Bradford and Lycoming counties record most crash-related fatalities in 2012

From The Towanda Daily Review: 

"Bradford and Lycoming counties had the most crash-related fatalities in 2012 in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 3-0.  According to information released by PennDOT, Bradford and Lycoming counties each had 15 such fatalities each last year.  In each county, 14 were on state roads and one was on a municipal road. 

In addition, Bradford County had the most crash-related fatalities involving large trucks in 2012, with three, PennDOT noted. PennDOT Assistant Traffic Engineer Bill Houpt said there is no particular reason for the number of fatal crashes. When asked for comment by The Daily Review, he stated, "Each crash would need to be evaluated, based on the crash report and its own specific circumstances. Crashes (and fatalities) tend to be cyclical."  For example, total crash-related fatalities in Bradford County in past years are as follows: 2009, 10; 2010, 20; and 2011, 10."

My immediate thought is that the high amount of large truck related fatalities is related to the gas industry and the huge increase in truck traffic in Bradford County and the surrounding counties of Tioga, Sullivan and Susquehana.  Obviously, we don't know for sure without looking at each incident specifically.  But it's a quite surprising that one of the most rural counties in the state has the highest vehicular related fatalities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

DuPont's Towanda Plant Celebrates Safety Record

From the give credit where credit is due file.......From the Towanda Daily Review:

Led by a veteran group of employees who collectively accounted for 1 million non-hazardous and hazardous exposure hours out of 57 million total, the DuPont Towanda site has recorded 40 consecutive years without an event-related, lost workday case.
The safety milestone, unprecedented for DuPont Pennsylvania-based operations, was achieved by a total Towanda plant population that has varied from over 1,000 to 500 employees over the past four decades. 

It was officially celebrated by the site Jan. 5 with special DuPont Safety Coin recognition given to each member of the veteran group including Leland S. Ayers, Wayne R. Brown, David C. Browning, Dennis L. Cox, Timothy E. Davidson, Dennis P. Fries, Douglas W. Hicks, Gregory J. Kelley, John H. Rees, Thomas D. Roof, Ralph H. Schoonover II, C. Scott Turner and Dale C. Vanderpool. 

"Led by these 13 employees, this outstanding accomplishment is but one example of the total team commitment that all of our employees live out in support of DuPont's Core Values," said James Rodenhizer, plant manager, who added that before starting the current 40-year safety run, Towanda employees had worked 27 years without an ER/LWC, giving the site just one case in a total of 67 years. "The 40 year milestone allows us to pause and appreciate the safe work of not only our current employees, but also past employees. It's wonderful to be a part of this great team." 

"57 million exposure hours without a major injury is an amazing accomplishment," said Michael Betzen, DuPont Electronics & Communications supply chain leader, who attended the Jan. 5 celebration. "It has to be one of the best lost workday records in the company's history."

Even the gas industry truck drivers are nervous about accidents...

The following news article from the Towanda Daily Review demonstrates that not only your average Bradford County motorist is nervous with all the truck traffic, but also the truck drivers.  I'm glad to see that an organization that represents the truck drivers is attempting to limit the amount of truck accidents, collisions and fatalities in our area due to the ever increasing gas industry related truck traffic.

CANTON - A Pennsylvania and New York truck drivers' group concerned about the safety of their current route on Route 14 is asking for assistance from area municipalities.  This week, Canton Borough Council briefly discussed the request from the Professional CDL Drivers of Pennsylvania & New York. A letter dated Feb. 15 was forwarded to the borough from the group. It was not signed by a person. Only the group's name and an email address was provided at the bottom of the letter. 

In the correspondence, the drivers expressed concern about the curves, hills, and lack of shoulders along many sections of Route 14 between Elmira, N.Y. and Trout Run. "I am sure that you are just as aware of the safety record of this stretch of road as we are, with the dozens of accidents, multiple fatalities, with all types of vehicles involved," the group stated in the letter. The drivers claimed they "battled" with their companies to change the route with no success. They said the route saves eight miles.  But the drivers said the "vast improvements" to U.S. Highway 15 have made 15 "a much safer option." 

In the letter, the drivers said they understand that all truck traffic cannot be completely eliminated along Route 14, but said they felt all "Thru Truck Traffic" should be restricted. "In reality, it would only take one town to restrict thru truck traffic to make a difference, but better yet, we would love to see all the towns join together and restrict thru truck traffic, to make a difference and take a stand on traffic safety." 

Council didn't take action on the request, however.

Pennsylvania Superior to hear cases in Scranton

From the Towanda Daily Review:

The broad range of the cases that come before the Pennsylvania Superior Court will do so at Lackawanna College's Mellow Theater Tuesday, starting at 9:30 a.m. and Wednesday, starting at 10 a.m. as a three-judge panel bring appellate action to Scranton. The Superior Court is an appellate court which hears all criminal and most civil case appeals from the trial courts in each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. Elevating that court's profile has been a goal of President Judge Correale Stevens. 

Now in his second year as president judge, this is the second time the court is conducting business in Northeast Pennsylvania. Last year, the court heard arguments at MMI Preparatory School in Hazleton. The court has had other remote sessions around the state. 

"My goal is for people to understand the appellate court process," said Judge Stevens, who earlier in his career was a district attorney in Luzerne County and a state representative. "Most people understand trial courts but don't really grasp the importance or function of appellate courts." 

Perhaps the biggest difference is appellate courts do not hear evidence, or have juries or witnesses. Rather, they hear arguments over points of law - which doesn't make for as compelling television as a trial court. Nevertheless, the far-ranging case are certainly real-life.

150 Layoffs in the GTP Towanda Plant

From the Towanda Daily Review:

TOWANDA - Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. announced Wednesday that it is eliminating 150 positions at its Towanda plant.  The reduction in employees is occurring because the plant has experienced a dropoff in sales in its wire and phosphor business, according to a press release from the company. 

"The phasing out of incandescent light bulbs and technology changes that require less phosphor in fluorescent lamp manufacturing" has a resulted in a decrease in sales in GTP's wire and phosphor business, GTP said in its press release. 

The positions being eliminated are all associated with the plant's production of wire products, which are used in a variety of industries, primarily lighting, said Craig Rieder, director of human resources at GTP.  The elimination of the positions is expected to begin in September 2012 and be completed by February 2013, the release said.

As I often tell clients who are laid off, if you are currently working but on light duty with restrictions due to a work injury, and then you're laid off, you need to contact a competent workers' compensation attorney immediately.  Your wage benefits should be immediately reinstated upon lay off....even if the work injury is an old one.  Call me if you have any questions.

Update on the recent gas worker fatality in Bradford County

Here's an update on the recent gas worker fatality that occurred in Bradford County. From the Towanda Daily Review:

Leonard L. Inness III, 35, of Elmira, N.Y., was pronounced dead on arrival at Memorial Hospital in Towanda at 5:06 p.m. Thursday, according to a report by the Bradford County coroner's office.

Coroner Thomas Carman ruled the manner of Inness' death as accidental. A cause of death was withheld pending the results of an autopsy scheduled for Saturday. An autopsy is standard procedure in the case of a workplace accident, Carman said. Routine toxicology tests will also be performed.

Inness was married and had children, Carman said.

Inness was operating a bulldozer Thursday at the Chesapeake Energy Corporation gas well site off Towner Hill Road. He lost his balance while standing and fell onto the bulldozer's track. The machine then ran him over, according to the coroner's office.

OSHA investigating Sullivan County gas worker fatality

As per the Towanda Daily Review:

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker who suffered a traumatic injury on Jan. 14 at a Chesapeake Appalachia gas well site in Sullivan County.

The Chesapeake Appalachia gas well site where the traumatic injury occurred on Jan. 14, 2011 is located on Elsroy Hill Road in Fox Township in Sullivan County. The worker who was injured on Jan. 14 at Chesapeake Appalachia's Fox Township site was transported by helicopter to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, and he later died, Sullivan County Coroner Wendy Hastings confirmed.

He was pronounced dead by Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn, she said.

Hastings said she did not know the name of the worker who died.

A preliminary report from first responders at the scene was that the worker had suffered a traumatic head injury.

Chesapeake Energy has referred questions about the incident at the Fox Township site to Patterson-UTI Drilling Co., which is the company that the worker who died was working for. Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. was a contractor hired by Chesapeake Appalachia to work at the gas well site in Fox Township, according to Brian Grove, senior director for corporate development for Chesapeake Energy.

Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. has refused to provide any information to The Daily Review about the worker's death, saying in a written statement that Patterson-UTI Drilling "does not comment on confidential personnel matters involving individual employees."

In a separate section of the same article, the Review reported that Nomac drilling was fined $7,000.00 for safety violations related to a gas worker fatality in 2010 in Towanda Township. This amount of a fine does not seem like enough of a "sting" to Nomac's bottom line in order for them to change their practices. But it's at least something. In many, many instances, employers are not fined at all by OSHA, who is an overworked and under-funded agency.

Health Insurance For People with Pre-existing Conditions

Many of our clients have long-lasting, chronic injuries and conditions, even after their case is over. Most insurance companies will not insure them due to these pre-existing conditions. Well, now there's an option.

You may not know this, but Pennsylvania (and many other states) now offer health insurance for people with pre-existing conditions, who could not obtain health insurance from any other source. In Pennsylvania, the program is called PA Fair Care and information regarding signing up can be found here. There was a recent article in the Towanda Daily Review about the fact that not too many people know about this health insurance plan, so I'm trying to spread the word. Here are the details:

• The program offers benefits ranging from preventive care, physician services, prescription medications, diagnostic testing, hospitalization and mental health services
• To be eligible, applicants must be state residents who have been uninsured for six months prior to applying for coverage through the program
• Applicants must have a pre-existing medical condition, ranging from diabetes and hypertension to ulcers or arthritis.
• Individuals who are eligible will have a monthly premium of $283, plus copays and coinsurance

Check out the link above to PA Fair Care and see if it's a good plan for you and your family.

Water tanker truck rolls over in Camptown, PA

Via the Towanda Daily Review:

A Williamsport man was transported to Robert Packer Hospital after the water tanker truck he was driving rolled over in an accident Monday night on state Route 409 in Camptown, police said

The truck, which was operated by 49-year-old William McClelland of Williamsport, was carrying a full load of fresh water to a gas well site, state police said.

The truck was coming down "a steep grade" at the time of the accident, State Police Cpl. Roger Stipcak said. "It looks like his brakes failed" and the vehicle gained speed on the incline, he said.

C&C Law has been seeing a lot of these types of truck accidents. In many instances bad roads are the cause of the problem. There has been a significant increase in the amount of truck accidents in Bradford County and surrounding counties due to the Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

Law needed to stop cell phone use while driving

I know I keep harping on this, but it's important. Many of the cases that are handled at C&C Law are caused by distracted drivers. Cell phone use, either talking or texting, is one of the leading causes of driver distraction, thus accidents.

This opinion piece from the Towanda Daily Review caught my eye. It's a good read and provides many statistics to push home the idea that Pennsylvania needs a law that prevents the use of cell phones while driving.

Explosion occurs in silo at CraftMaster

From the Towanda Daily Review:

WYSOX - About 75 firefighters from four departments responded Wednesday night to the CraftMaster plant following an explosion at around 6:30 p.m. in a storage silo at the facility.

The explosion occurred inside a silo used to store wood fiber, according to Wysox Fire Chief Chad Benjamin. CraftMaster plant manager Matt Ameigh said the dust inside the silo reached ignition point, causing the explosion.

It appears from the story that thankfully no one was injured in the explosion.