Munley News

Workplace Dangers Found at Allentown Bottling Factory

A bottling plant in Allentown has been cited by federal safety officials for more than a dozen dangers to workers – including electrical hazards and blocked exit doors.

And this is not the first time unsafe work conditions have been uncovered at A-Treat Bottling Company. Similar violations were found in 2008, 2010 and 2011.

Because of this alarming pattern, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hit the company with nearly $130,000 in fines.

“By continuing to disregard OSHA standards, A-Treat Bottling continues to put its workers at risk of serious injuries,” said Jean Kulp, director of OSHA’s Allentown Area Office in a news release. “OSHA will not tolerate employers jeopardizing the safety and health of workers.”

There were 88,973 work illness and injury cases in Pennsylvania in 2009, according to the state’s Bureau of Workers Compensation Information. […]

One in Four Moms Text While Driving With Babies

New mothers are talking and texting on cell phones – and even checking e-mail – while driving with their baby on board, according to a new survey.

Seventy-eight percent of mothers with children under two years old admitted talking on the phone while driving with their babies. And more than a quarter of them said they text and check e-mail.

The survey was conducted by the child-protection advocacy group Safe Kids Worldwide and American Baby magazine.

One scary conclusion: The driving habits of new moms are every bit as dangerous as that of teenage drivers.

Texting while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Following is from USA Today:

The survey of 2,396 mothers finds an attitude among new moms that is reflected in the general population: They tend to think they’re safe drivers but actually engage in risky habits. […]

Wrong-Way Interstate Crash Claims Two Lives

Two drivers were killed in a Dauphin County head-on wreck caused by a driver going the wrong way on I-283.

The deadly accident happened in the early morning hours of February 4 in Lower Swatara Township near the Turnpike interchange.

Motor vehicle crashes involving wrong-way drivers cause nearly 400 fatalities each year, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. About 22 percent of wrong-way automobile crashes are fatal – compared with less than one percent of all other crashes.

This is from WGAL News 8:

Investigators said the driver of a silver Hyundai Accent was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes. The Hyundai hit a Volkswagen Jetta head-on.

Neither car had any passengers and the drivers died on impact, state police said. The driver the Volkswagen was a 59-year-old man from the Jonestown area. […]

PA Bridge-Painting Company Fined for Jobsite Dangers

Federal inspectors have uncovered dozens of dangers to workers – including unsafe equipment and exposure to lead – at bridge-painting sites across Pennsylvania.

As a result, the employer – Carbonsburg-based Panthera Painting – has been placed in a “Severe Violator Enforcement Program” by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Inspectors cited Panthera for 38 alleged violations – including 14 willful and 11 repeat offenses – and fined the company $459,844.

Workers at Panthera job sites in Slatington, Harrisburg and Slatedale were exposed to lead and other workplace safety hazards while performing abrasive blasting and repainting.

According to OSHA:

“The employer’s refusal to correct the hazards, along with its history of failing to correct hazards, demonstrates a clear resistance to worker safety and health and leaves workers vulnerable to potential illnesses and injuries from overexposure to lead and other hazards,” said MaryAnn Garrahan, […]

Calvary Charter Bus Crash Under Investigation

Bus crash could have been due to driver being distracted by GPS

Authorities are continuing to investigate a tragic February 2 charter bus crash that injured more than 30 Pennsylvania high school students and chaperones.

The accident happened when a Calvary Coach bus slammed into a bridge overpass in Boston. The 35 occupants were returning home to the Philadelphia area after a visit to Harvard University.

Investigators – including a collision reconstruction team – are conducting a thorough examination of the vehicle that could take up to six weeks to complete.

The top of the bus struck the bottom of a low bridge. The collision sheared off a portion of the roof, causing injury to passengers. At least four were hospitalized for serious personal injuries.

Following is from the Boston Globe:

State Police said Sunday that the crash injured 35 passengers, […]