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Tag Archives: safety hazard

Wind turbine blade breaks off and crashes into car

New York – Alternative energy sources are becoming ever popular in the past years, leading to concern regarding public safety and potential improper maintenance issues. Only a few weeks ago a tall and powerful wind turbine in the Bronx suffered a dangerous breakdown. A blade from the wind turbine tower broke off and collapsed onto the parking area and road below. This has led to concerns by public safety advocates who decry the race to put together new technologies as fast as possible. Some claim that large companies and even some private investors have raced to build things such as wind turbines without proper safety practices in place, all in an effort to earn profits. They note that businesses have looked toward the profits without considering the hazardous condition that can be created, especially in residential and urban areas. Land is expensive and some real estate developers have looked toward new technologies such as turbines being placed in close proximity to homes, stores and parks. However, the potential for disaster with collapse, falling debris, faulty parts and poor safety practices is very real and must be considered carefully when planning and building such technologies. Cell phone towers have also been discussed as a potential health and safety hazard in residential areas according to specialists. Many zoning and health councils have discussed the potential of cell phone towers causing cancer and the debates continue. Some see the discussion of constructing wind turbines in heavily populated areas as yet another dangerous situation that needs to be addressed by city officials. They feel that accident injuries can easily occur if broken pieces of debris collapse and fall on a pedestrian or building or if it causes a car crash. Restrictive planning along with intense safety inspections and constant maintenance is necessary to prevent injuries or wrongful death. You can see this article for more details.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Bill Smith [License]

Child fell from a window of New York City housing project

New York – A 3-year-old boy fell out of a window in a tenement housing project in Harlem last week. Reports show that the child was able to push right through the loose window guard before falling to his death. The broken window guard was found on the ground next to the injured child. Officials examining the scene are trying to determine if the window guard was broken or possibly not installed correctly. Complaints from neighborhood activists say that negligent maintenance and installation of safety equipment is a known problem in many apartment buildings. Some have contended that management of these apartments routinely ignore requests for repair of broken equipment and safety hazards. However, others have explained that someone moved an air conditioner unit from that window and didn’t replace the window guard correctly. Investigators will need to determine if proper safety instructions in the use of the window guards were adequately explained to the family and residents of the apartment complex. They will also conduct tests to determine if faulty equipment failure played a roll in this fatal accident. The child fall victim plummeted 13 stories to the ground and possibly struck an object on the way down. He suffered fatal injuries, including a serious head injury, according to witnesses. Read more about this child who suffered fatal fall injuries here.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Paul Sableman [License]