Manhattan construction worker fatally struck in elevator shaft after dropping phone
A 24-year-old construction worker, who was riding an elevator approaching the 33rd floor of a building under construction in Manhattan on Thursday, was killed after apparently dropping his phone when he was crushed by a metal saddle that protruded from the elevator shaft. WABC (New York) [with video]
Worker injured in conveyor accident at suburban Chicago dried food plant
A worker was hospitalized last week after she became trapped a conveyor belt assembly at a Geneva, Illinois dehydrated food manufacturing plant. Fed-OSHA is investigating. In 2015, the company reportedly was cited for exposing employees to combustible dust fire hazards. WBBM (Chicago)
Employee group says line speed trumps safety at Amazon
Amazon has long faced criticism for its working environments, and now a new report by New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health that surveys 145 employees from a Staten Island fulfillment center concludes they experience harmful working conditions and a workplace culture that prioritizes line speeds over safety. Eighty percent said they’ve been pressured to work harder or faster, and two-thirds said they experienced physical pain while performing their job duties. HR Dive
Logging accident kills elderly Oregon worker
An 89-year-old man died while working at a logging site south of Ashland, Oregon last week when the heavy equipment he was operating, a skid-steer loader, rolled over on a slope. OR-OSHA was notified. Register-Guard
Radioactive corpses are a safety risk in crematories
In response to a research letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February, a fact-finding study will address how many bodies headed to crematories are still radioactive because of cancer treatments; what risks might they pose; and whether more safety regulations may be needed. The drugs commonly used to treat cancer present a “unique and often overlooked postmortem safety challenge,” according to the journal article. Arizona Republic
Seattle Times editorial: Better rules needed for crane disassembly in Washington state
The investigation into April’s deadly crane collapse, which killed two ironworkers and two passersby in Seattle, clearly shows Washington needs tougher laws to ensure safety in the ongoing construction boom, according to the Seattle Times editorial board. The investigation’s findings suggest crane operators place speed ahead of safety. Seattle Times
Florida: Jacksonville construction worker severely injured in electrical incident
A construction worker installing traffic signals Friday morning in Jacksonville, Florida was critically injured when a boom truck he was in hit a high power transmission line. Residents in the area reportedly heard what sounded like an explosion. Fed-OSHA is investigating the incident, which caused a temporary power outage. WJXT (Jacksonville)