UC Davis: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Jun 10, 2022 (fatal): Employee dies from heart attack

At 11:00 a.m. on June 10, 2022, an employee was controlling traffic during college commencement activities. The employee began his shift at 6:00 a.m., and at approximately 10:30 a.m. the employee reported to his supervisor that he was feeling unwell and experiencing back pain. Heat exposure was suspected because the temperature at 08:00 a.m. was 79 degrees F and had risen by 11:00 a.m. to 90 degrees F. The employee was advised by his supervisor to sit in the air-conditioned vehicle parked in the shade. However, the employee stated that he did not need medical attention and wanted to return home. The supervisor allowed the employee to return home. The employee checked himself into the hospital the following day for possible heart attack, and died at a later time.

Incident on Dec 17, 2021: Employee burns hand and ear while soldering

At 10:40 a.m. on December 17, 2021, an employee was replacing a pressure relief valve when a 1/2 inch union broke. The employee was soldering the union when a flash of flame came out of the torch tip. The employee suffered burns to his right hand and to the top of his right ear and was treated without hospitalization.

Incident on Jun 25, 2021: Employee falls from loading dock while carrying materials an

At 12:55 p.m. on June 25, 2021, Employee #1 was carrying cardboard boxes in her right hand and Styrofoam in her left while walking to the trash and recycling bins located at the loading dock on the south side of the VMTH building. While walking along the loading dock, she fell from the dock to the ground, a height of approximately 45 inches. Employee #1 sustained a scalp laceration, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), compression deformity of the T8 vertebra, endplate fractures to L3 through L5, a left rib fracture, a left pulmonary contusion, and a left clavicle fracture. She was hospitalized for treatment.

Incident on Jun 14, 2021: Employee injures finger when bitten by cat

At 2:00 p.m. on June 14, 2021, Employee #1 was providing veterinary medical services at a clinical facility when the employee was bitten by a cat on the right index finger while restraining the animal in preparation for an ultrasound procedure. The cat, previously vaccinated against rabies, bit the employee in the treatment room. The employee was treated initially at urgent care, then the emergency department, and was admitted to the hospital the same day for observation and treatment. Employee #1 was discharged on June 16, 2021, after several nights of hospitalization. The employer reported the accident on June 15, 2021, and the Division investigated the incident on June 21, 2021. The employer was cited for recordkeeping and communication procedure violations.

Incident on Aug 25, 2020: Employee incurs third degree burns when shocked

At 4:00 p.m. on August 25, 2020, Employee #1 and his manager were diagnosing/repairing the halide lighting system on growth chamber #209. The halide lights (400W) are configured with 6 ballasts (120V) and 6 capacitors on top of the growth chamber. The manager showed Employee #1 how to diagnose a light on growth chamber #209 and returned to working on an adjacent chamber (#204). During the next light repair (#209), Employee #1's hand came into contact with a live component of the lighting system. The manager heard a noise and saw Employee #1 being shocked. He turned off the system's power and assisted Employee #1 to the ground. The lighting system was not locked/tagged (deenergized) during the repair. The employer was cited for a serious accident-related violation of T8 CCR 3314(d). The employee's right hand suffered third degree (full thickness) electrical burns, and he was hospitalized.