Under the Hard Hat

Tag: Safety

  • Chemical exposure and hearing loss in construction

    Chemical exposure and hearing loss in construction

    Most construction workers don’t know that exposure to loud, jarring noises isn’t the only way to damage their hearing. Exposure to ototoxic chemicals like solvents and heavy metals through inhalation, skin absorption, or ingestion can also lead to auditory damage. Once in the bloodstream, they invade the auditory pathway and cause damage, resulting in tinnitus and hearing loss. 

    Quick look

    • Ototoxic chemicals like arsenic and butanol damage the auditory nerves and structures of the inner ear
    • Chronic exposure to chemicals can cause permanent damage to hearing or hearing-related issues like tinnitus
    • Some research shows a link between marijuana use and tinnitus
    • Job-related environmental factors and lifestyle choices contribute to hearing loss

    What are ototoxic chemicals?

    When inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin, ototoxic chemicals damage the inner ear and auditory nerves, which can lead to tinnitus (a constant ringing, clanging, or hissing in the ears) and hearing loss. 

    There are more than 100 potentially ototoxic chemicals, but the three main types include:

    • Solvents like butanol, carbon disulfide, and ethanol
    • Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and manganese
    • Asphyxiants like acrylonitrile, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide

    Some medications, such as quinine and salicylic acids (including aspirin), can also be ototoxic substances, as is tobacco smoke. There’s no clear answer about marijuana smoke, but some research has linked it to tinnitus.

    Generally, ototoxic substances are absorbed through the skin, but inhalation and ingestion can also occur. Because these substances adversely affect hearing, they can also alter a person’s sense of balance.

    Impact of ototoxic chemicals on hearing

    There are several ways ototoxicity can damage a worker’s hearing. These toxic substances themselves are known to cause certain kinds of permanent damage to the auditory system. Still, their damaging effects can be compounded when the worker also labors in an environment with constant loud noises. 

    Some of the most common auditory effects of chemical exposure include:

    • Tinnitus: A condition characterized by constant ringing, buzzing, or other sounds without an external source (other people can’t hear it)
    • High-frequency hearing loss: The loss of ability to hear sounds in higher pitches
    • Sensorineural hearing loss: Permanent hearing impairment due to damage of hair cells within the inner ear, the vestibulocochlear nerve, or the brain’s central processing centers
    • Cochlear damage: Ototoxic chemicals can damage delicate structures of the inner eat, especially the cochlea 

    Marijuana use and tinnitus

    Some research has found a link between marijuana smoke and hearing issues, suggesting that it may be an ototoxic substance. And because marijuana use is high in the construction industry, proper education of construction workers is critical.

    While about 10–25% of American adults sometimes experience tinnitus, some experts suggest that up to 10% have chronic tinnitus.

    Protecting your hearing from the assaults of loud noises should be a given, but curbing smoking of any kind is another way to avoid auditory damage. 

    Job-related and lifestyle risk factors

    Exposure to ototoxic substances is common in many industries, including manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, and the utility sector. But workers in the printing, firefighting, and painting trades are the most heavily affected by exposure. 

    Workers exposed to a combination of ototoxic substances, such as solvent fumes and exhaust from a machine or vehicle, or exposed to a combination of the ototoxic substance and loud noises, are at an increased risk of hearing loss. These environmental irritants affect hearing, and the effect is compounded when more than one irritant is present simultaneously.

    Work activities that commonly combine noise and ototoxic substances include:

    • Painting
    • Printing
    • Boat building
    • Construction
    • Furniture making
    • Fueling vehicles and aircraft
    • Manufacturing
    • Degreasing
    • Firefighting
    • Firing weapons

    Avoiding exposure to loud noises and ototoxic chemicals can help limit auditory damage, but that may be easier said than done in some industries. Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety procedures become imperative in that case. For example, painters who work around solvents can reduce their risk by using proper ventilation, being diligent about personal hygiene at work, wearing appropriate PPE like gloves, masks, and hearing protection, and avoiding smoking (and second-hand smoke). 

    Reducing harmful chemical exposure

    Reducing chemical exposure isn’t always as easy as avoiding it altogether. Ototoxic chemicals are a big part of some industries, but workers can educate themselves on minimizing risk. 

    Some of the easiest ways to limit chemical exposure include:

    • Learn about what chemicals you’re dealing with
    • Lower noise volumes or create mufflers
    • Use proper ventilation 
    • Substitute for less harmful chemicals whenever possible 
    • Have your hearing checked regularly

    Workers regularly exposed to ototoxic substances should, when possible:

    • Reduce noise exposure to 80 dB or below
    • Undergo a hearing test at least annually
    • Be aware of ototoxic substances on their job site 
    • Use appropriate PPE

    Substituting a non-ototoxic substance for a harmful one is recommended for workers who regularly come into close contact with such chemicals. Isolating harmful fumes through an exhaust pipe or proper ventilation is also recommended. Workers should always use personal protective equipment to prevent skin and respiratory absorption.

    Drugs/foods that can worsen hearing loss

    Noise and chemicals are two biggies that contribute to hearing loss, but drugs and certain foods can, too—and many of them are things construction workers commonly consume. While some appear as seemingly benign foods, like coffee and beer, they can worsen hearing loss if it’s already begun. 

    These foods, chemicals, and drugs all affect the auditory pathways, so it’s important to be cognizant of what you’re putting in your body, especially if you’re already dealing with hearing impairment of any degree. 

    If you struggle with hearing, here are some consumables to avoid or limit:

    • Alcohol: Damages hair cells in the ear that translate sound into nerve impulses for hearing, leading to permanent hearing loss
    • Caffeine: Caffeine can cause temporary hearing loss or worsen existing hearing loss
    • Nicotine: Nicotine can cause tinnitus, dizziness, and vertigo by changing or damaging cochlear hair cells, reducing oxygen circulation, and altering blood supply
    • Opioids: Codeine, heroin, hydrocodone, morphine, and other opioids may impair auditory neuromodulation and cause hearing loss

    Symptoms of ototoxicity

    Ototoxic chemicals can damage the structures of the inner ear, leading to hearing and balance problems. Some problems, like tinnitus, can develop slowly and take years to notice, while others are more noticeable and problematic. 

    Symptoms of ototoxicity can vary among individuals. Damage to the hearing organs can range from mild to severe hearing loss and may include tinnitus. If the organs controlling balance are damaged, symptoms can range from dizziness and nausea to imbalance and blurry vision. These symptoms may be temporary or permanent.

    The most common symptoms of ototoxicity include:

    • Hearing loss: This can be mild or severe, or even total hearing loss. It can be bilateral, affecting both ears and may go unnoticed until it affects a person’s ability to understand speech.
    • Tinnitus: Also known as ringing in the ears, this is usually the first sign of ototoxicity.
    • Balance problems: Can range from mild to severe and may include feeling dizzy or lightheaded, unsteady, or having trouble walking.
    • Other symptoms: These may include a feeling of fullness in the ear, headache, and blurry vision (oscillopsia), which is when your vision bounces or blurs when you move your head.

    Keep hearing safe from ototoxins 

    To prevent ototoxic chemical-related hearing damage, use a mix of occupational safety measures, such as PPE, and frequent monitoring of hearing health. An audiometric test, also known as a hearing test, measures the ability to hear sounds and can help determine the cause of hearing loss. Workers should be tested at least annually, if not twice a year.

    Here are six ways to protect yourself from hearing loss:

    1. Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Wear PPE ear protection, such as earmuffs or earplugs, to lower exposure to loud noises, and use chemical-resistant gloves to reduce exposure to ototoxic substances.
    2. Control noise: Reduce noise levels through soundproofing.
    3. Install ventilating systems: Ensure proper ventilation where ototoxic chemicals are present to disperse airborne chemicals and lower inhalation.
    4. Practice good hygiene: Employers must promote good hygiene, like regular handwashing, to lower contact with ototoxic substances. Workers should avoid touching their faces and mouths while they are working.
    5. Get your hearing tested regularly: Workers exposed to ototoxic substances should have regular audiometric testing to help detect changes in hearing early.
    6. Enroll in safety training: Workers should be trained on the hazards of ototoxic substances to educate them on where exposure happens and how to reduce their risk.

    Don’t fault yourself, protect yourself

    If you’ve developed work-related hearing issues, it’s easy to blame yourself. But kicking yourself over something that’s already happened is counterproductive—focus on what you can do to prevent further damage to your hearing.

    Working in the skilled trades can be a tough job that comes with its own set of risks, but protecting yourself from any risk is about educating yourself on where they are and what you can do to prevent them and protect your health. 

    Due to the nature of many occupations, hearing damage happens on the job. Orchestral musicians, as do the farmers who work around heavy machinery, develop hearing loss due to the nature of their work. Put simply, protecting your hearing comes down to knowing the risks and mitigating them through education, proper PPE, and regular hearing tests.

  • Maryland and other states crack down on work zone speeding with steeper fines

    Maryland and other states crack down on work zone speeding with steeper fines

    Maryland has taken a significant step to enhance road safety by doubling fines from $40 to $80 for speeding in work zones where construction workers are present. The new law, which came into effect at the beginning of June, aims to reduce accidents and protect the lives of both workers and motorists. The increase in fines underscores a growing concern over the high number of incidents occurring in these zones, prompting the state to implement stricter measures.

    The spark behind the change

    In March 2023, a horrific accident on Interstate 695 led to an overhaul of Maryland’s work zone safety laws. Investigators revealed that two cars, driven by Melachi Brown and Lisa Lea, were traveling over 100 mph. Brown’s car was clocked at 121 mph when it was clipped by Lea’s vehicle, which was attempting a lane change. The collision caused Lea’s car to veer off course, crashing into an active work zone and tragically striking several workers. The accident resulted in the death of six construction workers—a devastating incident that underscored the extreme dangers present in work zones.

    This tragic event was a catalyst for Maryland’s decision to double fines for speeding in work zones. The new law is part of a broader initiative to improve road safety by discouraging dangerous driving behaviors. The state has also increased the presence of law enforcement in work zones, launched public awareness campaigns, and enhanced safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future. These measures aim to protect both workers and motorists, ensuring safer conditions on the state’s roadways. 

    How other states are tackling work zone safety

    Several other states across the country have also implemented stricter measures to ensure the safety of both workers and motorists. These actions include raising fines and employing advanced technology for speed enforcement.

    • New York: The state has launched an automated work zone speed enforcement program, using mobile speed cameras to monitor driver compliance. Fines start at $50 for the first offense and can increase to $100 for subsequent violations within 18 months.
    • Indiana: Indiana has introduced a pilot program with speed cameras placed in four specific work zones. The system includes a warning for the first offense and a $75 fine for any further violations.
    • Delaware: Delaware doubles fines for all moving violations in work zones, employing active enforcement and speed cameras, particularly in high-traffic areas like the I-95 corridor.
    • Wisconsin: In Wisconsin, fines for traffic violations in work zones are doubled, regardless of whether workers are present, to discourage dangerous driving and prevent accidents.

    Effectiveness and challenges of increased fines

    The effectiveness of these increased fines in reducing work zone accidents is a topic of ongoing discussion. Early indications suggest that states with stricter enforcement, like Delaware and Wisconsin, are seeing positive outcomes. Delaware doubles fines for all moving violations in work zones, leveraging active enforcement and speed cameras to maintain safety, particularly in high-traffic areas. Similarly, Wisconsin enforces double fines even when workers are not present, aiming to comprehensively discourage unsafe driving behaviors.

    Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Public awareness and consistent enforcement are critical for the success of these initiatives. As more states adopt similar measures, the hope is that these laws will significantly improve road safety and protect both workers and motorists in work zones.

  • On the path to construction: The rise of women safety consultants

    On the path to construction: The rise of women safety consultants

    As safety consultants, women continue to face a unique set of challenges, including harassment, a lack of mentorship, and acknowledgment for their contributions. Women require equal access to support and networking opportunities not only to help promote gender diversity and equity in their field but also to improve the industry as a whole. By addressing these issues, women are filling the gaps and driving progress and innovation in safety consulting to create a more supportive and equitable industry. 

    Construction sites can be dangerous, and safety consultants are crucial in identifying potential hazards and implementing measures to prevent accidents or injuries.

    For a long time, safety positions in construction have been dominated by men. But while the scale hasn’t fully tipped in their favor, we’re seeing more women step into these roles. Women bring diverse perspectives and skills to the table that can lead to innovative safety solutions, better communication, and a stronger overall safety culture.

    The growing presence of women in construction safety

    The construction industry is seeing a positive shift, with more women stepping into safety roles. This shift isn’t just about breaking traditional gender barriers—it marks an improvement to work site safety culture.

    “I think those in management and leadership positions are recognizing that they don’t have enough ‘manpower’ or workforce to be able to do what needs to get done,” says Cory Fisk, founder of Construction Management Online. “They are being forced to open their minds to not only women employees but to younger generations who work very differently than current generations.”

    Fisk’s journey into construction began accidentally. Initially, she aimed for a career in animal science but shifted to construction to pay off student loans. “I recognized that my college loans were more than I would be making in an annual salary in agriculture, and it pushed me back into the construction industry.” Fisk progressed from a laborer to a field engineer, then eventually became a college professor and started her own construction consultancy focusing on management roles.

    Accidental or not, recent reports indicate that organizations recognize the value women bring to safety roles and actively recruit and support them. Between 2016 and 2021, the number of women in the U.S. construction industry increased by 32%, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. 

    Challenges faced by women safety consultants in construction

    Despite the evident uptick in hiring and retention practices for women in construction, specifically in safety roles, the industry still has a long way to go on the road to parity.

    One big issue is the lack of mentors and role models. Mentorship is essential for career growth because it provides guidance, support, and networking opportunities. In that regard, Fisk considers herself lucky. “I had a mentor who was a construction manager who taught me how to read drawings and how to put change orders together and submittals,” she says. 

    “My greatest mentors were men, friends who took me under their wing and would take me to lunch and talk to me about stories, or just to be there when other men treated me harshly in a meeting or out on the job site, they thickened my skin and made me tougher.” However, many women struggle to find mentors, male or female, who can help them navigate their roles and advance their careers. 

    To that end, harassment and discrimination continue to be significant problems. Women frequently encounter harassment on construction sites, ranging from inappropriate comments to more severe forms of abuse. This can seriously affect their mental health and job performance, creating an extra barrier to their success. 

    “There was always sexual harassment. There were always notes left on my car after work from ‘Mister Anonymous,’” says Fisk. “There were times when I felt that I had to do things that were unsafe in order to be able to keep my job. If you resisted going down in the manhole or if you didn’t want to climb the ladders to the third story because they weren’t tied off … My hope is that that’s all changed. But I know that some of it still exists because it’s an old industry with people who have old mindsets, who don’t think to wake up until it’s too late for someone else.”

    It’s astounding, then, that many construction companies don’t see the value of safety consultants. “Their bottom line is the dollar, their focus is on production. They see safety as a cost to the project instead of recognizing what it could save,” says Fisk. 

    “When you show your workers that you care about them, you’re investing in them, you are concentrating on making their life easier so that they can go back home to their families, there’s a different mindset and generation of energy that is going to help them want to produce for you. It’s going to make them want to be loyal to you. It’s going to increase all of the values that most companies say that they want for their employees.”

    Gaining that respect from colleagues can be tough. Women often have to work twice as hard to earn and maintain respect, using various strategies to show their competence and authority. Of her past experience, Fisk says, “Besides the fact that I was a woman, I was also very young. Having them listen to me was very difficult, so I usually kept to myself and worked really, really hard.”

    Women in construction safety roles are often stereotyped as less capable or knowledgeable, leading to their opinions and expertise being undervalued or dismissed. Moreover, there’s still a long-held assumption that a woman’s place is at home. 

    “It’s different today. Back then, it was important to be able to let it roll off your back,” Fisk says. “But now, there’s a different understanding of trying to educate men of how to work with women as co-workers instead of looking at them as mothers, wives, daughters. You know, we’re now equals and partners in our careers. Back then, it was more about survival.” 

    It can be disheartening for women in construction to feel that their voices are stifled or that their career paths can be blocked, even with sterling credentials. “I was reading a post from a woman bragging about having two civil engineer degrees. She was upset because they were dismissing her,” Fisk says. “Men aren’t looking at your resume. They don’t know that I have a Class A contractor’s license. They don’t know that I have a master’s in curriculum and instruction. They don’t care. Most of them got where they are without a degree, so their appreciation and value of that work is not acknowledged.”

    Networking and support for women in construction safety

    The good news is that the tides are slowly turning. Modern work practices and current HR policies have seeped into the world of construction, and what many have been able to get away with in the past no longer holds sway. 

    Improved support and networking opportunities can help women navigate the challenges of their profession while also providing opportunities for women in career advancement, mentorship, and professional growth. 

    The National Safety Council (NSC) is a major player in supporting women in safety roles. It offers all kinds of programs to help women grow their careers and tackle the challenges they face in the construction industry. These include mentorship programs, networking events, training, and educational resources for professional development tailored specifically for women in these roles.

    Networking and support groups are equally vital for career development. They offer women a chance to share their experiences, learn from each other, and learn best practices. These groups also provide emotional and professional support, helping women navigate the hurdles they encounter in their jobs. 

    Below, we’ve listed some of the organizations that provide resources and programs to help women enhance their skills, stay informed about industry changes, and advance their careers:

    • The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC): Provides educational programs, networking opportunities, and advocacy for women in the construction industry.
    • Women in Safety Excellence (WISE): A community within the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) that focuses on advancing women in the safety profession through mentorship and professional development.
    • Women Construction Owners & Executives (WCOE): Supports women who own or lead construction companies through advocacy, education, and networking.
    • Professional Women in Construction (PWC): A nonprofit organization that supports women and promotes diversity in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries.

    Increasing the number of women in safety consultancy roles isn’t just about representation; hiring women often leads the industry towards a safer and more innovative future. And that’s something we should all get behind.

  • Are stricter regulations needed for interior gas line removal work?

    Are stricter regulations needed for interior gas line removal work?

    The May 28 gas line explosion in Youngstown demonstrated the risks of having untrained workers removing natural gas lines. The calamity killed one person and injured seven, spawning one lawsuit and likely several more, which begs the question: are stricter regulations needed for the removal of interior gas lines?

    Ignorance causes calamitous blast

    In the Youngstown explosion, three unsupervised workers cut into a natural gas line in an occupied mixed-use building’s basement, thinking the line was abandoned. After the third cut, they realized the gas line was still charged with gas and alerted authorities and building occupants. Even still, a bank employee was killed in the explosion just six minutes after the third cut.

    According to Rich Boyarko, training director for Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 396 union in Youngstown, it shouldn’t have happened. Best practices understood by union-trained plumbers would’ve prevented it from happening if they’d been doing the work.

    Before line removal, double check

    Although a trained plumber isn’t required to remove natural gas lines inside a building (the lines are the building owner’s responsibility, not the utility company’s), even untrained workers should understand how to do such work safely. Trained plumbers know to confirm the status of a pipe before removing it, and to re-confirm that confirmation.

    According to news reports, the Youngstown workers were told before removing it that the gas line that later caused the explosion was long abandoned and inactive. But it’s unlikely they even checked the utility company valve for the line, Boyarko said, because the valve was in the street. “There’s no way I would touch a line unless I can see that valve is shut off,” he said.

    Still, more than one plumber contacted for this story said that confirming the line’s supposed inactive status by simply checking the valve isn’t enough.

    “As far as a plumber or anybody touching those utility lines, you would never cut into a line that you have not confirmed is dead. You’d always look to see that it’s shut off, but you need to confirm [with the utility company] on top of that,” Boyarko said.

    Best practices for gas line removal

    Taking the boss’s word that a line is dead is foolish, according to trained plumbers, including Boyarko and others. “I’ve seen guys hurt because someone told them the line is dead, and it wasn’t. Even if the valve is shut off and you’ve seen it, you don’t know if that valve is broken,” Boyarko said.

    In addition to checking the valve to determine the status of the line to be removed, a worker should check with the utility company to confirm that the line is truly inactive.

    Jim Gerard, a retired master plumber with 30+ years of experience, said other precautionary steps should be taken to prevent an explosion. Gerard’s recommended best practices include:

    • Shutting off the line at the service meter (valve)
    • Cutting and plugging the gas line at the first seam in the line in the building’s interior

    Unfortunately, due to the often decrepit infrastructure of utilities throughout the nation, catastrophes like the Youngstown explosion might still happen even when best practices are followed. Because of the age of many gas lines, even the utility company may not have the correct understanding of their status due to their antiquated nature. A utility’s schematic of the building’s gas lines might not be accurate, or it might have been created so long ago that it’s lost and unable to be located.

    Don’t mess with explosives

    Natural gas is a highly explosive gas that’s combustible with even the smallest ignition source. As shown in the unfortunate case of a 27-year-old Chase Manhattan Bank employee killed in the Youngstown blast, dealing wrongly with any type of gas can quickly turn deadly, in addition to causing millions in property damage.

    As kids, we are taught not to play with fire and to steer clear of explosives like firecrackers and M-80s, both of which can seriously injure people. Regardless of their training level, workers should use similar caution when working around or removing gas lines, understanding that one wrong move could be disastrous.

    After all, when cutting into a natural gas line, it’s not simply a hunk of steel pipe that’s at stake. One wrong decision could cost people’s lives—and livelihoods.

  • Feeling hot, hot hot: What you need to know about heat stress and how to avoid it

    Feeling hot, hot hot: What you need to know about heat stress and how to avoid it

    As summer approaches, temperatures rise, and unfortunately, the risk of heat stress rises, too. Occupational heat stress can affect anyone at work, but construction workers represent a particularly high-risk group.  The most common symptoms of heat stress include headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid pulse, and clammy skin. If left untreated, heat stress can lead to more serious heat-related issues, some of which may be fatal. 

    From 1992 to 2016, construction workers were just 6% of the population but accounted for 36% of all occupational heat-related deaths. To survive the summer, it’s important to understand heat stress prevention, be aware of heat stress symptoms, and learn how to treat heat stress effectively when it does occur.  

    Quick look

    • Extreme heat can cause heat stress. If left untreated, heat stress can lead to more serious heat-related issues, some of which may be fatal.
    • High humidity levels can lead to higher wet-bulb temperatures and impact your ability to cool off effectively.
    • Heat stress symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid pulse, and cool, clammy skin.
    • You can prevent heat stress by wearing loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, drinking plenty of water, and protecting your skin from the sun. 

    Heat-related illness

    Heat stress occurs when your body begins to heat up faster than it can cool down. A combination of several different factors causes occupational heat stress:

    1. The heat your body naturally gives off
    2. Aspects of your environment like humidity levels, temperature, and radiant heat sources
    3. Clothing you’re required to wear to do your job, like high-vis vests or hard hats 

    Heat stress is more than just feeling hot and sweaty; it’s a canary in a coal mine warning you that your body can’t cool itself effectively. If left untreated, heat stress can progress to more serious conditions like heat rash, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke, which can be fatal.

    Heat doesn’t just mean dry heat, either. Humidity can compound the effects of high temperatures, creating a more significant impact by impacting the body’s ability to cool off naturally. 

    Wet-bulb temperature: the effects of humidity

    Determining the temperature outside is a little more complicated than just reading the thermometer. If you’ve ever seen a summer weather report that includes the temperature and also the “feels like” temperature, you’ve seen the wet bulb effect in action. 

    While regular temperatures measure heat, wet bulb temperature also takes humidity into account. Wet-bulb temperature is measured by placing a wet cloth over the bulb of a thermometer. When moisture evaporates from the cloth, it mimics how we cool down by sweating. 

    When humidity is high, however, it means there’s already plenty of moisture in the air. It takes longer for sweat to evaporate, making it harder to cool down. We lose about 85% of heat through sweating, and it’s easy to become overheated when we can’t cool down due to high humidity. 

    Watch out for symptoms of heat stress

    Identifying when you or someone else is experiencing heat stress is crucial to treating it effectively. Watch out for these heat stress symptoms:

    • Cramps
    • Weakness, dizziness
    • Heat rash
    • Headache
    • Nausea
    • Thirst
    • Shallow, rapid breathing
    • Cool, clammy skin
    • Fainting  
    • Agitation or confusion

    If you experience any of these symptoms, notify your supervisor, get out of the sun, find somewhere cool to rest if possible, and drink water. Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms persist. 

    How to protect yourself (and others) from heat stress

    There are several proven ways to reduce the risk of heat stress and keep cool during those scorching summer days (well, cooler, anyway). 

    Avoiding heat stress in the first place is much easier than trying to treat it when it happens, so consider the following strategies for heat stress prevention.

    Cool clothes

    It might be tempting to wear less clothing on a hot day, but keeping the sun off your skin with appropriate clothing is vital to keeping cool and preventing heat stress. 

    • Choose a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt instead of a tank top. Lighter colors help reflect the sun’s rays, and long sleeves will protect your skin from sunburn.
    • Clothing material also matters, so look for natural fabrics like cotton or bamboo that help air circulate freely. 
    • Wear loose-fitting clothing to let your skin breathe; tight clothing tends to trap heat. 
    • Shirts made of lightweight Merino wool can help you cool down by wicking moisture away from your skin.  

    Wear a hat

    Just like long-sleeved shirts keep the sun off your skin, wearing a hat can reduce your risk of heat stress by keeping the sun off your face and neck. 

    • Choose a wide-brimmed hat over a baseball cap. It offers more coverage and protects the back of your neck from getting burned.
    • If you are working on a job site that requires you to wear a hard hat, tuck a t-shirt or kerchief into the back to provide shade for your neck.  

    Stay hydrated

    Sweating is an efficient way to stay cool, but it also uses a lot of water. Some studies estimate that working outside in a hot environment can mean losing up to 1.5 liters every hour. To prevent heat stress, you must be diligent about replacing that water loss throughout the day.

    • WorkSafeBC recommends drinking half a liter of water before starting work on a hot day and another eight ounces every 20 minutes or so (don’t wait until you’re thirsty!).
    • Limit caffeinated drinks like cola, energy drinks, or coffee because they can increase dehydration.
    • Adding electrolytes to your water can help you replace critical vitamins and minerals lost through sweat.

    Stay proactive to beat the heat

    It’s often said that the best defense is a good offense, and that’s certainly true when it comes to heat stress prevention. This summer, stay informed about weather forecasts and note any days forecasted to be particularly hot or humid. Bring enough water to get you through the day, and use the tips above to dress in clothing that will keep you cool. 

    Finally, care for yourself and your coworkers by recognizing and looking out for heat stress symptoms.

  • Suicide rate among construction workers hits crisis levels: ‘We have to watch out for each other’

    Suicide rate among construction workers hits crisis levels: ‘We have to watch out for each other’

    Kevin O’Shea, president of Shamrock Electric Co., Inc., has one vital message to construction workers who are struggling with their mental health: call him. 

    It’s a message he shares as much as possible given the growing number of suicides among workers in the industry. 

    “I’m not a professional. I’m just some guy that would rather hear you tell me your story than hear your friend tell me your eulogy,” O’shea told FOX Business. 

    While he isn’t a professional in the medical sense, O’Shea has been in the industry for nearly five decades, and has come face to face with colleagues and employees who have considered suicide. O’Shea isn’t a stranger to mental health issues either, admitting that he has found ways to deal with his tremors, ADHD and depression. 

    According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates compared to other industries. About 56 out of 100,000 men in construction die by suicide, according to data published in 2021.

    In 2016, the suicide rate for men in construction and extraction occupations was over 49 per 100,000, which was almost twice the total suicide rate for civilian working men between 16 and 64 years old in 32 states and five times greater than the rate for all fatal work-related injuries in the industry. 

    Kevin O’Shea, president of Shamrock Electric Co., Inc. (Kevin O’Shea)

    When O’Shea found how bad the statistics were, he started doing everything in his power to raise awareness about this issue. 

    “We have to be our brothers and sisters, keepers, that we have to watch out for each other. We have to make sure that if somebody is hurting, we recognize the signs and we help that person,” he said, adding that “if we can save one person. That’s a step in the right direction.”

    In 2019, he received an unexpected call while celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary in Paris. His office manager contacted him to relay that one of his employees had informed the foreman that he may not be able to work the next day.

    “Instead of the foreman saying, ‘okay, call me, let me know one way or the other,’ the foreman said, ‘what do you mean by that?’,” O’Shea recalled. 

    Construction workers help build an apartment in Los Angeles

    Construction workers help build a mixed-use apartment complex which will hold over 700 units of apartment housing and 95,000 square feet of commercial space on January 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)

    The worker revealed that his girlfriend left him with their baby, his brother had recently died by suicide and his other brother was battling cancer. O’Shea said the worker expressed uncertainty about whether he could “go on.”

    O’Shea saw that same worker at a safety meeting two years after getting him the help he needed. 

    “That apprentice came up to me and said, ‘Kevin, I can’t thank you enough for you and the company standing behind me in my darkest hours.’ And to me, that is what getting the message out is all about,” O’Shea said. 

    O’Shea frequently tells people in the industry that there is “an 800 pound gorilla in our industry called stigma. And the stigma is that you can’t talk about your feelings.” 

    He’s fighting to change this, and he’s not alone. 

    construction

    Construction workers build a single-family home in Westhampton Beach, New York, US, on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.  (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    Greg Sizemore, Associated Builders and Contractors vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development, has also heard far too many about workers who have been struggling since he started in the industry about 50 years ago. Like O’Shea, he told FOX Business the rate of suicides in the industry is “alarming.” 

    On top of the struggles they may be dealing with in their personal life, Sizemore told FOX Business that these workers are also contending with the immense pressures on the job site. 

    Not only is the industry “inherently dangerous”, but every job is driven by cost and schedule, Sizemore said. This means professionals that are actually installing the work face “a tremendous amount of pressure because the end date never changes,” he said. Today, workers might also be working 10 to 12 hours per day about six to seven days a week to meet the demand needed to get the work done on time.

    Construction workers work on a construction site

    Construction workers work on a construction site on Lennox Avenue on July 22, 2022 in the Flatbush neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City.  ((Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) / Getty Images)

    “We need to educate our workforce more directly on the signs and symptoms that they need to look out for when their peers or an employee that works for them may be under distress,”  Sizemore said. “When we raise our awareness…this becomes an issue that we can actually be proactive about rather than reactive.” 

    If you or you know someone who needs help: 

    Kevin O’Shea’s email: Kevin@shamrockelectric.com.

    He also directed people to call or text 988, which is the suicide and crisis lifeline. 

    Counselors with the 988 Lifeline network are trained to provide free and confidential emotional support and crisis counseling to people who are in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress. 

    These services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across the United States.

    They can also get resources from the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) by going to www.preventconstructionsuicide.com.

    The alliance raises awareness about suicide prevention and provides resources and tools to create a zero suicide industry by uniting and supporting the construction community, according to its website. 

    This post was originally written by Daniella Genovese for FOXBusiness.

  • Construction workers are dying from suicide at an alarming rate

    Construction workers are dying from suicide at an alarming rate

    In a swath of Arizona desert that will soon be home to a multi-billion dollar semiconductor plant, Justin Azbill stood before thousands of construction workers and told the story of the day he almost took his life.

    Pressure had been building on Azbill for months in his job as safety director for a large Boston construction firm during the height of the pandemic. Sleep deprived and overwhelmed, Azbill said he made the decision one morning to take his own life and packed a lethal means to do so in his lunch sack. 

    But as he was preparing to leave for work that morning, his daughter intervened — she asked him to stay home with her that day. He did and the day provided a moment of clarity for Azbill who then sought out help from a friend. 

    Azbill, who got his start in construction as an ironworker, has been traveling to construction sites across the country sharing his story as he and others in the industry race to address what they say is an epidemic of suicide among their colleagues — many of whom are under increasing strain amid a nationwide construction boom and a shortage of workers. 

    “In the construction industry, we’ve generationally been taught that if you talk to someone about a weakness or you’re struggling then you’re weak and you won’t get hired,” said Azbill. “One of the reasons I talk about it so freely is so people know that it’s normal and it’s okay.”

    Justin Azbill tells the story of the day he almost took his life. (Courtesy Justin Azbill)

    Justin Azbill tells the story of the day he almost took his life. (Courtesy Justin Azbill)

    The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates among professions — with the rate among male construction workers 75% higher than men in the general population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 6,000 construction workers died as a result of suicide in 2022, an increase from 2021, according to the most recent data available. That compares to around 1,000 who died from a construction work-related injury. 

    “When you’re more likely to be killed by your own hands than to get killed in a jobsite accident, that’s a crisis in our industry,” said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America. “We know pretty much what needs to happen to protect people physically. We’re figuring out how to protect people mentally.”

    While construction wages are up and jobs are plentiful, those in the industry fear that the pressures on their workers’ mental health are only getting worse. A recent surge in construction projects, spurred by billions of federal dollars for infrastructure, clean energy and semiconductor projects have put increasing strain on an already stretched workforce. As a result, workers are putting in more than 10-hour days in harsh weather conditions, facing high-pressure deadlines and having to spend months away from home living in hotels, temporary workforce housing or their vehicles. There is also the risk of workplace injuries and a higher rate of opioid misuse along with the general financial instability of hourly work.

    “There’s a lot that goes into how stressful it is, not just physically, but mentally and psychologically,” said Josh Vitale, a superintendent for Hoffman Construction, the general contractor overseeing the Intel Arizona project where Azbill recently spoke. “There’s a huge human toll. There’s no free lunch, if we want this stuff, and I think progress is fantastic, but we have to realize that we are legitimately wringing the life out of people.”

    Josh Vitale and Justin Azbill in front of a construction site (Courtesy Justin Azbill)

    Josh Vitale and Justin Azbill in front of a construction site (Courtesy Justin Azbill)© Courtesy Justin Azbill

    One of the biggest building booms is being driven by the semiconductor industry. Companies are planning to spend $450 billion on 80 new semiconductor manufacturing projects in 25 states as part of a nationwide push led by the Biden administration to increase U.S. manufacturing of high-tech chips that go into everything from cars to military equipment, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association.

    In Arizona, workers building the $20 billion Intel facility typically work two 60-hour weeks followed by a 50-hour week for months at a time in the hot Arizona weather with no paid vacation time, said Vitale. Because of a shortage of local workers, many are coming in from out of state, leaving behind friends and family and living for months or years in hotels or temporary housing.

    For Azbill, a number of factors came together in a matter of months that pushed him to a place where he was close to ending his own life.

    Azbill had spent decades working his way up the ranks of the construction industry, and when the pandemic hit, he was thrust into the role of Covid czar, working in an emotionally challenging and negative environment as his company tried to navigate the pandemic on their worksites, he said.

    “I was working 19-hour days, and then I couldn’t sleep at night. Try that for six months and see where someone would be,” he said. “You start seeing everything negatively, there is this darkness. I was crying myself to sleep.”

    At home, his relationship with his wife and daughter was fraying because for months he had barely been around, but he worried that if he cut back his hours at work he would let his family down financially, he said. 

    “At the time, I didn’t think that my wife or my daughter really cared for me because for six months I was angry all the time, they were cautious being around me, they didn’t want to cause more problems for me,” Azbill said. 

    After about six months, Azbill said he hit a breaking point. There was a Covid outbreak on a job site after some workers weren’t following safety protocols. The incident angered him in a way he’d never experienced. He said he blacked out and started having thoughts of suicide. He knew something was wrong so he went home to try to get some sleep.

    He woke up at 2:30 a.m. the next morning and decided he was going to take his own life. He wrote three good-bye letters: one to his mother, one to his wife and one to his daughter.

    “Before I left, I said ‘goodbye. I’m going to work, I love you guys,’” he said.

    Then, his eight-year-old daughter, who was doing remote school, came running out of her room.

    “She says ‘papa papa,’ and anytime she calls me papa she steals my heart. It’s also her way of saying she loves me,” Azbill said. “I think she knew I was struggling bad, and I was her best friend. She said ‘papa I love you, spend time with me, I don’t like my teacher and I don’t like school, can you spend time with me today?’ And so I did.”

    Azbill stayed home from work that day and watched his daughter. 

    In the afternoon, he got on a weekly Zoom call with dozens of other safety professionals in the industry. Near the end of the call, one of the participants began crying, talking about losing one of his best friends to Covid and shared how he was struggling with the loss. 

    “I call that my clarity moment, it completely changed my mindset,” he said. “I realized, I can’t do that. I’m not going to do what I was thinking.”

    After the Zoom meeting, Azbill called a friend and shared that he was struggling. His friend told him how important he was to those in his life and that people are grateful for all he does. That phone call, he said, helped save his life. 

    At the Intel project, the site’s general contractor, Hoffman Construction, has tried to tackle the risk of suicide in a number of ways across its worksites after the company lost two of its supervisors over the past several years to suicide, said Vitale. Intel doesn’t employ any of the construction workers on the site or have direct involvement in the construction process.

    Workers wait to greet President Joe Biden as he arrives to make remarks on his Investing in America agenda at Intel's Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Ariz. in March. (Alexandra Buxbaum / Sipa USA via AP Images )

    Workers wait to greet President Joe Biden as he arrives to make remarks on his Investing in America agenda at Intel’s Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Ariz. in March. (Alexandra Buxbaum / Sipa USA via AP Images )© Alexandra Buxbaum

    The company has created community center-style spaces on its worksites where workers can have some personal space, attend a substance misuse meeting or talk with a peer who can help connect them to mental health resources. It also started including discussions about mental health in its regular staff meetings. 

    “It would be rare to find someone in the industry who hasn’t known a person that has taken their life within the last year or two,” said Vitale. “As an industry, we just keep putting more and more pressure on the worker to outperform what they’ve done before, and at some point it’s just untenable.”

    Vitale has gotten involved in a number of efforts to reduce suicides in the industry after he struggled with his own mental health crisis after the loss of his baby, he said. Several times a week, he said he is involved in a suicide interventions at the Arizona job site and has counseled dozens of colleagues thinking about hurting themselves, like a young carpenter he’s been talking to recently who is struggling with the loss of his mother and grandmother.

    But even with those efforts, the worksite hasn’t been immune from loss — an employee for one of the project’s contractors recently died by suicide at home over the weekend. 

    Alarm bells about the high rate of suicide started going off in the construction industry in 2016 when a CDC report showed construction workers had one of the highest rates of suicide by profession, leading various industry groups to start looking for solutions. For every 100,000 male construction workers, 56 died of suicide in 2022, according to CDC data. That compared to 32 suicide deaths per 100,000 men in the general population. Males have a significantly greater rate of suicide than females.

    A key focus for the industry has been trying to tackle the taboo nature of talking about mental health and seeking treatment. Industry organizations have been using everything from PSA-style videos and worksite talks to stickers, poker chips and magnets plastered around job sites informing workers of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Groups have also been creating resources like worksite talks and suicide prevention training courses to help guide employers in how to talk about mental health with their employees.

    Construction firm Bechtel said earlier this year that it would spent $7 million toward an effort with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to reach 500,000 construction workers with industry-specific mental health programs. 

    Shannon Niles, safety director for construction firm Paric Corp., said he experienced the mental toll the job can take first-hand after witnessing a coworker die on a job site when a trench collapsed on him. Niles tried to dig the man out, but was unable to save him. He said he bottled up the trauma of the incident, becoming more angry, withdrawn and drinking heavily until his family intervened and urged him to get help. 

    But Niles said there is an industry culture that discourages many from asking for help and a fear that showing any perceived weakness could jeopardize their job prospects. 

    “Construction workers think they’re so big and bad, that they don’t ever need any help. But we’ve got to realize we’re all human beings, and we all need help at some point,” Niles said.

    Giving added urgency to the issue is an industry-wide shortage of workers. At the start of 2024, the construction industry needed an additional 500,000 workers on top of the normal pace of hiring to meet the expected demand, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. 

    “You spend a couple hundred thousand dollars to train a superintendent for 20 years, and you’re going to throw them out the door now because they have a mental health problem or substance abuse?” said Mike Pugh, who oversees safety for DPR Construction. “They’re finding financially it’s not viable, it doesn’t pay any more to ignore and separate these issues because we don’t have anybody to replace them because there’s a worker shortage.”

    It’s a stark change from when Pugh was facing his own mental health struggles more than two decades ago. Pugh said he began a downward spiral with drug and alcohol addiction following several traumatic deaths in his family. At the time he was working in a high-level position for an HVCA company that worked on large-scale commercial construction projects.

    “My bosses are watching me circle the drain and nobody’s really saying anything,” Pugh said. “As men, we’re taught to take care of your stuff, take care of your family. When you’re unable to do that you feel even more shame and guilt and it just all piles on until I just kind of snapped and couldn’t do it anymore.”

    Ultimately, it was his brother who urged him to get help and he has been in recovery for 25 years. Like Azbill, he now travels the country talking at worksites about the need for a culture change in the industry.

    He thinks the message is starting to get through. Recently, he was at a job site in California where he had spoken about a year ago. While talking with the site’s safety manager, a laborer approached him and pulled him aside so no one would see them talking. 

    “He tells me ‘Sir, after your talk last year, I went home and told my wife for the first time about my drinking, and I’ve been sober for five months,’” Pugh said. “We both started crying and hugging.”

    If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

    This article was originally posted on MSN.com

  • Worker receives $900k settlement for busted hip

    Worker receives $900k settlement for busted hip

    Allowing hazardous construction site conditions ruined a young union operating engineer’s hip, damaging his livelihood, and cost those he sued $919,000 for injuries. 

    The settlement, won in early June by Chicago injury law firm GWC, resulted from a lawsuit led by GWC partner Michael D. Fisher and attorney Autumn K. Leslie. It includes a complete waiver of the worker’s compensation lien, which totaled $189,000.

    Poor site conditions injured worker

    The successful lawsuit resulted from a November 2019 accident where a 27-year-old union operating engineer working on a site in Willow Springs, Illinois, was hurt when he tripped and fell while stepping over a silt fence in muddy conditions. The lawsuit was filed against a large pipeline operator, charging that it didn’t identify and rectify hazardous conditions and activities on the worksite.  

    The suit was also filed against the project’s general contractor for failing to provide safe access around the job site without requiring workers to step over the silt fence, which caused the plaintiff to fall.

    Companies deny blame for serious injury

    The plaintiff in the lawsuit suffered a torn labrum in his left hip and aggravated the underlying impingement in his left hip. The injury required surgery, putting the plaintiff out of work for almost a year.

    Both defendants claimed they acted reasonably in identifying and addressing hazards. They also claimed the plaintiff’s injuries were his fault for choosing to step over the silt fence.

    “While the defendants conceded nothing, we were able to show, one witness at a time, how their failures directly caused our client’s fall,” GWC partner Michael D. Fisher said.

    A pattern of neglect established

    The lawsuit demonstrated that the defendants didn’t do enough to identify and address the hazardous conditions on the job site and were responsible for the fall that seriously injured the plaintiff.

    Various workers made daily efforts to stabilize muddy ground on the job site before the plaintiff’s fall, but this didn’t fix the problem. 

    “Defendants testified that there were alternative routes available; however, when workers who were at the job site on a daily basis testified that there were no alternative routes for the work our client was doing without stepping over that slit fence, it became clear that this incident was inevitable and defendants were going to need to pay,” attorney Autumn Leslie said.

  • Families of workers killed, injured at U of Chicago Hospital sue

    Families of workers killed, injured at U of Chicago Hospital sue

    The families of one ironworker killed and another injured at the University of Chicago Hospital construction site are suing Turner Construction Company and Adjustable Forms Inc. for negligence. 

    The first lawsuit was filed on behalf of Jeffrey A. Spyrka, an ironworker who fell over 100 feet when a scaffold at the University of Chicago Hospital’s new cancer center project failed in high winds. A second lawsuit, filed for the family of David O’Donnell, a technical engineer who suffered fatal injuries in the fall, was also filed in mid-June.

    Partners of the Chicago-based law firm GWC Injury Lawyers, Louis C. Cairo, Louis Anthony Cairo, and Michael D. Fisher represent both lawsuits. They seek redress for the workers’ deaths and/or injuries. The Spyrka lawsuit names Turner Construction Company, alleging that the GC failed to take appropriate safety measures to ensure the scaffold system that surrounded all sides of the core of a new building was safely and properly erected.

    The Spyrka lawsuit alleges that Turner caused scaffold work to continue at great heights on the building’s exterior when high winds were known to be occurring. The suit says these dangerous conditions were ignored, risking the safety of the men working on the scaffolding.

    The Spyrka lawsuit also names Adjustable Forms, Inc. as a second defendant. The company built a concrete form pouring system with a trailing scaffold set up 20 feet below the form pouring section but improperly built the scaffold system. 

    The suit alleges that the scaffold was so shoddily built that the corners could separate and move under any condition, especially the pressure of high winds. According to the lawsuit, an Adjustable Forms representative assured workers that the scaffold system raised to the 9th floor was safe to work on despite weather conditions. 

    David O’Donnell was the last worker to reach the scaffold, stepping onto it and briefly talking with Spyrka and another Ironworker near the southwest corner of the scaffold. Soon after, a gust of wind separated the southwest corner of the scaffold, causing the southerly scaffold section to swing violently away from the wall. Spyrka and O’Donnell were tossed over eight stories to the ground.

    Spyrka, 36, and his wife, Ashley, have been married for eight years. They have three children under six years old. He has extensive experience as a Local 1 Ironworker and has an impeccable safety record. 

    “The fact that Jeff survived this fall is nothing short of a miracle and a testament to the fine medical doctors who are treating him 24 hours a day in ICU at the same hospital where this horrific work accident occurred,” stated a press release from the law firm. “Nonetheless, he has suffered life-altering, catastrophic injuries as a result of this fall.”

    “The Spyrka family is thankful that those efforts have saved Jeff’s life, although they mourn the loss of David O’Donnell, who was a friend, a building trades brother, and an amazing young man,” GWC said. “For years, David worked side by side with countless Ironworkers doing the layout work for their trade work. His passing is mourned by the members of both those in the Technical Engineers division of his Local 130 union, as well as the many Ironworkers in IW’s Local 1.”

    Jeffrey Spyrka, pictured with his family, survived a fall from scaffolding on June 6 while working on a construction site at the University of Chicago Hospital.

    O’Donnell, 27, is survived by his parents, David and Christine O’Donnell, and his brothers, Brendan (32), Kevin (26), and Patrick (20). O’Donnell was trained as a technical engineer in the Apprentice Training Program with Local 130 and has since worked for his father’s company.

    David O’Donnell, 27, died after being thrown from scaffolding more than eight stories to the ground.

    “He has been groomed by his boss/father/dear friend, Dave Sr, to ultimately take over the company business. Dreams and aspirations have been shattered in the O’Donnell family as a result of this incident,” the GCW Law firm press release said.

    Turner Construction did not answer requests for comments on this story. Lombard, IL.-based Adjustable Concrete did issue a statement.
    “We are aware of the recent filings and continue to be deeply saddened to learn of this accident. We offer our sincerest condolences to the loved ones of those affected. Safety is integral to what we do, and Adjustable Concrete is partnering with Turner Construction to support a full investigation into this matter alongside the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. We are deeply grateful to the University of Chicago Medical Center doctors and all first responders involved,” Eric Lindquist, PE, President of Adjustable Concrete, said in a statement on the accident.

  • NTSB preliminary report on Youngstown explosion released

    NTSB preliminary report on Youngstown explosion released

    The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) preliminary report on the May 28 fatal gas explosion in Youngstown answered some questions about the explosion that killed one and injured nine. The blast caused structural damage to the 13-story Realty Tower Building that housed a bank, offices, and residences.

    Sequence of events

    A scrap removal crew working for contractor GreenHeart Companies was removing and relocating utility lines in the building’s basement in an area underneath the sidewalk. The contract was under the city of Youngstown in preparation for a city road improvement project.

    A crew member and supervisor told NTSB officials they were unaware that the gas lines were still active. The crew member said he was told the gas line he cut was not transporting gas, but part way through cutting into the pipe, he heard a loud whistling sound and felt gas blowing into his face. The crew left the building, pulled the fire alarm, and immediately called 911; another crew member advised bank employees on the first floor about the leak.

    Before the blast, the Youngstown Fire Department received reports of a gas odor from the public, and the fire department, police, and other emergency responders arrived at the scene. After the explosion, Enbridge Gas Ohio employees did a pressure test on the 1-inch diameter service line that exploded and the main line that fed it. They found that the service line didn’t hold pressure while hearing a hissing noise from the 1-inch line. The service line was capped, and the gas company employees found no other leaks.

    NTSB response to blast

    NTSB officials visually inspected the site after the blast, reviewed surveillance video, gathered physical evidence and information on the scrap-removal contract, and interviewed personnel related to the accident. 

    Going forward, the investigation will focus on the pipeline operator’s procedures for removing meters, record keeping, and abandoning gas lines. They will also focus on the ownership of the inactive line, companies associated with the building, and the contractor’s practices and policies for work crews. 

    The NTSB report identified GreenHeart as the partial owner of the Realty Tower Building.

    In March 2024, Enbridge, a North American company based in Canada, bought local gas distribution company Dominion Energy Ohio and renamed it Enbridge Gas Ohio. Both are named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Chase Manhattan Bank employee Akil Drake, 27, who was killed in the blast.

    The gas meter for the line that was thought to be inactive was removed in June 2008. The NTSB report says Enbridge records indicate the inactive service line was manually cut and abandoned in September 2015.

    NTSB has said the final report could take one to two years to complete.