Safety Alert for Supervisors: 3/23/26

Incident summary A crew member suffered fatal injuries at the bottom of a trench when a quick coupler for an excavator bucket failed, causing the bucket to detach from the boom and crush him. What happened A two-person work crew was installing pipes at the bottom of a 9-foot-deep trench. One of the staff members had descended into the hole so he could attach pipes that were already in the excavation. The staffer in the trench had also positioned himself directly underneath the excavator so he could act as a spotter for the operator of the large machine. After digging out another section of the trench, the excavator operator used the controls to curl the bucket at the end of the boom. Without warning, the bucket detached from the excavator’s quick coupler and landed on the employee in the trench. The excavator operator dialed 9-1-1 and used a chain attached to the boom on the excavator to pull the bucket off the victim. By the time emergency responders arrived, however, the 67-year- old man at the bottom of the trench was already dead from his severe blunt force injuries. Findings The quick coupler that unexpectedly detached from the boom of the excavator had recently been repaired. However, no one had verified that the repair had been done properly. In addition, the worker operating the excavator didn’t inspect the equipment prior to the job. An inspection might have revealed that the quick coupler was broken – before it catastrophically failed and caused a fatal injury. Furthermore, the staff member at the bottom of the trench shouldn’t have positioned himself directly underneath the swing radius of the excavator’s boom. No one inspected machine prior to job; one man dead Worker crushed when excavator bucket detaches from boom You make the call: Supervisor didn’t know staffer was violating work rule “ W e have a rule that forbids employees from handling potentially explosive materials,” said George, the supervisor. “Unfortunately, in this case, one of our crew members disobeyed our work rule.” “Exactly,” replied Tammy, the compliance officer. “Plus, our safety regulations prohibit staffers from working with explosives if they haven’t been trained. You had an untrained man handling explosives, so I’m citing you.” “After a supervisor for a different contract crew asked our staffer to help with a task,” said George, “our guy held a pipe that contained explosives for a couple of minutes. And he played no role in the explosion that led to your inspection.” Doesn’t matter “It doesn’t matter whether your worker played a role in the incident,” said Tammy. “He shouldn’t have been handling explosives.” “Our man was trained not to handle explosives and to move a safe distance away from them,” said George. “However, like I said, he disregarded our policy on working with explosives. But we couldn’t have known about his rule violation because he was holding the pipe for just a couple of minutes, and his supervisor didn’t see him because the supervisor was in another location at the time of the transgression.” “You can’t dodge the fine by claiming ignorance of the violation,” said Tammy. Weren’t even aware “You’re trying to cite us for an infraction we weren’t even aware of,” said George. “Plus, you can’t penalize us for an alleged offense of our own work rule. We’ll fight your citation.” Did the company win? 2 Safety News Employee dead because supervisors kept broken equipment in service. 2 Quick Ideas Staff members handling repetitive tasks should perform hand exercises. 3 Legal Developments Three men suffer fatal injuries after high wind knocks over aerial lift. 3 Horror Stories Worker trapped in cab of tractor when overhead line lands on his vehicle. 4 Tailgate Talk Why falls through floor openings cause some of the most severe injuries. In this issue ■ Make your call, then go to page 3 for the court’s ruling. March 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), March 23, 2026, Vol. 23, No. 547, 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 Guilty plea for company that didn’t take broken machine out of service For new proof of the importance of taking broken equipment out of service right away, consider the plight of John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete Inc., East Freetown, MA. The organization just agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges for a willful violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations following the 2023 death of an employee. According to federal prosecutors, John Oliveira supervisors knew that the tail conveyor for a large soil screener was broken – the conveyor had unexpectedly closed multiple times as a result of a ruptured hydraulic power line. However, supervisors failed to take the broken device out of service. Their decision proved fatal when a crew member was trying to remove a bolt from the soil screener and the tail conveyor closed on him, crushing his head. Note: The company’s willful violation of OSHA regulations could lead to five years of probation, a fine of $500,000 and restitution for the family of the dead crew member. Man was wearing safety harness, but gear wasn’t attached to anchor point Alert: It’s always in your best interest to verify that your staffers are using their safety gear properly. Such advice comes too late for the supervisor of Miguel Rodriguez, a 38- year-old man who was working for Classic Painting & Restoration at a jobsite in Morningside Heights, NY. Rodriguez was standing on a scaffold when it collapsed and he fell to the ground. His injuries were fatal. The kicker: Rodriguez was wearing a safety harness, but it wasn’t attached to anything. That’s probably because the supervisor for the job lacked the mandatory training and certification needed to manage the site. In fact, the supervisor was later arrested for presenting a fake identification card to officials investigating the incident. No safety precautions before staffers started repairing broken valve Do your crew members routinely barricade the work area before performing valve pressure tests? If not, you should be aware of the $15,371 fine recently proposed against Dooling Machine Products Inc., Freeport, TX, following an incident in which two employees were injured while testing and repairing a valve owned by SpaceX. Without warning, the valve failed and separated, with pieces of the valve hitting the two men. OSHA said the employer should’ve made sure the test area had been barricaded and isolated before the staffers started the job. safety news for supervisors 2 Safety Alert for Supervisors March 23, 2026 Workers who perform repetitive tasks should exercise their hands Let the members of your crew who often perform repetitive tasks know they should take a break every 30 to 60 minutes and use the time to stretch their hands and fingers. Exercises such as making a fist and then spreading the fingers, or gently massaging the hands, can help reduce tension and prevent injuries. Bonus: Employees should try to vary the tasks they perform throughout their work shifts, so they’re not constantly using the same muscles. Four substances that can cause dermatitis, other skin conditions To reduce the chances workers will suffer dermatitis or other skin conditions, remind them of the four main groups of substances that cause skin problems at the point of contact: • corrosive chemicals that can cause burns • irritant substances that can cause irritant contact dermatitis • sensitizing chemicals that can cause allergic contact dermatitis • substances that can cause other diseases such as urticaria, acne and skin cancer Flammable vapors can travel long distances before igniting When members of your crew are working with flammable liquids, they should be aware that it’s not the liquid itself that could ignite but rather the vapors from the liquid. And vapors that can’t be seen are especially hazardous because they can travel long distances before reaching an ignition source. That means staffers should make sure they’re as far away as possible from flammable liquids before engaging in activities that could produce an ignition source such as a spark, a flame, or static electricity. 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: Because there’s a solid reason your employer has developed safety rules, it’s always risky to disregard them, no matter the circumstances. What happened: An organization hired several contract crews to handle outdoor tasks at elevated locations using aerial lifts. Because the weather forecast predicted high winds for the day, the employer told most of the contract crews not to work – the company had a safety rule forbidding the use of aerial lifts when wind speeds exceeded 28 mph. What people did: One crew, however, was allowed to proceed with the task, even though the weather forecast for their location predicted wind gusts of up to 50 mph. The three workers – who hadn’t yet completed their mandatory training on aerial lift safety – positioned a lift on the ground near the worksite. Shortly after the three staff members climbed onto the platform and raised the lift, a gust of wind knocked over the lift and the workers fell to the ground and died. Legal challenge: The family of the three victims – all of whom were related – sued the host employer. Result: The company lost. The court refused to dismiss the lawsuit. The judge pointed out that the host employer had shut down most jobsites in the region for the day, but had failed to stop work at the location where the three men died. Plus, the staffers hadn’t yet finished their mandatory lift training, and the employer violated its own safety rule that aerial lifts shouldn’t be used when wind speeds exceeded 28 mph. The skinny: Employers that disregard their own safety regulations usually face an uphill battle convincing a judge that they shouldn’t be held liable when someone is killed as a result of their rule violation. Cite: Andino v. Nexius Solutions Inc., Superior Court of Delaware, No. N22C-10-671, 2/25/26. horror stories Summary A truck driver was fatally electrocuted while helping a farmer who was trapped in the cab of a tractor that had become entangled in a fallen overhead power line. The incident As an independent operator of a truck, Dante Rico Cruz of Hebron, IL, didn’t know very much about electrical safety. After all, truck drivers aren’t typically exposed to electrical hazards. Cruz, however, could’ve benefited from some training on electrical safety while he was operating his truck to pick up a load of grain from a farmer in rural McHenry County, IL. Cruz had positioned his truck along the side of the road so the 56-year-old farmer could offload grain into the truck. The farmer was using a tractor to pull a grain cart. During the grain offloading process, however, the driver lifted the chute for the grain cart too high and the chute contacted an overhead power line. The line fell and landed on the tractor. Unaware of the danger, Cruz instinctively approached the tractor to help the farmer. As soon as Cruz contacted the tractor, electrical current coursed through his body and he fell to the ground. The response When responders arrived, they saw the farmer in the tractor and Cruz on the ground. They contacted the power company, which deenergized the electrical line. Once the power was off, officials safely extricated the farmer from the tractor and removed Cruz’s lifeless body from the side of the road. The aftermath After Cruz, 42, died, Fernando Salazar, his brother-in-law, organized a fundraiser so Cruz could be buried in his native Mexico. “He came here legally to work to provide for his family and the hope to accomplish his dreams,” wrote Salazar. “Dante was a hard worker, always willing to help others.” March 23, 2026 Safety Alert for Supervisors 3 You make the call: The decision (See case on page 1) Yes. The company won. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Review Commission dismissed the citation. The commission ruled that the employer wasn’t liable for the fine because it wasn’t aware of the rule violation. That’s because the amount of time the work rule was being ignored was quite short – a few minutes while the worker held a pipe that contained explosives. And the man’s supervisor wasn’t aware of the offense because he was in another location at the time. Because the employer didn’t know about the violation, it wasn’t on the hook for the citation. Furthermore, OSHA couldn’t cite the company for ignoring the employer’s own work rule. Here’s why: Allowing the agency to penalize organizations for disregarding their own work rules would dissuade companies from developing work rules to begin with. What it means: Always discipline rule violators Of course you can’t be expected to enforce work rule violations you aren’t aware of. In this case, the supervisor didn’t know his staff member was handling explosives in violation of a company work rule. That’s why you have to discipline people every time you actually see them disregarding work rules. If staffers know they’ll be punished for offenses when you are looking, they’ll be less likely to ignore the rules when you aren’t looking. Based on Secretary of Labor v. Brigade Energy. Three workers dead because employer ignored safety rule Worker touched machine still entangled with electrical line

W hen you consider that almost every day in the U.S. a worker suffers an injury while operating an aerial lift, you know it’s important to pay attention to safety when you’re using these devices. In fact, according to one analysis, there are about 345 injuries and about 42 fatalities linked to the use of aerial lifts every year. Sources of injuries Keep in mind that there are four primary sources of aerial lift injuries and fatalities: 1. Overhead hazards – Aerial lifts conduct electricity, and if they’re positioned too close to an overhead line, there’s a chance someone could contact an electrical circuit. 2. Falls – Workers who haven’t taken adequate safety precautions could tumble off the platform. 3. Tip-overs – An unstable or overloaded aerial lift could tip over and throw its occupants from the platform. 4. Falling objects – Unsecured materials and tools can fall off the lift and hit someone below. (How can we avoid injuries while operating aerial lifts?) To reduce the chances of severe injuries during aerial lift operation, pay extra attention to safety before you even begin using the device. Put on a full-body safety harness. Make sure the lanyard for the harness is long enough. Here’s how to calculate the length of the lanyard: Determine the height of the platform, subtract the height of the operator, then subtract another 3 feet. Be sure to attach the lanyard to a secured anchor point on the lift itself; don’t affix it to a building or a structure near the lift. Examine the work area Before operating the lift, examine the work zone. Look for potholes and other holes, drop-offs, random objects, loose dirt, slopes, ditches, bumps and other unstable surfaces. Remove potential obstacles before setting up the equipment. Don’t raise the lift until you’ve confirmed that there are no overhead hazards. When you’re indoors, look for ceilings, sprinklers, heating and cooling units, fans, pipes, and lights. When you’re outdoors, pay particular attention to overhead power lines. Assume all overhead lines are energized and maintain a distance of at least 10 feet from them. And don’t use the lift outdoors when wind speeds exceed 28 miles per hour. Three points of contact When you’re accessing the lift, maintain three points of contact and don’t climb over handrails or guardrails. Once you’ve raised the lift and have begun working, stand firmly on the platform, and never climb on rails, use planks or ladders, or lean over edges. Always keep the platform gates closed and travel with the platform lowered. Thanks for your attention. And remember, let’s stay safe out there! Subject: Floor openings While most of us probably know that floor openings can be a significant workplace hazard, we might not be aware that falls through floor openings can cause some of the most severe injuries, with people who’ve fallen through roof or floor openings missing an average of 35 days of work per incident, compared with an average of 10 missed days for all other mishaps involving falls to lower levels. What to focus on Here are three things to keep in mind in order to stay safe near floor openings. 1. Make sure all floor openings are securely covered. If you create a new floor opening, confirm that the opening is securely guarded so no one can fall through it. The preferred approach is to set up a guardrail around the opening. If that’s not feasible, cover the hole with planks, plywood, or steel plates, and make sure the cover is securely fastened and that cleats have been deployed to prevent the cover from sliding. 2. Make sure everyone knows about the opening. Either paint the opening a distinct color or place a warning sign next to it. 3. Use fall protection. If you’ll be laboring near an opening that’s at least 6 feet above another surface, put on fall protection gear that has been securely anchored. Today’s safety meeting ✔ Topic: Aerial lifts ✔ Today’s Date: __________________ ✔ Attendee Signatures: Tailgate talk Supervisor’s safety toolbox SafetyAlert FOR SUPERVISORS 4 Safety Alert for Supervisors March 23, 2026