Although federal investigators are unsure of what caused Sunday’s deadly explosion at a powerplant under construction in central Connecticut, local officials are saying the accident occurred during gas line purging, or blow-down operations, in preparation for the facility’s scheduled opening this summer. Photo: AP Photo/Seth Wenig Michael Rosario, business representative for the Plumbers, Pipefitters, & HVAC Local 777, hugs a friend after telling reporters about losing three friends in the explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems power plant on Sunday in Middletown, Conn. The accident occurred just three days after the U.S. Chemical Safety Board approved recommendations on gas purging,
The number of fatal construction-related accidents in New York City decreased in 2009 by 84% over the previous year. Three fatalities were reported in 2009 compared to 19 in 2008, 12 in 2007 and 18 in 2006, according to the New York City Dept. of Buildings. Though DOB reports show that permits issued for major construction decreased 33% in 2009, building department officials believe fatal construction-related accidents decreased by a far greater margin due to the department’s expanded enforcement powers, increased oversight of high-risk construction operations and new safety awareness programs. “While the tough economic times have slowed down construction,
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour and Toronto police are continuing to investigate a Christmas Eve scaffold collapse at an apartment building under construction that killed four construction workers and injured a fifth. The workers were repairing a 13th-floor balcony when a swing stage on which they had been standing broke, sending them tumbling to the ground. The names of the dead were not released, but the Ministry of Labour has identified their employer as Metron Construction Corp., Toronto. Ministry spokesman William Lin would not comment when asked if the workers had been wearing safety harnesses. “Our investigation will take some time,”
The construction industry in Washington state is unprepared to meet a new rule that will require about 10,000 cranes to be inspected by Jan. 1, 2010. The new rule also requires operators to pass a state drug-and-skills exam. Photo: TEQNE On Jan. 1, 2010, mobile and tower cranes operating on construction sites in Washington state will require a thorough inspection at least once a year. “Crane operators have been busy,” says Hector Castro, a spokesman for the state’s Dept. of Labor & Industries. “The lag has been with the cranes themselves.” So far, only 700 out of an estimated 10,000
Fire-protection engineers and other interested parties have until March 31 to comment on draft guidelines for substantiating a computer fire model for a specific application. The five-step methodology, recently issued by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers for review, has been welcomed by fire-protection and code consultants. “RJA supports the effort to develop a guide that will be a useful tool for the practicing professional that will aid in the communications between fire-protection engineers and the local authorities,” says Martin H. Reiss, president and CEO in the Boston office of RJA Group Inc. He calls the computer simulations valuable tools
Miami-Dade County public health officials are investigating whether an activated carbon filtration system at in Miami led to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease that killed one man in October and made two people ill in recent weeks. The county health department issued a health advisory on Dec. 11 to residents, guests and employees at the Epic Hotel & Residences, stating that water samples collected from the property’s plumbing system indicated levels of chlorine were insufficient to rid drinking water of bacteria. Samir Elmir, director of the county health department’s environmental health and engineering division, says the activated carbon filter system
A federally funded study has found "a strong association" between imported wallboard made in China and metal corrosion in homes in the U.S., the Consumer Product Safety Commission says. Two other preliminary studies, of electrical-component and fire safety-component corrosion also support that finding, CPSC says. But no definitive tie has been found yet between the wallboard and health problems that home owners have reported. Photo: Office of Sen. Bill Nelson Nelson contends agencies are taking too long to find tie between drywall and corrosion and health problems. Related Links: Chinese-Drywall Probe Finds No Link Yet to Health Problems Chinese-Made Drywall
The investigation into a 100-ft-tall boom lift that tipped over in downtown Kansas City, Mo., may drag on for several months, say officials with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “At this point, we are not seeing any obvious reason why the accident occurred,” says Donna Robertson, OSHA’s acting area administrator. On Nov. 10, two workers for Detroit-based Midwest Steel were elevated inside the basket to place beams at the $405-million Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. After the lift suddenly tipped over, one worker died and another was seriously injured. Under statute, OSHA has six months to levy
A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office says employers consistently underreport worker injuries and illnesses and concludes that some employer safety programs can create disincentives for reporting injuries. Union groups say the findings, released on Nov. 16, confirm safety programs that discourage the reporting of workplace injuries are undermining the safety and health of American workers. But employer groups maintain federal and state policies that emphasize fines and penalties over assistance create a culture that discourages employers from addressing safety problems before they lead to injuries. GAO examined Occupational Safety and Health Administration audits from 2005 to 2007
The cause of yesterday's failure of a JLG boom lift on the site of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, under construction in downtown Kansas City, Mo., is not yet clear, says Dan Euston, president of local general contractor J.E. Dunn Construction Co. Photo: Ed Sturga/AP An investigator photographs lift involved in fatal accident. Related Links: K.C. Lift Tips Philly Lift Victim Was Experienced Blog: Dissecting the Philly Lift Video: JLG's New Featherweight Lift "We're just in the beginning throes of the investigation," Euston told ENR on Nov. 11. The accident has project officials "scratching our heads," he says.
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