
she spent a few hours in hospital it appears that she sustained no
serious injury. 4th
June 2009.
|
Myanmar/Burma
Government comments on pagoda
accident
The Burmese government issued a statement on Wednesday citing poor
quality workmanship and time scheduling for the weekend collapse
during refurbishment work at the Danok pagoda, 12 miles south of
Yangon, where 2 people died and 34 were injured during work on the
stupa dome. External media sources have speculated that the casualty
count could be higher.
4th June 2009.
|
Argentina
Track maintenance worker killed by train
in Buenos Aires
A rail track maintenance worker was killed on Tuesday morning at a
site on La Pampa Street in the Belgrano district of Buenos Aires when
a North Belgrano line train travelling between Retiro and Villa Rosa
struck him at the site of the street level crossing.
3rd June 2009.
|
USA
Faulty voltage tester led to
Ohio burns accident
A malfunctioning voltage tester led to an engineer of Lebanon Electric
sustaining 2nd degree facial burns on Tuesday when an electrical
explosion occurred as he tested a junction box at Harmon Industrial
Park, Lebanon, Ohio, in which his voltage tester had indicated no
current. 3rd June
2009.
|
Canada
Falling concrete kills Ontario
recycling plant worker
Ontario Ministry of Labour
is investigating an accident on Monday morning at the Lakeview
Wastewater Treatment Facility in Peel, southern Ontario, where a falling concrete section
killed a 26-year old worker. 2nd June 2009.
|
Austria
Linz school bus unfit for the
road
When a bus driver was stopped in Haslach, Upper Austria, on Monday for
the traffic infraction of using his cell phone while driving, the
incident led to the further inspection of the vehicle which revealed
such extensive corrosion to the chassis and suspension that it was
immediately taken off the road, although it had been in regular use as
a school bus.
2nd June 2009.
|
India
Transport fatality at Mumbai
Airport
A 40-year old HGV driver has been arrested under Section 304(A) of the
Indian Penal Code following a fatal accident on runway 32 of Mumbai
Airport where drainage work is currently being undertaken and where a
worker of Larsen and Toubro was run over by a reversing concrete
mixer. Initial police investigation of the accident alleges inadequate
space for HGV negotiation.
1st June 2009.
|
Italy
London fire expert to
investigate car ferry fire
A fire investigation expert from London has arrived in Sicily to study
the circumstances of a fire on the Vincenzo Florio car ferry of the
Tirrenia company which saw 526 passengers have to take to the
lifeboats and be rescued by another ferry and the Italian coastguard.
The ferry was sailing from Naples to Sicily when fire broke out in the
car deck some 25 miles from Palermo, it was speculated that it either
began in a car or a lorry's refrigeration unit.
The 10-year old ferry has already experienced an engine fire in 2004,
the captain took the decision to abandon ship as the fire was proving
difficult to control.
1st June 2009.
|
|
UK
Seafarer fatigue study
A €3.78m European Commission-funded 'Project Horizon' involving
academic institutions and the shipping industry is to examine the way
in which fatigue affects the cognitive performance of ships’
watchkeepers. The goal is to produce a fatigue management toolkit for
the industry and recommendations for improving work patterns at sea.
60 deck and engineer officers will be taking part in the project, with
their performance being measured by researchers as they undertake
typical watch keeping duties on simulators over a succession of
seven-day periods. Scientific methods will be used to measure fatigue
levels and any resulting degradation in performance during a wide
range of regular onboard operating conditions.
3rd July 2009.
|
England
Trent Valley rail track accident
verdict
A jury at Stafford Crown Court has delivered a guilty verdict against
3 railway maintenance workers regarding an accident in 2004 in which 2
railway track workers died after being struck by a road rail vehicle
reversing at speed on the Trent Valley Line at Hednesford, Staffs. The
trio were found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of themselves
and others, 2 of them were cleared of endangering the safety of rail
passengers. Their employer, VG Clements Ltd, was acquitted of failing
to ensure the safety of employees and non-employees. All had pleaded
not guilty to the charges, sentencing will take place in September
when Network Rail and Carillion Rail will also be sentenced.
3rd July 2009.
|
England
Fatal fall at bank
An investigation is underway into the death of an employee at the HBOS
offices in Lovell Park Road, Leeds, where he died in a fall from
stairs. 2nd July
2009.
|
Gulf
Suspension of summer midday site
work sees accidents fall
During the summer months construction sites in Bahrain and the UAE
must close for up to 4 hours during the sweltering midday heat or face
impositions of fines and administrative penalties.
Bahrain is now in its 3rd year of the mandatory site closure from
midday to 4pm in July, August and September, with 50 inspectors
mobilised to seek out violations which can cost a company $700 per
worker on site, 500 companies faced sanctions last year.
In the UAE sites must close between 12.30 and 3pm daily in July and
August or face fines ranging from $2-8K and a withdrawal of work
permit processing for up to 1 year. When the midday closure scheme
began in 2007, accidents fell by as much as 50% compared with the
previous year. 2nd
July 2009.
|
England
Runaway Mersey Rail train
derails
Network Rail is investigating an accident yesterday in which a runaway
3-carriage electric train of Mersey Rail derailed on the northern line
at Walton Junction, the train had been powered down and no one was on
board. 1st July 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Plane and ground vehicle near
miss at Dublin Airport
The Irish AAIU (Air Accident Investigation Unit) has released its
initial report into a near miss at Dublin Airport at 3am on May 29th
in which a Thomson Airways Boeing 757-200 travelling from Egypt came
close to hitting a driver-operated lawnmower on runway 10.
The tractor was inside the runway edge lighting as the plane landed,
its wing passing over the vehicle. Grass-cutting had been discontinued
1 hour earlier in deteriorating visibility.
The report recommends that all vehicles requiring to operate near active
runways should have airband VHF radios for ground control and control
tower frequencies. They should also have flashing yellow beacons and
transponders.
The Irish Aviation Authority responsible for air traffic control
indicates that a new control system for aircraft and ground vehicles
is being commissioned and should be fully operational in the autumn.
1st July 2009.
|
England
Yorks hospital settles over
radiographer's broken ankle
A Yorkshire radiographer has received £3K in an out of court
settlement from Bradford Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust which
admitted liability for an accident in which the woman broke her ankle
while moving a patient privacy screen through a corridor in the
radiology department of Bradford Royal Infirmary in May 2008.
The woman's ankle broke when it was struck by a screen wheel, she had
not been trained in the movement of the screen which should be
propelled rather than pulled.
30th June 2009.
|
Northern Ireland
Driver's leg amputated in
rollover accident
In a case brought by HSENI a fine
of £35K plus £2,539 in costs has been levied against PB Formwork of
Dungiven in respect of an accident at the Cottonmount Landfill site in
Mallusk, County Londonderry, where a driver/labourer's injury led to
his leg amputation.
He was driving a vehicle which overturned and was deemed to have
received insufficient training and instruction, and a lack of regard
had been taken for the gradient of the haul road.
30th June 2009.
|
Germany
Rough sleeper's rude awakening
in bin wagon
A 31-year old male was fortunate in the extreme to escape death in the
compacter unit of a refuse lorry after falling asleep in a large
refuse bin whose contents were decanted into the wagon in Paderborn.
Upon spotting blood on the jaws of the compacter mechanism, one of the
refuse collectors paused the compacting cycle, rescuers took 45
minutes to free the victim who sustained multiple injuries to his legs
and upper torso.
28th June 2009.
|
England
Lack of safe transport policy
led to dairy accident
At Lincoln Magistrates' Court Dairy Farmers of Britain has been fined
£10K plus £2,916 in costs after pleading guilty to breaches of r.12(1)
and r.17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations
1992.
On 18th June 2008, the operator of a pallet ride-on truck sustained
multiple leg fractures in a collision with a forklift truck at its
Boulton Park dairy in Lincoln. Traffic routes at the dairy were not
organised in a manner to facilitate safe pedestrian and vehicular
movement.
An HSE inspector observed: "This incident could have been avoided if
the company had organised the workplace so that vehicles could operate
safely in a set area. All companies must assess the risks when
pedestrians and vehicles, such as forklift trucks, work in close
proximity and take appropriate precautions which are well documented
in HSE guidance." 26th June 2009
|
England
Coroner rules on Worcs office
worker's death
At Stourport-on-Severn Coroner's Court the Deputy Worcestershire
Coroner has said that the death of a 63-year old administrative worker
at the Defra office in Worcester was not from natural causes but the
result of an accident. The worker was taken ill at his desk, a
pathologist's report indicated suffocation on his own vomit, possibly
attributable to a loss of heart rhythm or choking on food.
26th June 2009.
|
France
Roofer survives 6-metre fall
A roofer was badly injured in a 6-metre fall on Wednesday while
descending from the roof of the castle at Vezins, Pays de la Loire. He has several
fractures and his face was badly injured but his condition in hospital
is not listed as life-threatening.
25th June 2009.
|
Bulgaria
Overloading caused structural
collapse on Sofia site
An overloaded concrete platform broke at an under-construction
building on Belovodski Pat Street in the Vitosha area of south Sofia on
Wednesday leading to injury to 5 workers on a scaffold brought down in
the structural collapse.
25th June 2009.
|
England
Crush accident on Herts farm
A man was hospitalised in Stevenage on Tuesday morning following an
accident at a farm near St Ippolyts, Hertfordshire, where he became
pinned between a forklift truck and a roller door in a garage.
24th June 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Workplace farm deaths double
Latest figures released by the HSA this week reveal that workplace
farm deaths for 2008 were 21, a rise of almost 50% from the figure of
11 for 2007, and this against a fall of 15% in all workplace
fatalities. 24th
June 2009.
|
England
Worker fell into shredder
A worker who fell into a shredder
was fortunate to escape with his life but sustained serious injuries.
The January 2007 incident at Snowflake Animal Bedding Ltd in
Ashton-under-Lyme happened as the worker, who was standing on a
conveyor belt which fed hay bales into the shredder, was cutting
strings that were holding bales together. As a bale fell apart, the
man lost his balance and fell into the shredder.
Snowflake was fined £13,300 with full costs of £8,655 at Boston
Magistrates’ Court
23rd June 2009.
|
USA
Concrete worker hits power line
with hammer
A 40-year old contractor with Gemelli Concrete sustained serious burns
injuries on Monday upon contacting a 4.8kV electric cable while
working with a hammer or drill in an excavation at the rear of Grand
Blanc High School in Flint, Michigan, the incident led to an
explosion, his rescue from the excavation proved difficult for fire
crews and medics.
23rd June 2009.
|
Belgium
Antwerp parachute accident
A 52-year old parachutist was killed in a jump on Sunday from the
Hoevenen aerodrome in Stabroek. Observers report that the parachute
appeared to open normally but technical problems developed, his
body was recovered from a field on Dijkstraat. 22nd June
2009.
|
England
Demolition accident
A worker lost an arm on Thursday in an industrial accident at a
demolition site at Newburn Haugh Industrial Estate, Newcastle. The man, in his 60's,
is in intensive care, his arm could not be saved.
22nd June
2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Out of court settlement in
materials handling accident
A 26-year old joiner who was left in paraplegic condition after
falling from a platform at a site in Rosslare, Wexford, during the
unloading of timber in May 2006 has been awarded
€2.7m(£2.3m) in
compensation in an agreed settlement.
He had raised the action against River View Timber Frame Systems,
subcontractor S/K Gillan and Midtown Property Development Ltd who all
denied allegations of failing to provide a safe workplace and provide
adequate precautions. The accident occurred in windy conditions, the
worker losing his balance and falling while handling plywood.
19th June 2009.
|
New Zealand
Worker's disobedience
contributed to burns accident
New Plymouth District Court has fined Bell Block RHT(NZ) Ltd
$15K(£5,863) in a prosecution brought by the Department of Labour for
failing to ensure that a worker used suitable clothing and safety
equipment under the Health and Safety Act.
On August 26th 2008, an 18-year old employee sustained burns to his
back and hand after leaning against a new weld which ignited his
clothing. He was not wearing fire retardant overalls, 2 pairs of which
had been issued by the company. The company had given him several
warnings about wearing them but the worker had refused, citing heat
and discomfort. Although the court awarded the worker $5K(£1,954) for
emotional harm, pain and suffering, the judge observed that "the
substantial reason for the accident occurring was that the employee
disobeyed the instruction he was given."
19th June 2009.
|
England
Demolition estimator dies in
fall through roof
Two workers estimating a demolition job in Westgate, Aldridge,
Walsall, fell 7
metres through the roof of a building adjacent to the MKG Food
Products building which they were estimating, a 62 year old man died,
his colleague survived with serious injuries. 18th June
2009.
|
England
Beaver scout drowns during
Suffolk riverside walk
A 16-year old Beaver Scout of the 1st Acton & Waldingfield pack has
drowned in the River Stour near Ballingdon Bridge, Sudbury, in an
accident while participating in a supervised riverside walk. 18th June
2009.
|
England
Crown censure for HM Prison
Service
Following a case of Legionnaires' Disease at Nottingham Prison, HMPS
has accepted Crown Censure after an investigation revealed high levels
of legionella bacteria in the hot and cold water system of the
prison's Health Unit.
HSE Director for the Midlands commented: "The standard was far below
what is appropriate for a Prison. This case highlights the need for
employers to properly manage hot and cold water systems and manage the
risk from legionella bacteria where vulnerable people may be at risk." 18th June
2009.
|
USA
Collapsing porch of old property
kills pest controller
A 41-year Californian pest controller, an employee of Pinnacle Pest
Control, has been killed by a falling heavy concrete section from a
porch at an 80-year old house in Curtis Park, Sacramento. 17th June
2009.
|
Rep Ireland
33% of road collisions
work-related
An international conference on road safety at work being hosted in
Dublin Castle by the RSA (Road Safety Authority) and the HSA has
indicated that one third of Irish road collisions are work-related. 17th June
2009.
|
England
HSE assists toddler tractor
death investigation
The HSE has been supporting the police investigation into the death of
a 3-year old Northants boy who died in a fall from a tractor being
driven by his grandfather who was maintaining a sports park in Islip,
east of Kettering.
16th June
2009.
|
Scotland
Vessel capsizes at Peterhead
Three crew aboard a Dutch- registered tug were retrieved safely from
the water 500 metres from the entrance to Peterhead harbour on Sunday
after it capsized. The tug was a brake vessel for a cargo ship
entering the harbour when it got into difficulties.
16th June
2009.
|
USA
2 workers killed in Mississippi
bridge accident
A reinforced steel cage failed at a height of 27 metres on the western
side of the Huey P Long Bridge in Bridge City, Louisiana, leading to
the deaths of 2 employees of a Texan construction company engaged on
the bridge refurbishment project. The Louisiana Department of
Transportation has suspended steel work prior to a safety audit's
completion. 14th June
2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Mayo coast fishing boat rescue
The crew of the fishing
boat Iona Isle was successfully rescued after the boat sank off the
Mayo coast, another fishing boat and the Ballyglass lifeboat attended
the incident after a mayday was received by Malin
Coastguard from the Iona Isle. 12th
June 2009.
|
England
Risk assessment failure
Dodson and Horrell Limited of Kettering has been fined £2,000 with
costs of £2,255 at Kettering Magistrates Court having failed to
conduct a suitable risk assessment related to an activity in which a
worker fell 2 metres and sustained injury.
On 17th July 2008, at the company's premises in Ringstead,
Northamptonshire, a 53-year-old worker was oiling the chains on
a machine that stacks bags of animal feed onto pallets when he fell, sustaining bruised ribs and a punctured lung.
12th June 2009.
|
England
Hants woman badly injured in
fall from horse
A 40-year old woman who is stabling horses at Bridgefoot Farm, Romsey,
sustained serious head injuries and fractures in a fall from a horse
in Rectory Lane, Romsey.
11th June 2009.
|
Spain
Bakery worker's severed arm
raises issues
Issues over the employment of illegal immigrants and workplace safety
have arisen following an accident at a bakery in Gandia where a
33-year old Bolivian illegal immigrant's arm was severed in an
accident involving a dough mixer. The worker alleges that careless
disposal of the severed limb precluded any possibility of surgical
reattachment and that the company allegedly lacked diligence in
transporting him to hospital, aware of his employment status.
11th June 2009.
|
Japan
Police press negligence charges
over naval trainee's death
Police in Hiroshima are preparing a prosecution of negligence
resulting in death in respect of the death of a 25-year old trainee in
a practice fight at the 1st Service School in Etajima, Hiroshima, last
September.
The trainee had been attending a training course for the elite Special
Boarding Unit at the island's naval base, the fight involved multiple
opponent combat. It is alleged that the instructors could have
anticipated difficulties for a less experienced trainee, given that a
similar accident had occurred last May.
The 25-year old trainee slipped into a coma during the bout and
succumbed to acute subdural haematoma within a fortnight.
10th June 2009.
|
Ukraine
Minister hints at ban on deep
coal mining
Coal Industry Minister Viktor Poltavets suggested on Tuesday that in
the wake of the accident at the Skochinsky mine the Ukrainian
Government may restrict or forbid the extraction of coal from depths
exceeding 1,200 metres, Ukraine features some of the deepest mines in
Europe. He indicated that the Skochinsky search-and-rescue operation
would be completed by Wednesday evening, 7 miners were still missing
on Tuesday evening.
10th June 2009.
|
England
Unmaintained gas fire led to
disabling CO accident
At Bath Magistrates' Court the proprietor of the Yung Kee
Chinese takeaway food outlet in Keynsham has pleaded guilty to 3 charges of
failing to maintain a gas fire in an apartment above the premises
where a guest was exposed to such high levels of carbon monoxide he
suffered brain damage.
Bath and North East Somerset Council commissioned an investigation
whose findings revealed a build-up of 1,233 parts per million of
carbon monoxide within one hour, exceeding by 50% the threshold which
can prove fatal. The fire's flue was found to be blocked.
The case has been referred to Bristol Crown Court for sentencing on
June
19th.
9th June 2009.
|
Scotland
Worker fell to his death
A 53-year old worker fell 3 metres down a shaft on a building site in
Dundee on the 29th May 2008 sustaining fatal injuries. The shaft had
no proper barriers around its opening, only the type of barrier
normally found at a roadworks.
At Dundee Sheriff Court Discovery Homes (Scotland) Limited of Kinross
was fined £5,000 after pleading guilty to breaching S.2(1) of the
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
A Director of the company, who also performed the duties of site
manager, was fined £4,000 after pleading guilty to breaching S.37(1)
of the same Act.
9th June 2009.
|
Argentina
Test flight crash in Buenos Aires
The crash of a light aircraft during a test flight on Sunday killed
both pilots, the plane came down in a field 15 miles from General
Rodriguez, Buenos Aires, close to the junction of highways 6 and 24.
8th June 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Soldier badly injured in night
training exercise
A soldier working as a safety monitor during a night firing training
exercise at Kilworth, County Cork, is listed in critical but stable
condition in hospital after sustaining blast injuries during the
exercise. 5th June
2009.
|
Austria
Care of deceased care home
patient probed
A social services minister has requested an independent investigation
to be carried out into the death of an 85-year old female patient of a
Villach care home who died with extensive bed sores and ulcers.
Although doctors had pronounced themselves satisfied with the care of
the patient who had been moving between care home and hospital since
last October, the minister has claimed that a failure in her care
cannot be ruled out.
5th June 2009.
|
India
Confined space double fatality
in north Delhi
Two workers engaged in cleaning a sewer died in a confined space
accident on Wednesday in Maurice Nagar, north Delhi, police are
preparing charges of death by negligence.
4th June 2009.
|
England
Reversing mower crushed child's
foot
HSE is investigating an accident last week at the Binfield Heath
Recreation Ground, Berks, where an 8-year old boy's foot was badly
crushed by a reversing driver-operated mower, the boy has undergone
extensive surgery to avoid amputation of his lower left leg.
4th June 2009.
|
England
Man died in fall from Lancs roof
A man was killed in a fall from the roof of a dwellinghouse on Derby
Street West, Ormskirk, on Tuesday while carrying out roof repairs.
3rd June 2009.
|
England
Essex fisherman's snagged
clothing led to broken leg
The captain of the Essex fishing boat Win sustained a broken leg in an
accident while fishing in the Crouch estuary when his clothing snagged
on the boat's winch drum, drawing him over the drum and trapping him
between the net winch and deck. An RAF helicopter was scrambled from
Wattisham, Suffolk, and a paramedic managed to release him and
transfer him to a stretcher for airlift to hospital.
3rd June 2009.
|
Malta
Roof collapse leaves worker
critically injured
A construction worker has
been left with life-threatening injuries at a dwellinghouse site in
Swieqi, northeast Malta, where the roof collapse precipitated the collapse of an
internal ceiling at the site. 2nd June 2009.
|
USA
Fitter killed by exploding giant
tyre
A New Jersey tyre fitter was killed when a tyre he had inflated
exploded during pressure checking at Advance Treads in Pittsgrove, the
tyre was a Goodyear G134 Unisteel retread for an HGV and had been
inflated within its safety cage, the explosion occurring after
removal. 2nd June 2009.
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Rep Ireland
Tractor rollover accident on
Wexford farm
HSA has been advised of a fatal accident on a farm near the village of
Rathnore, County Wexford, where a worker in his 20's has died in a
weekend accident involving a tractor rollover.
1st June 2009.
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Scotland
Machine amputated worker's
fingers
A malfunctioning Endoline tape
packaging machine removed 3 fingers from a worker who was attempting
to repair it in June last year. The machine started up suddenly, a
safe isolation procedure was not available.
Belcher Food products Ltd of Prestwick was fined £30,000 for what an
HSE official called "an entirely foreseeable and preventable
accident."
Three months before the accident, HSE inspectors told the company they
must have a procedure in place to ensure machinery could be properly
isolated while being repaired, but this advice was not acted upon. 3rd
July 2009.
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Scotland
Car park death
A woman has been fatally injured in
an accident at the Sainsbury's retail outlet in Loanhead, Midlothian.
The woman, who was accompanied by a 3-year old child, was run over and
trapped by a private car as it reversed on Tuesday afternoon.
2nd July 2009.
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England
Man crushed by forklift arm
The driver of a telescopic forklift truck was crushed between the descending
arm and side of his vehicle on 18th September 2003 at the Davyhulme
Waste Water Treatment Works in Trafford, Greater Manchester. One of
the vehicle’s cab windows, which normally acted as a guard, had been
damaged some weeks earlier and was entirely missing, it is believed
the deceased man leant out of the cab window and came into contact
with the joystick, causing the arm to descend on him.
MB Plastics Ltd of Warrington, the deceased's employer, was fined
£150,000 with costs of £24,323, it did not have a system for formal
regular inspections of the plant.
Principal contractors Birse Water Ltd, (now trading as Birse
Integrated Solutions Ltd) of Cheadle Hulme, was fined £50,000
with costs of £41,073, it failed to implement its own systems and
failed to properly monitor what MB were doing, failing in its
supervisory role.
1st July 2009.
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England
Machine removed man's foot
A man in his 20's has lost a foot in an industrial accident at AW
Jenkinson Forestry Products premises at Clifton Moor, south of Penrith,
Cumbria.
The accident occurred last Thursday, reports of which state he got his
leg trapped in a machine.
30th June 2009.
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England
Humberside lorry park fatality
An investigation is ongoing by North Lincolnshire police into the
death of a man at the Manby Road lorry park in Immingham. Witnesses to
the incident are being sought, the park is used by international as
well as national drivers.
30th June 2009.
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Northern Ireland
Man injured in 10m fall
A workman is critically ill after falling 10 metres into a chamber at
a water treatment works construction project in Bangor, Co Down. The
accident occurred on Friday morning, the injured man is a construction
employee.
28th June 2009.
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Northern Ireland
Incident at Antrim pool
12 children and an adult have been treated in hospital following an
incident at a pool in the Silvercliffs holiday village in Ballycastle,
Co Antrim.
There has been speculation that a release of chlorine gas occurred,
given the respiratory symptoms presented by the children.
28th June 2009.
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England
Pupils fall from bus window
Two 15-year old school pupils who fell through the window of a moving
school bus last Friday have escaped all but minor injury.
The bus was travelling between
Radcliffe on Trent and Cotgrave in Nottinghamshire, the Health and
Safety Executive will examine the circumstances.
26th June 2009.
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Scotland
Workers overcome by hydrogen
sulphide
Sacone Environmental Ltd of Brechin has been fined £12,000 after
pleading guilty to breaching S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974 in connection with an incident in July 2007 in which 2
workers were rendered unconscious as they delivered animal waste from
the neighbouring abattoir to a waste pit in preparation for
incineration.
The waste intake area had no gas monitors
or alarms installed and its enclosed nature meant there was little
exchange of air, effectively making it a confined space. 26th
June 2009.
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Great Britain
GB - safest workplace in EU?
The latest fatal accident statistics just published indicate that
amongst the 5 largest EU countries, Great Britain has had the lowest
fatal injury rate over a 5-year period. The provisional figure for the
number of workers fatally injured in 2008/09 is 180, a rate of fatal
injury of 0.6/100,000 workers. The finalised count of fatal injuries
to workers for 2007/08 was 233.
94 members of the public were fatally injured in accidents connected
to work in 2008/09, excluding railway-related incidents. 26 died
in agriculture, 53 in construction, 32 in manufacturing and 63 in the
services sector.
25th June 2009.
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Scotland
Workman fell from shed
The proprietor of Highland Timber
Buildings Ltd of Forres has been fined £3,000 after an employee fell
from a Tomnavoulin, Banffshire, farm shed roof, breaking his leg in
November 2007.
The injured worker had worked with no fall protection and had almost
completed placing roof sheets when he fell 3 metres to the ground.
24th June 2009
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England
Woman killed by cows
A woman walking her 2 dogs on the Pennine Way near Gayle, Yorkshire,
has been trampled to death by cows. The incident occurred on Sunday.
23rd June 2009.
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England
Fatal explosion at Bucks
business
A man was killed and a colleague seriously injured in an explosion at
business premises in Denham, Buckinghamshire. One account states
that a nitrogen container exploded.
22nd June
2009.
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UK
UKPLG industry gets new pipes
A major programme of assessment of underground service pipework
carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from bulk storage tanks to
industrial and commercial premises in England, Scotland and Wales
is underway. The replacement of corroding
metallic service pipework with polyethylene pipes will commence later
this year, the oldest metallic pipework in the least well-maintained
condition resting in the most corrosive soils being replaced first.
19th June 2009.
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Scotland
Fatal industrial accident in
Aberdeen
A 65-year old man died yesterday morning at the premises of
Nortruck Services in Altens, Aberdeen. One account states that he was
crushed by a vehicle. 18th June
2009.
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UK
Vessels detained
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency reports that 1 vessel was detained
during May at UK ports after failing Port State Control inspection. It
joined 2 others already detained, the new detention was for 4 days at
Hull where the 18,663 tonne Sierra Leone-flagged vessel Boularibank's
emergency preparedness was not according to Safety Management System
(SMS), because the drills with regard to dangerous spaces were not
being held in compliance with SMS/ statutory requirements.
One other major non-conformity was in respect of the maintenance of the ship
and equipment which was not according to SMS.
The vessel was released from detention on the 24th of May for a single
voyage to Antwerp.
17th June
2009.
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England
Roof fall death
It is reported that a workman in his 20's fell to his death from the
roof of commercial premises in Bognor, Sussex, on the 2nd of June.
16th June
2009.
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England
Quad bike death
It is reported that a woman in her 30's died on Friday in an accident
involving a quad bike on a farm near Coggeshall, Essex.
The woman died at the scene, one account states the quad bike
overturned and came to rest at the bottom of a slope. 14th June
2009.
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Scotland
Bus accident claims life
A man in his 50's has died in an incident involving a coach at the
Glenmorag Hotel in Dunoon, Isle of Bute.
One account states the deceased was working on the bus at the time on
Friday morning. 14th June
2009.
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England
2 die at Halesowen estate premises
Two men died on Wednesday evening and 2
others were arrested after an incident at the former premises of
Fontana Ltd
in Halesowen, Worcs. Emergency services
were called after a fire broke out at around 11.30pm, police and HSE
are investigating.
12th June 2009.
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England
Boy falls through school
rooflight
An 8-year old boy who fell through a rooflight on the roof of Selby
Community Primary School at the weekend is being treated for the
serious head injury he sustained on Saturday. He collapsed some time
later after finding his own way out of the school.
11th June 2009.
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England
Driver killed by rolling vehicle
The driver of a haulage vehicle was killed on Monday when his vehicle
rolled forward, pinning him against a gatepost.
The incident occurred at the entrance to premises of Next in
Armthorpe, Doncaster.
10th June 2009.
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Scotland
Dead ATV rider had no helmet
The 34-year old rider of a quad bike who died in a Scottish farm
accident accident on 14th June 2007 had received no formal training in
its use and wore no head protection. The machine's tyres were worn and
incorrectly inflated and it had ineffective rear brakes. The deceased
worker was assisting with the movement of cattle on the farm in the
Scottish Borders.
The owners of the farm, the partnership known as R & J McDonald,
were fined £6,650 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
9th June 2009.
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England
Tractor death
It is reported that a farm worker has died after being struck by a
tractor on a Cumbrian farm. The accident occurred on Saturday at the
farm near Abbeytown, 3 miles east of Silloth.
8th June 2009.
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Scotland
Harbour drowning
A man has died after falling into Fraserburgh Harbour. He died at
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after the incident at around 3am yesterday.
8th June 2009.
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England
Machinery guarding lapse
The Amtico Company Ltd of Coventry has been fined £75,000 with £23,721
costs after an employee got a gloved hand caught between high speed
rollers on a calendar machine in September 2007. He lost one finger,
crushed others and injured his forearm.
At the time of the incident there was no guard to prevent access to
the dangerous moving parts of the machine.
5th June 2009.
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Scotland
Forklift accident claims life
An employee of Halls meat processors of Broxburn, West Lothian, has
died following an industrial accident involving a forklift truck. The
accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon and is being investigated by
HSE and Lothian and Borders police. 4th June 2009.
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England
Workman reversed over by
forklift
A company's failure to effectively plan, organise, control, monitor
and review traffic on site, including a failure to maintain and manage
traffic routes, led to serious multiple injuries and prosecution.
On 23rd August 2007, during the construction of the Willow Place
Shopping Centre in Corby, Pyrotect Limited, a sub-contractor, was
working under the control of BAM Construction Limited. A fitter with
Pyrotect Limited was walking in the opposite direction of a forklift
truck which then reversed over him.
BAM Construction Limited (formerly HBG Construction Limited) of
Colindale, London, was fined £15,000 with £13,540.90 costs.
3rd June 2009.
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England
Trip landed man in machinery
In May 2008, at Calston Quarry, Rothbury,
Northumberland, a workman tripped on a
piece of metal on a platform while checking the head drum area of the
main incline conveyor. His fall put him into the belt area, his
right arm was dragged into the belt mechanism and he became trapped.
North East Concrete Limited and North East
Plant Sales of Newcastle were fined a total of
£8,333 with costs of £5,558 (£2,779 each), both firms pleading guilty
to breaching health and safety regulations. The former was in breach
of The Quarries Regulations 1999 in that it failed to ensure its
quarry plant was constructed, operated and maintained in such a way
that persons at work can perform the work assigned to them without
endangering their own health and safety. The latter firm breached
S.2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 having failed to
ensure so far as was reasonably practicable the health, safety and
welfare at work of their employees by failing to check the sand and
gravel plant was safe to use.
An HSE official commented: "This is a case of having inadequate guarding on very dangerous
plant and increasing the risk further with a trip hazard. Employers and operators of plant must ensure they monitor the
condition of the plant to ensure all their plant is properly guarded.
In quarries and other hard environments, the machines are powerful and
unforgiving. The guarding and other safety arrangements must be
checked regularly to make sure workers remain protected." 2nd June 2009.
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England
Farming death
A 75-year old farmer died in a farm accident on Thursday, one account
states the incident involved a tractor on land at Northwood, Isle of
Wight. 1st June
2009.
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England
Mechanical shovel killed man
In February 2006, a worker sustained fatal injuries as he separated
types of waste, struck by a reversing mechanical shovel at Biffa Waste
Services Ltd premises in Eversley, Hampshire.
Biffa pleaded guilty to breaching S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 at Winchester Crown Court and was fined £190,000
with costs of £50,000.
An HSE Inspector commented: "This was an extremely serious incident
resulting in the tragic death of a man. This incident could have been
avoided if the working practices had separated moving vehicles from
people on foot.
Between 2005-07, there were 4 fatal incidents in which people were hit
by shovel loaders in a sorting or transport facility. Companies need
to carefully assess tasks such as sorting waste by hand to make sure
no one is at risk of being hit by a vehicle."
1st June 2009.
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