OSHA begins investigating plant explosion (hospitalized 11 employees)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/255960/3/

Wednesday, 20 February 2008

Jeremy Duda - DAILY HERALD

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration began its investigation at the Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company on Tuesday, looking for answers about the explosion that hospitalized 11 employees.

Company officials and the Utah County Sheriff's Office believe the blast was caused when calcium carbide, a chemical used to remove sulfur from iron, came into contact with water, creating explosive acetylene gas.

But there are other questions to be answered, such as how long the plant will remain closed, what will happen to its 320 employees, and how long Pacific States employee Tim Beardall will remain hospitalized.

LaDonna Beardall, Tim Beardall's wife, said her husband was showing signs of improvement Tuesday. Beardall, the employee closest to Sunday night's blast, suffered second-degree burns on his hands and face and inhaled an unknown amount of toxic chemicals.

Beardall is still on a respirator, but doctors lowered the amount of oxygen being pumped into his lungs in an attempt to get him breathing on his own, according to his mother, Marie Beardall.

After spending time in a drug-induced coma, which LaDonna Beardall said was done to prevent him from pulling out his breathing tubes, Beardall was more coherent Tuesday and was able to speak to his wife.

In a news release, Pacific States spokesman John Balian said Beardall was upgraded Tuesday from critical to serious condition.

FULL story at link.

[glowing]

1. Now they investigate.. Guess it was a great Bush idea to let the OSHA dept.

decline to so few numbers and little oversight.. Another Bush FAILURE..but don't you feel safer attacking them over there so your free-er to die here at your work area.

[sam sarrha]

2. that is the Republican Platform, cut taxes so agencies like OSHA cant work then Privatize em, every

regulatory will go the same way till there is no restrictions to corporate activity, safety, working conditions, wages or environmental degradation.

the repeal of all New Deal achievements.. till there are just corporate Nazi's and slaves

read the Shock Doctrine, by Naomi Klein