Five workers die as wall collapses

During digging for a cellar under a building, five workers were buried alive due to caving in of adjacent excavated earth of 15 feet high and also collapse of side wall. 

I am unable to provide the link for the picture which I saw in the news paper (Times of India) in local edition that appeared on 13.04.2012 which opens the eyes of careless site engineers who do not bother to keep the excavated soil away from the trenches. As per good safety practices, the excavated soil should be kept atleast 1.5 m or 50% of the depth of the trench whichever is higher. Further, the angle of repose of the soil also should be taken in to account depending upon the nature of the soil/earth excavated. Generally, 15 degree (with horizontal) is the safe angle.
And, shoring as required also needs to be ensured so that there will not be any collapse.  In another incident reported few years ago, two persons working at a depth of about 3-5 feet were buried from the earth adjacent due to disturbance/vibrations caused. 

When people are covered even partially under the soil, it is difficult for them to come out of it and suffer due to the impact and pressure of the soil on their body leading to death. 

http://www.indiablooms.com/NewsDetailsPage/2012/newsDetails130412k.php

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Five-workers-die-as-wall-collapses/articleshow/12645263.cms

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3310070.ece

Participative approach by workers: A Case of Two Chemical Accidents

The following link is about two facilities involved in same job but is about how participation by workers can make wonders for their own safety and of others and its contribution to the organization. Participative approach is an age old philosophy but is hardly practiced. But, when followed, it ensures a safe work place for all.
The Union Difference: A Case of Two Chemical Accidents

LINK

chemical accidents – Center for Health, Environment & Justice

As per an article appeared in the web, there are 483 chemical plants in US that can endanger more than 100,000 lives each. And there are many more chemical plants that use dangerous chemicals that can impact the lives of many in the vicinity of the plant. A statement is made that many of these are located in areas where low income and other groups do live. However, I think this statement may not be true. Generally, when any plant is located, it will be ensured that there is no habitation around, unless otherwise these plants are very old, say 50-60 years before. People try to live near the factories in which they are working for ease of mobility and access and thus over a period of time, factories will be surrounded by thick population who are not working in these plants. Initially, even factory managements encourage such growth as they get cheap man power quickly. But, once accidents start happening, same population and their bosses (read political leaders), environmentalists, etc will demand for shifting of the production facilities to remote places. Even if these are shifted, there is no guarantee that they will remain isolated forever. The story repeats.
There is also a statement in the report that some plants substituted poisonous chemicals with less harm or harmless chemicals. Elimination/substitution/operating at near atmospheric conditions/etc are most desirable methods to eliminate hazards and those plants which reduce dangers by any of the methods should be encouraged by way of tax relief for sometime so that others too get motivated.




chemical accidents – Center for Health, Environment & Justice

LINK

North Sea gas leak on March 25, 2012 at 4000 m below the surface

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21637-no-toxic-hydrogen-sulphide-in-north-sea-gas-leak.html
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21631-north-sea-gas-leak-venting-from-newly-disturbed-source.html
http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/scottish-headlines/north-sea-gas-leak-source-located-1-2199804#


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2121457/North-Sea-gas-leak-threatens-repeat-Piper-Alpha-oil-rig-disaster-Aberdeen.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Change of guard - impact on safety policies

Changes are imminent - whether it is the top man or at different levels. Every time, organizational change occurs particulary at top level, it is certain that the new management will review policies in all respects. People want to leave their imprint by thinking differently and this is one of the reason for shuffling of positions in any organization.
Depending upon the knowledge, experience, interests and targets of the person taking charge,  and also the advise provided by down under, unless otherwise it is one-man army as in small organizations, the policy shift can be either good or bad to the organization (and to the subordinates?). It may take sometime to see the results of these changes.
As per rules, whenever the occupier or safety in-charge changes, this information needs to be informed to regulators immediately. And, it is better if regulators keep a watch on the affairs of such organization(s) for a reasonable period, to ensure that the safety issues continue to get top priority inspite of the changes in the organization.

A capsule for removing radioactive contamination from milk, fruit juices, other beverages

A capsule for removing radioactive contamination from milk, fruit juices, other beverages

LINK

Who is responsible for delay in work? Regulators or managements?

Many times regulatory process is shown as a reason for delay in work progress or failure to achieve production targets or failure to start or complete projects in times or ending up in losses. However, they do not explain or do not want to see why proper planning and execution is not done to comply with applicable procedures and statutes. When procedures are not followed and if and when the regulatory body finds violations or finds new information, they are bound to issue notices. Had the entity disclosed the information fully about its intentions initially itself or complied with conditions subsequently, there would not have been any tussle or heart burn.
Companies blame that the information which is not asked earlier is being asked later and their works are being suspended or such new information is shown as a cause for stopping the work. As long as any activity got potential to cause harm to people and environment, it has to be addressed, even if not during application process.These systems are evolved over a period of time based on past experience and considerable forethought and can't be questioned for one's problems.
Economic growth or profits of the companies alone can't be a reason for bypassing/violation the regulatory process. Safety of the persons and environment should get top priority over other issues and nobody got any right in this regard.

Safety Daily Advisor : Facts About Shiftwork Health Problems

Safety Daily Advisor : Facts About Shiftwork Health Problems

Shift work introduces changes in our daily routine and this requires adjustment and tuning of our body to new pattern. How fast this occurs varies from individual to individual. There are many who continue to work in shifts for years. Even in some of those people, there are problems of adjustment and complaints about health. Apart from loosing their family life which they could have when they come in general shifts, they are also prone to accidents for a variety of reasons like health, lack of proper supervision in shifts, psychological, etc. However, one of my senior colleague told me that he could use day time to undergo many courses and acquire higher qualification which he could not have got, if he attended work in general shift. But, such people are less and generally one will be taking more time for rest when working in night shifts. Persons especially in night shifts are prone to accidents. Further, in some industries, as reported in news papers, workers are engaged to letout untreated effluents in public drains during night times when vigil is almost nil. This may induce them to develop unlawful attitude and indirectly affects their own lives also.

Who bears the most of the cost of a workplace accident? Employer ! Community!! Workers!!!

In a blog (safetyatworkblog.com), it is reported that 95% of the cost of a workplace accident is borne by the workers and community, whereas the employers incurs the balance. If this is true, then, employers are making profit at the cost of the society even during accidents. Though, it is not clear, how this data is arrived at, however, it is true that a business minded person passes on all his costs to his customers and he may add a percentage of the total costs (including those incurred due to incidents/accidents) as his profit. Can we draw from this, by stating that the higher the input costs, higher the profit. May be the breakeven period will be more, but afterwards, profits will be more. I am not an economist, but with my thought process, I am putting this analysis.

Rare surgery, thumb reconstructed from toe

In a rare surgery, a carpenter is able to write, hold and eat after his right hand thumb was reconstructed from one of his foot toes. The carpenter lost is thumb while working and six weeks after the surgery at Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad, he could do most of the jobs. It is reported that such surgery was done 20 years before at NIMS (Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderbad, India), but public awareness about such rare surgeries is almost negligible.