s

Tag Archives: equipment failure

February 04, 2022 News
0

Protocol, equipment failures led to deadly fire in Bronx apartment building

New York – Fire officials say that their initial investigation into a fatal apartment fire has shown significant equipment ‎failures. In addition, protocols meant to prevent such tragic disasters were not properly followed. The ‎deadly fire in a residential housing building in the Bronx claimed the lives of at least 17 fire victims. Of ‎these victims, reports show that 8 of them were children who died in the fire. Investigators note that ‎the initial cause of the accidental fire was a faulty malfunctioning heater that was left on after ‎residents left the apartment. The portable electric faulty heater apparently shorted and sparked, ‎causing it to catch on fire. Public safety experts say that sale of such a dangerous product should be ‎banned, as it easily can contain defective parts. The use of such a well-known fire-prone heating ‎device has long been discouraged, especially when used in a room that in unattended. Safety ‎protocols say that such a device should be turned off when one leaves the area in order to prevent a ‎dangerous situation that can lead to melting, malfunction and fires. ‎

Spread of the deadly smoke from the fire was caused when the automatic closing arm of the door was ‎broken. That equipment failure led to the quick envelopment of the building in smoke that suffocated ‎multiple residents. Firefighters reported that they found several of the smoke inhalation victims ‎collapsed in the stairwells. Safety experts say that building codes normally include venting of potential ‎smoke from a building fire out of the stairwells. They explain that this is important to provide a mode ‎of egress from a multi-story building fire like this one. See this article for more information and videos ‎about the equipment malfunctions and errors that led to these multiple fire deaths.‎

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit via Mike Goad [License]

June 30, 2021 News
0

Ferry accident in Brooklyn blamed on equipment failure

New York – A private ferry boat accident occurred when the boat ran aground this past ‎weekend. Reports show that the ship was filled with over 100 people when it suffered a steering ‎failure and the engine was apparently unresponsive. Luckily the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) ‎emergency responders were able to located the damaged vessel quickly and rescue the passengers. ‎Officials say that at least one person on board the boat crash suffered injuries. That injury victim was ‎taken to the hospital for emergency evaluation. It is unclear if any other accident victims sought ‎medical care after being rescued. Boat and sailing safety experts say that there have been several ‎boating accidents in New York over the past few months. Transportation and boat safety Investigators ‎will need to examine the maintenance logs and safety protocols followed by the ferry company in ‎order to determine if any negligent maintenance could have helped lead to this boat crash. See this ‎article for more about these ferry crash.‎

Photo of unassociated ship for illustrative purposes only. Photo credit:‎ -EZEK [License]

July 19, 2020 News
0

New York City construction accident injures and kills workers

New York – Several workers were injured on the job when a construction scaffolding accident sent debris slamming down onto the men. One of the injured workers suffered fatal injuries and died from his wounds at the hospital after doctors attempted to resuscitate him. The other work injury victims were also treated for their accident injuries according to authorities. The construction collapse seems to have occurred when a section of a wall or fencing fell from the rooftop of a building that was undergoing repairs. The facade had sections of scaffolding rigged to it when the falling debris hit the scaffold equipment and caused an equipment failure. Specifics of the mechanism of injury are still unclear. However, it is believed that either the men fell from the scaffold or that the falling metal, brick and concrete sections collapsed and crushed the workers. Further investigations into the cause and nature of this workplace accident with injuries will be necessary to prevent further wrongful death cases. At least two of the injured workmen have been noted to be in serious condition, with possible head injury, broken bones and possible internal organ damage and bleeding. Internal bleeding can sometimes be difficult to diagnose initially. Read up more about this work accident here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Phillip Pessar [License]

December 12, 2017 News
0

New York-bound train accident leads to massive derailment

Officials from New Jersey Transit reported that a CSX freight train derailed on its way toward New York this past week. The train was 141 cars long and travelling an unknown speed when the crash occurred, derailing some 21 of the train cars. If the train was speeding or there was an equipment failure it may explain why it derailed. Emergency responders rushed to the accident scene expecting countless injuries. However, responders explain that the train was luckily empty. The only accident victims were the train engineer and conductor, both of which did not require emergency treatment according to reports. Accident specialists note that some accident injuries don’t appear immediately and the two workers are advised to be evaluated by their doctors. They explain that some wounds, such as neck and back injuries due to bulging or herniated disc, may show themselves over the days following this type of crash.

An unrelated train accident in Valhalla, Westchester left a teenager dead, according to police. The 15-year-old girl was hit by the train while she was walking on the train tracks. That accident is thought to be a suicide but investigators are continuing to look into how she was able to get onto the tracks. In addition, they are investigating whether all safety precautions were being followed on the train as well as in the area of the dangerous railroad crossing. You can see more about that deadly accident here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Dale Stewart [License]

July 30, 2017 News
0

State fair ride malfunctions causing injuries and one death

At a time when summer fairs are most popular for families, a tragic accident occurred when an amusement park ride malfunctioned according to reports in the New York Daily News. Video footage of the event showed that the seat of a ride called the “Fire Ball” broke and disconnected from the main pendulum. This sent ride accident victims crashing down to the ground, causing various degrees of injuries to seven people. Another man was killed in the accident after apparently being ejected from the machine and thrown into the air. Public safety experts note that the ride in question had been inspected several years ago for possible cracks and other dangers, at the request of the manufacturer. At that time, the manufacturer reported that there were concerns regarding a welding failure that could cause cracking and deadly malfunctions. However, it was unclear whether the ride had undergone more recent safety inspections to that degree to ensure rider safety. Advocates explain that cursory inspections are sometimes the only thing done before allowing unsuspecting fun-seekers from riding potentially dangerous rides. They say that regular maintenance is crucial as well as in-depth evaluations of all aspects of the equipment to avoid accidents and injuries. Some owners and operators avoid the high costs involved and negligent maintenance can sometimes be the result. This negligence is most concerning when dealing with equipment such as these carnival rides that move fast and high and often include high impact forces. This ride would swing people up to 40 feet in the air as it twisted and turned and then swung back and forth. Detailed evaluation and fixing of broken or deteriorated parts is essential given the heavy use and potential for harm involved. You can see more about this deadly amusement park accident with equipment failure here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Ava [License]

May 03, 2017 News
0

Queens construction accident leaves injured worker with crush injuries

New York – Work crews were working at a construction site in the Kew Gardens neighborhood of Queens when a heavy metal beam fell onto a worker. The crush victim suffered leg injuries, including multiple broken bones in his legs after being trapped under the metal beam. The heavy steal I-beam was being used as a hammer by a crane to drive metal supports into the ground when it fell. According to witnesses, the hammer beam was suspended by the crane’s cable that broke. Investigators are looking into the reason for this apparent equipment failure that caused the accident. Experts say that the crane and its cable may not have been properly rated to hold such a heavy object such as this seven ton beam. However, other possibilities include that negligent maintenance or safety inspections could have led to the catastrophic collapse and the hardhat worker’s subsequent crush injury. The injury victim was rescued from the work accident site and taken to Jamaica Hospital for emergency treatment. To find out more about this worker’s comp injury, see this article.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Credit: davocano [License]

July 08, 2016 News
0

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]

June 15, 2016 News
0

Elevator accident leaves injured worker with arm amputation

New York – An elevator repairman was working on a recently installed elevator when a terrible accident occurred, injuring the worker. According to witnesses, the technician was in the middle of repairing the broken down elevator when something came loose. The man began screaming for help and a bystander called 911. Police, fire rescue and emergency medical services units raced to the scene and rescued the injury victim, treating him for an amputated arm and a leg injury. The wounded man was taken in to surgery in an attempt to reattach the severed limb. Trauma specialists explain that many times an amputation can be reattached but the victim can still be left with severe pain and suffering as well as a permanent disability.

An investigation into this case is underway, with building code and work safety officials looking into the cause of the accident. They will need to look at the training and safety equipment provided as well as the protocols being followed to determine if any negligence took place. In addition, they will need to see if any equipment failure or negligent maintenance of both the elevator and tools could have led to this horrific work injury. See this article for more details.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Aaron [License]

February 15, 2016 News
0

New York City crane collapses, injures man

New York – Investigators continue to look into the terrifying crane collapse that occurred in the middle of the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan’s downtown. Videos from the crane accident show that a crawler crane fell over and crashed across several city blocks. The heavy steel tower of the crane was apparently swinging a wrecking ball before it tipped over and crushed several cars beneath it. Rescue crews rushed to the accident scene and treated a man for crush injuries that he suffered after being trapped in his car. It is unclear as to what caused the equipment failure, with some pointing out that there was a light snow fall and winds that may have knocked it over. However, city officials were looking into whether or not construction safety protocols were followed and if any negligence was involved.

New York City has recently seen quite a few crane accidents, including another one involving the same crane company last year. That previous accident sent a heavy load of a metal air conditioning and heating unit crashing down into the side of the building. Ten injury victims were treated following that accident and an investigation opened into the cause. The mayor and city council have now started pushing for stronger penalties for construction companies that violate crane safety guidelines. Activists hope that this may prevent negligent maintenance and other violations that lead to accidents, injuries and death. You can find out more about this safety push here.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Jason Kuffer [License]

November 13, 2014 News
0

Scaffold accident leaves 2 workers dangling from World Trade Center

New York – Rescue workers were sent racing to the scene of a work accident at the World Trade Center yesterday. Two window washers were suddenly left hanging hundreds of feet above the ground, along the outside of the office building, when the scaffold rig collapsed around them. The men reported feeling terrified as they struggled to stop themselves from falling onto the sidewalk below. They were taken to the hospital for evaluation in the emergency room after being rescued by firefighters. It appears that they did not suffer any physical injury but this will require additional time and follow up with doctors to determine conclusively. Trauma doctors do note that psychological injuries can also take time until they show themselves due to the nature of the incident. This latest work accident has industry experts concerned since this is not the first time that the same scaffold company was involved in a scaffold collapse. The previous incident occurred in 2007 when a worker was injured and another worker was killed. The injured worker suffered serious wounds and required extensive treatment. In that job accident, the same company had repaired and maintained the scaffold that broke away and sent the workers falling 47 stories from another Manhattan, NY building. Inspections of that rigging suggested that the dangerous equipment failure was due to a mistake in the crimping of the lines. Workplace safety specialists note that this error should have been picked up on by the employer prior to placing the workers into harm’s way. Activists fear that the same negligence may have been responsible for this week’s workplace accident. They note that work injuries are largely preventable if companies take their responsibility seriously and they maintain their equipment according to regulations. On the other hand, negligent maintenance can easily lead to catastrophic injury or wrongful death, as can be seen in these accidents. Read more about the investigation into the recent window washer accident and scaffold crash here.

Illustrative photo by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). [CC-BY-SA-4.0], via Wikimedia Commons