So here, from Cal-OSHA Reporter Newsdesk,*
is today's dose of . . . well, maybe it isn't mostly death today. Let's see.
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The cause of the blast in 2008 remains a mystery, but the lawsuit is
finally starting. A nineteen year old who was refueling a yacht was killed when
it exploded. His parents filed against the marina owner, the yacht captain, and
the company that had installed the gas pumps on the dock. The yacht captain is
listed as 'company owner', which could refer to the installation company.
The individuals have already settled, leaving the installation company as
the only defendant. There was an OSHA fine against the marina because the fuel
nozzle wasn't both automatic-closing and without a hold-open latch. Whether
this contributed to the explosion is unknown. The lawsuit claims that a
generator or A/C unit on the yacht had been left on during fueling, and that
leaked fuel had collected under a nearby dock, releasing a pool of vapors.
An initial investigation found no criminal wrongdoing.
-----It is also not criminal wrongdoing to warp numbers and report them with a straight face, but Media Matters is pointing fingers at Robert Bradley Jr. of the Institute for Energy Research (fossil fuel industry funded) for going beyond cherry-picking when he claimed in a Forbes column that the wind industry has a higher safety risk for workers than the fossil fuel industry, coal mining included. http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/03/27/forbes-reaches-to-find-wind-power-fatalities/193299
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Ohio plant fined for not following asbestos regulations while removing boiler components. No injuries involved.
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Nevada company fined after an employee died during training, falling from a utility tower. Well, the fine has been proposed. It could be contested or appealed.
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OSHA investigation in Texas after four were hit by collapsing scaffolding. One was caught under it. The four are listed as 'recovering' but it sounds like only the trapped worker was significantly injured.
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OSHA cites NY medical office for using old-style needles and not providing sufficient training or protective gear to employees
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It's a truism that a worker is most at risk in the first days on a new job. After the death of a temp worker at a bottling plant, OSHA issued a public warning that workplace hazard training must take place before a worker starts a job, and that this applies to temp workers, too.
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NJ Construction worker dies after fall from roof of house. Investigation pending.
__________
That's four deaths in seven articles (second article removed from
consideration). Or a 57% death rate. Yup. These articles are still dangerous to a person's good mood.
*not an official CalOSHA newsletter
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