In recognition of Chief Instructor Bobby (BK) Kauer’s assistance with several real rescues alongside Wellsville EMS & Rescue and Western New York Ambulance Corps, we are featuring Chief Kauer in our Employee Spotlight.

This past month, we received several great emails and phone calls in appreciation for the services rendered by Chief Kauer when he was conducting a rescue course for the Wellsville EMS and Rescue Squad in New York.

Chief Kauer responded to one emergency incident involving a 600+ lb. fall victim, which was featured here in ROCO RESCUE TALK™. According to Paramedic Andrew Sweezy of the Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corp Rescue Squad, “Without the skills learned via ROCO being rapidly implemented, patient extraction would have been severely delayed and most likely resulted in responder injuries or a much worse (or fatal) outcome for the patient who was rapidly deteriorating.” As was the responding agency, we are grateful and proud of Chief Kauer’s willingness to help with this incident – all while watching his brand-new students perform their newly learned and enhanced rescue skills.

Then came Tropical Storm Debbie. When Chief Kauer went back for his second weekend of training, the area was getting torrential rains from T.S. Debbie. Chief Kauer once again went into action with his students to perform several high-line water rescues. Wellsville Rescue Chief Chris Martelle stated, “It was great to see the students working hand-in-hand with their instructor to perform live rescues.”

He added that they had several other incidents throughout the weekend that Chief Kauer assisted with. Chief Martelle commented that Chief “BK” Kauer is not only a great instructor, but also a great friend. He added, “We are absolutely grateful for Chief Kauer. He knew we were exhausted from the multiple incidents, and he stepped in and assisted.” And perhaps best of all, Chief Martelle added, “BK has a huge heart to not only teach classes but also to help people in their darkest hour.”

Here's a little more background information on Chief Bobby Kauer. Chief Kauer (more commonly known as “B.K.”) has two highly visible roles at Roco – one in services and one in training. In services, he manages a growing portfolio of business for Roco’s Contracted Safety and Rescue Teams (CSRT) for the Northeast. In this role, he interfaces with customers to assess jobs and coordinates with his team of experienced rescuers to staff jobs all over the Northeast. In his role as Chief Instructor with Roco, B.K. teaches on a wide variety of topics including rope rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, and fall protection.

B.K. began working for Roco Rescue in 2004; however, his roots in technical rescue originate from his 22-year career with New York City’s Department of Corrections (see below), where he was on the Emergency Services Unit (ESU). In that role, he trained alongside NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit, and later was an ESU Instructor. He was a first responder at Ground Zero on 9/11 and performed search and recovery work for four months afterwards.

Here at Roco, we are very grateful for Chief Kauer and his many years of service. We also are very proud of his dedication to emergency responders and willingness to help others.

New York Department of Corrections (DOC) Emergency Service Unit (ESU)

Emergency Services Unit (ESU) responds to all emergencies within the Department of Corrections, both on and off Rikers Island. ESU responds to various incidents, including fire emergencies, high security inmate transport, riot control, inmate escapes, tactical security operations, cell extractions, perimeter security/response, confined space rescue, and vehicle emergencies (i.e. vehicle accidents). ESU also responds to all emergency drills, provides EMT response, and assists the Port Authority with possible air disasters or related events that may arise. Other duties include assisting the Special Operations Division with security breaches and enhanced security for Rikers Island during emergencies.

The following fatality reports were summarized from recent OSHA News Releases (osha.gov).

CONFINED SPACE FATALITIES

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Welder Fatality in Confined Space

PALATKA, FL – As he had many other days, the morning shift welder arrived to work at 5 a.m. on Aug. 28, 2023. Tasked with doing some fabrication work in a 4-foot by 8-foot space in a ship’s hull, the employee began work unaware that fatal suffocation would soon end his life.

Less than two hours after entering the ship, a supervisor found the unconscious welder and signaled for help, only to fall unconscious as well. A third employee appeared, alerting EMS and the Palatka Fire Department, who soon transported all three workers to a nearby hospital. Despite emergency treatment, the welder died from a lack of oxygen. The supervisor and the third worker received medical treatment and were released.

OSHA inspectors determined that the shipbuilder exposed workers to oxygen deficiency by sending the welder into a confined space without first testing the air for oxygen content. The presence of welding gas in the space created an oxygen-deficient atmosphere.

"Following proper maritime industry protocols could have prevented this worker from losing his life," explained OSHA Area Office Director Scott Tisdale. "The ship building company must perform hazard assessments and implement safety procedures to ensure a tragedy like this does not recur. Every employer should make health and safety a core value in their workplaces."

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"Following proper maritime industry protocols could have prevented this worker from losing his life"

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports more than 1,030 U.S. workers died from 2011 to 2018 from workplace injuries related to confined spaces.

 

Fatality in Houston Tank Cleaning Incident

HOUSTON, TX – A La Porte tank cleaning company again chose to disregard federal safety standards that may have protected their employees from hazardous working conditions and prevented another employee from suffering a fatal injury. Just two days before Christmas, the wife and son of an employee at the company grew concerned when he didn't return after his shift. Later that day, he was found unresponsive.

A workplace safety investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that the employer of the fallen worker had failed to ensure that atmospheric testing was done inside the tank before allowing the 53-year-old employee to enter it.

Even more tragically, the same company had been cited for the same violations four years earlier after two workers succumbed while cleaning inside a tanker truck.

"Had the company acted responsibly and made the safety reforms as required in 2020, another employee would not have lost their life," explained OSHA Area Director Larissa Ipsen in Houston.

In addition to identifying the company's failure to conduct required testing, OSHA cited the company for seven serious violations, including the following:

• Failing to implement measures to prevent unauthorized entry into a permit-required confined space.
• Not providing an attendant while employees entered permit-required confined spaces.
• Numerous failures related to the confined space entry permit, including:
• Not identifying the authorized duration of entry.
• Which rescue and emergency services are to be summoned?
• How to summon emergency services.
• Failing to specify personal protective, rescue, and communications equipment and alarm systems.
• Overexposing employees to carbon monoxide.
• Not protecting conductors that entered an electrical panel box from abrasions and leaving an electrical outlet without a cover plate.

"This employer's complete disregard for its employees' safety is unacceptable. Complying with safety and health standards is not optional,” added Ipsen.

 

TRENCH INCIDENT

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Fatal Trench Cave-In Investigation

BRIDGEPORT, CT – A concrete and earthwork contractor could have prevented an employee repairing an underground water line from suffering fatal injuries in a trench collapse at a work site but failed to follow federal safety standards for excavations.

Five employees were exposed to cave-in, engulfment, or struck-by hazards when the employer did not do the following:

• Provide cave-in protection for the more than 12-foot-deep vertical walled trench, which resulted in the death of an employee.
• Train employees on how to recognize and avoid trenching hazards.
• Ensure an excavator is kept more than two feet from the trench's edge.
• Verify the location of underground utilities and/or structures prior to excavation.

"Despite prior warnings, the company ignored trench safety protections, and that decision cost an employee their life," said OSHA Area Director Catherine Brescia in Bridgeport, Connecticut. "All employers should make workplace safety a priority or risk being responsible for leaving the family, friends, and co-workers of one or more of their employees to grieve this kind of preventable death."

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"Despite prior warnings, the company ignored trench safety protections, and that decision cost an employee their life"

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FATAL FALLS

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29-story Fall Fatality from Damaged Fall Pro & Rope Equipment

Employer’s failure to inspect and replace damaged fall protection equipment leads to a 29-story fatal fall…

BRAINTREE, MA – The U.S. Department of Labor has determined a window cleaning company's failure to inspect and replace damaged or defective equipment contributed to an employee's fatal 29-story fall from a building in downtown Boston's financial district in October 2023.

The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the employer willfully exposed employees to fall hazards by not ensuring personal fall protection systems and a rope descent system workers used were in proper working condition at the work site. Specifically, OSHA investigators learned the company had not inspected the rope and equipment adequately for damage and other deterioration and did not remove defective components from service before each work shift and replace them.

OSHA's investigation determined that the employer:

• Failed to adequately train employees on how to inspect ropes for maximum allowable wear, to recognize defects and conditions that warrant removal from service, and on proper use of the rope descent system. The ropes used in the rope descent systems were not effectively padded or otherwise protected to prevent them from being cut or weakened.
• Allowed the use of rope descent system ropes, lifelines, and lanyards for personal fall protection that were not compatible with connectors and unprotected from damage such as cuts and erosion.
• Failed to use only certified building anchorage for the rope descent system.
• OSHA cited the company for two willful, four serious, and two repeat violations and assessed $447,087 in proposed penalties, an amount set by federal statute.

"To ensure the safety of employees who work at heights, employers must make their responsibility to provide comprehensive training on inspecting rope descent systems and fall protection equipment and components before each use an absolute priority," said OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton in Boston. "The U.S. Department of Labor will continue to hold employers accountable when they fail to take the necessary steps to protect their workers."

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"To ensure the safety of employees who work at heights, employers must make their responsibility to provide comprehensive training on inspecting rope descent systems and fall protection equipment and components before each use an absolute priority,"

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A Construction Worker Falls 23 Feet After Employer Neglects Equipment and Training

The worker’s fatal fall was preventable if the contractor had provided employees with fall protection equipment, training…

SYRACUSE, NY – A construction contractor could have prevented an employee’s fatal fall at a New York job site by providing adequate fall protection and training employees in its effective use, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found.

OSHA Inspectors found that the contractor failed to provide the worker who was fatally injured and three other employees with effective fall protection, exposing them to falls of 23 feet as they replaced an aluminum standing seam roof on a building.

OSHA also determined that the company neglected to ensure that its employees were trained on fall hazards, in the use of personal fall arrest systems, and on the correct procedures for installing, maintaining, and inspecting the fall protection systems on site.

In addition, the employer designed, installed, and used fall protection systems at the worksite without the supervision of a qualified person, which was in violation of OSHA requirements. The limited fall protection systems in place were neither installed nor used correctly.

“Falls are the leading cause of construction industry deaths, and yet this company chose to ignore federal standards and exposed four employees — including the deceased — to this deadly hazard,” said OSHA Area Director Jeffrey Prebish in Syracuse, New York. “This led OSHA to cite and fine the company for the lack of fall protection on an instance-by-instance basis – one citation for each of the four exposed workers.”

“As is often the case in workplace falls from elevations, this tragedy could have been prevented had the contractor followed and maintained basic, commonsense, and legally required safeguards. Employers must commit to providing and using effective fall protection systems and equipment and training workers in their use,” added Prebish.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 395 people died in workplace falls from elevation in 2022.

 

54-year-old Dies After Falling Through Unprotected Skylight

The employer allowed employees to work 19 feet high without protective harnesses…

ATLANTA – A five-man crew's first day working to remove tar and stone from metal roof panels at a Macon warehouse ended abruptly when a 54-year-old laborer tragically suffered fatal injuries after stepping on a skylight and falling about 19 feet.

A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found Georgia construction contractor could have prevented the incident by providing their employees with required fall protection.

An ambulance rushed the worker, who suffered severe injuries, to a nearby hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries hours later. In addition, the company failed to notify OSHA of the incident within the required 8 hours.

OSHA's inspection found the company failed to protect its employees by not using fall protection systems and leaving skylights without safety guardrails on the roof on the day of the fatal incident. Despite this tragic incident, agency inspectors once again found that the company allowed employees to work without these life-saving measures 2 months after OSHA was notified of the violations.

"After more than 20 years of experience as a roofing and framing contractor, the company should know the work its employees do is dangerous and potentially fatal, especially when safety protocols are ignored," said OSHA Area Director Joshua Turner. "Falls are widely known as the leading cause of death in the construction industry and had required fall protections been in place in this case, a worker's family, friends and co-workers would not be left now to grieve a terrible loss."

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"Falls are widely known as the leading cause of death in the construction industry and had required fall protections been in place in this case, a worker's family, friends and co-workers would not be left now to grieve a terrible loss."

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Fire Chief C.A. “Pete” Shelton

(1932-2024)

by Kay L. Goodwyn, President/CEO 

I was 20 years old when I walked into the Beaumont (TX) Central Fire Station to interview for an administrative job. I had actually applied with the City of Beaumont – and it just so happened the available opening was for Fire Chief C. A. Shelton and the Beaumont Fire Department. Fortunately, I was selected for the job, and as they say, “The rest is history.” 

Soon, Chief Shelton became my “forever boss” and lifelong mentor. He was everything you think of in a Fire Chief – he was a big man with a very commanding presence. And, when it came to the fire department and his beloved City of Beaumont, he was very serious and all business. He was tough, no doubt about it. And he wanted things (every-thing!) done right; and, of course, done immediately. He set the standards high for himself and everybody else within the department he loved so deeply.  

Chief was also very hands-on and involved in every aspect of the department – nothing missed his careful inspection. I saw how stressful his job was as the leader of a 240+ person department. And he lived it 24 hours a day. I watched him make many tough calls from that big desk as well as from the fire ground during a major emergency. But he always wanted to do the right thing in the right way, no matter what the task. 

During my first couple of years at the BFD, I fell in love with the fire service. I wanted to know everything about it – and Chief expected me to as well. My dad had been in the U.S. Forest Service, so I remembered when he had to occasionally go out to fires in the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas – and I especially remember the Smokey Bear coloring books he brought home! There has been a long appreciation in my life for emergency responders. 

Chief Shelton gave me every opportunity to work with the various divisions within the department – and I loved it all.! A few years into my employment, Chief knew I wanted to do more… Yes, I wanted to try out for the Fire Academy. While he was not crazy about idea, he supported me and encouraged me along the way. I studied for the Civil Service exam while preparing for the dreaded physical agility test seven days a week. I had never worked so hard. I came in second on the written exam and completed all of the agility test except the darn pull ups – and you were allowed to miss two of the segments and still pass the test. So, with advice from a local female police officer, I learned how to scale a six-foot wall – it just took a special technique and lots of bruises.  

Because I had worked with most of the firefighters and staff at the fire department for several years, I had the support of most of them. In fact, some of the older guys would volunteer to work with me in learning how to drive the older fire trucks that were out at the Training Center. So many people helped me – and I will never forget them. 

Then, in the freezing cold of January 1976, Chief Shelton welcomed me to the Beaumont Fire Academy. It was at the BFD Training Center where I attended with 25 other rookies from surrounding fire departments (Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland, etc.). I didn’t know any of them, so it was quite interesting, and I definitely have many, many stories to tell. Three months later most of the group graduated from the academy as the best of friends. But, no doubt, those guys nearly drove me crazy – and we were together seven days a week! 

For eight years, I enjoyed my time at the BFD and working for Chief Shelton – he afforded me so many opportunities to learn and grow. He and others taught me about writing detailed specifications for purchasing everything from 5-inch fire hose to 100-ft. aerial trucks. And, yes, getting a new fire truck was a big day, for sure. I think the most trucks we had delivered at one time was three, but it was quite a task getting them outfitted right down to the “gold leaf” numbering on the doors. Chief was strict to uphold the traditions of the fire service while always progressing, always advancing and being the best at everything we did. 

Chief was instrumental in making the BFD and its Fire Training Center one of the best in the country. He was relentless when it came to budget time – and he never thought about backing down – whether it was facing the city manager or the mayor! Again, he made sure we were always growing and progressing.  

During the years, we conducted numerous regional fire academies at our Training Center and there was also a large fire school each year with hundreds of people – Chief was in his glory! And he never failed to help outfit a small volunteer group if they were short on their gear. He really loved helping people – especially those that loved the fire service like he did. 

Chief Shelton was so good to me; however, we did butt heads over one major topic…Angel, the dalmatian fire dog. I had always been an animal nut and insisted Angel have the best in medical care and accommodations. Chief did not share my animal craziness, so it really put him to the test at times. Then Angel got so fond of me that she would not leave my side – from leaping into the jump-seat on the engine with me when we made a run to strutting into the Chief’s office completely unannounced. In fact, she would scratch the paint from Chief’s office door if I happened to go in there without her. Angel, ironic name, was always getting into trouble. Because we worked at the downtown fire station, there were numerous people walking by on their way to lunch. More than once, Angel stole a brown lunch bag right out of a stranger’s hands. She was reported to the Fire Chief multiple times – and more complaints came in weekly about MY dog! 

When I left the BFD to move to Baton Rouge, it was a very sad day. But Chief was understanding and wished me all the best. My next challenge was just ahead – I had never owned or operated a business, although I was excited about the new little company called Roco Rescue. For the next 40 years, Chief Shelton and I remained in contact. He has always been a guiding force in my life. I remain committed to his goals of excellence and being the best possible. I truly believe his mentorship has had much to do with the success I’ve enjoyed in business and in life. He will never be forgotten. Here’s to you, Chief. 

https://broussards1889.com/obituary/c-a-pete-shelton/