India
Elephant tramples 7 villagers to death
A rampaging elephant killed 7 villagers on Thursday in Bhudaheda on the edge of
the Jim Corbett National Park, 370 miles east of New Delhi. The elephant had
become separated from its herd and the villagers were attempting to round it up.
30th May 2008.
|
USA
Driver killed in Boston train collision
The collision of 2 Green Line commuter trains of the Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority killed 1 of the drivers when both trains derailed in
Newton. A train had stopped at a red light at Woodland Station when the second
train ran into the rear of the stationary one.
30th May 2008.
|
Malaysia
Fire kills sleeping workers above
furniture store
An outbreak of fire in a furniture store in Selangor on Wednesday has
killed 5 workers who were sleeping in first floor accommodation above the
store, 12 other workers managed to escape the blaze.
29th May 2008.
|
Somalia
Romania bound Dutch ship kidnapped
by pirates
The MV Amiya Scan, a cargo vessel of Dutch company Reider Shipping BV, has
been kidnapped by pirates off the Somalian coast. The Panamanian-flagged
ship, crewed by 4 Russian and 5 Philippine seamen, was sailing from Kenya
to Romania with oil industry equipment. No injuries have been reported.
This was the 24th maritime kidnapping in these waters this year.
28th May 2008.
|
Iran
30 killed in chemical plant explosion
Hot metal work in a tank is speculated as the
cause of a major fire on Sunday at a chemical plant specialising in detergents
and cosmetics near Shazand, 200 miles south of Tehran, where at least 30 people
died and a further 38 were injured.
27th May 2008.
|
Spain
4 dead after scaffold collapse at
Valencian site
A scaffold collapse killed 4 workers on Monday at the site of the new
Valencia football stadium, the scaffold fell around 12 metres, adjacent to
the scaffold a crane had been attempting to lift a plank mould which
became unstable. Initial investigation points to the scaffold's correct
assembly and all workers were wearing safety equipment.
27th May 2008.
|
USA
Worker killed during highway cable
removal
In the early hours of Thursday a Verizon worker was killed after becoming
entangled with a dormant utility cable being taken down at a site in East
Whiteland, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.
The cable was being lowered from a utility pole near a flyover when a
passing lorry caught the drooping line, subsequent tension of the cable
knocked the worker over and down an embankment and on to the north bound
lanes of highway 202. 23rd May 2008.
|
Spain
Catalonian SPAD collision
The collision of 2 trains of Catalonia's Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat
on Wednesday between Les Planes and La Floresta on the Valles line
involved a train passing a red light (SPAD) and at a time when the line's
ATP (Proteccion Automatica de Trenes), which controls speed, was
deactivated to allow points and signal maintenance work, the collision
left 4 people injured. 23rd May 2008.
|
Sweden
Rail bridge collapse leaves 2 dead
The collapse of a section of a new railway bridge at Saltviksstrand,
Vasternorrlands Lan, northeast Sweden on Wednesday has killed 2 people and
left 3 others hospitalised in Sundsvall, the section which fell is at the
southern end of the half-mile long bridge.
22nd May 2008.
|
Russia
Schoolboy killed by falling goalposts
Falling goalposts have killed a 10-year old boy participating in a school
handball game at a small stadium in Motygino, Krasnoyarsk region. The
authorities are studying the role of the school director and teacher
supervising the lesson and are considering charges of causing death
through carelessness and neglect of professional duties as governed by
Article 109, Section 2 of the Russian Criminal Code. Preliminary
investigation indicates that they were carried into the stadium by the
children and were inadequately secured. The status of the stadium's
ownership and authority to be leased are also subject to scrutiny.
22nd May 2008.
|
USA
Crane topples at Iowa rail bridge site
An Iowa crane operator has died in an accident at a bridge refurbishment
site on Interstate 80 west of Adair. Girders were being removed from the
old rail bridge when structural weakness occurred, causing the crane of AM
Cohron & Son Construction to become unstable and overturn.
21st May 2008.
|
Germany
Pupils contract E-Coli on farm visit
At least 30 pupils from the St Hulfe-Heede primary school in Diepholz (Deefholt)
have been hospitalised after drinking unboiled milk on a farm excursion, 2
children are in intensive care. On Monday, 4 tests confirmed the presence of
EHEC (Enterhamorrhagische Escherichia Coli), a particular strain of E-Coli which
can lead to kidney infection and death. A party of 105 children undertook the
trip on 5th May, becoming ill within a week.
20th May 2008.
|
Australia
Appeal court overturns fatal accident
verdict
An appeal court in Perth overruled a magistrate's earlier decision to dismiss
all charges against a builder in connection with a fatal site accident 6 years
ago and has now fined the builder $35K on 4 counts of failing to provide a safe
workplace and causing a death.
The fatal accident 6 years ago at a site in Myaree, north Perth, saw a worker
killed by falling pre-cast sections, an accident which proved a catalyst in
reviewing legislation for the practice of tilt-up section handling.
20th May 2008.
|
Canada
Plant fatality at Manitoba quarry
An autopsy will be conducted today in Winnipeg following the death of an
employee of a construction company who died when his excavator overturned into a
gravel quarry close to Pine Ridge Golf and Country Club in Springfield, east of
Winnipeg.
19th May 2008.
|
England
Search for diver missing off Northumbria
On Sunday afternoon Humber Coastguard began co-ordinating a search for a 53-year
old diver reported missing by the Sovereign 3 dive boat while diving at the
Somali wreck site off Seahouses, north Northumbria. The Sovereign 3 later
returned to shore.
19th May 2008.
|
India
Generator explosion at Kerala hydro plant
A 60MW generator exploded on Friday at a Sabarigri Hydro Electric project site
at Moozhiyar, Kerala, an accident which has killed 1 worker and left 13 others
injured, 8 with severe injuries.
17th May 2008.
|
Canada
Autorotation attempt to save stricken helicopter
Investigators at the site of the helicopter crash this week in Cranbrook,
British Columbia, which claimed 4 lives, believe that the pilot may have
been attempting autorotation, an emergency powerless descent usually
deployed in the event of engine failure. The Bell 206 craft of Big Horn
Helicopters was carrying a pilot and 2 BC Hydro employees to a rural
location for maintenance work on a transmission tower, the 4th casualty
was a pedestrian struck by the falling helicopter. 16th May 2008.
|
Poland
Gas explosion in Zary, 2 dead
A leaking gas installation caused an explosion in a dwellinghouse in Zary,110
miles south of Szczecin, on Wednesday, in which 2 people died and 4 others were
injured, around 20 people were safely evacuated from the building.
15th May 2008.
|
Luxembourg
Aerosol and cigarette explosion in toilet
leaves girls badly injured
An explosion in a ladies' toilet in Grevenmacher has left 3 teenagers badly
burned, it is speculated that a build-up of deodorant spray being used and the
lighting of a cigarette caused the blast which inflicted facial and upper body
injuries. One 15-year old has been taken to a hospital burns unit over the
border in Liege. 15th May 2008.
|
Bulgaria
Overheated radiators caused train fire
The Pleven District Prosecutor's Office released a statement on Tuesday in which
the likeliest cause of February's train fire on the Sofia-Kardam line which
killed 9 people was overheating radiators, the situation exacerbated by
passenger luggage restricting heat ventilation, maximum temperature should have
been 23ºC.
14th May 2008.
|
Bangladesh
Converted trawler sinks, many passengers
missing
Scores of people are feared drowned following the sinking of the ferry MV
Chanpur on the Ghorautra river 150 miles east of Dhaka. Some survivors managed
to swim to the shore, others were picked up by boats in the vicinity.
The Chanpur was a converted fishing trawler and regarded as unfit for ferry
business. Attempts are being made to salvage it.
14th May 2008.
|
Switzerland
Boy,4, falls off moving alpine cableway
A 4-year old boy was badly injured on Monday after falling from a materials
cableway at Surenen, Attinghausen, the boy had climbed on to the cableway when
it was stationary then fell off as it began to ascend the mountain with its
load. 13th May 2008. Update.
Sadly, the boy died in hospital late on Tuesday. 14th May
|
Romania
Engineer killed in plane crash
The flight engineer of a Victor Avia AN2 aircraft has died after it crashed near
Lucia, Calarasi, the pilot was taken to hospital in Floreasca.
13th May 2008.
|
Haiti
Scores drowned in Port-au-Prince ferry
sinking
Scores of passengers and crew of a ferry are feared drowned after it sank north
of Port-au-Prince as it sailed to Pestel, northwest Haiti.
No survivors have as yet been found, 20 bodies had been recovered by late on
Sunday, as many as 200 people could have been on board.
12th May 2008.
|
China
Passengers injured in emergency aircraft
evacuation
An emergency evacuation of passengers was ordered when the instrumentation panel
of a Boeing 737-800 jet of China Eastern airways indicated a fire hazard at
Beijing's main airport, 3 passengers were injured, 1 sustaining a fracture.
12th May 2008.
|
Peru
Human error, fog and roadworks implicated
in bus crash
Human error is being speculated as the likeliest cause of yesterday's bus crash
which killed 32 people and left another 11 injured when a coach of the San Juan
de Yauyos company left the road by the Auco bridge spanning the River Canete.
Roadworks in this area of Cerro Loro would certainly have narrowed the highway
and fog was prevailing locally as the coach travelled from Lima to Yauyos.
9th May 2008.
|
Japan
Fatal explosion at Toyota plant testing
unit
A 24-year old worker was killed in an explosion in a testing unit on Wednesday
at Toyota Industries Corporation in Obu where compression devices for vehicle
air conditioning are manufactured. He was using a quality inspection device
which gauges residue on aluminium piston parts, the latter are immersed in a
tank of chemical solution at a temperature of 530ºC.
8th May 2008.
|
USA
Worker killed in fall down shaft at
Florida site
A Florida worker died in a fall of 4 storeys down an empty shaft at the site of
a new parking garage on South Pennsylvania Avenue, Winter Park, Orlando, he was
working at a wall, a section of which fell down with him.
7th May 2008.
|
Jamaica
Scaffold fatality at hotel site
A 23-year old construction worker has fallen an unspecified distance to his
death while handling scaffolding at part of the Iberostar Hotel site in St
James, he died later in Mo-Bay Hope Hospital from his injuries.
7th May 2008.
|
China
Shanghai bus fire kills 3 people
An outbreak of fire and an explosion on a bus on Monday in the Yangpu district
of northeast Shanghai killed 3 people and left 20 others injured, no cause for
the incident has yet been established.
6th May 2008.
|
Sudan
Derailment kills 15 university students
At least 15 students of Kordofan University died when 20 carriages of a train in
which they were travelling derailed near Al-Foula in south Kordofan.
6th May 2008.
|
Australia
Processor's toxic shock syndrome from
infected pork
The first official case of streptococcus suis toxic shock syndrome has been
detailed of a pig processing worker at a pet food processing plant in Melbourne.
The incident occurred last April but the worker made a full recovery from the
infection, contracted by inhalation or open wound contact with an infected
carcass. Three years ago more than 100 Chinese butchers died from such an
infection. 5th May 2008.
|
Slovakia
Boy pulled out of disused mine shaft
A 10-year old boy was rescued on Sunday after
falling into a 70-metre deep disused mine shaft at Roznava in southeast
Slovakia. The boy had been playing with friends in an area of thick undergrowth
above the shaft, it took some time for rescuers to locate the exact spot. Fire
crews used cables and an improvised frame stretcher to lift him out, the
condition of his injuries remains unknown.
5th May 2008.
|
Australia
Boy,4, killed in tractor accident
Workplace Health & Safety in Queensland is investigating an accident on farm
land near Allora, Darling Downs, in which a 4-year old was injured in a tractor
accident, he died in Warwick Hospital from blunt force abdominal injuries.
3rd May 2008.
|
South Africa
Cage cable failure kills 9 gold miners
Rope failure caused a cage lowering 9 miners at Gold Fields' South Deep mine to
fall almost 60 metres on Thursday, killing all 9 who were being taken down to
110 level 2,862 metres underground. Gold Fields have suspended all work
underground below level 95.
8 of the dead workers were employees of Murray & Roberts Cementation, the other
was a Gold Fields' worker. A total of 14 miners have now died in this area in
the last week, and Thursday's accident was the second such cable failure in 2
years at the twin-mine shaft.
2nd May 2008.
|
Egypt
Speeding implicated in Sinai bus crash
Speeding is speculated as the likeliest cause of the bus crash near Wadi
Ghandal, 45 miles south of Suez, in which 9 passengers died and 28 were injured.
The bus failed to negotiate a tight bend and burst into flames after
overturning, the 40 European and Canadian passengers were travelling from Sharm
el-Sheik to Cairo.
2nd May 2008.
|
Malaysia
Worker killed as emergency transmission
tower collapses
The Department of Occupational Safety & Health is investigating an accident in
which an employee of Tenaga Nasional Berhad was killed when an emergency
transmission tower collapsed at Suang Parai Inanam where 1 of its 4 retaining
cables detached, 4 other workers are being treated for injuries at Queen
Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
1st May 2008.
|
Japan
Girl injured on roller coaster ride
A 10-year old girl broke her collarbone after being pitched against a boundary
wall while riding on the Labyrinth ride at Himeji Central Park, Himeji. The
8-seater mini-coaster ride has a top speed of 25mph as it negotiates the
400-metre course and features a bar at knee level, seatbelts and a hand bar.
After an accident 5 years ago a minimum customer height of 130cm was introduced.
It is thought that the height of the girl, whose upper body hit the wall as the
ride negotiated a curve, slightly exceeded this limit.
1st May 2008.
|
|
Switzerland
Gas cylinder explodes in camping site
restaurant
A leaking gas cylinder in the kitchen of a restaurant in a camping site in
Tenero exploded and destroyed the building. No injuries were reported but fire
crews from Locarno took 4 hours to control the blaze. Another 8 cylinders at the
premises did not ignite, cooling operations were ongoing throughout Thursday.
30th
May 2008.
|
UAE
Fatal accident inquiry at Burj Dubai
tower
Dubai police are investigating a fatal accident at the site of Emaar's
Burj Dubai tower where a contract worker was killed after being
struck by falling material being used to attach external cladding to the
650-metre high tower, the world's tallest such structure.
29th May 2008.
|
USA
Conductor crushed by coal at North Carolina yard
A 46-year old conductor of CSX Railroad has died after being crushed by
falling coal during unloading of coal from a 97-wagon train at Progress
Energy's Weatherspoon plant in Lumberton, North Carolina. The conductor
was one of a 2-man crew, each wagon carries 100 tonnes of coal, the
circumstances of the accident remain unclear.
28th May 2008.
|
Denmark
3 children killed in off-road accident
Three 13-year old teenagers died in a weekend
accident when a former military wagon they were driving in a field in Hadsund,
Jutland, came off a gravel path and over a 4-metre embankment, it remains
unclear if they had taken the vehicle with parental approval.
27th May 2008.
|
Russia
Cargo plane crashes at Chelyabinsk
All 9 crew of an AN-12 cargo aircraft of Moskovia, formerly Gromov Air,
died when their plane crashed on Monday near Chelyabinsk airport, a fire
on board was reported shortly after its take-off from Chelyabinsk for
Perm. 27th May
2008.
|
Iceland
Rare find on building site
An unexploded WW2 bomb weighing 55Kg was uncovered during construction
work for a new sports centre on Furugrund Street in Kopavogur, south of
Reykjavik, the Icelandic Coast Guard, more used in the past to dealing
with sea mines trawled into fishing nets, successfully defused its
detonator prior to its subsequent removal and disposal.
23rd May 2008.
|
Switzerland
Garage roof collapses at concrete pour
The collapse of the newly finished roof of a commercial garage in Stalden,
Wallis, shortly after a concrete pour on Wednesday has left 7 construction
workers badly injured, some with fractures in a 6-metre fall.
22nd May 2008.
|
Australia
Worker killed in packaging machinery
WorkCover NSW is investigating a fatal crush accident at the Vinidex packaging
factory in Smithfield, west Sydney, where a maintenance worker died when
machinery he was working on suddenly activated.
21st May 2008.
|
USA
Mine worker electrocuted
The US Mine Safety & Health Administration issued its preliminary findings on
Monday into Friday's death of a 24-year old maintenance worker at the Aracoma
Alma No 1 Mine of Massey Energy in Melville, southwest Virginia.
The worker was maintaining an electrical shuttle vehicle used in underground
coal transportation, it is believed he was electrocuted after breaching a live
cable. This was the 9th US mining fatality of 2008.
20th May 2008.
|
Japan
Fishing boats collide in fog
The Hokkaido fishing boats Tomi Maru and Hokuto Maru No 8 collided in dense fog
5 miles off Haboro port, Rumoi, 8 of the 25 customers on this recreational
fishing excursion were hospitalised.
20th May 2008.
|
Australia
British yachtsman killed by boom
The Australian Rescue Co-ordination Centre has indicated that a 63-year man has
died on the yacht Deja Vu after being struck by a broken boom, a British woman
on the yacht has been rescued following the accident 100 miles east of Fraser
Island where rough seas contributed to the incident and prevented another yacht
in the vicinity from effecting the woman's rescue from the stricken yacht.
19th May 2008.
|
France
Alcohol impaired officer grounds Polish
ship
The 84-metre long Polish freighter, Ina, ran aground on the north French coast
after losing its course, helicopters and police vessels were scrambled, it is
alleged that the officer on the bridge had fallen into a drunken stupor. 17th May
2008.
|
Philippines
Arboreal fatality
A man has died after being struck by a falling coconut tree during felling work
at a farm adjacent to San Vicente Elementary School in Virac, 2 others were
uninjured in the accident. 16th May
2008.
|
Fiji
Diver killed by shark
A 28-year old diver who died yesterday while diving with a party of 7 off Turtle
Island in the Yasawa archipelago of west Fiji may have been the victim of a
shark attack, his facial and leg injuries were consistent with such an incident. 16th May
2008.
|
France
Trawlers collide off Narbonne beach
The trawlers le Cap Bear and le Mediterranean collided 8 miles off
Narbonne-Plage on Wednesday, one of the boats sank but it is believed that all 8
crew members have been rescued. 15th May
2008.
|
Austria
Thin man slips out of Linz prison
An investigation has been launched into the escape from detention of a Kosovan
immigrant who slipped through a food serving hatch in Linz prison and then
negotiated 2 doors before scaling a wall. The prisoner who weighed just 55Kg
faced charges of illegal entry to Austria. 15th May
2008.
|
Canada
Falling material kills Toronto worker
A 55-year old plumbing supervisor has died after being struck by a falling metal
section at the Murano South Tower condominium site in Toronto, he was working at
3rd floor level, the material fell from the 23rd storey.
14th May 2008.
|
Thailand
Transport accident at container port
A fatal crush accident has occurred at the K-Line Container Service Company
Ltd's depot at Laem Chabang Port, 15 miles from Pattaya, where a worker became
pinned between 2 lorries.
Initial speculation suggests brake failure, causing a lorry with a full load to
roll back into a stationary one. The driver of the moving lorry reported a
failure of the brakes to arrest his fully laden vehicle's momentum.
14th May 2008.
|
Rep Ireland
Light aircraft crash near Knock
The pilot of a light aircraft has been killed when it crashed at Cloonamna near
Knock, county Mayo.
The flight had encountered technical problems shortly after taking off from
Knock Airport for Weston Airport, Dublin, and was trying to return to Knock. A
passenger was critically injured in the accident.
13th May 2008.
|
England
Teenager falls through warehouse rooflight
A Lancashire teenager has been lucky to escape with light injuries after falling
9 metres through a plastic rooflight at the LBS warehouse site in Trawden where
he was trying to retrieve a football from the roof. 13th May 2008.
|
Canada
Boy,5, killed in Alberta farm accident
A 5-year old Alberta boy was killed on Saturday in a transport accident on the
family farm 1 mile north of Beaumont, south of Edmonton, sustaining fatal head
injuries in the accident.
12th May 2008.
|
Australia
Hotel worker rescued from burning lift
Tasmanian fire crews managed to rescue a hotel worker from a burning elevator in
Hobart's Mercure Hotel, the lift had become stuck at 4th floor level and
hydraulic cutting gear normally used at road accidents was required to open the
shaft doors at ground level. The shaft was considerably smoke-logged from flames
burning on the elevator's exterior. 12th
May 2008.
|
India
Worker killed in fire at textile factory
It is thought that an electrical malfunction caused yesterday's fire at Saira
Garments textile factory in Nodia (New Okhla Industrial Development Authority),
southeast Delhi, in which a 25-year old worker was killed and another has
critical 75% burns.
10th May 2008.
|
Switzerland
Worker pinned by vehicle at metal works
Investigators are studying a workplace fatality which has occurred at a
metal works in Appenzell where a worker died from crush injuries, he was
discovered half-inside, half-out of a vehicle which was pinning him against a
wall, he had been operating the vehicle and was preparing for its loading.
9th May 2008.
|
Australia
Falling concrete killed Queensland worker
Investigators were studying a fatal accident yesterday at the Dalrymple Bay Coal
Terminal in central Queensland where a worker was crushed by substantial
sections of concrete from a demolished bridge. He had apparently been attempting
to remove timber sections from the front of the load but lost his balance and
fell under it. 8th May
2008.
|
France
Boy injured in fairground fall
A 7-year old boy was badly injured after falling 5 metres from a ride at a fair
in Nerac, 80 miles southeast of Bordeaux, he slipped off his seat during the
ride's vertical movement, the ride features a 15-seat mounting and 2 articulated
arms and is now subject to a technical inspection.
7th May 2008.
|
Norway
Fire and mass evacuation in central Oslo
hotel
Fire broke out in a storage room on the 17th floor of the Radisson SAS Plaza
hotel in central Oslo on Tuesday morning, more than 1,000 people were evacuated
from the hotel which was hosting a medical conference.
7th May 2008.
|
USA
Handling fatality at Pennsylvanian
recycling plant
A 60-year old worker has died in an accident at RPM Recycling in Plainfield,
Pennsylvania, he died from head injuries when a heavy metal sorting tray fell on
him as he and a colleague were raising it into position. It is believed that a
weld in the tray failed. 6th
May 2008.
|
Brazil
Amazon boat sinking leaves scores missing
12 people have drowned and at least 40 are missing following the sinking on
Sunday of the Comandante Sales boat at Laranjal on the Solimoes River, 50 miles
from Manaus.
The boat's passenger capacity was 80 persons, it is alleged that as many as 150
may have been on board, mostly younger people returning from a festival at an
Amazonian fishing community. The locality of Manacapuru where the incident
occurred sees the Solimoes run to depths of 100 metres.
5th May 2008.
|
USA
Mississippi boiler explosion fatality
A contract worker was killed in a boiler explosion at the weekend during
maintenance work in the steam room area of International Paper Company's plant
in Redwood, southwest Mississippi, it is thought that the explosion occurred as
the boiler was being reactivated. The explosion left 17 other contract workers
with burns of varying severity.
5th May 2008.
|
Sudan
Plane crash kills 21 in southern Sudan
A plane crash in southern Sudan on Friday killed 21 people, the 2 crew members
and 19 passengers, including the Defence Minister for Southern Sudan.
3rd May 2008.
|
Italy
5 French mountaineers killed in Piedmont
avalanche
An avalanche at Pian di Basci on the Gran Paradiso in Piedmont has killed 5
French mountaineers at an altitude of 2,500 metres, the party's French guide has
been hospitalised in Aosta and is in semi-conscious condition.
2nd May 2008.
|
Canada
Worker pinned under landfill bulldozer
A worker at Ridge Landfill, between Blenheim and Ridgetown, Ontario, has been
critically injured after a bulldozer he was operating slid down a gradient at
the site owned by Browning Ferris Industries.
1st May 2008.
|
The Netherlands
Child injured by horse at market
A girl was badly injured on Wednesday in an accident involving a horse at a
market in Zwijndrecht, details of how she fell under the horse have yet to
ascertained. 1st May 2008.
|
|
Panama
Helicopter crashes in Panama City
A number of people have died, including the visiting Chilean head of police,
when a helicopter of the Servicio Aereo Nacional (the Panamanian National Air
Service), crashed into a 3-storey building in the busy Calidonia district of
Panama City on Thursday, 12 people were on board the helicopter which split in
two on impact. 30th
May 2008.
|
USA
Exploding grinding wheel kills Pennsylvania machine man
A grinding wheel exploded inflicting fatal injuries to a worker who was
grinding a metal clamp at a grinding machine at Erie Tool & Forge Inc in
Springboro, Pennsylvania, the 2-foot diameter wheel and sections of the
machine impacted against the worker.
29th May 2008.
|
Australia
Secured worker survives fall after
MEWP collapses
A worker has survived a fall the equivalent of 5 storeys at Melbourne University
where he was working in an elevated work platform which collapsed.
Although he was pitched out, he was restrained by his safety harness a few
metres above ground, WorkSafe is investigating this accident.
29th May 2008.
|
Australia
Worker's arm broken in lathe
A worker has sustained multiple fractures of a lower arm after it became
caught in a spinning lathe at Vettiger Vidler Engineers in Toowoomba,
southeast Queensland.
28th May 2008.
|
Ukraine
Search for missing Donetsk miners
Rescue and recovery teams strove during the
weekend to locate 7 miners missing after a methane gas explosion at the Krasnolimanskaya
mine in the Donetsk region, 4 miners died in the accident, 3 escaped with
injuries. The 50-year old mine has high methane concentrations.
27th May 2008.
|
Romania
Incinerator explosion kills 2
subcontractors at Pirochim Victoria
An explosion on Monday at the waste incinerator of Pirochim, a subsidiary
of weapons producer Romarm, killed 2 employees of subcontractor Sparomex
who were working at the site in Victoria, central Romania.
27th May 2008.
|
Belgium
Child drowns on unsupervised stretch of Ostend beach
A 9-year old boy drowned on Sunday on Ostend's Grande Plage at
Kemmelbergstraat, a stretch of beach which is unsupervised.
27th May 2008.
|
USA
National Safe Boating Week- Wear It
This week's annual proclamation of National Safe Boating Week by President
George W Bush for the last time during his tenure of office calls on all
those taking to the waters to wear life jackets, abstain from drugs and
alcohol and take a boat safety course. Wearing a life jacket is estimated
to have had the potential to have saved 80% of people killed annually in
boating accidents. 23rd
May 2008.
|
Germany
Welding fire at Berlin Philharmonie
It is suspected that the fire which destroyed the domed roof of the Berlin
Philharmonie on Tuesday night was caused by hot work being undertaken on the
roof, fire crews had to use cutting gear to gain access to best control the
blaze and minimise damage at the 45-year old building referred to by some
Berliners as "Zirkus Karajani."
22nd May 2008.
|
USA
Maintenance worker crushed at Florida mall
A worker installing lighting at The Shops mall in Pembroke Pines, Florida,
has been killed in a crush accident when he became pinned between a ceiling and
the lift which was raising him.
21st May 2008.
|
Belgium
Electrical accident at Herselt town hall
An electrical accident during air conditioning installation at Herselt town hall
on Tuesday afternoon has left 2 workers critically injured, a 19-year old is in
a coma at Gasthuisberg hospital in Leuven, his 27-year old colleague has severe
burns.
21st May 2008.
|
Indonesia
Ferry fire
All 712 passengers and 57 crew have been safely rescued from the ferry Dharma
Kencana after fire broke out on the upper passenger deck as it was 25 miles from
its destination of Kalimentan on Borneo Island after sailing from Semarang on
Java.
19th May 2008.
|
USA
Oregon farmer killed during vehicle
coupling
A fatal crush accident has claimed the life of a 78-year old Oregon farmer who
became pinned between a tractor and trailer during coupling at a ranch on SE Van
Lake Road in Crook County, east of Bend .
19th May 2008.
|
Fed States of Micronesia
Cargo plane overshoots West Pacific
airport runway
A Boeing 727 aircraft of Asia Pacific Airlines skidded off the end of the runway
on landing at Pohnpei airport on Friday, its nose dipping into a shallow lagoon,
no injuries were reported.
The airport lies on an island off the north coast, a project to extend the
2K-metre long runway by 265 metres is due to get underway later this year. 17th May
2008.
|
USA
Steam explosion fatality at NC university lab
A 63-year old worker has been killed after a steam line fractured in the
mechanical room in the basement of the Levine Science Research Centre at Duke
University, Durham, North Carolina. 16th May 2008.
|
USA
Idaho tractor accident
A farm worker has died in a tractor accident near St Anthony, southeast Idaho,
where he was riding in the front end loader from which he was pitched out as the
tractor passed over rough ground, subsequently running over him. 15th May
2008.
|
USA
Crush fatality at Minnesota scrap yard
A fatal accident has occurred at the scrap yard of Dom-Ex, a division of H-E
Parts International, in Hibbing, northeast Minnesota, in which a worker was
crushed under a large piece of equipment.
14th May 2008.
|
USA
Tiger injures keeper at Toledo Zoo
A keeper at Toledo Zoo, Ohio, sustained chest lacerations when a tiger breached
the double mesh wire of its cage, the zoo management has indicated that it was
"a freak accident" which saw the female tiger's claws come through the wire at
an odd angle and catch the keeper who was working close to the cage.
14th May 2008.
|
England
Tyneside company fined for scaffold
accident
In an HSE instigated prosecution at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court Murray
Construction & Development pleaded guilty to failing to conduct a proper
risk assessment for work at height in respect of an accident last May in which a
50-year old worker sustained a spinal fracture in a 3-metre fall from
scaffolding at a dwellinghouse site in Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, for which it was
fined a total sum of £16K. 13th May 2008.
|
Romania
Points failure speculated in derailment
A Ploesti-Iasi express train derailed near Valea Calugareasca station at the
weekend, a 17-year old female passenger died and 5 others were injured as the
train's 6 carriages derailed.
The train had just passed over points switch No 9, subject to a midweek
maintenance work order, when the accident occurred.
12th May 2008.
|
The Netherlands
Fire at Zevenbergen care home
An outbreak of fire occurred on Sunday in the Sancta Maria care home on
Kasteelweg in Zevenbergen, 100 residents were evacuated including many care
patients in wheelchairs, the locus is thought to have been on the first floor.
12th May 2008.
|
Australia
Site crane falls into Sydney bus depot
A falling crane came dangerously close to killing 2 workers on Thursday at a bus
depot in Balmain Road in the Sydney district of Leichhardt, the crane was
operating on an adjacent site to the garage and was attempting to lift a
concrete section when it became unstable and fell, both men were working on the
bus at the time of the accident but escaped with light injuries.
9th May 2008.
|
USA
Passing train's boarding ladder kills
track worker
A tracks worker of A-Ceco Inc has been killed after being struck by a southbound
Amtrak Californian Pacific Surfliner in Santa Fe Springs, the victim had been
working on a closed track but his handling of materials saw him move close to a
track in service where he was clipped by the passing Amtrak's boarding ladders.
9th May 2008.
|
Switzerland
Bortribromide spillage in Basle lab
A container of bortribromide fell at a laboratory in Belchen Street in Basle on
Wednesday, 3 lab workers required hospital treatment after attempting to contain
the spillage. 8th May
2008.
|
Thailand
Falling tree kills coconut worker's son
A falling mango tree came down on a house in a coconut plantation in Koh Samui,
Surat Thani, an accident which has killed a 9-year old boy, his parents managed
to escape the accident which destroyed the house.
7th May 2008.
|
Latvia
Cruise ship grounds on sand bank
The Bahamas-registered cruise ship Mona Lisa, with 651 passengers and 320 crew,
ran aground on a sand bank in the Orbe straits off northwest Latvia, on Sunday
as it was sailing from Tallinn to Riga, a tug later attempted to pull the 173-metre long
boat out into deeper water.
5th May 2008.
Update. On Monday all
passengers were evacuated after 4 tugs had failed to tow the Mona Lisa off the
sand bank. 6th May
|
France
Aviation accident in Le Mans
A pilot was killed on Friday when his plane developed technical problems shortly
after take-off from Le Mans airport and crashed at the Le Mans 24 Hours racing
circuit. 3rd May 2008.
|
Japan
Issue of pilot's fitness to fly
Police in Osaka are assessing whether a violation of Civil Aeronautics Law has
taken place in respect of the granting of a pilot's licence by a doctor to an
aviator who had a clinical record of sarcoidosis, a condition which impairs
vision and produces breathing problems. According to the Construction and
Transport Ministry's manual for aviation medical examination, this condition
debars an individual from obtaining a pilot's licence. The pilot of Osaka
Aviation was allegedly granted a licence in February 2007, despite having this
pre-existing condition. He died in an air accident last October, crashing on the
Nankai Electric Railway line .
3rd May 2008.
|
Ireland
Worker killed at Galway Sportsground
HSA is investigating a midweek accident at the site of the new gym at the rear
of the Galway Sportsground on College Road where a worker has died in an
industrial accident.
2nd May 2008.
|
Bulgaria
TV bus overturns east of Sofia
A coach carrying a Bulgarian National Television crew and equipment on
assignment crashed on Thursday between Panadiuriate and Pazardzik, of 6 staff
injured some have fractures and severe concussion.
2nd May 2008.
|
Ukraine
Woman killed in bears' cage
A woman died after entering a bear's cage at an animal farm near Donetsk, 2
bears were in the cage at the time, it remains unclear why she entered or how
she gained access. 1st May
2008.
|
|
England
Dangerous roof repair
Roofing company John Hartshorne Ltd of Barnsley has been fined £2,000 with
costs of £500 for failing to take adequate measures to prevent falls from
height during work at Walmsley's Furniture Superstore in the town in January
this year.
An HSE inspector commented: "This particular project was very poorly planned, and
there were no controls in place to prevent falls from the roof where in areas
there was potential to fall 10m to the ground. Thankfully no-one was injured on
this occasion but had we not been passing and taken action, the outcome could
have been quite different, and even tragic."
30th May 2008.
|
England
Worker was buried by waste
White Reclamation Ltd has been fined £50,000
with costs of £30,000 at Manchester Crown Court having breached Sections
2(1) and 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in the
circumstances of an accident at an Eccles waste transfer site in July
2003.
The deceased, a driver, was buried in waste, investigation found no
segregation of pedestrian or vehicles and no marshal or traffic management
system.
29th May 2008.
|
Northern Ireland
NI farmer killed in livestock accident
A 78-year old farmer
from County Antrim died last Friday when he was attacked by a bull, his
body was discovered at his farm near Carnlough.
28th May 2008.
|
Scotland
Possible confined space fatality on
freighter at Ayr
Strathclyde Police have attended an incident in Ayr on Monday afternoon
following the discovery of 2 bodies in the hold of a freighter, the
Pascal, which had just docked in the harbour.
Identification has yet to take place, it has yet to be ascertained if this
is a confined space fatality.
27th May 2008.
|
England
Hotel pool death
It is reported that a 28-year old man using the pool at the Rainbow
International Hotel in Torquay died following an incident there on
Saturday. 27th May
2008.
|
England
London forklift accident
It is reported that a man sustained life-threatening injuries in an
industrial accident on Tuesday at the premises of Cannon Rubber Ltd in
Tottenham.
The incident involved a forklift truck, the injured man sustained head
injuries. 23rd May
2008.
|
Wales
Hired plant must be safe
A failure to provide safety information for an excavator to a hire customer ,
and a failure to ensure its safe condition, has landed Astra Plant Ltd of
Treharris a fine of £2,000 plus costs of £6,356. Investigation of a subsequent
July 2006 accident found that the equipment was supplied without suitable
rollover protection and pre- and post-hire checks.
The customer, a farmer, rolled the machine over, injuring his leg, Astra had
neglected to ensure he was suitably trained to operate the machine, placing the
company in breach of S.6 of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
22nd May 2008.
|
England
Simple precautions could have prevented
accident
A bricklayer sustained serious injuries to his lower leg on 23rd April last year
when he was struck by an excavator on a Crook, Yorkshire, building site where
there was no segregation between pedestrians and vehicles and inadequate traffic
management.
Redworth Construction Ltd of Malton pleaded guilty to a charge under S.3(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for which it was fined £10,000 with
costs of £2,321, an HSE Inspector commented: "One of the biggest causes of
workplace incidents is people being struck by vehicles. It is the second most
common kind of fatal and serious incident in construction. Simple precautions
could have stopped this incident occurring in the first place and prevented this
worker being needlessly injured."
21st May 2008.
|
England
Sussex refuse collection worker killed
It is reported that a refuse collection worker employed by Horsham District
Council has died in an accident while working in Southwater, he was struck by
the collection vehicle last Thursday.
20th May 2008.
|
England
Clothing pulled man into lathe
An incomplete risk assessment permitted an industrial accident to occur in
February 2006 which caused a man to lose part of his arm. He was carrying out a
routine task setting up work on a moving lathe when his clothing became caught
on a protruding bolt which dragged him into and over the machine and resulted in
the amputation of his left forearm.
A generic risk assessment identified entanglement risks, but an assessment of
the setting up process for this job had failed to recognise the risks involved.
Peter Brotherhood of Peterborough was fined £7,500 with £16,000 costs after
pleading guilty of breaching S.2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
19th May 2008.
|
Wales
Accidental death of waste centre worker
An inquest jury in Flint has determined that a 51-year old worker at the West
Pennine Recycling Unit in Buckley, near Chester, who died in an industrial
accident last December, died accidentally. He died soon after being struck and
crushed by a reversing item of heavy plant being used at the recycling plant,
the operator unaware of his presence behind him. 17th May
2008.
|
England
Forklift accident leaves teenager critically
injured
A 16-year old has sustained major injuries in an industrial accident when a
forklift truck in which he was riding became involved in an incident.
The accident occurred at the premises of metalworkers Austin Walmsley on the
Leach Field Industrial Estate in Garstang, Lancs. 16th May
2008.
|
Scotland
Substation shock boy critical
The 13-year old boy who received a 33kV shock from a conductor at an electricity
substation in Aberdeen remains seriously ill with life-threatening injuries.
According to one account he apparently fell in to the Bedford Road
substation from a wall while in the company of others on Monday morning. 15th May
2008.
|
Scotland
Workplace death at demolition company yard
A man has died in a workplace accident at the premises of Whitehill Demolition
in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow.
It is reported that the deceased was crushed beneath a machine on Monday
morning. 14th May
2008.
|
Northern Ireland
Construction death in County Antrim
It is reported that a construction worker has died in an industrial accident on
a site in Bushmills, Co Antrim.
The accident occurred on Friday afternoon after a dumper truck rolled down an
embankment, killing its driver. 13th May 2008.
|
United Kingdom
Domestic boiler alert
The Health and Safety Executive is warning of the potential danger of leaving a
disused boiler at the back of a fireplace and then lighting a coal or wood fire
in front of it. The boiler can heat up, causing its casing to explode, and this
has occurred several times over recent years, claiming one life.
12th May 2008.
|
England
Machine crush fatality at Yorks printers
A worker has died after becoming trapped in machinery at the printing premises
of the Bezier group in Wakefield, Yorkshire.
10th May 2008.
|
England
Risks not controlled, man badly injured
Trak Build Ltd of Hemel Hempstead, the principal contractor, and contractor
Midland Steel Structures Ltd of Coventry have each been fined £10,000 with costs
of £8,279 for failures to control risks during work which resulted in a serious
head injury to a man who now requires 24-hour daily care, and will continue to do so
for as long as he lives.
On 11th October 2006, on a site in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, the accident victim
fell down a concrete staircase while it was being installed, risk assessment by
both convicted parties had been inadequate for the work which involved lifting
equipment. 9th May 2008.
|
Wales
Roofing company proprietor jailed
The proprietor of North Eastern Roofing based in Bridgend has received a
10-month custodial sentence having admitted manslaughter in the circumstances of
the death of a 17-year old workman in 2003 who fell 10m through a roof light on
retail premises in Cwmbran.
The proprietor must also pay £18,000 costs.
8th May
2008.
|
England
Man, 27, killed in Manchester roof fall
A man has recently fallen 15m to his death as he worked to place a TV antenna on
to a residential block of properties.
The flatted properties in Didsbury are owned by Guinness Northern Counties
Housing Association. 7th May
2008.
|
Scotland
80 tonne crane collapses
A crane has failed under load at the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan. One man
required to be taken to hospital with minor injuries, 2 colleagues were treated
at the scene, the jib of the crane sheared away completely.
6th May 2008.
|
England
Blast kills Lancs man
It is reported that a man has died at industrial premises in Houghton Road,
St Helens, the report states that he was injured by an explosion as he was
cutting into a drum. 5th May
2008.
|
England
Window company rebuked over standards
Window replacement company Everest Ltd of Potters Bar has been fined £6,000 with
£15,963 costs by Luton Magistrates after pleading guilty to breaching health and
safety law including the Work At Height Regulations 2005.
During July and November 2006, an HSE inspector passed residential properties in
Luton where Everest Ltd was contracted to perform domestic roofline
refurbishment, and this work involved persons working at height from mobile
tower scaffolds and associated work platforms. There was an absence of suitable
protection to prevent the workmen falling, and the inspector took immediate
enforcement action, serving a Prohibition Notice which stopped the work at 2
sites. 3rd May 2008.
|
England
Avoidable, tragic accident
Corus UK Ltd has been fined £170,000 with costs of £30,000 for breaching health
and safety law over the death on 2nd July 2003 of an employee at its Brinsworth,
Rotherham, site. The deceased was killed whilst working underneath a crane,
investigation found a limit switch fitted to the crane was defective, allowing
the hoist rope to over-tighten and snap, and a 260kg block fell on to him from a
height of 7 metres.
An HSE Inspector commented: "This was a tragic and entirely avoidable accident.
The limit switch fitted to this crane to prevent over hoisting was a safety
critical device. It should have been properly maintained in a safe working
condition, and regularly tested. The fact that these simple measures were not
taken led to this tragic death. "
2nd May 2008.
|
|
England
Motocross circuit death
It is reported that a teenager died following an accident at Flackwell Heath,
Bucks, while participating in an event on Sunday, HSE is investigating.
1st May 2008.
|
|