Safety Alert for Supervisors: 2/23/2026

Incident summary A man who expanded the scope of his job duties was fatally pinned between the frame of a dump truck and the truck’s collapsing bed. What happened A work crew was charged with removing gravel from the bed of a dump truck using a mini skid steer loader. The staffers had extracted five loads of gravel when one of them noticed hydraulic fluid on the ground near the truck. The worker wanted to find the leak and repair it, but his supervisor told him to ignore it because it was a mechanical problem that needed to be fixed by a trained mechanic. However, as soon as the supervisor left the area of the truck with another load of gravel in the skid steer loader, the staffer decided to take care of the leak. He raised the bed of the dump truck and positioned himself between the frame rail of the vehicle and the elevated bed. He began to tighten a leaking hydraulic hose fitting, but he erroneously loosened the fitting and, as a result, the hydraulic system lost all its pressure and the bed of the truck collapsed and pinned the staff member between the frame rail and the bed. When the supervisor found the victim a short time later, he dialed 9-1-1, but the worker was already dead from traumatic asphyxia and blunt force trauma. Findings The crew member shouldn’t have expanded the scope of his job duties by trying to repair the leaking hydraulic hose. He wasn’t trained to perform the task, and he was unaware of the significant dangers it posed. Plus, said officials, the supervisor should’ve been more adamant in insisting that the man not undertake a risky job he wasn’t qualified to handle. Man ignored boss’s warning to not handle dangerous job Worker pinned between dump truck frame and collapsing bed You make the call: Did man setting up anchor points need to use safety gear? “ Y ou had an employee standing on an elevated surface about 12 feet above the ground and he wasn’t wearing safety gear,” said Tammy, the compliance officer. “That’s an obvious violation of our regulations, so I’m citing you.” “There’s a reason the man wasn’t using safety gear,” said George, the supervisor. “He was looking for anchor points that the rest of his crew could use to attach their safety equipment. You can’t expect someone to use safety devices that haven’t yet been set up. And, as you know, there’s an exemption from the use of fall protection gear during the installation of anchor points.” Doesn’t apply “It’s true that there’s an exemption from using safety equipment while anchor points are being set up,” said Tammy. “However, in this case, the exemption doesn’t apply.” “Why not?” asked George. “The exemption can only be used when there’s no other work being done at the elevated location at the same time,” said Tammy. “Here, you had several men laboring within 10 feet of the staffer installing the anchor points. The job had already started, so the exemption isn’t applicable.” The right thing “This is very frustrating,” said George. “We were trying to do the right thing by installing anchor points, but you hammer us with a citation even though we were engaged in an activity specifically intended to keep our crew members safe. We would’ve been better off just ignoring the fall protection regulation to begin with. We’ll fight your unjustified citation.” Did the company win? 2 Safety News New study reinforces the value of using safety gear when toxic dust is visible. 2 Quick Ideas Why staffers should wear prescription eyeglasses during respirator fit tests. 3 Legal Developments Coincidence? Employee terminated right after he reported safety violation. 3 Horror Stories Garbage collector fatally pinned between truck and pole in alleyway. 4 Safety Meeting What workers can do to avoid developing hand- arm vibration syndrome. In this issue ■ Make your call, then go to page 3 for the court’s ruling. February 23, 2026 SafetyAlert FOR SUPERVISORS The No. 1 source of actionable information to help supervisors keep their people safe Including: Supervisor’s Safety Toolbox

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: JIM MCCANNEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: FIONA HERNANDEZ OFFICE MANAGER: SHARON CONNELL Safety Alert for Supervisors (ISSN 1541-7379), February 23, 2026, Vol. 23, No. 545, is published 24 times per year by Institute of Business Publications, P.O. Box 1340, Havertown, PA 19083; PHONE : 484-472-8227; FAX : 484-472-8708. Phone: 866-572-1352 Web: iobp.com Subscription Rate (for 24 issues): Users Annual price Users Annual price 1-5 $265 flat 25-29 $44/user 6-9 $53/user 30-34 $43/user 10-14 $49/user 35-40 $42/user 15-19 $47/user 41+ Call 20-24 $45/user 866-572-1352 Why safety gear should be mandatory whenever hazardous dust is visible Take note: A recently released study reinforces the importance of making sure your crew members wear respiratory protection whenever they’re performing tasks that could expose them to hazardous levels of dust. Researchers with the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association measured the amount of toxic dust produced during certain job tasks and found that crew members were often exposed to levels of silica that far exceeded the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for the substance. For instance, employees who were sandblasting outside were exposed to dust levels that were 536% above the PEL for silica. Other job tasks that led to exposure above the PEL included: • chipping inside (506% above the PEL) • hand-grinding (251%) • dry concrete cutting (200%) The authors of the study suggested that exposure to silica dust could be reduced by requiring staff members to put on respiratory protection whenever dust is visible. They also recommended the use of water to keep toxic dust from becoming airborne. Doctor and dog killed after dangerous toxin infiltrates mobile clinic For more proof of the significant hazards posed by carbon monoxide, consider the recent unfortunate death of Dr. Ashraf Hussein, 56, of Eltingville, NY. The veterinarian employed by Aadobe Animal Hospital was operating on a sick dog inside a van that was being used as a mobile clinic in Queens, NY. The surgeon and the dog were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes during the procedure and they couldn’t escape. Garo Alexanian, the owner of the clinic, was able to exit the van and was later found unconscious on the ground nearby. He survived. Investigators said carbon monoxide infiltrated the van and killed the doctor and the dog because the vehicle’s exhaust pipe had become clogged with snow. Employee hurt because someone had removed machine’s safety latch One employer just found out the high cost of removing a built-in safety component from a hazardous piece of equipment: $170,136. That’s the amount of the safety penalty proposed against Rotschy Inc. by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries following an investigation into an injury incident at a jobsite in Woodland, WA. A staffer was hurt when a bucket fell off the arm of an excavator. Investigators discovered that the excavator didn’t have a safety latch designed to secure the bucket, and that supervisors knew about the missing safety component. safety news for supervisors 2 Safety Alert for Supervisors February 23, 2026 Why workers should bring their eyeglasses to respirator fit tests If your crew members will be wearing prescription eyeglasses at the same time they’re using respiratory protection, they should put on the eyeglasses for their respirator fit tests. Bonus: Staffers should also wear safety equipment such as earmuffs, safety goggles and face shields for fit tests if they expect to be wearing the gear at the same time they’re using the respirator. When inspecting harnesses, pay attention to D-ring attachments When they’re inspecting safety harnesses before using them, workers should pay extra attention to the buckle and D-ring attachments, looking for unusual wear, frayed or cut fibers, or distorted buckles. Rivets should be tight enough so they can’t be easily moved. The body- side rivet base and outside rivets should be flat against the material because bent rivets often fail under stress. Also let your people know that they should look for frayed or broken strands, keeping in mind that broken strands usually appear as tufts on the webbing surface. Do staffers know when to seek medical help for burn injuries? Do your staff members understand how burn injuries are categorized? They should recognize that the severity of a burn depends on how many layers of skin it affects. For instance, first-degree burns impact only the outer layer of skin, second- degree burns affect the next layer of skin as well, and third-degree burns impact muscles and nerves. Why it matters: Make sure staffers know they should seek immediate medical assistance for second- and third-degree burns. SafetyAlert FOR SUPERVISORS Click Here to Subscribe Now Copyright © 2026 Institute of Business Publications. Reproduction of this material is prohibited without prior permission. All rights reserved in all countries. quick ideas

legal developments Safety insight: Proceed cautiously before terminating a crew member who recently reported a potential safety violation – the dismissal could run afoul of state or federal whistleblower- protection regulations. What happened: A worker noticed that one of his colleagues was standing underneath a load that had been raised onto the forks of a forklift. He let the colleague’s supervisor know about the potential safety violation. What people did: About one week later, the staffer who’d reported the safety problem was told that he was being investigated for harassing and targeting a coworker – the employee who committed the safety violation. When the worker met with his supervisor to discuss his report of the safety problem, he was berated and told to admit that he’d bullied a coworker, but he refused to admit to anything. After the meeting, the staffer was suspended. During his suspension, he emailed a top-level executive to complain that he was being targeted for reporting a safety problem. He pointed out that he’d never been cited for poor performance during his 25 years with the organization. Nevertheless, the crew member was fired a short time later for alleged performance problems. Legal challenge: The man sued for whistleblower retaliation. Result: The company lost. The court said a jury should decide whether the staffer was let go because he reported a safety violation. The man demonstrated that the claim of poor performance used to justify his dismissal might have been pretextual. The skinny: Companies that think it’s OK to fire staffers who’ve expressed concerns about potential safety problems rarely get a sympathetic ear in court. Cite: Wimmer v. New Millennium Building, U.S. District Court, W.D. Virginia, No. 7:25-cv-599, 2/10/26. horror stories Summary A man who hadn’t been trained in safety procedures was fatally pinned between a garbage truck and a pole. The incident A three-person crew working for the Baltimore, MD, Department of Public Works (DPW) was assigned to pick up garbage cans that had been placed by residents at the end of a long, narrow alleyway. One of the men was operating the vehicle while the other two were picking up the garbage cans and dumping their contents into the truck’s compactor. Even though the DPW was in the process of developing procedures for removing garbage from tight alleyways, the men hadn’t been trained to walk behind the truck to allow the driver to see them in the rearview mirror. Because there was only 7.2 inches of clearance between the truck and the walls, the driver slowly backed the vehicle down the alleyway. As he was doing so, one of the workers, Timothy Cartwell, walked to the side of the vehicle. Without warning, Cartwell was pinned between the garbage truck and a telephone pole. The response Cartwell screamed in agony and told the driver to move the truck forward. The driver did so, and Cartwell slumped to the ground. He was taken to the hospital, but he’d suffered a pelvic fracture, gone into cardiac arrest and lost multiple units of blood. He was declared dead later that day. The aftermath Following the incident, Cartwell’s family called for the DPW to finish developing its procedures for picking up garbage cans in alleyways. “We don’t want anything to happen to any other family,” said Cartwell’s brother Cornelius Carroll. “We just want things done in the way they should be. Safety measures have to be adhered to. People have to be held accountable for their actions.” February 23, 2026 Safety Alert for Supervisors 3 You make the call: The decision (See case on page 1) No. The company lost. The court upheld the citation. According to the judge, the exemption cited by the employer to justify the man’s failure to wear safety gear didn’t apply. Reason: The exemption could only be used when there was no other work taking place at the elevated location at the same time. In this case, the job had already started and there were several other crew members laboring within 10 feet of the unsecured staffer. Because the work had already begun, the exemption wasn’t applicable and the citation was justified. What it means: Ensure everyone communicates Of course you can’t expect workers laboring at an elevated location to put on safety equipment before the anchor points for the gear have been established. However, a haphazard approach to the installation of the anchor points is likely to backfire. In this case, the anchor points were being identified after the work had already started, which means that the staffers laboring at the elevated location weren’t protected. Better: Make sure your crew members adequately communicate so that work is never allowed to begin at an elevated location until after the anchor points have been set up. Based on Wayne’s Roofing Inc. v. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Retaliation? Man fired after he reported safety violation In tight alleyway, man fatally pinned against pole by truck

I f you frequently operate vibrating equipment and tools, you might sometimes experience pins and needles, tingling, or numbness in your fingers. Or you could suffer from the loss of finger sensation and dexterity. Even worse, you might occasionally wake up at night with your hands and fingers in extreme pain. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you could be suffering from the early warning signs of hand- arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), a crippling physical affliction that can lead to even more severe conditions such as white finger attacks, permanent numbness and the complete loss of hand functioning. Permanent condition One of the worst things about HAVS is that it’s incurable. Once you develop the condition, surgery won’t repair the damage and there are very few treatment options. That’s why you want to take steps now to reduce the chances you’ll contract this debilitating condition. Remember: HAVS is caused by prolonged, repetitive trauma from high- frequency vibration during the operation of handheld power tools such as hammer drills, breakers, sanders, grinders and impact wrenches; hand-guided equipment such as floor sanders and compactor plates; and hand-fed machinery such as circular saws and pedestal grinders. (Why are vibrating-tool users at risk for HAVS?) When you operate vibrating machinery, your fingers, hands and arms absorb the vibration, which can cause minor repeated injuries to tiny nerves and capillaries. Over time, this can result in permanent, irreversible damage. Nonvibratory tools You can lower the chances of developing HAVS by substituting nonvibratory equipment and tools whenever you can. Of course that’s not always feasible, so try to at least reduce the amount of vibration that passes to your body by setting up jigs, guides, or rigs to hold vibrating equipment and cut down on the amount of vibration that reaches your hands. Damaged tools Always confirm that vibrating equipment isn’t damaged before you use it, and don’t work with tools that vibrate more than they should – broken devices should be taken out of service right away. When you’re operating vibrating tools, take short, frequent breaks. Figure about 15 minutes for every hour of intense work with a vibrating machine. During the break, shake out your hands for relief. Also try to rotate between tasks that expose you to vibration and those that don’t. And let the tool do the work. Grip the device as lightly as possible while still maintaining control. The tighter the tool is held, the higher the amount of vibration that’s transmitted to your hands. Thanks for your attention. And remember, let’s stay safe out there! Subject: Hand trucks You might think that hand trucks are such simple devices that they can’t possibly cause an injury. In reality, however, hand trucks can be quite dangerous, and the improper use of them can lead to caught-in injuries to the fingers and hands; crushed-by injuries to the toes and feet; slips, trips and falls; and over-exertion injuries. What to focus on Here are four things to keep in mind in order to avoid injuries while using hand trucks. 1. Walk the path of travel. Before loading the truck, walk the planned path of travel. Remove obstacles, check for wet or uneven surfaces, and make sure there’s adequate clearance to safely navigate aisles and doorways. 2. Inspect the truck. Look for damaged wheels, cracked frames, loose handles and faulty straps. Never use a hand truck that’s damaged. 3. Load the truck safely. Don’t exceed the rated load capacity. Place heavier items on the bottom of the stack, and never position items so high that you can’t see over them. 4. Use safe operating practices. Whenever possible, push the truck instead of pulling it. Allow the truck to carry the weight so you only have to push and steer. Today’s safety meeting ✔ Topic: Hand-arm vibration syndrome ✔ Today’s Date: __________________ ✔ Attendee Signatures: Tailgate talk Supervisor’s safety toolbox SafetyAlert FOR SUPERVISORS 4 Safety Alert for Supervisors February 23, 2026