At 5:30 in the morning on November 20th, a huge explosion tore through Consolidation Coal’s Number Nine mine. The force of the blast could be felt for miles. There would be dozens of other explosions in the days to come and intense fires. Ninety-nine miners were underground at the time; 21 managed to make it to the surface, the other 78 all died. Nineteen bodies were never recovered.
A Pennsylvania metal parts manufacturer thought it already had an “exceptional” safety program when it reached out to a government program for assistance. Brockway-based Phoenix Sintered Metals, LLC, a family-owned manufacturer of sintered (compacted and formed without liquefaction) metal parts, is “committed to continuous improvement,” according to the company.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued urgent safety recommendations based on its investigation into the gas explosions and fires that rocked a residential section of a Massachusetts town in September. The incident in Merrimack Valley killed one person, sent at least 21 others to area hospitals and destroyed dozens of buildings.
OSHA has cited Sabel Steel Service Inc. – based in Montgomery, Alabama – for exposing employees to amputation, fall, and other hazards at four of the company's facilities. The manufacturer faces $320,261 in penalties.
Robotics pose safety challenges in the workplace, Tennessee ash coal cleanup workers win a legal victory and an air traffic controller starts slurring her words while on duty. These were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
A natural gas leak recently prompted evacuations of workers and road closures at 9th and Locust in downtown St. Louis.
A hissing sound could be heard as gas escaped the line. Those who were evacuated could smell the gas.
Mexican authorities in March blamed "asphyxia by inhalation of toxic gases" for the deaths of four Iowa family members vacationing in the Caribbean resort town of Tulum. Members of the Sharp family — identified by authorities in their home state of Iowa as Kevin Sharp, 41, Amy Sharp, 38, and their children, 12-year-old Sterling and 7-year-old Adrianna — were found during a welfare check at the resort condominium they rented.
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, your body replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in a tightly sealed or enclosed space, may allow carbon monoxide to accumulate to dangerous levels.
A six to an eight-block area of downtown Columbia was evacuated recently due to a gas leak.
Road construction workers struck a natural gas line at Legion and N. Main Street around 2:00 pm.