Sunday, February 10, 2008
Poole begins Senate filibuster over steel coil legislation
This issue of steel coils rolling off flatbeds and damaging roads and potentially injuring people seems like a pretty straightforward "clear and present danger", yet legislators are still playing political football with it. He didn't widen the road last year, so I'm not going to increase fines this year. Sheesh! Sounds like public school, not a state legislature.
GadsdenTimes.com
Sen. Phil Poole, D-Tuscaloosa, started another filibuster last week over a bill sought by Gov. Bob Riley that would up penalties to truckers and companies that allow those gigantic rolls of steel to bounce off their trucks, damaging roads and endangering motorists.
[...]
Waggoner said it costs $200,000 to fix each hole in pavement when a steel coil rolls off a truck.
GadsdenTimes.com
Sen. Phil Poole, D-Tuscaloosa, started another filibuster last week over a bill sought by Gov. Bob Riley that would up penalties to truckers and companies that allow those gigantic rolls of steel to bounce off their trucks, damaging roads and endangering motorists.
[...]
Waggoner said it costs $200,000 to fix each hole in pavement when a steel coil rolls off a truck.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Flooding In China Leaves 181 Miners Trapped
From time to time I comment on the high human cost of Chinese steel. Here we have it again. Chinese mines have the worst safety record in the world.
CityNews
Heavy flooding poured into two coal mines in eastern China on Friday, leaving 181 miners trapped and feared dead. Two high-speed pumps were being rushed in to drain the flooded shafts, but officials say there's no word on when rescuers might enter the mines.
China's coal mines are the world's deadliest, with thousands of fatalities a year.
CityNews
Heavy flooding poured into two coal mines in eastern China on Friday, leaving 181 miners trapped and feared dead. Two high-speed pumps were being rushed in to drain the flooded shafts, but officials say there's no word on when rescuers might enter the mines.
China's coal mines are the world's deadliest, with thousands of fatalities a year.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Toronto gets its very own coil steel rollover
Over the last few months I've reported on runaway coils of steel in big steel areas.
I live in Toronto, and us Torontonians are very competitive. We hate being left out in any competition. So now we too can boast our own near disaster with coiled steel.
The accident happened at what has to be the busiest highway interchange in Toronto, and probably in all of Ontario.
Courtesy of CityNews.com
A tractor trailer rolled over at Highways 400 and 401, shutting down a ramp and making things that much worse on the drive to work.
The rig, carrying rolls of steel, flipped on its side on the ramp from the southbound 400 to the westbound 401 at about 4:30am. Fortunately the driver was okay, only suffering some cuts and scrapes. The mess could have been much worse had there been a fuel spill, but luckily the tanks didn't crack.
There was concern that the saddle tanks might burst when the truck, with its heavy load, was brought back into an upright position. That's why it took about four hours to get the vehicle back on its wheels. However, it's since been cleared from the scene and the roadway has apparently reopened. Traffic on the 401 was slow through the area during the rush hour because drivers were stopping to look, however things have since returned to normal.
Map of the area of the interchange
I live in Toronto, and us Torontonians are very competitive. We hate being left out in any competition. So now we too can boast our own near disaster with coiled steel.
The accident happened at what has to be the busiest highway interchange in Toronto, and probably in all of Ontario.
Courtesy of CityNews.com
A tractor trailer rolled over at Highways 400 and 401, shutting down a ramp and making things that much worse on the drive to work.
The rig, carrying rolls of steel, flipped on its side on the ramp from the southbound 400 to the westbound 401 at about 4:30am. Fortunately the driver was okay, only suffering some cuts and scrapes. The mess could have been much worse had there been a fuel spill, but luckily the tanks didn't crack.
There was concern that the saddle tanks might burst when the truck, with its heavy load, was brought back into an upright position. That's why it took about four hours to get the vehicle back on its wheels. However, it's since been cleared from the scene and the roadway has apparently reopened. Traffic on the 401 was slow through the area during the rush hour because drivers were stopping to look, however things have since returned to normal.
Map of the area of the interchange
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Gas leak kills four at China steel plant
Once again, chinese steel workers pay a heavy price.
China Economic Net (ce.cn)
The accident occurred at around 0:00 a.m. at Haicheng Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., a private company that produces 500,000 tons of raw iron a year, said an official with the safety inspection bureau in Anshan.
Five workers were on duty and were taking a nap in their office. "Four of them had died when rescuers arrived," he said on condition of anonymity. "The fifth one was out of danger after timely treatment."
The leak occurred on a gas pipe connected to the company's primary blast furnace
China Economic Net (ce.cn)
The accident occurred at around 0:00 a.m. at Haicheng Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., a private company that produces 500,000 tons of raw iron a year, said an official with the safety inspection bureau in Anshan.
Five workers were on duty and were taking a nap in their office. "Four of them had died when rescuers arrived," he said on condition of anonymity. "The fifth one was out of danger after timely treatment."
The leak occurred on a gas pipe connected to the company's primary blast furnace
