www.safetynews.co.uk 

          Home                                                                  November 2007                                               Archives

 

 
Bulgaria
3 killed in lead mine accident
Three workers have died in an accident at the Dzhurkovo lead and zinc mine at Laki, 125 miles southeast of Sofia. The precise circumstances of the accident have yet to be confirmed, it is thought that a landslide occurred, trapping 1 miner, the other 2 fatalities occurred when attempts were made to rescue him, possibly failing due to a gaseous atmosphere in a confined space.
The mine has been privately operated since 1998. 30th November 2007.
South Korea
Mobile phone speculated as cause of quarry worker's death
It is being speculated that an exploding cell phone battery may have caused the death of a quarry worker, the victim was found dead at his work with substantial burn injuries on his chest and broken ribs and spine, police report that his LG Electronics mobile phone battery in his shirt pocket had melted.  29th November 2007. UPDATE. This incident is now being attributed to the victim being struck accidentally by a colleague's drilling equipment.
USA
Worker killed in fall at Las Vegas casino site
A construction worker has died at the Cosmopolitan condominium/casino project site in Las Vegas, he was working with a crew during the lowering of a steel section on an upper floor from where he fell 18 metres. 29th November 2007.
Ecuador
Dozens missing in gold mine explosion
The explosion of a dynamite store in the Liga de Oro gold mine in Ponce Enrique, in the province of Azuay, 220 miles southwest of Quito, has killed 7 miners and left 30 others missing, 40 workers have been hospitalised.
Around 400 workers, mostly Peruvians, are employed there by operator Sominur. Initial speculation has been of an electrical malfunction but the local Civil Defence has speculated that a carelessly discarded cigarette by a worker at the store may have caused the blast. The workers were on a break when the explosion occurred.
Ecuador has more than 4,000 mines, of which 681 mine gold, silver or copper. 28th November 2007.
Thailand
Tourist electrocuted in shower
Police are investigating the death of a European tourist who was electrocuted in his rented flat at a guest house in the Soi Paradise district of Patong, autopsy confirmed that he had been electrocuted, the circumstances indicated he had been showering when the accident occurred. No charges have yet been brought against the property owner. 28th November 2007.
Brazil
Crumbling fabric of stadium claims 7 lives
The collapse of a section of stand in the Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador killed 7 spectators at the Bahia v Nova football match, the incident occurred at the end of the match as crowds surged in from outside and overfilled the section where supporters were jumping in celebration.
An independent engineering assessment of the 56-year old stadium had deemed it one of Brazil's most dangerous in terms of its crumbling structures and support beams. 27th November 2007.
Bangladesh
Dozens missing as boats sink in Sea of Bengal
Arrests have been made following the sinking of a trawler and 2 light craft which were attempting to transport 230 people from Paschchimpara to Malaysia, allegedly involving human trafficking. The light craft were carrying the people out to the trawler off Shah Parir Dwip in Teknaf, but the trawler became overloaded and sank, survivors swam back to the light craft which also succumbed to overloading, there were sightings of bodies on Sunday off St Martin Island. 26th November 2007.
Norway
Fatal bus crash involving ex-workers
Three people died and 24 were injured when a coach of Norwegian bus company Troenderbilene overturned on an icy road while taking a party of former employees from Levanger in Nord-Trondelag on a seasonal shopping trip to Sweden. 26th November 2007.
Germany
Seafood arsenic contamination theory
Academics from Kiel University are promulgating a theory that arsenic leeching from WW2 ordnance in the Baltic and North Seas may be accounting for abnormally high arsenic readings being found in samples of sea fish, 50 mg per Kg of fish being 10 times above normal readings. Such inorganically formed arsenic would pose serious health risks to humans. 23rd November 2007.
China
Divers recover bodies from sunken freighter
At least 10 people drowned and an unknown number are missing following the sinking of a cargo ship sailing between Chingdao and Penglai in eastern China. Divers from the Beihai Rescue have been recovering bodies from the cabins of the ship which had been carrying cement and flour, but was also illegally carrying passengers.
The captain and 2 crew members who survived the accident have been arrested. 23rd November 2007.
France
Corsican trains collide on single track
At least 30 people were injured on Wednesday when 2 trains collided on a single track stretch of line between Ajaccio and Bastia, a number of the injured have sustained fractures. 22nd November 2007.
Philippines
Floor fails during concrete pour
The collapse of a floor during a concrete pour has left 3 workers dead and 3 others injured at the site of the Five Star Surplus and Hardware Inc building extension in Dakudao, Agdao, it is alleged that the project began prior to the issue of official authorisation. 21st November 2007.
Poland
WW2 ordnance found in Polish parliament building
The Polish parliament building in central Warsaw was evacuated on Tuesday evening when WW2 ordnance was found during renovation work in the premises which were safely evacuated by all 150 persons inside. 21st November 2007.
Austria
Painter killed by descending lift in Vienna
A painter was killed on Monday by a descending lift cabin while working in a basement area of the lift shaft in the Wien Wieden district of Vienna.
The lift was due to be decommissioned for the beginning of the painting work on Tuesday, it is not known why the 58-year old painter had begun work on Monday, he was killed instantly when the lift broke his neck. 20th November 2007.
Australia
Company pleads guilty in confined space fatality
FRH Victoria Pty Ltd has pleaded guilty in County Court to a failure to provide and maintain a safe working environment in respect of a sewer fatality in Pakenham on 11th July 2003, where a 29-year old labourer was overcome by gases and fell 3 metres into the sewer and died.
No documented or verbal instructions had been provided, no risk assessment conducted or adequate provision made of emergency contact details. The prosecution is seeking a fine in the range of $220-260K(£101,382-119,816), while the company has argued for a $40-80K(£18,433-36,866) range by stressing mitigating factors. Sentence is expected to be delivered on Friday. 20th November 2007.
Ukraine
Criminal investigation into mining disaster
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has opened a criminal investigation into the methane gas explosion and fire at the Zassyadko coal mine which may claim more than 100 lives, 63 miners have died and a further 37 are missing. The accident occurred at a depth of 1,078 metres when 457 miners were underground.
In a separate accident a cave-in killed a miner at the Horlivka mine, north of Donetsk. Ukrainian mines are extremely deep and feature high concentrations of methane. One third of all 165 mines are more than 100 years old and require modernisation. Official Ukrainian death figures from mining accidents in 2007 are 150 for the January-July period, with 6000 workers injured. 19th November 2007.
Saudi Arabia
Fatal pipeline explosion during contract work
A gas pipeline explosion during maintenance work 20 miles from the Hawiyah plant of Saudi Aramaco has killed 28 workers, 12 others are missing, 5 of the dead are Aramco workers. Contractors were linking new piping to the line when the accident occurred. 19th November 2007.
USA
Georgia prisoner dies during work detail
A prisoner on a grounds maintenance work party has died after apparently being struck by a flying section of sharp stone, the incident occurred in Troup County, west Georgia, where the victim was helping to dislodge a colleague's equipment stuck in a ditch when the flying section of stone struck his neck, severing his carotid artery. 16th November 2007.
China
Fatal site elevator crash/entertainment premises fire
An elevator crashed 30 metres from the 11th floor level at a 32-storey construction site in Wuxi, Jiangsu, on Wednesday, leaving 6 workers dead and 11 injured. As a result an emergency work safety inspection has been ordered at all sites in Wuxi.
Elsewhere in China, 11 people died in a fire in a building in Chengde, Hebei, where fire broke out in a foot massage parlour on the ground floor of an entertainment building, the victims comprised the owner and masseuses who were asleep at the time.15th November 2007.
Colombia
Engineer survives 11kV shock
An electrical engineer of Codensa has survived contact with an 11kV power line during maintenance work in Suba, north Bogota, the 36-year old worker is being treated in the Hospital Simon Bolivar for 2nd degree burn injuries to his arms and trunk.
He was working at a height of 12 metres and was rescued in his safety harness. The accident occurred just 3 minutes after he had begun to work, by his own reckoning he was unconscious for 40 minutes, awaked by a powerful sensation of heat. Doctors have described his survival as miraculous, attributing it to his age and excellent cardiovascular system. 14th November 2007.
Germany
Rail welder killed by train in east Hessen
A 49-year old rail track welder was killed and 2 colleagues injured when an Intercity express train travelling from Hamburg to Frankfurt struck the work party on Monday morning, the incident occurred 1 mile outside Schluchtern station in east Hessen. 13th November 2007.
Ukraine
Seamen rescued and missing in Black sea storm
Storm conditions in the Black sea have seen a Russian oil tanker, Volgoneft 139, break in two, the 13-man crew sought refuge in the stern area of the vessel from where they were rescued. The tanker is understood to have lost a substantial amount of its 4,700 tonnes of oil.
However, a Georgian ship with 5,600 tonnes of scrap metal is reported sunk off the Crimean coast, only 2 of the 17 crew have thus far been rescued, both have been hospitalised in Sebastopol. There have been reports of other ships in serious difficulties, notably in the Kerch straits between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, where 65 mph winds and 5-metre high waves were prevailing. 12th November 2007.
Austria
Youth in tractor tragedy
An 18-year old youth was killed in a tractor accident on Friday afternoon in Lenzing, in the Vocklabruck district of Upper Austria, he had put a tractor into reverse gear when the jolting action caused him to fall out of the cabin, hanging down with one leg still inside, as the tractor continued to move he was subsequently crushed under it. 10th November 2007.
Dubai
Marina bridge site collapse kills 15 workers
A bridge under construction collapsed on Thursday at the multi-development site at The Dubai Marina, 15 workers died and 43 were injured, as many as 60 workers may have been on the structure in the Suffuh district at the time of the accident. 9th November 2007.
Belgium
Old oil tank ignites during building refurbishment
Fire broke out on Thursday during renovation work at the former public prosecutor's building in rue Quatre Bras, near the place Poelaert, in Brussels, it appears that residue in an old oil tank in the basement ignited.
Renovation work has been ongoing for some months, no injuries were reported and archives in the building were saved. 9th November 2007.
Dem Rep Congo
Probe into dumping of radioactive material
Investigation is underway into the suspected dumping of highly radioactive minerals in a river in southeast Katanga. Recently the authorities had seized 17 tonnes of copper ore in Likasi, 50 times above safe radioactive limits, which was earmarked for export, and had ordered its disposal in a disused uranium mine. It is speculated that the material was dumped into a river from a bridge 6 miles from Lisaki, with implications for the town's 300K residents. 8th November 2007.
Canada
Ontarian metal company fined for worker's hand injury
Ontario Court of Justice fined machine metal components manufacturer Maxtech Manufacturing $70K(£37,838) after it pleaded guilty to failing to protect a worker who sustained a severe hand injury when he contacted the moving parts of a cam bracket cell machine at the plant in Waterloo.
Investigation established that the machine could be operated while a safety cover was open, this contrary to Section 24 of Regulation 851 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. 8th November 2007.
Germany
Transport helicopter drops light aircraft
A frayed steel cable is being blamed as the cause of an accident on Tuesday near Coburg in Bavaria in which a Czech transport helicopter dropped a 1.5-tonne light aircraft which it was transporting, the plane fell 250 metres on to an empty road near Eberdorf station, no injuries occurred. 7th November 2007.
USA
Worker fell 20m from crane ladder
Investigation is underway into the death of a worker who fell 20 metres to his death from a tower crane at a site in Belltown, Seattle, the victim was scaling a ladder to enter the cab at the HMI Real Estate Inc condominium site on Third Avenue when he slipped. 7th November 2007.
France
Gas explosion leaves 5 injured, 2 missing
A gas explosion at a house in Niort has left 5 people injured and 2 missing, work was in progress at the property when a gas leak was reported, the explosion occurred after fire crews had arrived, 1 of the injured is a fireman listed in critical condition. 6th November 2007.
India
Police dig out girl from Samadhi burial
North Indian police have rescued a teenage girl who had been buried alive (Samadhi) at her own behest at a village in the Chamba Valley in Himachal Pradesh where she had been regarded as a snake goddess in recent months with curative powers.
Her entombment in a deep pit was attended by hundreds of locals, including media representatives, but hours later police had her dug out and transferred her to hospital where she was found to have suffered no physical injury. 6th November 2007.
Russia
Fire in Tula care home kills 5 residents
An outbreak of fire on Sunday at a care for the elderly in Velye-Nikolskaye, 140 miles south of Moscow, has left 5 people dead, 276 residents and 17 staff were safely evacuated. 5th November 2007.

UPDATE.Further victims were discovered in the aftermath of the accident, 23 people are now reported dead.

Ireland
Dublin electricity substation fire
Dublin fire crews tackled a blaze on Sunday morning at an Electricity Supply Board (ESB) substation in Ninth Lock Road in Clondalkin, west Dublin, no injuries were reported, stand-alone generators were in place on Sunday evening to restore supply. 5th November 2007.
USA
Quadruple confined space fatality at Wisconsin landfill site
A quadruple confined space fatality occurred on Thursday night in a collection tank at a landfill site in Superior, Wisconsin, where the 4 victims were overcome by hydrogen sulphide fumes in the 4-metre deep tank which contained drainage and water from the landfill.
The scale of the accident reflects the efforts colleagues made to rescue victims stricken in the chamber, a 5th worker raised the alarm at the landfill site owned by Kimmes Construction.
Fire crews recorded hydrogen sulphide readings of 200 parts per million, safe levels are regarded to be less than 1 part per million. 3rd November 2007.
Dem Rep Congo
Scientists denied park access on safety grounds
The Congolese National Institute for Conservation and Nature has advised scientists that access to the Virung National park will no longer be possible given the civil unrest in the park area which borders the Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan borders.
The escalating unrest of recent weeks has seen park rangers withdrawn from certain observation posts for their personal security, scientists and tourists visit the park to study the mountain gorilla in its habitat. 3rd November 2007.
USA
Lineman electrocuted in Vermont
A lineman of Nextgen Telecom Services Group was electrocuted yesterday in Vermont when a falling power line contacted the boom of his vehicle and electrified it, contract work to install fibre optic network for Time Warner was taking place in Shelburne, near Burlington. 2nd November 2007.
New Zealand
Worker broke arm at biscuit factory
Cookie Time Ltd has pleaded guilty in court in Christchurch to breaches of health and safety which led to a female worker braking an arm during cleaning of conveyor belt equipment at its Templeton premises, the victim's cleaning cloth snagged in the belt and roller, subsequently drawing her arm into the equipment.
The company was deemed to have failed to identify the hazard, to train staff properly and to have suitable guards on the equipment. Sentence will be delivered at a later date. 2nd November 2007.
Hungary
Three children killed in gravel pit accident
A substantial ingress of sand at a gravel pit in Veszprem, western Hungary, has killed three 12-year old children who were playing there yesterday, fire crews recovered 2 of the bodies quickly but it took a digger and searcher dogs some hours to locate the 3rd child.
A 15-year old boy who was playing with the group managed to extricate himself and raise the alarm. 1st November 2007.
Canada
Lorry rollover in remote Alberta site
A lorry rollover accident on a dirt track in a mountainous area near Musreau Lake, south of Grande Prairie, Alberta, has left 1 worker dead and 4 injured, investigation into the accident was ongoing throughout Wednesday. 1st November 2007.

 

  
China
Second fireworks factory explosion this week
In the second such accident within 2 days, a major explosion at the Xingtong Fireworks Company in Yangquan, Shanxi province, has killed 11 workers and left 8 others injured. 30th November 2007.
USA
Maintenance men killed in Minnesota pipeline explosion
An explosion in an oil pipeline during maintenance work in northwest Minnesota killed 2 workers, the accident occurred 1 mile south of Clearbrook. 30th November 2007.
USA
Demolition worker failed by utility
A Pennsylvanian demolition worker of Earthmovers Unlimited had an electrocution scare during work recently at the former Kaufmann buildings in Altoona. While attempting to disconnect a cable at a junction box his wrench became welded to a nut as power had not been disengaged properly, the site was powered by utility Penelec. The worker was using leather gauntlets and was standing on a timber base at the time. 29th November 2007.
Germany
Light aircraft hits power mast
A light aircraft crashed on Wednesday after striking a power mast at Busdorf in Schleswig, north Germany, the pilot of the single-propeller plane died at the scene. 29th November 2007.
Austria
Worker killed in 4-storey fall on Vienna site
A 37-year old construction worker died in a fall on Tuesday afternoon at a site on Thurnlhofstrasse in the Simmering district of Vienna, he was engaged in grinding work when he fell from the 6th storey down on to a canopy projection at 2nd storey level. 28th November 2007.
France
Dentist murdered in surgery
Police in Dijon have arrested 4 Romanian nationals in connection with the death of a dentist who was found stabbed to death by a nurse at his surgery in the French town. 28th November 2007.
Malta
Near fatal fireworks factory accident
An explosion at the Lija fireworks factory in central Malta left a 51-year old worker with life-threatening injuries on Monday afternoon, Lija is the location of a famous Maltese fireworks display every August. 27th November 2007.
France
Bailiff finds decayed corpse in rented flat
A bailiff pursuing unpaid rent found the corpse of a 41-year old woman in an HLM apartment in Calais, the body is believed to have lain there for a year since her death. 27th November 2007.
Canada
Child killed in tractor accident
A 4-year old Alberta boy was killed in a tractor accident at the weekend on a farm in Sherwood Park (formerly Smeltzer farmland), east of Edmonton, the farmer was collecting hay bales at the time of the accident. 26th November 2007.
Russia
Air France Boeing's emergency landing in St Pete
Engine problems forced a Boeing 777 of Air France flying from Beijing to Paris to make an emergency landing in St Petersburg on Sunday, no injuries were reported. 26th November 2007.
Ukraine
Bus passes red light at rail crossing
A train has collided with a bus on a level crossing in the Khmelnitsky region, 3 people have died and 10 others are injured, it is alleged that the bus crossed against a red light. 23rd November 2007.
Malta
Fall injuries claim worker's life
A construction worker who fell down 1storey at a site in Triq it-Turisti in Bugibba earlier this week has now died from his injuries. 23rd November 2007.
Slovakia
Bear almost derails tram
The tramway between Stary Smokovec and Strebske pleso in the High Tatra has been closed after a tram struck a brown bear on the line, no injuries were reported, the injured bear managed to make its way off, the line is mostly used by tourists. 22nd November 2007.
USA
Scaffold fatality in San Francisco airport hangar
Investigators have been studying a fatal accident in a hangar at San Francisco International Airport where a Utd Airlines engineer fell to his death from 30-metre high scaffolding, it is believed that the scaffolding was not positioned against an aircraft at the time of the accident. 22nd November 2007.
Norway
Policemen injured during firearms training
The Norwegian police internal affairs division is investigating an accident on Tuesday in which 2 policemen sustained gunshot injuries during a firearms training session for armed bodyguards at a police academy outside Stavern, south of Larvik, the training programme has increased recently commensurate with the demand for armed bodyguards. 21st November 2007.
Canada
Ontario miner killed by LHD
An Ontario miner died after being struck by a Load Haul Dump (LHD) truck, also known as a scoop tram, at the Redstone coal mine of Liberty Mines, 10 miles south of Porcupine, northwest Ontario. 21st November 2007.
South Africa
Manhole fatality in Guateng
A confined space accident claimed the life of one maintenance worker and has left his colleague in life-threatening condition in Benoni, on the East Rand in Guateng, where the 2 maintenance workers were attempting to clear a blockage in Main Reef Road.
Both men were working in the 3-metre deep manhole when sewage ingress occurred, firemen lifted them out with ropes. 20th November 2007.
Hungary
Charter bus hits utility pole in Budapest
A bus driver died and 14 passengers were injured when the vehicle struck a utility standard on the Hungaria ring road in east Budapest. The bus was on private hire taking a party from Kompolt, northeast Hungary, to an entertainment event in Torokbalint. 20th November 2007.
Latvia
House fire kills 6 rough sleepers
Six people died in a house fire in Riga at the weekend, the 5 men and 1 woman were homeless people who had occupied the 2nd floor of the vacant property and were overcome by smoke inhalation. 19th November 2007.
Netherlands
Frontal rail collision narrowly averted
Two trains came within 4 metres of a head-on collision in Sittard station at the weekend, one train with 100 passengers, the other with 15 found themselves on the same track. 19th November 2007.
Malta
Roof collapse kills octogenarian
Investigation has begun into the weekend roof collapse which claimed the life of an 87-year old man in his home in St Mary Street, Sliema. 19th November 2007.
Poland
Fatal level crossing accident
A train driver and a passenger were killed and 13 passengers were injured on Thursday when a train travelling from Gdynia to Zielona Gora collided with a lorry on an open level crossing near Bydgoszcz, the engine and 4 carriages overturned. 16th November 2007.
South Africa
Rock fall kills subcontractor at Kroondal
An employee of subcontractor Murray and Roberts Cementation was killed in a rock fall on Thursday at the Kroondal mine of Aquarius Platinum, the accident occurred in the mine's central shaft. 16th November 2007.
Belgium
Illegal site workers arrested
A police raid on a construction site on the rue de Brederode, Brussels, has found 8 illegal Romanian and Brazilian workers engaged in plumbing and ceiling installation at the 6-floor building.
They are being held in Zaventen prior to repatriation. 15th November 2007.
Australia
Yalloun coal mine floods
Flood water from the La Trobe River led to the collapse early on Wednesday of a section of the Yalloun coal mine, 100 miles east of Melbourne.
Water ingress had been occurring for a week from the river in full spate, TRUenergy anticipates restoring the mine within a week. No miners were on site at the time of the incident. 15th November 2007.
Sweden
Dwellinghouse gas explosion
A gas leak is speculated as the cause of an explosion which destroyed a house in the Limhamn district of south Malmo on Wednesday, no fatalities were reported. 15th November 2007.
The Netherlands
Farm worker badly injured by bull
A 39-year old farm worker from Druten has been badly injured by a bull on grazing land on Pijpstraat in Echteld, around 20 animals were in the field at the time of the incident, a number of passers-by were able to assist with his rescue.14th November 2007.
Canada
Heavy plant injuries workers on Ontario site
An accident involving heavy plant left 2 workers with serious injuries on Tuesday at the site of the new court building on Bond Street in Oshawa, 38 miles east of Toronto. 14th November 2007.
Bulgaria
Mine electrician killed in conveyor accident
An electrician was killed in an accident on Monday at the Republika coal mine near Pernik, he became caught on a conveyor belt, the nature of the accident saw his leg torn off, he died in transit to hospital from shock and blood loss. Other recent incidents in Bulgarian mines have claimed 5 lives, an explosion killed 4 miners in Oranovo and a miner succumbed to methane gas in Tvarditza. 13th November 2007.
Slovenia
Roofer in fatal fall
A roofer has died in a fall from the top of a municipal building outside Novo Mesto. 13th November 2007.
Italy
Police shot kills football supporter at motorway service area
A mistakenly directed shot by a policeman is alleged to have killed a 26-year old male at a motorway service area near Arezzo, Tuscany, the police were in the area to control potential trouble from rival groups of football supporters, the fatal shot is believed to have come through the rear window of a vehicle in which the victim was seated. 12th November 2007.
Canada
Ontario bridge collapses during concrete pour
A bridge under construction collapsed during a concrete pour at a site 10 miles southeast of Kincardine, west Ontario, 6 of the 15 workers at the Allen-Hastings Ltd site were injured in the accident. 12th November 2007.
USA
Fatal accident in Texan mine
The US Mine Safety & Health Administration is investigating a fatal accident at a lignite coal mine 50 miles south of San Antonio, Texas, where a 45-year old worker sustained fatal head injuries when a dragline rotated and struck him during the connection of the line and an electric cable.
This was the 27th US mine fatality of 2007, the first in 6 years in Texas. 9th November 2007.
Germany
Freighter accidents
The 180-metre long Bahamas-flagged freight ship Duncan Island lost 10 of its containers of bananas in heavy seas off Terschelling, northwest of Leeuwarden, Holland, the ship was in transit from Antwerp to Hamburg and is presently in Cuxhaven, shipping has been alerted to the hazard; on Wednesday afternoon, the 160-metre long Spanish container ship Ruiloba caused substantial damage when it rammed a gate at the Kiel-Holtenau lock at the north end of the Baltic Sea canal, 1 of the 2 locks there is now out of commission. 8th November 2007.
USA
Conveyor belt fatality at NY metal plant
A supervisor was killed in an accident at the beginning of Tuesday's day shift at the Auburn Metal Processing plant in Sennett, northwest New York, after being drawn into a conveyor belt on an upper floor of the premises, it is speculated that he was attempting to clear a blockage when his clothing snagged. 7th November 2007.
Guyana
Action to be taken on fires at landfill site
Georgetown authorities are promising better security at the Mandela landfill site following the latest fire there, the 2nd this year, being attributed to the clandestine activities of copper burners, methane from the extensive amount of rotting refuse ignited and a major blaze developed. 7th November 2007.
USA
Rollover fatality at Pennsylvanian energy plant
An investigation is underway into the death of a Pennsylvanian plant driver who was found dead in the cabin of his overturned bulldozer at the Hatfield's Ferry plant of Allegheny Energy in Monongahela, 10 miles south of Pittsburgh, the victim was believed to have been working in the coal handling area of the plant. 6th November 2007.
China
Maintenance workers bodies recovered at Shanxi mine
A further 5 bodies were recovered on Sunday at the Shanxi Jinle Coal Mine Industrial Co. Ltd. premises where a collapse had killed 4 other workers earlier in the weekend.
The licensed mine had been closed for maintenance work when the accident occurred, 7 of the 16 workers in the mine at that time escaped safely. 5th November 2007.
Brazil
Air taxi crashes into Sao Paulo house
An 8-seater Learjet 35 air taxi of Reali Taxi Aereo crashed into a dwellinghouse on Casa Verde in the Vila Esther district of Sao Paulo on Sunday killing at least 6 people, 12 people are believed to have been resident in the house. 5th November 2007.
France
CO fatalities in Somme house
A defective coal-fired central heating boiler has leaked carbon monoxide killing a male (34) and female (24) in Albert, 15 miles northeast of Amiens, whose bodies were discovered on Friday morning.
In recent days the Health Ministry has urged consumers to check their systems with the onset of colder weather, around 6,000 CO poisoning cases occur annually, claiming 300 lives. 3rd November 2007.
Switzerland
Boy falls under moving train
A 14-year old boy was critically injured after falling under a moving train in Lugano station on Thursday, he had attempted to jump on to a Cisalpino train departing for Chiasso. Later on Thursday he was transferred from hospital in Lugano to Zurich for specialist surgery. 2nd November 2007.
Malta
Worker killed in 4-storey fall
A 52-year old construction worker has died in a fall of 4 storeys at a site in Tarxien. 1st November 2007.
South Africa
Fatal explosion at Kloof gold mine
An explosion 3 km underground at No 4 Shaft of Gold Fields Ltd's Kloof mine near Westonaria left 2 workers dead and 2 others injured on Wednesday, the victims were working in a stope on 41 Level when the accident occurred, blasting operations were immediately cancelled. 1st November 2007.
 
Slovakia
Slovak police thwart radioactive material sale
The arrests of 2 Slovakian nationals and 1 Hungarian have been made by Slovakian police regarding an attempted sale of 1Kg of enriched uranium. 30th November 2007.
France
Plane hits power lines in Alps
A light tourist aircraft crashed on Thursday in a field near Veynes, 70 miles south of Grenoble, killing the pilot and passenger, the plane was reported to have been flying low and struck a high-power line. 30th November 2007.
South Africa
Ferry sinks on Roodeplaat Dam
The Pisces double-decker ferry carrying around 80 passengers capsized on Wednesday afternoon on the Roodeplaat Dam near Pretoria, the ferry seemed to ground on rocks, 1 person has been hospitalised with serious leg injuries, divers were deployed at the north end of the dam late in the afternoon. 29th November 2007.
Spain
Worker crushed at Northern road tunnel site
A fatal crush accident has claimed the life of a worker on Tuesday at the Bracons road tunnel site in Garrotxa, Girona, where the 57-year old victim was crushed between a lorry and a large cylinder. 28th November 2007.
Ireland
Lorry crushes worker at Dublin recycling plant
HSA is investigating a fatal accident at a recycling plant on the Merrywell Industrial estate near Clondalkin, west Dublin, in which a worker was crushed by a lorry. 28th November 2007.
Egypt
Missing divers exceeded permitted depths
Adverse weather was hampering the search for 3 divers from the Barnaul Diving Club who were missing in the Red Sea at Elphinstone Reef, southeast of Marsa Alam. While the official search may be about to be scaled down, the Red Sea Association for Diving and Water Activities still expects to have a number of boats searching the area today(Tuesday). Egyptian laws prohibit diving to depths lower than 40 metres, it is believed that the missing divers had descended to 90 metres. A 4th diver who had not descended below 40 metres has been hospitalised for decompression treatment. 27th November 2007.
China
Children killed in unoccupied fireworks factory explosion
The explosion of a stock of expired-date fireworks has killed 5 primary school children who had accessed an unoccupied fireworks unit in Yuncheng in Shanxi province. 27th November 2007.
Argentina
Petrol station tank explosion kills worker
A 50-year old worker was killed when a petrol station tank exploded during maintenance work on Sunday, the station is located between highways 7 and 88 in Miramar, another of the 30 workers on site at the time has been hospitalised in Mar del Plata. 26th November 2007.
Bulgaria
Kosloduy reactor switched off
Pipeline damage and an issue of steam saw the No 6, 1,000-Megawatt, reactor at the Kosloduy nuclear power station on the Danube switched off at the weekend, No 5 reactor is working normally. Reactors 3 and 4 were switched off prior to Bulgaria's EU-entry, Nos 1 and 2 were discontinued 4 years ago. 26th November 2007.
USA
Aircraft dismantling crush accident in Arizona
A worker has been hospitalised in Tucson, Arizona, with critical crush injuries after becoming trapped in the gearing of a Boeing 747 aircraft being dismantled at Pinal Airpark near Marana, for some reason the structure fell during the work. 23rd November 2007.
Ireland
Fishermen rescued off Dublin rocks
In the early hours of Thursday the Irish Coastguard successfully rescued the 4-man crew of a fishing boat which had sunk off Howth, county Dublin, the crew were picked up from the rocks on the coast. 23rd November 2007.
India
Girl killed in school transport accident
A 5-year old school girl was killed on Thursday by a private vehicle which had collected her from the Indian Air Force School in Tambaram.
The girl had been transported the half mile to her home in East Tambaram and had alighted. When she crossed in front of the vehicle she was unseen by the driver. 23rd November 2007.
New Zealand
Arborist clouted by falling tree
A 48-year old arborist has been hospitalised in Wellington after being struck by a falling tree while at work in Wairarapa, the nature of the terrain posed rescue difficulties for the helicopter ambulance. 22nd November 2007.
USA
Fatal accident with chipper equipment
An employee of Rotonics Manufacturing was killed on Tuesday after falling into a plastic chipper machine at Bartow Municipal Airport, Florida. 21st November 2007.
Egypt
Hot work accident in Cairo mall
Fire during hot metal work at an unfinished restaurant on the 5th floor of the City Stars mall in the Nasr City district of Cairo killed 1 worker and saw 20 others require hospitalisation for smoke inhalation, the City Stars complex includes 3 hotels, shops, entertainment venues and office and residential accommodation. 20th November 2007.
USA
Fatal service elevator accidents in Texas and Illinois
A 40-year old construction worker has died in an 11-storey fall down a rear freight elevator during refurbishment work at the site of the former Chicago Sun 18-storey building on West Wacker Street, Chicago, the elevator was on the ground floor of the 80-year old building when he stepped into the open shaft.
A similar accident has claimed the life of a worker at the Grand Hyatt Hotel site in San Antonio, Texas, where the worker was loading a service elevator when the load shifted, causing him to fall through a gate 20 storeys to the 1st floor at the site where Faulkner USA is building the hotel.19th November 2007.
Germany
Drunk captain grounds ship on Baltic sandbank
The Belize-flagged Russian freighter Ladoga 3 was successfully refloated yesterday by 2 tugs after grounding on the Ahrenshoop Sandbank, 100 metres off the beach at Fischland Darss-Zingst, Mecklenberg-Vorpommern.
A breath test of the 44-year-old captain revealed an alcohol reading of 2.56 promille, the ship, which was sailing empty from Emsland to Poland, is presently in Rostock. 19th November 2007.
Russia
Ongoing rescue in Sea of Japan
A ship carrying timber has sunk in the Sea of Japan, the Emergency Situation Ministry has reported that 23 crew have been rescued by 3 different ships but 2 life rafts are still missing, further rescue efforts are due to begin today (Mon) from Vladivostok. 19th November 2007.
Malta
Fatal accident at Zurrieq fireworks plant
An explosion on Thursday at the St Catherine fireworks factory in Zurrieq killed a 62-year old worker, the only other worker on site, a 46-year old man, is listed in critical condition in hospital. 16th November 2007.
Italy
Gas leak explosion destroys rural house
A 7-year old boy died in a gas explosion on Thursday morning which completely destroyed a 2-storey dwellinghouse in a rural location at Picciano in Basilicata, 4 other family members who were injured are being treated in Madonna delle Grazie hospital in Matera. One of the parents recalls lighting a gas cooker just prior to the explosion. 16th November 2007.
Spain
Lorry falls on to rail line, hits train
A concrete mixer being driven on the N332 came off a bridge in Silla, 13 miles south of Valencia, and landed 8 metres down on the permanent way where it was struck by a passing train, 18 people were injured, the train driver was the most seriously injured; also on Wednesday, a train struck a lorry on an open level crossing near Bilbao, again the train driver was the more seriously injured. 15th November 2007.
Ireland
Trawlermen rescued from Irish Sea
The 6-man crew of the trawler Darnette were safely rescued from a liferaft in the Irish Sea after their boat began to sink off Rosslare, a coastguard helicopter, a naval vessel and other fishing boats contributed to the rescue. 15th November 2007.
USA
Hawaii supermarket ad balloon entangles police helicopter
A Honolulu Police Department helicopter pilot had to rely on all his skills to perform an emergency landing after a supermarket advertising balloon became caught on his craft's rotor, the incident occurred while the helicopter was pursuing a thief over Farrington Highway near Savers supermarket, the emergency landing was completed safely at the Waipahu police training academy on O'ahu island. 14th November 2007.
Sierra Leone
Fire breaks out on hovercraft
Fire broke out in a hovercraft waterbus ferry travelling from Lungi international airport to Freetown on Tuesday, all 34 people on board were safely rescued, the craft is reported to have run out of fuel close to arrival in Freetown. 14th November 2007.
USA
Fatal accident involving unstable MEWP
A man has died and his son is listed in critical condition following an accident involving a MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) in Ocala, Florida.
The victim and his son and daughter were using a MEWP borrowed from work to trim tree canopy at their home, it is believed that the wheel of the MEWP may have gone through a utility cover, rendering the vehicle unstable and causing them to fall 14 metres. 13th November 2007.
Japan
Waste disposal malfunction leads to reactor shut down
Staff at the Onagawa nuclear plant of Tohuko Electric Power Company operated a manual shut down of No 3 reactor at the weekend when a rise in the hydrogen concentration in the gaseous waste disposal system was detected, the No 3 reactor had only just been restarted on Friday after its 6-month overhaul.
No 1 reactor at the plant in Miyagi is operating normally, No 2 reactor has begun its 6-month inspection.12th November 2007.
Australia
Worker badly injured in concrete pump
Queensland Fire and Rescue Services performed a tricky rescue operation to free a worker whose legs had become jammed inside a concrete pump at a site in Scarborough, north Brisbane, at the weekend.
The 20-year old worker had been cleaning the pump when he slipped and fell in, he sustained multiple fractures of the leg and pelvis in the accident. 12th November 2007.
Italy
US helicopter crash leaves 5 dead
A Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter with 11 American military personnel on board crashed on Thursday near Santa Lucia di Piave, northeast Italy, 5 people died in the accident, 3 of the 6 injured are in a serious condition. The flight had departed from Aviano and came down in the Piave river, 10 miles north of Treviso. 9th November 2007.
Tajikistan
Fatal gas explosion in Dushanbe
A gas leakage led to an a explosion in a 9-storey apartment block in west Dushanbe on Thursday, 2 residents died and 5 were hospitalised with serious burns, the locus appears to have been either the ground or 1st floor which were extensively damaged. 9th November 2007.
France
Fog means SATER deployed for missing plane
In the upper Rhine area of the Vosges the plan SATER (Sauvetage terrestre) was launched on Wednesday afternoon for a Piper light aircraft missing in the Vosges on a flight from Colmar to Dijon, dense fog locally meant no aerial search could be conducted. 8th November 2007.
Bahrain
Suspect safety at scaffold fatality site
A 30-year old construction worker died in a fall from scaffolding at 3rd floor level on an Al Namal Contracting Company site in Juffair, Manama, preliminary investigation by Labour Ministry occupational health and safety officials alleges serious lapses in safety measures. 7th November 2007.
South Africa
Sinking boat occupants rescued
The National Sea Rescue Institute reports that all 8 people on board a chartered boat which sank 400 metres off Clifton Beach in Cape Town on Tuesday have been safely rescued, the boat had lost power and was taking in water. 7th November 2007.
England
Fatal crush accident at Welbeck Colliery
A 44-year old worker sustained fatal crush injuries from a falling rock as a hydraulic jack was being lowered at Welbeck Colliery, Notts, the victim was part of a 4-man crew recovering equipment from a coal face out of commission. 6th November 2007.
Greece
Marathon runner struck by tram
A Kenyan runner in the Athens marathon was hospitalised in the neurosurgical unit of an Athens hospital yesterday after being struck by a tram after he had left the designated course near the finishing point of the race. 5th November 2007.
Switzerland
Light aircraft crashes into Lake Geneva
A self-build light aircraft crashed into Lake Geneva on Sunday, killing both occupants, the search for the victims was called off at nightfall, the plane disintegrated on impact and is lying in 40 metres of water 1 mile off Villeneuve.
This is the 3rd fatal accident this year involving self-build light aircraft. 5th November 2007.
Austria
Worker buried in unstable Graz excavation
Rescue and recovery workers strove on Friday evening to locate a 45-year old worker buried in a collapsed excavation in Graz where a water pipe was being repaired for Kanal Wasser und Strom, the victim was in the 4-metre deep excavation when a colleague climbed out to fetch a shovel, at which point the excavation became unstable. 3rd November 2007.
Japan
Worker drove ambulances on m/c license
A 55-year old man has received a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of driving fire engines and ambulances over a number of decades with only a motor cycle license.
He received a 3-year prison sentence suspended for 5 years at Maebashi District Court after having been found guilty of falsifying his license to drive in Kiryu since 1970. 2nd November 2007.
Greece
Research diver drowns in Greek cave
An experienced Swiss diver has died while undertaking research work at the 140-metre deep Siphon of Lili cave, Italian and Greek divers and speleologists found him at a depth of 98 metres, Speleo Secours has attested to his experience and his possession of a 4-hour oxygen supply. 1st November 2007.
Bulgaria
Shelving collapse injures female workers
The collapse of shelving at a metal machining factory in Druzhba, Sofia, on Wednesday has left 2 female employees with serious injuries, one of them has been listed in critical condition. 1st November 2007.
 
England
Rail worker killed by train in Berks
A maintenance worker has been killed in an accident not far from Reading Station.
He was struck by a passing train at Kennet Bridge, it is reported he was completing his shift at the time, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and Network Rail are investigating. 30th November 2007.
England
Man loses life following industrial accident
It is reported that the employee of pharmaceutical business Aesica who was injured in an explosion on 19th November at the company's Ponders End, Enfield, plant has succumbed to his injuries. 30th November 2007.
England
Bus crushes company director
A bus company proprietor was crushed and seriously injured last Friday while effecting a repair to a vehicle at the side of the road.
The incident occurred in the Astley Bridge area of Bolton, the large bus appears to have moved off its temporary supports and rolled some distance down a slope. 29th November 2007.
England
Farming fatality in Cornwall
It is reported that a man has died in an accident while working on a farm at Zennor, near St Ives Bay in Cornwall.
The incident occurred yesterday afternoon, the deceased died at the scene. 28th November 2007.
England
90-year-old died in unguarded excavation
A senior citizen died after falling down into a 1.5m deep excavation. Two employees of Balfour Beatty Power Networks who were working on Victoria Avenue, East End Park, Leeds on 29th November 2005 neglected to protect its edges as they finished work. Both were fined, one £250 plus £250 costs, his colleague was fined £400 plus £400 costs.
An HSE Inspector commented: "This was a tragic accident which was completely preventable. I am satisfied that the defendants had received appropriate training and had access to barriers to erect around the excavation. They chose not to use these barriers, walking away and leaving the excavation unguarded. As a result, this elderly gentleman lost his life." 27th November 2007.
England
Carbon monoxide poisoning
A woman in her 20's has died in her home in Croydon, it is suspected she was overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning.
She was discovered last week at a housing association property at Beulah Hill. 26th November 2007.
England
Fall from height death in Lancs
A workman in his 30's has died following an accident in which he fell 6m through a rooflight at commercial premises on Preston's Pole Street.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, one account suggests he was a self-employed guttering cleaner. 23rd November 2007.
Scotland
Death of workman on supply ship
An employee of Vroon Offshore Services died on Saturday after a fall on a stairway of the vessel Vos Piper while it was berthed at Lerwick harbour.
The incident occurred early Saturday morning, the deceased was not on duty at the time. 22nd November 2007.
England
Forklift truck fatality in Hampshire
A man in his 20's has died following an industrial accident on Friday at the Romsey premises of Wessex Medical Equipment.
One account states he was delivering material and was struck by a  forklift as he stood at his vehicle. 21st November 2007.
England
Machine part failed to danger
A steel rod, part of a compression unit of a baling machine, suddenly failed in shear, causing the death of a workman at the premises of WH Tracey Textile Recyclers of Bury during August 2006.
Examination of the part revealed it had weakened because of metal fatigue, beyond sight of the company, the deceased died when he was struck by the sheared part as he took up a position close to the compressor.
An inquest jury determined a verdict of accidental death. 20th November 2007.
England
Unsupported excavations can kill
George Wimpey (North East) Ltd and A W Cowan (Groundworks) Ltd were fined at Teesside Crown Court for health and safety failures that permitted the death of one man and the injury of another on a housing site at Springfields, Church Hill, Skelton, on 8th March 2004. An unsupported trench collapsed on the men, the surviving workman suffering serious injuries.
George Wimpey, principal contractor, was fined £300,000 with £28,367 costs under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, A W Cowan of Darlington was fined £20,000 plus £5,000 costs under the Principal Act.
An HSE Inspector commented: "This fatality and the serious injury could easily have been prevented if the appropriate safety measures had been taken. Trench collapses are entirely avoidable. Without suitable support, any vertical face of an excavation will collapse; it's just a matter of when. If heavy machinery is operated on the edge of the excavation, as happened in this case, an earlier collapse is inevitable. Excavation work has to be properly planned, managed, supervised and carried out to prevent accidents." 19th November 2007.
England
Civilian worker killed in ejector accident
A navigator, an employee of BAE Systems, died on Wednesday after he was accidentally ejected from a Tornado aircraft over Norfolk.
The flight was described as a routine test, and one account states that the incident occurred while the plane was inverted and that no parachute was seen to be deployed. 16th November 2007.
England
Workman dies of burns
It is reported that a workman has died from burns sustained in an explosion and fire at the premises of Greycourt Transport at Simonswood, Merseyside. One account states he had been disposing of material by burning it in a drum on Monday morning. 15th November 2007.
England
Man fell from exercise bike
Stafford magistrates have fined the proprietor of a leisure company after a customer fell from an exercise bike and fractured his neck. The incident occurred in August 2006 at the Stafford Sports Arena, a director of Sparena Leisure Ltd was fined £2,560, the accident is believed to have resulted from an adjustment to the handlebars made by another client. 14th November 2007.
England
Workman in his 70's died in workshop accident
A man died last December when he was crushed by an apple-harvesting machine which, it was later discovered, had an inherent problem with a pedal control.
A colleague operating the equipment at the time explained before an inquest how the pedal jammed, causing it to continue its movement, crushing the deceased against another vehicle at Bavenhill Mechanics Limited, in Preston Cross.
The jury determined an accidental death verdict. 13th November 2007.
England
Tragic outcome of child's visit to father's workplace
A 6-year-old boy died when he was thrown from a forklift truck after it collided with another and was then struck by a giant paper reel which fell from it. Investigation established that the reel was not fully secured. The accident occurred at Tilbury Free Port, Essex, in August 2003, operators Port of Tilbury London Ltd were fined £100,000, with £157,000 costs, at Croydon Crown Court having admitted breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
An HSE inspector explained: "I hope this tragic incident makes it clear to employers that they need to take positive steps to identify the risks in their workplaces and manage them. Moving the paper reels was a routine part of work at the docks. Had the company undertaken a proper risk assessment and stopped the practice of carrying riders the completely unnecessary death  would not have happened." 12th November 2007.
England
Power worker dies in accident
An employee of EDF Energy has died following an accident yesterday morning in Diss, Norfolk.
One account states that he was working on an overhead supply at the time. 10th November 2007.
England
Paper industry fatality
It is reported that an employee of Kimberly Clark died yesterday in an industrial accident at its Barrow mill.
One account states that the deceased had become trapped in equipment. 9th November 2007.
England
Child dies at nursery
HSE is investigating an incident which occurred on Wednesday at a nursery in Chigwell, Essex, in which a 2-year-old child lost her life.
It is reported that play equipment may have been an agent in the accident. 9th November 2007.
England
Asbestos misdemeanour by Kent company
Galamast Ltd of Bromley has been fined a total of £20,000 with costs of £16,140 as a consequence of exposing a number of persons to asbestos fibres.
The work for Primark, who took over several of Littlewoods retail outlets during 2005/6, involved a 'stripout' of an old Littlewoods store in Bedford's Harpur Centre in March 2006. Sadly, verbal instructions were misunderstood and, as a consequence, the company's employees, contractors and health and safety inspectors for the client were exposed to asbestos. 8th November 2007.
England
Quarry equipment removes worker's arm
A workman has lost his arm in an industrial accident after coming into contact with conveying equipment at a Lancashire quarry.
The incident occurred on Monday at the Marshall Mono Ltd quarry in Ramsbottom. 8th November 2007.
Wales
Tractor fatality in North Wales
An agricultural contractor died after being run over by his vehicle while working at Argoed Hall Farm in Bryn-y-Baal, near Mold, North Wales. 7th November 2007.
Wales
Fatal accident at Corus Port Talbot
It is reported that a man died in an industrial accident on Sunday evening at the Port Talbot steel plant operated by Corus.
The contracted workman is not an employee of Corus, one account states a vehicle was an agent in the accident. 6th November 2007.
England
Falling tree strikes workman
One man died and another was injured when a tree felling went badly wrong.
Saturday's accident occurred at the former Cliffe Nursing and Care Home in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, which is undergoing renovation, it is reported that the deceased was one of a group of migrant workers engaged on work at the site. 6th November 2007.
Great Britain
241 fatal workplace accidents in UK
The latest statistics for 2006/7 concerning workplace injury and health report that in Great Britain 241 people were killed at work and 2.2 million people suffered from work related illnesses (30 million working days were lost due to ill-health) during that 1- year period.
The number of deaths rose by 24 (217 in 2005/06), however the number of major injuries fell by 6,000. 5th November 2007.
England
Drunk master rammed oil platform
A 2,000-tonne coaster, the MV Jork, manned by an inebriated Master, collided with an unmanned gas platform in the Viking field, 24 miles off Skegness, on 3rd August 2007. The vessel eventually sank but not before all its crew were rescued.
The Master pleaded guilty to one charge brought under the Railway & Transport Safety Act 2004 for being over the alcohol limits and to another charge brought under the Petroleum Act 1974 for breaching the 500- metre zone around the gas platform, he was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for the former and 12 months for the latter, to run concurrently. 3rd November 2007.
England
Accidental death verdict on Wembley tragedy
A 54-year-old carpenter died in an industrial accident at Wembley Stadium in January 2004 when he was struck by a platform, an accident that a Hornsey Coroner's Court has determined was 'accidental' . A rope attached to a concrete skip being raised snagged a platform at a height of 100m above ground, freeing it from its position from where it fell, inflicting multiple injuries on the deceased. 2nd November 2007.
England
Major incident at refinery
Firefighters took around 3 hours to subdue a fire at the Petroplus refinery at Coryton, Essex, yesterday. The outbreak occurred at 11.30am, an explosion and 30m-high flames were reportedly centred on a Naphtha tower, the Swiss company operating the plant interrupted processing. There are no reports of injuries. 1st November 2007.