Roger*, who sowed the seeds of his farming career at the age of 13, may have scoffed at the foretelling of his death on a small farm in Iowa 22 years later. But who could have known his fate around the rotating shaft of a posthole digger? All there is left to do is learn from his tragedy.

Roger’s Background
Roger began working on farms when he turned 13. The years passed until he bought and operated his own ranch, where he lived alone and worked on it nights, weekends and holidays. His days were filled working for a local farmer.

What Happened
In the fall of 2005, Roger set about building a fence with a posthole digger (auger) that he borrowed from his employer. Somehow he became entangled in the auger, which amputated his right arm. He died of multiple blunt force trauma and other injuries to his head, neck and extremities.

The Investigation
Roger’s fatality was not witnessed, but investigators surmised how the incident occurred. There was clothing, along with body tissue, wrapped around the upper portion of the auger, and the victim’s severed arm was found next to the posthole digger. Roger’s body was discovered about 30 feet (10 meters) from the tractor. Investigators found a broken handled shovel at the site, where dirt was spread away from where it would pile up around the hole. An operator working too close to the auger; clearing dirt, for example, could come in contact with moving machinery, investigators noted. It was also reported that no guard existed in the area where the auger connects to the gearbox output shaft. It wasn’t concluded that Roger was wearing loose clothing; his attire consisted of jeans, sweatshirt, flannel shirt and T-shirt. However, investigators said frayed or loose clothing would be more susceptible to being snagged by moving machinery parts.

Workers Take Heed
Employees should follow these recommendations to prevent similar deaths when working with tractor PTO (power take-off) devices and rotating augers:

• Tractor operators should disengage drive elements and shut off the tractor’s engine before leaving the operator’s station (cab or seat).
• Operators, and others, should stay clear when the posthole digger is in operation. Workers may be tempted to clear accumulated dirt away from the hole while the auger is running, but this is very dangerous and could result in entanglement.
• Posthole auger drive elements should be guarded with all shielding in place.
• Work areas should be clear of slip, trip and fall hazards.
• Loose clothing should not be worn around rotating equipment or machinery.

*The names aren’t real, but the incidents are. These accounts are based on actual fatality investigations.

The moral of this fatality is: Never work beneath a suspended load. That was the tragic lesson learned by longshore workers who watched in horror as a colleague was crushed by a 750-pound lug while working under a suspended turbogenerator.

How It Happened
A barge-mounted crane was being used to transfer a turbogenerator onto a railcar. The generator was suspended in the air six to 12 inches above the railcar. Each of four lugs was secured to the generator’s housing by four nut-and-bolt assemblies.

Crewmembers attempted to put support timbers on the railcar beneath the edges of the generator, but the nut-and-bolt assemblies were blocking placement of the timber. So the workers decided to remove the nuts securing the lugs to provide the necessary clearance for the timber.

A supervisor removed one nut-and-bolt assembly from the bottom of the lug. The foreman then removed the second nut at the bottom of the same lug. That’s when the lug fell and crushed him.

The Mistake
The first mistake was working beneath a suspended load. The second mistake the crew made: believing that when the bottom nuts were removed, each lug would be held in place by its nut-and-bolt assemblies.

None of the longshore workers was aware that the top assemblies were not secured to the turbogenerator.

What Workers Should Have Done
A hazard assessment should have been conducted prior to the lift. This would have revealed that the lugs were not secured to the generator housing by the two horizontal bolts of the lifting lugs. In addition, the workers should have discussed an alternate method of bracing the generator on the railcar. A preconstructed platform would have eliminated suspending the load above the railcar.

What OSHA Says
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA ) says standards dictate that employees “stay clear of the area beneath overhead drafts or descending lifting gear.”

OSHA says a hazard assessment should have been conducted for the procedure of removing the nuts and lugs prior to performing the task. And a pre-lift safety meeting with all the employees would have identified the risks associated with the lift. Training in safe work practices (moving large equipment) would also have made a difference in the outcome, according to OSHA .

Trevor* was 24 years old when he died in an unguarded conveyor at an asphalt plant, where investigators concluded that several safety procedures could have prevented his death.

WHAT HAPPENED

Trevor was a trainee who, along with a co-worker, was instructed to assist in the recalibration of a conveyor by clearing it of any remaining asphalt and running aggregate through it. While the conveyor was operating, Trevor climbed onto a support beam (directly above an unguarded opening of the conveyor) to operate a handle controlling a gate in the conveyor chute.

The co-worker told Trevor to “get down from there,” but the young man continued to operate the handle. He lost his balance and fell feet first into the conveyor. The co-worker grabbed Trevor’s arm but could not prevent him from being dragged into a narrow aperature of the conveyor and being crushed.

WORKERS TAKE HEED

Employees should follow these recommendations to prevent similar deaths when working around conveyors and other machines:

• Don’t work with machinery that has exposed moving parts. Report lack of guarding to your supervisor.
• Make sure you know where all stop buttons are located so you can deactivate a machine quickly.
• Do not climb or stand on machinery. Use elevated work platforms to activate out-of-reach handles or switches.
• Ensure you have been trained to identify and control the hazards associated with your job, and ask that a job safety analysis be conducted before you begin a hazardous task.
• Regularly inspect machinery before each use. You might find a problem that could lead to a serious injury

* The names aren’t real, but the incidents are. These accounts are based on actual fatality investigations.

Deputy Sheriff Tony* was quite certain that the downed power line hanging only a few inches above the road was a ground wire that was safe to move by hand. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

In a flash of sparks, Tony was electrocuted and thrown over the bank by a jolt of electricity. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

WHAT HAPPENED
A car struck a utility pole at a curve on a US highway, resulting in the primary (hot) wire drooping to within inches of the roadway.

A state trooper arrested the motorist for drunk driving, secured the area and began directing traffic with the help of a civilian. The local utility company had been notified of the car crash and the downed wire. As the traffic load increased, the trooper called the local sheriff’s department for assistance. Tony arrived shortly after and began assisting the trooper.

During a discussion, Tony assured the trooper that the downed power line was only a ground wire because it was not wrapped with insulation. Therefore, it could be moved safely. Tony then grabbed the wire and carried it to the side of the road. Seconds later there was a flash. A witness stated that the deputy sheriff stepped off the road and onto a wet berm when the “line got him.” The electrical current sent Tony tumbling over the bank, and the line swung back to its previous position. Why the deputy was not electrocuted when he initially grasped the energized line is unknown. It is suspected that he may not have created a path to ground until the soles of his shoes were moistened by the wet berm.

WORKERS TAKE HEED
Employees should follow these recommendations to prevent similar deaths associated with downed power lines:

• Workers should not perform tasks until they have been properly trained (including simulation training) to identify and control the hazards involved.
• Workers assigned responsibility to coordinate activities at an incident site should follow established safety procedures. Tony had received two weeks of law enforcement training, including instruction in power line safety procedures. These procedures require that a utility company be called to de-energize downed power lines before they are moved or contacted.

* The names aren’t real, but the incidents are. These accounts are based on actual fatality investigations.

Stan* was hired as a hotel maintenance worker, whose duties included janitorial functions and minor repair. So how did he end up dead with electrical flash burns to 20 percent of his body?

Stan’s Background
Stan had previously worked as a welder and computer programmer before taking the maintenance job, which he held for three months before his death. According to the hotel manager, Stan’s past work experience qualified him to perform the duties he had been assigned, but his job description did not include changing fuses in an electrical panel.

What Happened
The garage area of the hotel had lost electrical power, and the hotel’s assistant general manager told Stan to “check out” the problem. The 39-year-old maintenance worker went to the electrical room and opened a panel to expose a burned out fuse. The victim then called the maintenance supervisor at home for guidance and was instructed not to touch the fuse. But despite the supervisor’s warning, Stan removed the 30 amperage fuse and proceeded to replace it with a blade-type fuse of different amperage. When he did this, an electrical flash occurred, burning Stan’s arms and face.

He Lived…and He Died
Although injured, Stan was able to exit the electrical room and call for help. He was still conscious when paramedics arrived and transported him to a local hospital for treatment. Stan was later transferred to a burn unit, where he complained of shortness of breath. After further tests, it was determined he had suffered an inhalation injury and was given respiratory aid. Stan’s condition worsened over time, and he died five days after the incident.

The Investigation
Investigators discovered that the power was not shut off before Stan began working on the fuse. In addition, there were no lockout/tagout procedures followed. Although the company had a standard electrical safety policy for changing fuses, Stan had not been trained in the procedure.

Workers Take Heed
Employees should follow these recommendations to prevent similar deaths when working around electricity:

• Workers should only perform tasks that are part of their well-defined duties. And they should not conduct hazardous work unless properly trained. It was clear that Stan was performing a task beyond his job description.
• Prior to working on any task involving electricity, the power should be shut off, and a lockout/tagout procedure should be implemented for safety.

*The names aren’t real, but the incidents are.These accounts are based on actual fatality investigations.

Falling through an opening on a bridge deck under construction wasn’t Tom’s* idea of how he wanted to leave his mark in the world. If only the deck pan had been secured. If only he hadn’t tripped or lost his balance. If only he could have reversed time and done something different.
If only. . .

Tom’s Background
Tom was a steel worker who was hired from a union hall. He had worked for the decking subcontractor since the beginning of the project (about 2.5 years). The employer considered him a good worker and was planning to promote him to foreman.

What Happened
The company Tom worked for had been hired to install corrugated steel decking pans on two bridges (prior to pouring concrete to form the bridge deck). Tom was preparing to secure the last pan when he lost his balance or tripped on a piece of rebar. This caused him to fall against the unsecured pan, which fell through the opening, carrying Tom with it. He was killed instantly after falling 55 feet (17 meters) and landing head first on a concrete pylon below.

Tom had not been wearing fall protection. Although this area of the bridge was equipped with safety railings along the sides, there were no rails or safety lines along the beams where the pans were placed, according to investigators.

Workers Take Heed
Employees should follow these recommendations to prevent similar deaths when working on bridges:

• Fall protection gear should be used when working at heights above six feet. And when workers wear the required safety harnesses and lanyards, they must be secured to an “anchor” point. Too often workers wear safety harnesses that are not properly anchored to prevent a fall. (A number of fall protection devices provide the mobility needed by ironworkers. One example is to use a retractable reel system that feeds out a safety line as the worker moves.)
• Workers should ensure they are involved in a job hazard analysis prior to any task. Such an analysis will assess the hazards they face and help them avoid injuries on the job.

* The names aren’t real, but the incidents are. These accounts are based on actual fatality investigations.

A pilot and his three passengers died when the air ambulance they were in crashed into a mountain range during a blizzard.

The aircraft was en route from a hospital to transfer an emergency heart patient to a hospital more able to provide adequate care. It was approaching the airport when it went missing.

A major winter storm hit that day, but blizzard conditions were not sufficient to have been the sole cause of the crash. The craft was flying over two ridges and came over the first but crashed into the rocky face of the second.

The pilot had considerable experience flying in the area, but didn’t have considerable experience in the specific aircraft. The plane’s reliability in hazardous weather conditions was suspect, because it had unique handling characteristics. Experienced pilots of that aircraft recommended special flight training courses that include simulator training before using the specific craft in emergency situations.

As with any machinery or equipment, it is important to review safety records prior to using aircraft in emergency situations. As an operator, ensure you have sufficient experience in the operation of any equipment used

A 39-year-old father of five was killed when he was run over by a dump truck. He was a truck driver with 12 years of experience and had been with his employer for more than two years.

There were two single-bed dump trucks and a front-end loader on site. The loader operator filled the back of one of the trucks, told the victim that he could leave and observed the victim getting into the cab of the truck. The second driver observed the victim getting into his truck and checking his left-hand mirror. He then was seen in the right-hand mirror while slowly backing up so he could keep track of the front-end loader. His back-up alarms were working.

The loader operator rotated his loader so he could scoop material to put in the second driver’s truck after it was positioned. He was rotating the loader back to dump, and saw the victim out of his truck, behind the second driver’s truck. Before the loader operator could respond, the second driver’s truck struck the victim, knocking him down and pinning him under the wheels of the truck.

Emergency medical assistance was called. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

• Are your workers trained to work around traffic on a construction site?
• Are your workers frequently reminded, in safety meetings, of site hazards?
• Is all of your equipment inspected regularly to ensure the back-up alarms work?

Thousands of people have died in accidents involving all terrain vehicles (ATV’s). During a recent six-month period, for instance, three farmers were killed in separate ATV accidents.

In the first incident, a farmer on a four-wheel ATV was spraying weeds. When he didn’t return home, his son went looking and found the farmer lying under the vehicle. The victim died from chest and head injuries.

In another incident, a farmer’s three-wheel ATV hit a rut in a pasture. He was thrown from the vehicle and died of a broken neck.

In the third incident, a farmer was driving a four-wheel ATV on a country road. The ATV made a sharp left turn and left the road. The victim was thrown off and the vehicle landed on top of him. He died from head trauma.

To safely operate an ATV:

• Always wear an approved helmet and eye protection.
• Don’t operate an ATV on pavement. ATV’s aren’t designed for it and may be difficult to control.
• Never drive an ATV at excessive speeds. Make sure your speed is safe for the terrain, visibility conditions and your experience.

A 66-year-old carpenter died after falling from the plank of an improvised scaffold.

The victim had arrived that day from Costa Rica. He immediately went to the site where his son, the construction company owner, was renovating a home. The crew had demolished and rebuilt a section and were installing siding. They had built an improvised scaffold with discarded lumber.

The son was away; his father went to work. The victim was standing on a narrow wood plank set more than 10 feet (three meters) above a concrete driveway. One end of the plank rested on a porch roof and the other on the scaffold. The son arrived and greeted his father, who had bent down to cut siding. When he turned to reply, the victim lost his balance and fell to the concrete, striking his head and losing consciousness. He underwent surgery for severe head injuries and died the next day.

Always use properly designed and assembled scaffolds and/or ladders when working at heights of more than six feet (1.8 meters). Fall protection is required in most cases when working at such heights.

When in doubt, improvise. That old advice might work well in certain circumstances, but it’s dangerous if it involves compromising safety.

A malfunctioning ventilation door at a flour mill resulted in unbearably hot conditions for workers. The problem was the vent was located about 20 feet (5.7 meters) above the ground. Two workers decided to pile several pallets on a forklift and raise the machine to its maximum height so one of them could access the stuck vent door.

Their plan went awry when the worker lost his footing on the pallet platform and fell to his death. No measures were in place to prevent such a fall and the victim was not wearing a hardhat.

Investigators found that the worker who had been operating the forklift was not qualified to operate it. However, the company had allowed him to operate the machine on several previous occasions.

An assistant mountaineering guide died when he fell from a mountain ridge. He was part of a five-man team descending from a high-elevation camp when he saw one of the team slip on a rocky section and have trouble regaining his footing. The victim unclipped from the group’s rope and walked toward the fallen climber, then lost his own footing and slid down the slope toward a glacier. He couldn’t stop his fall, even with his ice ax. His body was recovered later.

You may not be a mountaineer, but you might have to rescue someone in some other setting. Are you well trained in the relevant and proper assist-and-rescue techniques?

A window mechanic died from generalized trauma when he fell through a window he was trying to replace on the 21st floor of an office building.

To replace the window, the victim had to loosen and remove bolts in the frame. He was standing on a three-foot-high (.9 meter) stepladder in front of the window. The bolt above his right shoulder was stuck, so he was striking it with a hammer. He missed, and struck the windowpane. It shattered, and the victim and the ladder fell sideways through the opening to a brick courtyard 250 feet (76.2 meters) below.

Two steps could have prevented this fatality. First, fall protection options should always be considered when there is a potential for serious falls. The windows of the type involved in the incident are designed with the strength and integrity to prevent someone from falling through them. When they are damaged, they should be approached with caution.

Secondly, the work being performed by the victim at the time of the incident could just as easily have been accomplished with the ladder and the worker positioned by an adjacent, undamaged side window instead of directly in front of the damaged unit. Had this been done, the incident might have been prevented.

A 49-year-old construction worker was killed as a result of a fall from a roof.

Two crews, one working for the general contractor and the other for a subcontractor, were working on a low-pitch metal roof on a commercial building. The victim was part of the subcontractor’s seven-person crew.

The crew working for the general contractor cut an opening for an elevator. The opening had been cut, but the metal had not yet been removed. The metal was supported by a single beam, and held in place by a couple of screws. This crew had not informed the roofing crew that the hole had been cut. The cutout had not been protected by barricade or by a person stationed as monitor. The general contractor did not have a fall protection work plan.

The subcontractor had a fall protection work plan utilizing the safety monitor system. The victim was walking to another portion of the roof when he stepped onto the cut section of the roof, which gave way. He dropped through the hole, falling 25 feet (about 7.5 meters).

• Do you alert your subcontractors to hazards or unusual conditions on the work site?
• Have you assessed the job site for possible hidden hazards?
• Have you provided safeguarding of open holes or cutouts (monitors or barricades) on the walking surface?
• Do you have a fall protection work plan, and are all your employees trained?
• Do you ensure your subcontractors have their own fall protection work plan?

A fall from 25 feet (7.5 meters) killed a construction worker.

The worker had been spraying foam used to seal the insulation material attached to the trusses of the structure, when the sheet of insulation he was walking on broke. The victim attempted to grab an I-beam. However, he failed and fell to the ground, landing on his head and shoulder. The victim died several hours later. No fall protection devices were in place.

• How often have you continued doing a procedure the same way you’ve always done it even though you have learned it is not the safest way?
• What well-established work practices in your company have been reviewed with an eye toward increased safety?

A 21-year-old construction worker was killed when a Bobcat loader, operating on loose soil, rolled backwards over a 70-foot (21-meter) cliff into a rocky ravine.

The driver restraint was bypassed or not operating, and no seat belt was worn. The rollover bars on the Bobcat were intact after the fall. The victim was thrown out of the machine.

• Who in your company is responsible for checking that safety devices are installed and used on all equipment, including rental equipment?
• If you work in remote areas, how will you summon help in the event of an emergency?

An experienced tree trimmer fell 40 feet (12 meters) to his death after the safety belt he was wearing malfunctioned.

The victim had been hired to trim palm trees at a California apartment complex and was cutting the branches of several palm trees when he fell. Co-workers heard the man scream and found him lying on the ground.

The victim was using safety devices (including a lanyard and rope) to secure himself to the tree. However, an investigation revealed a broken safety latch and an unsecured safety rope. The man’s supervisor told investigators that the safety rope had not been secured and a spring-loaded latch intended to connect the chain to the D-ring of the safety belt was broken.

Safety equipment is virtually useless if broken or used incorrectly. Protect yourself by examining your safety equipment before each use to ensure it is in good working order. Wear tree workers’ saddles if you climb trees as part of your job. The shoes will provide much needed extra traction.

A 29-year-old female cement finisher fell 165 feet (50 meters) to her death from a high-rise office complex under construction.

The victim was working on the 13th floor, patching holes and rough spots in the cement. At lunchtime, she and a co-worker called for the hoist to bring them down. While waiting, the woman put her hands in her pocket and leaned against the safety gate across the hoist entrance. It gave way, and the woman fell to the ground.

It could not be determined why the gate came open. Each gate is locked, through a U-shaped latch, and the hoist operator holds the only key. All witnesses stated that the padlock was in place.

This employer has made several changes since the woman’s death. Random stress tests are now being done to make sure the locks are stable and latch clamps are now welded in place. Periodically, the hoist operator stops at each floor and inspects the gates, clamps and padlocks. The employer has also installed safety bars and signs to warn workers to stay back.

Despite precautions taken by an employer, each employee must develop safe habits. To lean against an outer perimeter barrier is a poor practice and, in this instance, resulted in death.

A 37-year-old residential roofer was fatally injured after falling from a roof.

The victim and one co-worker had climbed onto a roof of a business. Both carried their fall protection equipment with them, but neither had put it on. They were sitting on the roof waiting for their supervisor to arrive, when the victim moved to the edge of the roof to tie down a loose tarpaulin. While he was at the edge, the roof gave way, and the worker fell 14 feet (about four meters) to the loading dock.

• Do you supply and require the wearing of fall protection?
• Do you have a fall protection work plan?
• Do you conduct a hazard assessment of the work area before work begins?

A 22-year-old roofer fell approximately 22 feet (6.7 meters) off the edge of a roof onto concrete and died.

The worker leaned over the side of the roof in an attempt to nail a piece of felt that was flapping. He placed his hand onto the felt, which had no support underneath, then fell over the roof. He was wearing a fall restraint harness and was dragging the ropes behind him. However, he was not connected to the anchorage point. His brother witnessed the fall.

If you are performing jobs that require the use of fall arrest or restraint, under what situations have you allowed the protection not to be used? Is it when “the job will only take a minute,” or when “it has been done before without the belts and we didn’t fall then?”

Neither answer is an excuse for not using the safety equipment.

A fall down an elevator shaft killed a construction supervisor. He and his crew were setting up a work platform in an open elevator shaft when a board supporting the platform broke and he fell 33 feet (ten meters) to the concrete floor. He wasn’t using any fall protection equipment.

Is it possible that you’ll be exposed to a fall hazard? If so, use appropriate fall protection equipment. Make sure walking/working surfaces are strong and structurally sound enough to support people. Have you had training in hazard recognition and use of fall protection devices?

Joe* had been working in the North Carolina tobacco field for just over a week. The first few days on the farm were hot and humid, with welcome breaks of rain. But on this day, there was no rain. The thermometer had already climbed to 95F when Joe stopped for his soda and cracker break at 10 a.m. By the time the temperature reached between 100F and 108F at 3 p.m., Joe complained to the crew leader that he wasn’t feeling well. The crew leader gave Joe a drink of water and drove him back to the workers? housing, where he left Joe to rest for a while. Forty-five minutes later, Joe was found on the steps of the house. He was unconscious. Emergency medical services were called and Joe was transported to the hospital, where his core body temperature was recorded at 108F. But Joe didn’t respond to the medical personnel’s attempts to cool him. His death was attributed to heat stroke.

A Little About Joe

Joe, 44, had traveled from Mexico to the US to join a crew of 12 H-2A workers employed by the farmer, who also employed 5 full-time workers and 3 part-time workers. (H-2A workers are temporary, nonimmigrant foreign workers who are hired under contract to perform farm work in the United States when American workers are not available.) Joe had no tobacco farming experience and when he died he?d been in the United States for 11 days.

The Investigation

Investigators learned that the farmer had distributed to all farm workers, including Joe, a safety and health booklet written in Spanish that included information on heat illness and heat stroke. Unfortunately, the employer did not make it a requirement that the workers read the booklet nor were the contents of the booklet discussed or reviewed.

Workers Take Heed

Heat stroke is preventable! To avoid falling victim to a similar death, anyone who works in the heat should:

• Stay hydrated. In a hot or humid environment, a body can lose up to a quart of water per hour through perspiration. This fluid needs to be replaced regularly. Sports drinks are fine because they replace electrolytes, but coffee, tea and soda with caffeine should be avoided because they dehydrate the body. Alcohol also should be avoided because it affects the body’s ability to regulate temperature. Water is best.
• Take some time to acclimatize yourself to your work and the heat. The body needs to adjust to working in hotter temperatures so that it can improve the sweating mechanism. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) a person requires approximately five to seven days to acclimatize to a hot environment.
• Learn how to prevent, recognize and treat heat illness. Joe was left alone to rest, rather than receiving prompt medical attention. Anyone showing signs of heat illness should be given water and allowed to cool off, rest and recover, but not left alone.

* The names aren’t real, but the incidents are. These accounts are based on actual fatality investigations.

Worker Falls Headfirst From Raised Forklift Platform

Standing on a makeshift platform spanning the forks of a lift truck isn’t safe. In California, doing so proved lethal for a 29-year-old worker.

Alejandro Valladares fell headfirst about 30 feet (9.1 meters) into a hole from a plywood platform on a forklift. He had been operating a handheld compactor to push down a piling. The vibration caused Valladares to lose his balance and fall into the deep hole.

Making matters worse was the fact that sandy soil in the hole collapsed onto the worker, leaving only part of one of his legs exposed. It took emergency services workers more than two hours to free his body.

It’s dangerous enough to stand on a platform haphazardly spanning a forklift’s forks, but in this situation the vibration escalated the risk. And the unstable hole was the third hazard that sealed Valladares? fate.

A worker who needs to be in a raised position to perform tasks should be using a properly designed lifting platform, which is firmly secured to the forks and provides guardrails and other safety features. Proper platforms also allow workers to tie themselves off using safety belts.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a dredging company for multiple alleged serious violations after one of its workers was killed and a second worker was injured in a paint vapor explosion in July 2011.

Shawn Austin, 28, of Nashville, TN, died three days after paint vapors became ignited by a light that sparked. A second worker, Saul Hernandez, 26, suffered severe burn injuries, but survived. The victims had been painting the inside of a pontoon boat dredge when the blast occurred.

Austin was married with three children.

Dredge & Marine Co. of Millersville, TN, was issued $46,600 in proposed penalties for serious violations alleging inadequate exhaust ventilation, failure to use explosion-proof lighting, using an extension cord that lacked a ground prong, exposing employees to explosion and fire hazards from a non-explosion proof fan with nonferrous blades and failure to ensure paint buckets, spray guns and cell phones were properly stored to prevent sparking.

Other alleged violations include failure to permit the bonding of spray guns and metallic parts, failure to provide fall protection to employees working from the barge deck, failure to test the oxygen content of a confined space, not training workers to perform duties safely in a confined space, not providing a qualified shipyard rescue team, failure to stop work to verify the confined space was safe for entry after spray painting and failure to continuously monitor the enclose space to ensure the atmosphere was safe.

 A father who had brought his youngest son and two older children to work with him in Salem, CT, during school vacation suffered an unbearable loss when the six-year-old boy became caught in a wood chipper and was killed instantly.

The boy, Jeffrey Bourgeois, was trying to help his father, Scott, do some tree removal work when the tragedy occurred. The child was trying to feed a branch into the wood chipper when he became caught on the branch and was drawn into the machine.

“The little guy was apparently trying to help his dad. It’s a very tragic and difficult scene for everybody,” says Lt. J. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police.

Scott Bourgeois had his back turned to the boy at the time. Grief counselors were sent to the child’s school in Salem, CT, to help parents and students deal with the shock of Jeffrey’s death.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warns that chipper knives rotate at between 1,000 and 2,000 revolutions per minute and people need sufficient training before operating them.

Training should cover:

• Correct operation of the chipper and its safety controls,
• The manufacturer’s instructions on operation, inspection and maintenance of the chipper,
• Proper procedures for starting and shutting down a chipper, and
• Correct use and maintenance of PPE. Anyone operating a wood chipper should be wearing a hardhat, eye protection, hearing protection and safety shoes or work boots. If work gloves are worn, they need to be cinched tight to prevent tree limbs from catching on the gloves and possibly pulling a worker into an operating chipper.

One or more persons should be serving as safety watches near emergency shut-off devices while another worker feeds material into a chipper. Workers operating chippers should stand to the side of the in-feed chute, making it less likely that they will be caught and dragged into a chipper.

In addition, a wooden tool or long branch should be used to push material into feed rollers and branches should be placed into the chipper butt-end first, according to OSHA.

Before attempting to clear a clogged chipper chute or change chipper blades, proper locking pins need to be used to immobilize the disc cutting wheel.