Six workers were sent to the hospital last Wednesday after an arc flash explosion at a Dortec Industries plant in Newmarket that manufactures door latches for vehicles. The arc blast was isolated to one manufacturing line and while the company is investigating the cause, they do not expect the incident to disrupt regular business as the blast did not cause any damage to equipment or building structure. Out of nine people injured, six were sent to the hospital and released the same day. The victims in this article are fortunate that their injuries were non-life-threatening.

To read more, please view the full article: http://www.cp24.com/news/explosion-at-newmarket-factory-sends-6-to-hospital-1.1261814. For more information on Arc Flash safety training, please visit our website: http://www.powerstudies.com/services.

On Sept. 17, 2012, a worker employed by Highway Technologies Inc. was fatally injured while working with equipment that came into contact with overhead power lines during highway work in western Wisconsin. OSHA issued 10 safety violations with proposed penalties totaling $448,000 and placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

Highway Technologies Inc. was performing guardrail and sign installation for a 13-mile stretch of I-94 near Menomonie, Wis., under contract with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation when the incident occurred.

To read more, please click the link above.

Power production stopped at Ice Harbor Dam near Burbank after two small fires were discovered at 9 a.m. Thursday.

The fires were inside two cabinets holding electrical components for two of the dam’s six generators, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Three generators were operating at the time.

Power for dam facilities stopped, but power was being pulled off the electrical grid within 30 minutes for basic facility operations. The navigation lock returned to service at 12:40 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Salt Lake City-based Certifit Inc. with two repeat and one serious violation from an August follow-up inspection for continuing to expose workers to fall and electrical hazards at the company’s San Antonio work site on Sonterra Boulevard. Proposed penalties total $71,500.

Please click the link above to read more.

“Predictive Maintenance for Medium Voltage Switchgear above 4kV” is an article written by Bob Fuhr, founder and president of PowerStudies.com. This article discusses electrical equipment maintenance, specifically Partial Discharge measurements. Bob explains what PD is, the potential hazards it can cause, and how you can avoid hiring an expensive testing agency to measure PD levels in your facility. There are many advantages to continuous measurement of PD and you can read about them here on our website!

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited AAA Professional Lawn Care Inc. for seven alleged serious violations of workplace safety standards in connection with the July 30 death of a worker who was performing tree trimming work at 5 Country View Drive in Johnston. The worker was fatally shocked when the aluminum pruner he was using came into contact with an energized 7,200-volt overhead power line.

An investigation by OSHA’s Providence Area Office found that the employer failed to de-energize or ground the power line before the work was begun, as well as to provide protective shields, barriers or insulating materials to protect workers from shocks, burns or other electrical-related injuries. In addition, the pruner was not insulated and was used within 10 feet of the power line, the employee lacked both proper training and protective gloves, and the employer did not institute work practices to reduce the electrical hazard. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Please view the link above for the full story.

A contractor, doing business as Modern Painting and Decorating, has been sentenced to one year of probation after being found guilty of the willful violation of an OSHA regulation. Thomas Caruso, the contractor, hired Paul Thompson to paint the Habitat for Humanity building in New Kensington, PA. After being given a brief warning about the power lines that run close to the building, Paul was sent to the roof to paint with no further safety training and no protective gear. When his extended painting pole came in to contact with the power lines, he was fatally electrocuted.

For a more detailed account of the incident, please view the link above.