Friday 31 August 2012

Banker Who Dropped Trousers Can't Challenge Firing

Courthouse News Service: (CN) - An investment banker forfeited his $2 million corporate partnership when he mooned the boss and was fired, an Illinois appeals court ruled.
Jason Selch joined Wanger Asset Management as an investment analyst in 1994, staying with the company for over 10 years as it eventually merged with Columbia Management, a subsidiary of Bank of America.

3 lift engineers held after Maharashtra industries minister Narayan Rane gets stuck in a lift for 45 minutes - The Times of India

3 held after Maharashtra industries minister Narayan Rane gets stuck in a lift for 45 minutes - The Times of India: MUMBAI: For once, the political warhorse's clout and cunning could not extract him out of a tight spot immediately. State industries minister Narayan Rane got trapped in an elevator for 45 minutes with five members of his entourage on Thursday afternoon. During that period, many distress calls went out and the police ran helter-skelter. Three employees of the lift's maintenance firm were arrested and booked following the incident.

Old cooking oil causes plane to emergency land - Austrian Times

Old cooking oil causes plane to emergency land - General News - Austrian Times Online News - English Newspaper: A report into an emergency landing of a Lufthansa plane at Linz airport after the pilot reported a strange smell last week has revealed that it was cooking oil that had gone off.

The oil was found in the on-board oven on the aircraft. When the oven was switched on in flight the smell spread into the cockpit and throughout the aircraft

Asbestos in city swimming pool - UTV Live News

Asbestos in city swimming pool - UTV Live News: Belfast City Council said the material was found during repair works.It was in an area of the pool that is "inaccessible to the public".That area has now been sealed off to protect staff and for public safety while the asbestos is removed - however facilities other than the pool will remain open.

CSX coal pier damaged by ship, out of service - Baltimore Sun

CSX coal pier damaged by ship, out of service - Baltimore Sun: A CSX Corp. coal pier in Baltimore is out of service for the foreseeable future as the railroad assesses the "substantial" damage caused by a ship that hit the structure.The Bayside Coal Pier, on Benhill Avenue in Curtis Bay, was struck Saturday by a tanker headed for a dock up the channel — an unusual accident that could cause ripple effects for coal shipping.

Builders told to remove giant Union flag for Olympics because 'they didn't get permission' | Mail Online

Builders told to remove giant Union flag for Olympics because 'they didn't get permission' | Mail Online: Patriotic builders who wanted to show their support for team GB during the Olympics and Paralympics have been ordered to remove a giant Union Flag they had draped over a tower block because 'they didn't get permission'.Pocock Safety Netting and Advanced Scaffolding say they were told to take down the huge mesh banner from Colston Tower in Bristol because they failed to get agreement to use three colours of netting.

Fire at House of Commons closes parts of Palace of Westminster - London - News - Evening Standard

Fire at House of Commons closes parts of Palace of Westminster - London - News - Evening Standard: Parts of the Palace of Westminster were closed off today due to fumes from a fire.




The small blaze is understood to have been in a room at the House of Commons end of the building in the early hours of the morning.Sources at the palace said there was no significant damage but areas were being cordoned off because of the potential danger from toxic substances such as asbestos.

4 drown in septic tank at QC mall | Philippine News

4 drown in septic tank at QC mall � Nation � News | Philippine News | philstar.com: MANILA, Philippines - Four persons – including a man and his two sons – drowned after being trapped in a septic tank they had been cleaning at a mall in Quezon City before dawn yesterday.

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified the victims as Tony Suarez, his sons Rodel and Rommel, and Marvin Almeda.

The victims were reportedly on a break from cleaning the septic tank at the Ali Mall when one of them fell in at around 3:20 a.m. The three others tried to rescue their co-worker, but the water level in the tank suddenly rose. The four workers drowned.

Chinese official slammed for 'grinning' at fatal accident site

Chinese official slammed for 'grinning' at fatal accident site: CHINA - A senior work safety official's grin at the site of a deadly traffic accident in Shaanxi province has become a nightmare haunting him.
Yang Dacai, 55, head of the Shaanxi Provincial Bureau of Work Safety, was seen to be grinning in a photo taken after he arrived at the scene of a deadly traffic accident on Sunday in Yan'an, Shaanxi. Thirty-six people were killed when a sleeper bus rammed into a truck carrying a tank of methanol and caught fire.

Fan falls to his death from Reliant Stadium escalator

Ultimate Texans � Fan falls to his death from Reliant Stadium escalator: A 45-year old man attending the Texans preseason finale Thursday fell to his death while horsing around on an escalator at Reliant Stadium, police said. The incident happened during the Texans’ 28-24 win against the Minnesota Vikings.
The man was allegedly trying to slide down the outside of the handrail on the escalator at the Coca-Cola Gate near the northeast side of the stadium when he fell three stories, landing on the pavement, police said.

Boy in horror fall from stairs at Hull shopping centre | This is Hull and East Riding

Boy in horror fall from stairs at Hull shopping centre | This is Hull and East Riding: A BOY was rushed to hospital after a horror plunge from an escalator in a busy shopping centre.
The 10-year-old youngster is believed to have been hanging off the side of the escalator when he fell to the floor at St Stephen's in Ferensway, city centre, at about 1.30pm yesterday.

Mouse droppings found in Hockley takeaway's kitchen - - Birmingham Mail

Mouse droppings found in Hockley takeaway's kitchen - Top Stories - News - Birmingham Mail: HEALTH chiefs who inspected a filthy takeaway were horrified to discover mouse droppings littering cooking areas.Following the visit, owner of Hockley’s King Grill – Jahangir Chughtai – has been fined thousands for breaching hygiene regulations.

Thursday 30 August 2012

Asbestos left at kids' park - Tweed Daily News

Asbestos left at kids' park | Tweed Crime | Robberies, Assaults and Convictions in Tweed | Daily News: A PILE of asbestos dumped illegally in a popular park has put the public at risk and angered Lismore City Council.

A family stumbled across 12 sheets of asbestos fencing in Kadina Park's lower carpark while walking their dog on Wednesday afternoon.

Atlanta Man Dies in Austell Forklift Accident - South Cobb, GA Patch

Atlanta Man Dies in Austell Forklift Accident - South Cobb, GA Patch: An Atlanta man died Thursday morning after he was involved in a forklift accident at Caraustar, his workplace in Austell.
Investigators said Calvin Carter, 40, of Atlanta was working on a forklift while it was elevated on jacks. At some point equipment fell off the forklift and Carter was pinned beneath it.

Man killed falling from digger into pool -Austrian Times

Man killed falling from digger into pool - General News - Austrian Times Online News - English Newspaper: A worker was killed when he fell into an empty pool from his digger and was buried underneath it in Schwaz, Austria.

The 59-year-old man was carrying out maintenance work on a family pool

The roof of the digger had been removed by the man so it would fit into the pool hall.

Evans Tires, class action

SAN DIEGO - Evans Tire & Service Centers stiff workers for overtime and violate other labor laws, a class action claims in Superior Court. 

Evans Tires

Nursing home owners sentenced after death of elderly resident

Nursing home owners sentenced after death of elderly resident - Regional News Network:

Two nursing home owners have been fined after an elderly resident died following a fall from a hoist.
Annie Bradley, 78, who was known as Vera, was being transported in a sling from her bed to a specialist chair at Harley House Nursing Home on Elms Road in Leicester on 19 July 2008. During the manoeuvre Miss Bradley fell to the floor, hitting her head. The pensioner, who suffered from Huntingdon’s disease and was immobile, died the following day.
Sisters Fatima and Munira Mawji, both of Scraptoft, owned Harley House at the time of the incident. They were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to ensure the safety of Miss Bradley.
Leicester Crown Court heard the hoist was in such poor condition that it could not be used safely. The stitching on the sling was worn and damaged meaning the support stays that should have supported Miss Bradley’s head could not be used.
HSE found the system of work used by the nurse and care assistant operating the hoist put Miss Bradley at risk of falling from the hoist at any time. The court was also told the training of the two employees in manual handling was limited, and the supervision and assessment of competence in manual handling was not adequate.
Fatima Mawji of Facers Lane, Scraptoft, and Munira Mawji of Scraptoft Lane, Scraptoft, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were today (30 August) both fined £50,000 and both ordered to pay £20,000 costs at Leicester Crown Court.
After the hearing HSE inspector Dr Richenda Dixon said:
“With properly maintained equipment, better training and supervision this incident was easily preventable.
“The risks from hoisting residents in nursing homes are well known and falls during hoisting have resulted in severe injuries, from broken bones through to fatalities.
“There should have been regular checks on the sling and the hoist, proper planned preventative maintenance carried out and both thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every six months. Sadly this did not happen and an elderly lady lost her life.”
Miss Bradley’s family, who have asked not to be named, released the following statement:
“We knew Vera was not well but we didn't expect her to die so unexpectedly and in such a manner. We would not want this happen to anyone else or any other family to have to go through what we have gone through.”
Harley House Nursing Home is now under new ownership.

OSHA extends temporary enforcement measures in residential construction through December 15

2012 - 08/30/2012 - OSHA extends temporary enforcement measures in residential construction through December 15: WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will extend for three months its temporary enforcement measures in residential construction. The temporary enforcement measures, now extended through December 15, 2012, include priority free on-site compliance assistance, penalty reductions, extended abatement dates, measures to ensure consistency, and increased outreach. Fatalities from falls are the number one cause of workplace death in construction.

Court bans Stafford takeaway owner from running a food business : StaffsLive

Court bans Stafford takeaway owner from running a food business : StaffsLive: A Stafford takeaway owner has been banned from running a food business.
Nural Rashid, of Aldersleigh Drive, was given a food hygiene prohibition order at Stafford Magistrates Court after admitting seven breaches of regulations at his Akash takeaway on Newport Road.

Former policeman / EHO died of asbestos exposure (From Oxford Mail)

Former policeman died of asbestos exposure (From Oxford Mail): A FORMER Met policeman who carved part of the Bishop of Oxford’s ceremonial staff died after being exposed to asbestos in the 1960s.


Robert Collins, who worked for Oxford City Council as an environmental health enforcement officer, died on July 3 this year.


An inquest into his death took place at Old County Hall in Oxford yesterday.

Investigation into Skegness fairground accident ongoing a year to the day after it began - Local - Skegness Standard

Investigation into Skegness fairground accident ongoing a year to the day after it began - Local - Skegness Standard: AN INVESTIGATION into the Skegness fairground accident, which left 22 thrill-seekers dangling precariously in their seats, remains unresolved, a year to the day after it began.



On August 30, 2011, calamity struck Bottons Pleasure Beach when its Surf Rider attraction failed and a carriage struck the ground.

Rail company pays woman £70,000 in asbestos case (From Swindon Advertiser)

Rail company pays woman �70,000 in asbestos case (From Swindon Advertiser): BRITISH Rail has paid �70,000 in compensation to the widow of a former Swindon railway worker who died three years ago from undetected asbestos related cancer.


Samuel Dean, who lived in Queensfield with wife Mavis, worked for British Rail for 33 years as a general crane worker and for much of that period was continuously exposed to asbestos.

Bridlington takeaway is fined over food hygiene - Bridlington Free Press

Bridlington takeaway is fined over food hygiene - Local - Bridlington Free Press: A CHINESE takeaway in Bridlington has been prosecuted for failing to protect food from contamination and cleaning equipment.



The food business operators of the Phoenix Palace Chinese Takeaway, in Hilderthorpe Road, have been fined for Food Safety Act offences following several visits by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s food services team last year.

OSHA cites Pottstown, Pa., concrete products company for exposing workers to safety and health hazards

2012 - 08/07/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Pottstown, Pa., concrete products company for exposing workers to safety and health hazards: POTTSTOWN, Pa. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Universal Concrete Products Corp. for 18 alleged safety and health violations – four of which are repeat – at its Pottstown facility. OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint. Proposed penalties total $47,286.

The repeat violations involve failing to provide an adequate respiratory protection system and "lockout/tagout" methods to prevent machinery from accidentally starting up. The citations carry $18,340 in penalties. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. Similar violations were cited in 2007.

OSHA cites Adams Thermal Systems in Canton, S.D., with 51 violations for exposing workers to variety of safety and health hazards

2012 - 08/07/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Adams Thermal Systems in Canton, S.D., with 51 violations for exposing workers to variety of safety and health hazards: CANTON, S.D. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Adams Thermal Systems Inc. in Canton with 51 safety and health violations following a February inspection prompted by a complaint alleging multiple concerns at the coolant core manufacturing facility. Proposed penalties total $225,000.

"The multitude of violations found during this inspection demonstrates this employer's serious shortcomings toward a commitment to providing a safe and healthful workplace," said Eric Brooks, OSHA's acting area director in Bismarck, N.D. "OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so."

OSHA cites Hebco Products in Bucyrus, Ohio, for 14 violations, including exposing workers to amputation hazards

2012 - 08/09/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Hebco Products in Bucyrus, Ohio, for 14 violations, including exposing workers to amputation hazards: BUCYRUS, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Hebco Products Inc. in Bucyrus with 14 safety violations, including two repeat violations for failing to guard machines to prevent amputation injuries as well as document and use machine-specific procedures to prevent the unexpected start up of equipment. Proposed penalties total $95,700.

"Employers such as Hebco that are cited for repeat violations demonstrate a lack of commitment to worker safety and health," said Kimberly Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Employers are responsible for establishing a safe environment for their workers and knowing the hazards that exist in their workplaces. OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job."

HSE challenges JLS umbrella ban

HSE challenges JLS umbrella ban: Argus readers can be reassured there are no health and safety laws that stop umbrellas being used at outdoor concerts. (Anger at Umbrella Ban at Wet JLS Concert, 28 August 2012).

The organisers of the JLS concert admitted it was their own ‘health and safety’ policy that stopped concert go-ers taking in umbrellas, but I question whether this was proportionate action to take in relation to the risk.

Prison for ship surveyor who lied to Coast Guard - Marine Log

Prison for ship surveyor who lied to Coast Guard - Marine Log: AUGUST 29, 2012 – A Miami-based ship surveyor was sentenced today for lying to the Coast Guard and for falsely certifying that inspections had been performed on two ships, which were designed to ensure that the ships were seaworthy and did not pose a threat to the crew or the marine environment.

Alejandro Gonzalez, 60, of Miami-Dade County, Fla., was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to 21 months in prison.

United Milking Systems Ltd in court after worker injured at Derbyshire farm

RNN media information for journalists and the press - Press Releases - Milking firm in court after worker injured at Derbyshire farm - Regional News Network: A Shropshire milking company has been fined after a worker suffered a fractured skull when he was hit by a steel beam at a Derbyshire farm just a day after he started his job.

The employee, 49, from Preston, was asked to help an experienced engineer install a milking parlour at Brookley Meadows Farm, Thurvaston, Derbyshire, on 5 July 2011, his second day at work for United Milking Systems Ltd.

Derby Magistrates were told today (30 August) that part of the work involved installing four 80kg steel beams at a height of around two metres. The two men tried to install one of them by having one person hold it over his head while the second climbed a stepladder, took the beam from the first person and placed it on to a wall bracket.

The engineer had rested one end of the beam on the wall bracket and they were lifting it on to the opposite bracket when it slipped. As one end hit the floor the vibration caused the engineer on the stepladder to lose his grip on the beam and it landed on the new employee’s head.
He suffered a fractured skull and lacerations and was off work for six weeks.
An investigation into the incident by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found it could have been prevented had the company used suitable lifting equipment.
United Milking Systems Ltd, of Tern Hill, Market Drayton, Shropshire, admitted breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.

Maintenance sparks shopping center fire - The Daily Reflector

The Daily Reflector: Greenville Fire-Rescue personnel responded to a shopping center along East Fire Tower Road after smoke was reported to be coming from its roof.
The fire started at 1885 E. Fire Tower Road about 12:30 p.m. near Dunkin Donuts. It was reported by a passerby who saw flames on the roof, according to Battalion Chief Shannon Terry.

Hong Kong - Firemen divided over working hours

Firemen divided over working hours: A poll suggests a majority of firemen support a government proposal to cut their working time from 54 to 51 hours a week -- but almost 30 percent remain opposed, amid union calls for a 48-hour week.

A poll of almost 6,000 officers conducted by the Fire Services Department found that 55 percent support the latest plan.

Woman dies in escalator accident in Nashville � Knoxville News Sentinel

Woman dies in escalator accident in Nashville � Knoxville News Sentinel: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville police say an elderly woman has died in an accident on an escalator at a Nashville grocery store after a shopping cart fell on top of her.

According to WSMV-TV (http://bit.ly/Twmpij ), the accident occurred at a Harris Teeter grocery on Harding Pike around 3 p.m. Wednesday. The store has an escalator that leads to a parking garage, and it includes a separate ramp designed to carry carts up and down the escalator.

Killed on the job: Sanitary worker’s death by bus sparks protest – The Express Tribune

Killed on the job: Sanitary worker’s death by bus sparks protest – The Express Tribune: RAWALPINDI:�
Hundreds of protesters blocked the IJ Principal (IJP) Road in Pirwadhai for over 45 minutes on Wednesday after a bus crushed a sanitary worker.

Witnesses said the bus crushed Muhammad Yousaf, employed on daily wage at the bus stand, as it was turning a bend. Yousaf was cleaning the parking lot at the time. The driver abandoned the bus and escaped from the scene. Police moved the body to District Headquarter Hospital.

Fishing boat capsizes in E China, 6 missing | chinadaily.com.cn

Fishing boat capsizes in E China, 6 missing |Society |chinadaily.com.cn: NINGBO - Six people went missing after a fishing boat capsized on Wednesday off the coast of East China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said Thursday.
The six went missing when a boat from Gaotangdao township in Xiangshan county sank at about 7 a.m. Wednesday in waters near the city of Zhoushan, said a spokesman with the county government.

Worker Killed After Hoist Falls At McDuffie County Construction Company | ABC 6 WJBF-TV

Breaking News Alert: Worker Killed After Hoist Falls At McDuffie County Construction Company | ABC 6 WJBF-TV: A worker from Two-State Construction Company�has been killed on the job after a hoist fell and landed on him.

Wednesday 29 August 2012

Insurer Isn't Liable to Fireman Hurt in Crash

Courthouse News Service: (CN) - A volunteer firefighter who was injured while responding to a crash in a hurricane cannot recover benefits from his insurer, a Pennsylvania appeals court ruled.
After Devin Finazzo wrecked his car while driving negligently during a hurricane, volunteer firefighter Ronald Bole took off for the fire station.

OSHA and the National Safety Council renew Alliance to address fall prevention, injury and illness prevention programs

2012 - 08/29/2012 - OSHA and the National Safety Council renew Alliance to address fall prevention, injury and illness prevention programs: WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today renewed its Alliance with the National Safety Council (NSC) to continue enhancing worker safety and health by addressing construction hazards, injury and illness prevention programs and motor vehicle safety.

"Our continued alliance with NSC will focus on, among other things, preventing worker injuries and fatalities from falls in construction," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels. "Falls cause more fatalities than any other hazard in the construction industry. We look forward to collaborating with the NSC to educate and train employers and workers on preventing job hazards."

OSHA cites Plains Gas Solutions following explosion at Eunice, La., facility that severely injured worker

2012 - 08/29/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Plains Gas Solutions following explosion at Eunice, La., facility that severely injured worker: EUNICE, La. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Plains Gas Solutions LLC in Eunice for one willful and seven serious violations involving OSHA's process safety management standards following an explosion and fire that severely burned a worker.

OSHA began its investigation Feb. 29 at the company's facility on Fournat Road in Eunice, which specializes in the production of liquid natural gas through a cryogenic process. The incident occurred while employees were restarting the process. Cryogenic liquids were improperly routed through equipment not rated to withstand extreme cold temperatures, resulting in the explosion and fire.

Chinese car maker Chery announces Brazil recall of 12,500 vehicles for asbestos - The Washington Post

Chinese car maker Chery announces Brazil recall of 12,500 vehicles for asbestos - The Washington Post: SAO PAULO — A Chinese automaker says it’s recalling nearly 12,500 cars sold in Brazil after asbestos was found in engine and exhaust gaskets.
Chery International says in an emailed statement that it investigated the asbestos problem after it was discovered about two weeks ago in vehicles sold in Australia. Asbestos is a known carcinogen.

Asbestos industry will be shut down if Parti Québécois wins election #voteparti

Asbestos industry will be shut down if Parti Qu�b�cois wins election: ROUYN-NORANDA, Q.C. – Pauline Marois announced Wednesday that if she becomes Quebec premier after the provincial election next Tuesday, Quebec will get out of the asbestos mining and exporting business.Marois indicated her mind is made up but said she would first hold hearings before a Quebec national assembly committee to hear what those affected have to say.

Workers buried alive - - Austrian Times

Workers buried alive - General News - Austrian Times Online News - English Newspaper: Two workers were buried alive by a mound of soil as they worked in a forest in Wetzlas, in the Waldviertel.

More than fifty firemen desperately battled to find and rescue the father and son who had been buried in more than seven metres of earth when working in a forest area.

Lufthansa aircraft damages house roof - Austrian Times

Lufthansa aircraft damages house roof - General News - Austrian Times Online News - English Newspaper: The roof of an house located near to the airport in Graz, Styria, was damaged by a Lufthansa aircraft as it came into land on Tuesday evening.

Nobody was injured but part of the roof was ripped off when the plane flew close over the house.

OSHA cites Wenco Energy with repeat and serious violations based on follow-up inspection at Tulsa, Okla., plant

2012 - 08/29/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Wenco Energy with repeat and serious violations based on follow-up inspection at Tulsa, Okla., plant: TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Wenco Energy Corp. in Tulsa with 23 serious and eight repeat safety and health violations, including exposure to unguarded saws and sanders, at the company's East 56th Street manufacturing facility. OSHA initiated an inspection in February as a follow-up to a September 2010 inspection that was conducted after a worker was killed at the facility. Proposed penalties total $167,090.

"By failing to provide required machine guarding and correct other deficiencies, Wenco Energy continues to risk serious injury to workers, including amputations," said David Bates, OSHA's area director in Oklahoma City. "In this case, it is fortunate that no one else has been injured."

Construction worker killed was pregnant, says fiance- thestar.com

Construction worker killed was pregnant, says fianc�- thestar.com: MIDALE, SASK.—A road construction worker has revealed that an 18-year-old flag person killed at a job site in Saskatchewan last week was his fiancee and that she was pregnant.

Ben Diprose says he was working with a paving crew near Midale last Friday when Ashley Dawn Richards was struck by a vehicle driving through the construction zone.

AFP: China coal mine blast traps 50

AFP: China coal mine blast traps 50: state media: BEIJING — A gas explosion at a coal mine in southwest China has trapped 50 miners underground, state media said Wednesday, in the latest mining disaster to hit the country.The blast occurred late Wednesday afternoon in Panzhihua city in Sichuan province, the official Xinhua news agency said.Rescue efforts were now underway, it added.

Housing bosses take boys bike left in a corridor because it was a health and safety risk and demand �50 to give it back | Mail Online

Housing bosses take boy�s bike left in a corridor because it was a health and safety risk and demand �50 to give it back | Mail Online: Housing bosses take boy’s bike left in a corridor because it was a health and safety risk and demand �50 to give it back
Christopher Rawson cried when his �40 bike was confiscated by a housing associationHis mother Rebekah says the foyer where the bike was left was 'huge' and it wasn't in the way

PG&E Blamed for Toxic Pollution, Again

Courthouse News Service: SAN BERNARDINO (CN) - A landowner claims in court that Pacific Gas & Electric Co. lied that there was no hexavalent chromium her property, and stalled on orders to clean up the very carcinogen and city made famous by the movie "Erin Brockovich."
Rosemary Munoz, Trustee of Munoz Family Trust, sued Pacific Gas & Electric and PG&E Corp., in Superior Court.

Cornell-Dubilier Electronics - Pollution

Courthouse News Service: NEWARK - The USA demands that Cornell-Dubilier Electronics pay for cleaning up its Superfund site in South Plainfield; New Jersey filed a similar federal complaint, in Trenton.

Norfolk Southern Railway Co. ordered byOSHA to pay more than $300,000 for violating Federal Railroad Safety Act

2012 - 08/08/2012 - Norfolk Southern Railway Co. ordered by US Labor Department to pay more than $300,000 for violating Federal Railroad Safety Act: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The U.S. Department of Labor has found that, once again, Norfolk Southern Railway Co. has violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act. An investigation by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration revealed that the railroad terminated an employee in retaliation for reporting a workplace injury.

The department has ordered the company to pay the affected employee more than $300,000 in damages, including $200,000 in punitive damages, $75,000 in compensatory damages and $25,123.40 in attorney's fees. Additionally, the company must expunge the disciplinary record of the employee as well as post a notice regarding employees' whistleblower protection rights under the FRSA and provide training to its employees about these rights.

Analysis - Steel pollution case highlights Italy's slow decline | Reuters

Analysis - Steel pollution case highlights Italy's slow decline | Reuters: (Reuters) - The sprawling ILVA steelworks has loomed over the skyline of Taranto and dominated the city's economy for 50 years, but toxic pollution has transformed the site from a symbol of postwar prosperity to an emblem of Italy's long industrial decline.

Coal mine accident kills 6 in north-west China

Coal mine accident kills 6 in north-west China: BEIJING (AFP) - Six miners have died in a coal mine accident in north-west China's restive Xinjiang region, according to the country's official Xinhua news agency.

Handsworth takeaway owner fined thousands after curry house is riddled with dirt and mouse droppings - Top Stories - News - Birmingham Mail

Handsworth takeaway owner fined thousands after curry house is riddled with dirt and mouse droppings - Top Stories - News - Birmingham Mail: THE owner of a Birmingham takeaway has been fined thousands of pounds after his curry and kebab shop was found to be riddled with mouse droppings.
Environmental health officers also discovered a cockroach when they visited Mirchi, owned by Mohammed Ayub.

EPA Defends Emission Standards for Trucks

Courthouse News Service: WASHINGTON (CN) - The Environmental Protection Agency rejected a petition to reconsider its emissions standards for trucks and other heavy vehicles.
Last September, the EPA issued final rules for greenhouse gas emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including tractors, trucks, vans, and vocational vehicles, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Department of Transportation issued rules for fuel consumption for those vehicles.

Tuesday 28 August 2012

A chronology of accidents in the Venezuelan oil industry during 2012 - Daily News - EL UNIVERSAL

A chronology of accidents in the Venezuelan oil industry during 2012 - Daily News - EL UNIVERSAL: A chronology of accidents in the Venezuelan oil industry during 2012
This year, more than 30 accidents have affected the oil industry operations

Forklift driver killed in accident at NJ store - The Sacramento Bee

Forklift driver killed in accident at NJ store - AP State Wire News - The Sacramento Bee: ROCKAWAY, N.J. -- A forklift operator was killed when the machine overturned and landed on him as he worked behind a department store in northern New Jersey.Rockaway police tell The Star-Ledger (http://bit.ly/OtvNot) that 52-year-old Wayne Mong of Egg Harbor Township died instantly when the forklift overturned around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Man Dies After Trapped In Sewer Lift In St. Charles | FOX2now.com

Man Dies After Trapped In Sewer Lift In St. Charles | FOX2now.com – St. Louis News & Weather from KTVI Television FOX2: ST. CHARLES, MO (KTVI)– A 50-year-old construction worker has died after being trapped in a sewer lift in St. Charles.
According to Mayor Sally Faith, the City of St. Charles received a report from KCI Construction Company that one of their employees working at the Boschertown Lift Station died Tuesday afternoon.

Equipment accidents remain a matter of concern |chinadaily.com.cn

Equipment accidents remain a matter of concern|Society|chinadaily.com.cn: Accidents involving "special equipment" killed 26 people and injured 16 in July, with 10 more deaths compared with that of the same period last year, said the country’s quality supervision authority.
However, accidents and casualties involving special equipment both have seen a year-on-year decline in the first half of 2012, officials said.

OSHA cites Brick, NJ-based contractor for continuing to expose workers to falls and other hazards at Secaucus work site

2012 - 08/28/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Brick, NJ-based contractor for continuing to expose workers to falls and other hazards at Secaucus work site: BRICK, N.J. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Brick-based La Conti Concrete & Masonry Inc. for nine safety and health, including two repeat, violations at a Secaucus work site. OSHA's March investigation was initiated in response to an imminent danger complaint alleging employees were working on the fifth level of a supported scaffold without fall protection. Proposed penalties total $74,830.

Construction worker dies in fall from Toronto mansion | | Toronto Sun

Construction worker dies in fall from Toronto mansion | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun: ORONTO�-�A construction worker has died after falling from the second level of a Toronto mansion Tuesday morning.
Sgt. Lawrence Sager said the masoner fell about 18 feet from the rear of the huge stone building on Fifeshire Rd., in the Bayview Ave.-Hwy. 401 area, shortly before 9 a.m.

Rooftop fire traps rider in Waterbury Marriott elevator Republican American

Rooftop fire traps rider in Waterbury Marriott elevator Republican American: WATERBURY – A trapped elevator passenger was among a number of guests and workers at the Marriott Courtyard hotel given a fright by a rooftop fire Tuesday morning.The fire broke out in the elevator's mechanical room on the roof of the Grand Street hotel, halting the elevators and trapping one passenger between two floors

OSHA proposes more than $67,000 in fines to Philadelphia dishwasher manufacturer for workplace hazards

2012 - 08/08/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA proposes more than $67,000 in fines to Philadelphia dishwasher manufacturer for workplace hazards: PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Insinger Machine Co. for exposing workers to serious safety and health hazards at the company's Philadelphia facility. OSHA's February investigation was initiated as part of the agency's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which focuses on workplaces with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses. Proposed penalties total $67,450.

Norfolk Southern Railway Co. ordered by OSHA to pay more than $932,000 after illegally terminating 2 injured workers

2012 - 08/28/2012 - Norfolk Southern Railway Co. ordered by US Labor Department's OSHA to pay more than $932,000 after illegally terminating 2 injured workers: CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found that Norfolk Southern Railway Co. violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act and consequently has ordered the company to pay two whistleblowers $932,070.46 in damages, including $387,813.75 in punitive damages and attorney's fees. Additionally, the company has been ordered to expunge the disciplinary records of the whistleblowers, post workplace notices regarding railroad employees' whistleblower protection rights and provide training to its employees about these rights.

Judge Assigns Liability in Coal Ash Calamity

A "catastrophic" coal ash spill in Tennessee could have been prevented with better adherence to inspection and maintenance procedures, a federal judge ruled.     More than 800 individuals sued the Tennessee Valley Authority after a coal ash containment dike at its Kingston Fossil plant burst in December 2008, causing 5.4 million cubic yards of ash sludge to spill into a nearby river and contaminate hundreds of acres of government and privately owned land.

Judge Assigns Liability in Coal Ash Calamity

OSHA orders Arizona trucking company to reinstate whistleblower, pay $315,000 in back wages and damages

PHOENIX – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered M3 Transport LLC/SLT Expressway Inc. and its successors-in-interest, Lyons Capital LLC and the Roadmaster Group in Glendale, to reinstate a former employee and pay $280,000 in back wages and interest, $15,000 in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages.

The order follows OSHA's determination that the company violated the whistleblower provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act when it terminated the truck driver in February 2010 in retaliation for complaining to management about safety issues and refusing to drive a truck containing explosives with a co-driver who smoked in the vehicle – a violation of U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.

US Department of Labor's OSHA orders Arizona trucking company to reinstate whistleblower, pay $315,000 in back wages and damages

Suffolk company fined for running illegal waste site

A Suffolk property services company has today (Tuesday) been fined £3500 and asked to pay £2500 costs for running an illegal waste site and failing to provide waste transfer notes.

Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard today that Stowbox Ltd had been depositing, treating, storing and disposing of waste at its premises at Woodfarm Business Centre, Crowfield, Ipswich, without being authorised by an environmental permit. 

The court heard that it had also failed to provide its customers with waste transfer notes, which provide a written description of the waste, as required.

Miriam Tordoff, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said that significant amounts of waste had been deposited, treated and stored and some waste had been burned on site. 

Suffolk company fined for running illegal waste site

Sleep Apnea > Tractor driver

     CHICAGO - The 7th Circuit revived the disability discrimination claim of a tractor operator with a sleep disorder whom Olin Corp. fired when he requested to work only day shifts. 

Sleep Apnea

Motorbike up in flames as driver smokes during refill - Hang Manh Street

Vietnam latest news - Thanh Nien Daily | Motorbike up in flames as driver smokes during refill: A motorbike was burned to ashes on a Hanoi street Wednesday because the driver refilled it while smoking.

Several eyewitnesses told news website VnExpress a man in his 40s had stopped his Yamaha motorbike on Hang Manh Street and poured gasoline from a can into the tank. He was smoking and the cigarette ignited the fire.

Logging worker killed by falling tree | Herald Sun

Logging worker killed by falling tree | Herald Sun: A LOGGING worker has been killed today while felling trees in Boyup Brook, in the state's south-west.




Circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear but the man is believed to have been crushed by a falling tree this afternoon.

Company fined £30,000 for a string of food offences - Ealing

Another company in Southall has been found to be in breach of hygiene rules after mouse droppings were found near the food packing area.

M & M Food and Snacks Limited of Featherstone Industrial Estate, Southall, was found guilty of 12 food hygiene offences and four failures to comply with hygiene improvement notices at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Friday 10 August.

Ealing's Local Web site

OSHA cites New Hampshire foundry with long violation history for willfully exposing workers to lead hazards

2012 - 08/10/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites New Hampshire foundry with long violation history for willfully exposing workers to lead hazards: CONCORD, N.H. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Franklin Non-Ferrous Foundry Inc. with four alleged willful and serious violations of workplace health and safety standards, chiefly involving a failure to protect workers from exposure to lead. The foundry, located in Franklin, faces a total of $185,900 in proposed fines following an inspection by OSHA's Concord Area Office that was opened in January to verify the abatement of hazards cited by the agency in 2009.

Westcoast Wools Pty Ltd pleads guilty and fined #interlocks

Prosecution Details | Prosecutions Database | Department of Commerce: Charge 1- Being an employer, did not, so far as was practicable, provide and maintain a working environment in which its employees were not exposed to hazards and by that failure contravened sections 19(1) and 19A(3) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.

Charge 2 - Being an employer of an employee who, at a workplace, incurred an injury which, in the opinion of a medical practitioner, was likely to prevent the employee from being able to work within 10 days of the date on which the injury occurred, failed to notify the Commissioner of the injury forthwith, and by that failure contravened sections 23I(3) and 23J(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.

Small fine for Morrison Facilities Service Ltd after worker breaks neck and back in roof fall

RNN media information for journalists and the press - Press Releases - Firm fined after worker breaks neck and back in roof fall - Regional News Network: A housing repair and maintenance company has been fined after a Nottingham worker suffered serious neck and back fractures falling 2.4 metres through a fragile roof.

The employee, 49, who has asked not to be named, needed to wear a body and neck brace for three months after falling head first through an outhouse roof in St Mary's Close, Gedling on 28 July 2010.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which brought the prosecution, told Nottingham magistrates today (28 August) that the work, carried out by Morrison Facilities Service Ltd of Glasgow on behalf of Gedling Homes, had not been properly planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner by trained staff.

Asbstos surveyors fined for missing 200 sq metres of asbestos insulation board (AIB)

RNN media information for journalists and the press - Press Releases - Firms fined for asbestos failings - Regional News Network: Two Lincoln companies have been fined after workers were exposed to asbestos during the refurbishment of a Northamptonshire hospital ward.

Contractors Simons Construction Ltd hired Rilmac Insulation Ltd to carry out an asbestos survey for them before work began on Martin Roth ward at St Mary’s Hospital, Kettering. The survey identified an asbestos coating on the underside of the ceilings, but missed over 200 sq metres of asbestos insulation board (AIB) above.

Northampton Magistrates’ Court was told today (28 August) that when two workers contracted to Simons were told to knock holes in the ceilings on 17 December 2009, they were not told it contained asbestos and they disturbed both layers.

Alabama furniture manufacturer cited byOSHA for exposing workers to combustible dust, other hazards

2012 - 08/09/2012 - Alabama furniture manufacturer cited by US Department of Labor's OSHA for exposing workers to combustible dust, other hazards: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Scholar Craft Products Inc., doing business as Melsur Corp., has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 25 safety and health violations following an inspection at its Birmingham furniture manufacturing plant. OSHA initiated an inspection in February as part of the agency's National Emphasis Program on Amputations and its Local Emphasis Program on High Noise Industries. Proposed penalties for serious violations total $94,500.

More Ammonia Now Allowed in Processed Food

Courthouse News Service: WASHINGTON (CN) - The Environmental Protection Agency is allowing processed food to contain more of a cleaning solution chemical than before, according to a new rule.
A newly amended EPA regulation allows 400 parts per million, instead of 240, of Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium in the carbonate or bicarbonate form, on cleaned surfaces in public eating places and food and beverage factories.

LIRR Worker Killed After Touching Third Rail In Queens: Gothamist

LIRR Worker Killed After Touching Third Rail In Queens: Gothamist: More horrible news today: An LIRR worker died after coming in contact with the third rail at the Queens Village LIRR station. The worker, who has not yet been identified, was doing track work when the accident happened around 11 a.m. It's unclear how he came into contact with the third rail, but DNAInfo reports that a second employee, who had tried to help his coworker, was also taken to the hospital "as a precaution."

Complaints after health and safety brand pictures on wall a fire hazard | The Sun |News

Complaints after health and safety brand pictures on wall a fire hazard | The Sun |News: PICTURES brightening up a corridor in a block of flats have been branded a
fire hazard by health and safety killjoys.


Tenants have been ordered to take down the framed prints in a stern letter
from housing chiefs.

MoJ pledges claims management clampdown under ombudsman | The Law Gazette

MoJ pledges claims management clampdown under ombudsman | The Law Gazette: The government today sets out a long-expected plan to give the Legal Ombudsman responsibility for complaints about claims management companies (CMCs). The move, reported in the Gazette in February, will take place in April next year, the Ministry of Justice will announce.

At present, complaints about claims management companies (CMCs) are handled by the ministry’s Claims Management Regulation Unit. Today’s announcement says the change allows the unit, which will remain within the MoJ, ‘to refocus its resources on working with the claims management industry to improve standards and take wider action against CMCs who consistently breach the rules’.

Monday 27 August 2012

OSHA cites St. Regis, Mont., sawmill for safety violations; more than $128,000 proposed in fines

2012 - 08/27/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites St. Regis, Mont., sawmill for safety violations; more than $128,000 proposed in fines: BILLINGS, Mont. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Tricon Timber LLC in St. Regis for 27 serious and repeat safety violations. OSHA opened an inspection upon receiving a complaint alleging that workers had been injured at the sawmill. Proposed penalties total $128,700.

Heathrow forklift operator fined �250 after crashing into airliner | Travel News

Heathrow forklift operator fined �250 after crashing into airliner | Travel News: A Heathrow Airport forklift truck driver who crashed his vehicle into the rear of a Scandinavian Airlines Airbus 321 causing an estimated �1.2 million worth of damage has been fined �250 by a court. In his defence 60-year-old Dennis Jackson said he had forgotten how big the vehicle was when he sliced through the tail of the aircraft.

Maldon pool prosecuted over death of Michelle Gellard, 7 | This is Essex

Maldon pool prosecuted over death of Michelle Gellard, 7 | This is Essex: FOUR years after a seven-year-old girl drowned in a swimming pool in Maldon, the Health and Safety Executive has decided to bring criminal proceedings against the leisure centre responsible.
Michelle Gellard was spotted lying at the bottom of the pool at the Blackwater Leisure Centre in Park Drive on June 14, 2008. It is owned by Maldon District Council but run by subcontractor Leisure Connect Ltd.

OSHA cites H. Nagel and Son Co. flour mill in Brookville, Ohio, with 23 violations for exposing workers to hazards

2012 - 08/27/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites H. Nagel and Son Co. flour mill in Brookville, Ohio, with 23 violations for exposing workers to hazards: BROOKVILLE, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited H. Nagel and Sons Co. for a total of 23 safety and health, including two repeat, violations related to OSHA's respirator and machine guarding standards. The company faces total proposed penalties of $62,090 following an inspection of its Brookville flour mill and mix facility, which was initiated by OSHA in May under the agency's local emphasis program on grain handling operations.

"Employers cited with repeat violations have demonstrated a lack of commitment to worker safety and health, and contempt for OSHA's standards," said Bill Wilkerson, OSHA's area director in Cincinnati. "OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so."

Cow rammed horn into farmers neck - Austrian Times

Cow rammed horn into farmers neck - General News - Austrian Times Online News - English Newspaper: A 34-year-old farmer has been left in a serious condition after he was speared by a horn after he was attacked by a cow in K�ssen in the Kitzb�hel region of Austria.

The cow rammed the farmer with its horn - spearing it through his neck.

Fast ferry grounds on Boston sandbar - Marine Log

Fast ferry grounds on Boston sandbar - Marine Log: AUGUST 27, 2012 — Bay State Cruises said yesterday that its Boston-Provincetown fast ferry departures were again running as scheduled. That came after a grounding incident Saturday interrupted services.

The Coast Guard says that the ferry Providence 3 ran aground on Nixes Mate, in Boston's outer harbor August 25, 2012.

OSHA cites national janitorial services company with multiple safety violations for exposing Montana workers to hazards

2012 - 08/15/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites national janitorial services company with multiple safety violations for exposing Montana workers to hazards: BILLINGS, Mont. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Healthcare Services Group Inc. with five safety violations – including three serious and two repeat – for exposing workers to multiple hazards at the Missoula Health and Rehabilitation Center, a skilled nursing home in Missoula. Proposed penalties total $58,300.

Pennsylvania-based Healthcare Services Group employs about 37,000 workers nationwide and provides janitorial services to the healthcare industry. The Missoula Health and Rehabilitation Center is affiliated with Vancouver, Wash.-based EmpRes Healthcare LLC, which operates licensed nursing homes and assisted living communities in six states.

OSHA cites Precision Steel Services with 11 safety violations at Toledo, Ohio, facility

2012 - 08/27/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Precision Steel Services with 11 safety violations at Toledo, Ohio, facility: TOLEDO, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Toledo-based Precision Steel Services Inc. with 11 safety violations, including a repeat violation for failing to remove from service a forklift that was in need of repair. Proposed penalties total $66,330.

"OSHA takes all safety and health violations very seriously," said Kimberly Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "However, repeat violations, in particular, indicate a lack of commitment to these issues, and OSHA will hold employers responsible to ensure that workers are protected from preventable hazards."

OSHA cites Koswire in Flowery Branch, Ga., for willful and serious violations following worker fatality

2012 - 08/27/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Koswire in Flowery Branch, Ga., for willful and serious violations following worker fatality: FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Koswire Inc. with 19 safety and health violations, including one willful, following the death of a worker who became caught in moving wire and was pulled into rotating rolls at the company's facility in Flowery Branch.

OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office initiated an inspection March 3 in response to the fatality. The willful violation is failing to provide machine guarding to protect operators and other workers from hazards created by ingoing pinch points and rotating parts on equipment throughout the plant. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.

OSHA cites Tyson Foods in Dakota City, Neb., for willful and serious violations after worker fatality

2012 - 08/27/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Tyson Foods in Dakota City, Neb., for willful and serious violations after worker fatality: OMAHA, Neb. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Tyson Foods Inc. for seven safety violations after conducting an inspection at the company's Dakota City beef processing facility, where a mechanic was fatally injured on March 14.

The mechanic was performing maintenance work beneath a piece of equipment that had been secured in an elevated position by a chain and quick link, but the chain failed and the equipment crushed the mechanic. A willful violation was cited for ineffective periodic safety equipment inspections and failing to make necessary modifications to the worker safety protection process through the inspections. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowledge or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.

Scaffold fall man is airlifted to hospital - News - Sunderland Echo

Scaffold fall man is airlifted to hospital - News - Sunderland Echo: A MAN was airlifted to hospital after falling from scaffolding two storeys up a building.



The 58-year-old was on a construction site in Oak Tree Drive, near St Matthew’s Church, in Silksworth, when he fell.Paramedics arrived within five minutes of the call, with the first crew on scene calling for back-up before it was decided to call in the air ambulance.

JLS fans made to stand in torrential rain for two hours after health and safety chiefs ban umbrellas at open air concert� because they could �take someone�s eye out� | Mail Online

JLS fans made to stand in torrential rain for two hours after health and safety chiefs ban umbrellas at open air concert� because they could �take someone�s eye out� | Mail Online: JLS fans shiver in torrential rain for two hours at concert after health and safety chiefs ban umbrellas… because they could 'take someone’s eye out'Freezing conditions left one teenager with inflamed tonsilsThousands of attendees told they could not open umbrellasPopular boyband were covered by a section of roofCouncillors said the ban had been in place since the North Yorkshire venue openedThey said it was not possible to cancel such events 'when they are being held under contract'

Two killed in machinery accident on Stena Clyde drilling rig in the Otway Basin, south of Warnambool | Herald Sun

Two killed in machinery accident on Stena Clyde drilling rig in the Otway Basin, south of Warnambool | Herald Sun: AN offshore drilling rig has been evacuated after two people were killed by a "machinery failure" as they drilled for gas in the Otway Basin off the Victorian coastline.




The workers, a 32-year-old from the Northern Territory and a 60-year-old from Scotland, were killed working on the Stena Clyde rig, about 90km southeast of Warnambool.

China cement plant blast kills at least 7: Media

China cement plant blast kills at least 7: Media: BEIJING - An explosion at a cement plant in southern China on Monday killed at least seven people, state media said, the latest in a string of industrial accidents in the rapidly developing country.
The blast occurred at the Hailuolongshan cement plant in Yingde city in the southern province of Guangdong, the official Xinhua news agency said.

SeaWorld San Antonio electrical worker killed - The Sacramento Bee

SeaWorld San Antonio electrical worker killed - AP State Wire News - The Sacramento Bee: SAN ANTONIO -- A SeaWorld San Antonio employee has died after apparently being accidentally shocked while working on a heating and air conditioning unit.Police say 49-year-old Ricardo Corpus died in the rooftop accident.

Worker dies after falling into hole at worksite - Singapore

Worker dies after falling into hole at worksite: The body of an Indian national was recovered on Sunday afternoon, almost 24 hours after he fell into a 68m-deep bore hole at a Tuas construction site.

Methane Buildup at Landfill Alarms Neighbors - Garland

Courthouse News Service: DALLAS (CN) - Methane building up at a suburban city landfill threatens nearby homes, a landowner claims in court.
Centerville Road Venture sued the city of Garland in Federal Court. It claims the previous owners of the land allowed the city to use it as a landfill, claiming it was an improvement to the property that it would allow development when the landfill was complete.

OSHA cites S.J. Louis Construction of Texas with safety violations for exposing workers to excavation, trenching hazards in Hurst

2012 - 08/06/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites S.J. Louis Construction of Texas with safety violations for exposing workers to excavation, trenching hazards in Hurst: HURST, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited S.J. Louis Construction of Texas Ltd. with one serious and one repeat safety violation for exposing workers to trenching and excavation hazards at a job site in Hurst where workers were replacing a water line pipe. Proposed penalties total $45,500.

After an OSHA official observed employees working in a trench along the Highway 183 service road without a required shoring system to prevent cave-ins, OSHA's Fort Worth Area Office opened an inspection under the agency's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation. OSHA standards require trenches or excavations 5 feet or deeper to be protected against collapse through shoring, sloping of the soil or the use of a protective trench box.

OSHA cites Best Florida Construction of Tampa, Fla., for exposing workers to fall hazards; more than $46,000 proposed in fines

2012 - 08/06/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Best Florida Construction of Tampa, Fla., for exposing workers to fall hazards; more than $46,000 proposed in fines: JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Best Florida Construction Inc. of Tampa with three repeat violations for exposing workers to fall hazards while they were conducting framing work at a new apartment complex on Baymeadows Road East in Jacksonville. OSHA initiated an inspection in February as part of the agency's Local Emphasis Program Program on Falls in Construction.

Asbestos scare at Royal Adelaide Hospital as contractor fall through ceiling - | Herald Sun

Asbestos scare at Royal Adelaide Hospital | Herald Sun: A CONTRACTOR has fallen through a ceiling at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, disturbing asbestos and forcing a patient to be relocated.

The incident occurred in a pantry room adjoining the orthopaedics ward but has not resulted in any major disruption. The room was sealed off while the disturbed asbestos is removed.

Ship freed after it ran aground - Detroit Free Press

Ship freed after it ran aground | Metro Detroit | Detroit Free Press | freep.com: A cruise ship with 130 people aboard was freed early Sunday with the help of a tugboat.The 216-foot Yorktown ran aground in the Detroit River about 8:15 p.m. Saturday between Wyandotte and Canada's Fighting Island, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.

NZ forest accident rate 'dreadful' - NZ Herald News

NZ forest accident rate 'dreadful' - National - NZ Herald News: Forest safety standards are under renewed attack by the Council of Trade Unions which says the nation's forestry death rate is shameful.


CTU president Helen Kelly says the local forestry death rate is 34 times higher than the UK's.

Fires in hotel lift shafts

GLASS ON WEB - Glass News - Fires in hotel lift shafts: Jane Embury is a director of Wrightstyle, the Devizes-based supplier of steel glazing systems.� Wrightstyle has an international reputation for innovative glazing solutions to mitigate against fire or ballistic or bomb attack.

Two SAS planes turn back after lightning strike - Sweden

Two SAS planes turn back after lightning strike - The Local: Two planes heading for northern Sweden were forced to return to Stockholm’s Arlanda airport after being hit by lightning mid-flight on Sunday.

Javelin accident leaves official fighting for life - Dusseldorf

Javelin accident leaves official fighting for life - The Local: An elderly athletics official measuring a javelin competition was left fighting for his life after being speared in the face and neck at a Dusseldorf contest on Sunday.

OSHA cites 10 contractors from 6 states for fall, electrical, other safety hazards during construction of New Hampshire mall

2012 - 08/06/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites 10 contractors from 6 states for fall, electrical, other safety hazards during construction of New Hampshire mall: CONCORD, N.H. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the general contractor for the construction of the Merrimack Premium Outlets shopping mall in Merrimack and nine subcontractors for alleged violations of workplace safety standards. The contractors face a total of $173,500 in proposed fines following a programmed inspection by OSHA's Concord Area Office that was initiated in January.

26 evacuated after chip shop fire - Kilmarnock Standard

26 evacuated after chip shop fire - Kilmarnock Standard: A fire in a chip shop has forced 26 people to be evacuated from nearby flats.
The blaze broke out in Victor's Fish Bar in Blackness Road, Dundee, around 2.15am.
Residents in tenement flats above the shop and two adjacent blocks were evacuated by firefighters after the fire spread to the roof space of the shop.

Sunday 26 August 2012

OSHA cites international steel plate manufacturer for exposing workers to continued safety and health hazards at Conshohocken, Pa., facility

2012 - 08/06/2012 - US Labor Department cites international steel plate manufacturer for exposing workers to continued safety and health hazards at Conshohocken, Pa., facility: CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited steel plate manufacturer Arcelor Mittal for eight safety and health – including one repeat – violations at its Conshohocken facility. OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint alleging that workers were being overexposed to metal fumes. The inspection also was conducted as part of OSHA's national emphasis program focused on hexavalent chromium and primary metals. Proposed penalties total $66,300.

Accidents in mines covered up in July chinadaily.com.cn

Accidents in mines covered up in July|Nation and Digest|chinadaily.com.cn: Four coal mine accidents in July, three of them fatal, were covered up, a State report released on Tuesday said.

The State Administration of Work Safety report on Tuesday said that on July 4, flooding at the Qielichong Coal Mine in Leiyang, Hunan province, trapped 16 miners. The owner concealed the accident and fled, delaying the rescue for 12 hours. Eight people died.

Vital Earth fined £75,000 over waste offences

Environment Agency - Vital Earth fined �75,000 over waste offences: On 21 August 2012, Vital Earth GB Limited pleaded guilty at Derby Magistrates’ Court to depositing controlled waste on land in Derbyshire without an environmental permit between 10 March and 13 April 2011.

The company delivered material directly to 2 locations in Derbyshire, and caused the onward delivery of waste to a third. This material was in the form of compost contaminated with mixed waste such as plastics, metals and paper.

The company was fined �75,000, and ordered to pay �13,535.26 in costs, along with a �15 victim surcharge.

The charges were brought under section 33(1)(a) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Vital Earth run a composting facility at Ashbourne Industrial Estate, Derbyshire.

Recyclet Directors given 200 hours of unpaid work for waste offences

On 22 August 2012, Dennis Owen, Alastair Sherry and David Brown pleaded guilty at Scunthorpe Magistrates’ Court to Director Liability offences.These were in relation to their company Recyclet Ltd (now in liquidation) which operated a regulated waste facility without an environmental permit.The three directors each received 200 hours of unpaid work, were each ordered to pay costs of £4468, and were all disqualified from being a director of a company for five years.

Environment Agency - Recyclet Directors given 200 hours of unpaid work for waste offences

The destruction of the Forensic Science Service | The Law Gazette

The Forensic Science Service (FSS) was a government-owned company. It provided services to police forces across England and Wales, together with other agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service, British Transport Police and HM Revenue & Customs. It also provided services to police forces in other countries.

The destruction of the Forensic Science Service | The Law Gazette

Saturday 25 August 2012

Escaped tiger kills zoo keeper - Cologne zoo

Escaped tiger kills zoo keeper - The Local: The 43-year-old member of staff at the zoo was attacked by the tiger and suffered such severe injuries that she died shortly after being taken to hospital.

It seems Altai, an adult male tiger managed to get out through a security tunnel which was not properly secured and into an administration building.

Carpenter saw workers fling asbestos 'snowballs' in deadly game | This is Derbyshire

Carpenter saw workers fling asbestos 'snowballs' in deadly game | This is Derbyshire: A CARPENTER who dedicated 50 years to his work has died after being exposed to deadly asbestos dust.
Brian Anguish died at the age of 67, just two years after his retirement from a career which began in 1960.

2 workers killed in tunnel collapse at power Nam Pong Hydropower plant construction site

Vietnam latest news - Thanh Nien Daily | 2 workers killed in tunnel collapse at power plant construction site: At least two workers died and seven others were injured when an underground tunnel at a power plant construction site in central Vietnam collapsed Sunday.

The accident happened at around 4:20 pm at the Nam Pong Hydropower Plant in Nghe An Province’s Quy Chau District.

CDC - Master Stonemason Dies in a 30-foot Fall From a Handmade Work Platform Attached to a Powered Industrial Truck

CDC - Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation(FACE)Program: New York Case Report 07NY107: In October 2007, a 44 year-old self-employed master stone mason (the victim) died after falling approximately 30 feet to the ground from the upper tier of a handmade, wooden, two-tiered work platform. The victim was a subcontractor on the renovation project of a 19th century mansion that included the construction of a second story addition. At the time of the incident, the victim had been applying a stucco finish to the addition and painting metal trim at the edge of the roof from the upper tier of the platform. He was preparing to exit the platform onto the roof. The work platform, used for moving both materials and employees, had been fabricated by the victim and an employee of the general contractor (GC) two weeks prior to the incident. The platform had been fastened to the forks of a powered industrial truck (PIT) known as a telescopic handler. The front guardrails on the upper tier of the platform were not in place at the time the incident occurred. The victim was not wearing any type of fall protection as he worked near the unprotected front side of the upper tier. Safety procedures were not in place requiring entry/exit three-point contact (two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand) and 100% tie-off.

CDC - Carpet Installer Dies after Falling 32 Feet at a Commercial Jobsite

CDC - Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation(FACE)Program: Washington Case Report 09WA051: On November 12, 2009 a 45-year-old carpet installer was fatally injured when he fell 32 feet from a window striking his head on the concrete sidewalk below. The victim and a coworker were installing carpet in a commercial building that was under construction. The workers were attempting to unload rolls of carpet from a three-sided box, also referred to as a skip box, through a window. The victim was working from inside the skip box which was elevated to an unfinished fourth story window by a variable reach all-terrain telehandler. According to his coworker, the victim had one foot on the window sill and one foot on the end of a carpet roll that was protruding from the skip box. The portion of the carpet roll the victim was standing on was not supported by either the window sill or the skip box. When the victim lifted his foot off the window sill, all his weight shifted onto the roll of carpet. The carpet roll and victim fell 32 feet to the concrete sidewalk. His head struck the concrete sidewalk, and a second roll of carpet fell out of the box and landed on him. EMS was called immediately and arrived on the scene quickly. The victim was transported to the hospital where he later died from injuries sustained from the fall.

Jail for dumping dying Indian employee by roadside in Singapore

News Kerala, India News, Bollywood News, Malayalam Movie News, Sports, Cricket,Greetings, Wallpaper, Shopping Gift to Kerala: The court has jailed the Singaporean employer for nine months and fined him $9,500 for leaving his injured Indian employee by the roadside to die two years ago.

Tay was jailed another six months for employing the same worker, who was an illegal immigrant.

Investigators unable to find cause of fire at Waimalu Chop Suey - Hawaii News - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Investigators unable to find cause of fire at Waimalu Chop Suey - Hawaii News - Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Honolulu fire investigators have been unable to determine the cause of a Tuesday morning fire that caused an estimated $60,000 damage to Waimalu Chop Suey at the Waimalu Shopping Center, a Fire Department spokesman said today.

Man dies of head injuries after fall from scaffold - Muharraq

Gulf Daily News � Local News � Man dies of head injuries after fall from scaffold: AN Asian, who suffered severe head injuries in a worksite accident in Muharraq three days ago, died in hospital early yesterday morning.
Muralidharan Gopalan Malayil, 40, was painting a house in Muharraq when he slipped and fell from a scaffolding on the second floor.

Northcrest store shut after smoky wiring fire | The Journal Gazette

Northcrest store shut after smoky wiring fire | The Journal Gazette: FORT WAYNE – Damage from an electrical fire at the Office Depot in the Northcrest shopping center has shuttered the store indefinitely.Fire crews were dispatched to the store at 705 Coliseum Blvd. E. early Monday after employees arriving for work smelled smoke, Fort Wayne Fire Chief Amy Biggs said.

Friday 24 August 2012

Monro Muffler Brake reaches agreement with OSHA to protect workers against hydraulic lift hazards at multiple company locations

2012 - 08/24/2012 - Monro Muffler Brake reaches agreement with US Labor Department to protect workers against hydraulic lift hazards at multiple company locations: BOSTON – Monro Muffler Brake Inc., which operates a chain of more than 800 stores that provide automotive repair and tire services throughout the eastern United States, has reached an enterprisewide settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor in which it will institute procedures to protect its workers against being crushed or struck by automotive hydraulic lifts.

Women the biggest victims of second-hand smoke: survey - Taipei Times

Women the biggest victims of second-hand smoke: survey - Taipei Times: While the majority of women in the country do not smoke, they make up the greatest number of victims of second-hand smoke, according to the Bureau of Health Promotion.

“Typically, women are exposed to second-hand smoke from their fathers during childhood, from their husbands after marriage and from their sons when they get older,” said Chiu Shu-ti (邱淑媞), director-general of the bureau.

Leisure firm accused on pool death - News - Buxton Advertiser

Leisure firm accused on pool death - News - Buxton Advertiser: A leisure firm is to be prosecuted over the death of a child at a swimming pool in Essex, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.




Michelle Gellard, seven, died after being pulled from the water at Blackwater Leisure Centre in Maldon on June 14 2008.An inquest last year found that her death was accidental.

London Fire Brigade - Firefighters save ten builders in dramatic high rise rescue

London Fire Brigade - Firefighters save ten builders in dramatic high rise rescue: Firefighters from the London Fire Brigade carried out a dramatic rescue last night after ten contractors got stuck in a builders’ lift outside the 22nd floor of a hospital building in Southwark, SE1.

Station Manager Laurie Kenny, who is one of the Brigade’s technical rescue advisors, was at the scene. He said: “When we arrived, the contractors inside the lift were singing to try and take their minds off being stuck. A couple of them were quite nervous but firefighters did a great job at calming them down, it must’ve been pretty hair raising for them being stuck so high up.

Flea bite gets carers banned from helping OAP | The Sun |News

Flea bite gets carers banned from helping OAP | The Sun |News: HEALTH and safety jobsworths banned carers from helping a wheelchair-bound OAP
after one got bitten by a FLEA.


Jean Jordan, 78, was abandoned after Essex County Council officials made the
bizarre ruling.

Firms prosecuted over asbestos danger at Bolton mill

Firms prosecuted over asbestos danger at Bolton mill: Two companies have been prosecuted after workers were exposed to potentially deadly asbestos fibres at a mill in Bolton.
A pile of damaged asbestos boards stacked up at a mill in Bolton.

A pile of damaged asbestos boards stacked up at a mill in Bolton.


The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) took legal action against Hazelwise Ltd and RH Property Management Ltd after finding dozens of damaged asbestos boards stacked up at Brownlow Mill during a visit on 20 October 2010.

Manchester Crown Court heard today (24 August 2012) that neither company had put a plan in place to manage the asbestos in the mill on Tennyson Street, where several small businesses rent units.

A man was killed when he drove a scissor lift into pit

RNN media information for journalists and the press - Press Releases - Worker's death leads to fines - Regional News Network: Two companies have been fined after a man was killed when he drove a specialist machine into an unprotected pit in a factory floor.

Martin McMenemy, 52, of Grimsby, was working for O. Turner Insulation Ltd, also of Grimsby, on the construction of a food processing plant in Ratby Lane, Leicester, on 12 April 2008.

He was using a scissor lift, an extendable platform, to install wall and ceiling panels when he drove it unwittingly toward and into the shallow uncovered recess. The vehicle overturned and Mr McMenemy was thrown out of it. He died later in hospital of head injuries.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that O. Turner Insulation Ltd and principal contractor Clegg Food Projects Ltd, of Nottingham, had failed to take simple precautions to cover the hole.

Stricken cargo ship heading for Germany - The Local

Stricken cargo ship heading for Germany - The Local: A burning cargo ship which has been floating around the Atlantic for several weeks is heading for Germany after an international row over where it could dock. But a politician says the German MSC Flaminia is a "ticking time-bomb."

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Weekly Toll: The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Office Depot at Northcrest remains closed for repairs after fire Monday - News-Sentinel.com

Office Depot at Northcrest remains closed for repairs after fire Monday - News-Sentinel.com: The Office Depot store in Northcrest shopping center remains closed after two separate calls for help to the Fort Wayne Fire Department Monday.At the Fort Wayne store Thursday, workers referred all questions to Office Depot headquarters.

Man falls three storeys, lands on building awning | The Chronicle Herald

Man falls three storeys, lands on building awning | The Chronicle Herald: Emergency crews are at the scene of an industrial accident at a construction site on Larry Uteck Boulevard this morning.

Few details are available, but early reports suggest a man fell from scaffolding more than seven metres and landed on an awning.

Council 'not told' about Eaglesham explosion

BBC News - Council 'not told' about Eaglesham explosion: East Renfrewshire Council has said it was not notified about an explosion at a building site in Eaglesham which severely damaged local properties.
The authority said neither planning nor building control officials had been notified by housebuilder Mactaggart and Mickel prior to the blast.
The botched explosion at its Polnoon development rained debris on homes and cars on Thursday. No-one was hurt.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched an investigation.

Oral contracts to be banned in claims clampdown | The Law Gazette

Oral contracts to be banned in claims clampdown | The Law Gazette: Claims management companies (CMCs) will be forced to end oral contract arrangements under rules proposed by the Ministry of Justice today.

The MoJ’s Claims Management Regulator (the regulator) will insist that CMCs have to agree contracts with clients in writing before any fees can be taken. Companies will also be required to inform clients of any changes to the business’s authorisation once in effect and will be allowed to say only that they are regulated by the regulator rather than the MoJ, which the ministry says implies government endorsement.

Firms fined for roof fall

Firms fined for roof fall: A construction firm and a roofing company have been fined for their part in a fall at a Lincoln retail park.

Taylor Pearson Construction Limited was the principal contractor building a new retail unit at The Carlton Centre on Outer Circle Road. The company sub-contracted roof cladding work to Roofwise (Bourne) Limited, which in turn engaged a sub-contract labour team of its own.

On 24 May 2011, the cladding team were installing gutter sections along one side of the roof. As one of the team, a 53-year-old self-employed roofer from Sheffield, who has asked not to be named, attempted to fix the last section of gutter he fell, striking the handrail of a scissor lift before hitting the ground more than eight metres below.

Outdoor advertising giant prosecuted for safety failings following serious injury in Bristol

Outdoor advertising giant prosecuted for safety failings following serious injury in Bristol: Outdoor advertising company Clear Channel UK Ltd has been fined after an employee's hand was caught in a petrol-powered lawn mower in Bristol.

In a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Bristol Magistrates Court today (20 August) heard that the maintenance worker was working at a billboard site on Bath Road on 22 August last year when the incident happened.

The worker, from Gloucestershire, who does not want to be named, sustained serious injuries to his left hand when he tried to clear a blockage from the petrol-powered mower, which he believed had been turned off.

Three killed in China bridge collapse

Three killed in China bridge collapse: A section of an eight-lane bridge in mainland China that opened in November has collapsed, killing three people and injuring five others. State media said four lorries fell off the bridge in Harbin City, in Heilongjiang province, when it gave way. Shoddy construction and over-loading have been blamed for the incident.

Report reveals 'unseamanlike' practices on ferry on which Ben Woollacott died

Report reveals 'unseamanlike' practices on ferry on which Ben Woollacott died: 'Unseamanlike' working practices led to a
ferry disaster which killed a Swanley teenager, it's been
revealed.
A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)
recorded a number of errors which led to the young man's death.
It comes after deckhand Ben Woollacott, 19, drowned when he was
dragged overboard by a mooring rope on the Woolwich ferry Ernest
Bevin on August 3 last year.

Swansea landlords urged to maintain properties after successful prosecution

News Wales > Community > Swansea landlords urged to maintain properties after successful prosecution: Swansea Council has urged city landlords to maintain their properties or face action after it successfully prosecuted another rogue landlord for renting out an unsatisfactory property.Christopher Jones is the eighth landlord to be prosecuted in eight months by the Council after he pleaded guilty to a catalogue of health & safety-related breaches at a house in multiple occupation (HMO).Mr Jones from Bishopston in Swansea pleaded guilty to 11 offences in relation to an eight-bedroom property at 79 Eaton Crescent in Uplands.

Southampton worker pays price for firm's safety failings

Southampton worker pays price for firm's safety failings: A Romsey brick-making firm has been prosecuted after one of its employees suffered crush injuries to his leg in a poorly-guarded machine.

Mr Nikoloz Demetrashvili, 42, was in hospital for three weeks with a multiple fracture of his right leg after the incident at Michelmersh Brick and Tile Company Ltd on 12 October last year.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and found that flawed protective measures meant the worker was able to access dangerous parts of a brick-making machine while it was still 'live'.

Southampton Magistrates heard today (22 August) that Mr Demetrashvili, from Southampton, had been trying to free a blockage caused when two trays dropped on a brick mould rather than one.

OSHA cites Gainesville, Ga., recycler for exposing workers to safety and health hazards

2012 - 08/23/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Gainesville, Ga., recycler for exposing workers to safety and health hazards: GAINESVILLE, Ga. – World Recycling Inc. in Gainesville has been cited with 24 safety and health violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing workers to a variety of hazards. Proposed penalties total $74,400 following an inspection initiated in March due to a complaint OSHA received alleging hazards.

Sanpete Co. rescue volunteer dies in work accident

Sanpete Co. rescue volunteer dies in work accident: A longtime Sanpete County search and rescue volunteer and one-time commander has died in a work accident west of Ephraim.Sanpete County deputy Eric Zeeman says Cheston Madsen was a plumbing contractor and had jumped into a trench to work on the septic system Wednesday afternoon. Zeeman says Madsen got caught between a moving backhoe and the wall of the trench and was killed.

China to check black lung disease at mines |Society |chinadaily.com.cn

China to check black lung disease at mines |Society |chinadaily.com.cn: BEIJING - Chinese authorities plan to investigate some state-owned mines in order to prevent the spread of pneumoconiosis, or "black lung disease," the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety said Thursday.
The administration has asked the China Occupational Safety and Health Association to conduct research on pneumoconiosis infections and dust monitoring in several state-owned mines from August to December.

Ship grounds in Foveaux Strait - news - the-press | Stuff.co.nz

Ship grounds in Foveaux Strait - news - the-press | Stuff.co.nz: The Transport Accident Investigation Commission and Maritime New Zealand are making inquiries after a vessel carrying 26 people ran aground today off Green Island in Foveaux Strait.




All passengers from the stricken fishing vessel Torea have disembarked and are heading back to Bluff.

Thursday 23 August 2012

Fire exits at building still blocked - Mongkok

Fire exits at building still blocked: The Director of Fire Services, Chan Chor-kam, says fire exits at two locations in an old building that were hit by a deadly fire last year remain blocked. The building is located on Fa Yuen Street in Mongkok - the scene of a fire that left nine people dead.

'Over-use' blamed for plant failure

'Over-use' blamed for plant failure: A Chinese firm which designed Sri Lanka's only coal-fired power station said recent repeated failures were caused by over-use the plant without annual maintenance, after an extended drought reduced 85 percent of the country's hydro power generation.

Sri Lanka's state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on August 13th extended nation-wide daily power cuts by two weeks, owning to repeated problems at the plant in Norochcholai which knocked out almost a fifth of the island's generating capacity. "The Norochcholai coal power plant was forced to work beyond its required limits and keep supplying electricity to the whole country,"

Smog blankets HK once again

Smog blankets HK once again: Very high levels of air pollution have been affecting the territory once again.

By 4am on Friday, the reading at the roadside monotoring station in Central had climbed to 182, with 169 in Causeway Bay and 160 in Mong Kok.

The general station in Kwun Tong was also giving a very high reading, of 107.

Light winds were being cited as the reason for the the build-up of pollutants.

Any reading above 100 is considered very high.

Construction Worker Killed on the Job | KTSM News Channel 9

Construction Worker Killed on the Job | KTSM News Channel 9: EL PASO — One man is dead after a driver crashes into construction equipment on I-10 and Artcraft going westbound.
The crash happened right before midnight when a driver killed one construction worker and injured another on the highway.

Legionella found at Dundee community centre - Daily Record

Legionella found at Dundee community centre - Daily Record: POTENTIALLY deadly legionella bacteria have been found in showers at a community centre.The bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease, were discovered by routine testing at Menzieshill Community Centre in Dundee around two weeks ago.According to Dundee City Council, there are no "public health issues".

Health minister showing criminal negligence on asbestos: activist | The Hook

Health minister showing criminal negligence on asbestos: activist | The Hook: Canada’s Minister of Health is guilty of criminal negligence on the asbestos file, says veteran anti-asbestos campaigner Kathleen Ruff. Writing on her website Right On Canada on August 19, Ruff says that in Italy, industry magnates have been prosecuted for their criminal negligence around exposing workers to the known carcinogen, and cites recent statements from Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq that Ruff calls “callous” to support the suggestion the Tory minister ought to face the same legal consequences.

Government publishes guidance on the "legal definition" of waste

Government publishes guidance on the "legal definition" of waste: New guidance on the legal definition of waste and its application will provide a practical guide to businesses new to the legal definition, the Government said.22 Aug 2012

Pallet Manufacturing Company Fined $50,000 After Worker Injured

Pallet Manufacturing Company Fined $50,000 After Worker Injured: Newmarket, ON - Woodbridge Pallet Ltd., a Woodbridge-based pallet manufacturing and repair company, was fined $50,000 on August 17, 2012, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

On July 20, 2010, a Woodbridge Pallet employee was painting pallets in the workplace's paint department. The worker began walking across the floor area to retrieve some paint when a counter-balance forklift carrying a load of pallets struck the worker. The worker suffered leg and arm injuries.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the forklift operator - when moving forward - could not see the other worker because the pallets on the forks obstructed the operator's forward view.

Woodbridge Pallet Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing to move materials in a way that would not endanger any workers.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Linda DeBartolo. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Quality Meat Packers Limited Fined $70,000 After Worker Injured

Quality Meat Packers Limited Fined $70,000 After Worker Injured: Toronto, ON - Quality Meat Packers Limited, the Toronto operator of a pork processing plant, was fined $70,000 today for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

On February 3, 2011, a worker at the Toronto plant was cleaning a conveyor using a hose. The conveyor was guarded to prevent access to its moving parts. But, when the water pressure in the hose dropped, the worker lifted a guard to get better access to the conveyor with the hose. The worker believed lifting the interlocked guard would stop the conveyor from moving but an electrical switch malfunction stopped this from happening. When the worker put a hand on the still-moving conveyor, the worker's arm was pulled into its gears.

Quality Meat Packers Limited pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the machine was cleaned only when motion that may endanger a worker was stopped.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace David Hunt. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

OSHA cites JC Silva Remodeling Services for fall hazards at 3 Conn. work sites, including 1 where a worker died from a fall

2012 - 08/15/2012 - US Department of Labor's OSHA cites JC Silva Remodeling Services for fall hazards at 3 Conn. work sites, including 1 where a worker died from a fall: BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Bridgeport roofing contractor JC Silva Remodeling Services LLC for fall hazards at three Fairfield County work sites, including one where a worker died Feb. 14 when he fell from the roof while installing and removing skylights.

"This death was needless," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport. "Especially disturbing is the employer's recurring failure to adequately protect its workers against the number one killer in construction work, even after a fall claimed the life of one of its employees."