Tadd BAINUM honored at state Workers Memorial Day, 2010

BAINUM, LUTRICK, ALBAUGH, OTTEN

Posted By: Sharon R. Becker (email)
Date: 9/3/2012 at 11:02:00

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 06, 2010

Bainum honored at state Workers Memorial Day

Tadd BAINUM of Norwalk, who was killed while working at Hallet Materials in Des Moines on April 7, 2009, was honored April 28 at the Iowa Workers Memorial Day held at Iowa Workforce in Des Moines.

Each year more than 56,000 workers die from injuries and illnesses and another six million are injured. These workers have been remembered on April 28 yearly since 1898.

In 2009, 48 workers were killed in the state. A white cross with each individual's name, age and hometown were aligned in the grass. Governor Chet CULVER and others spoke and then each worker's family was called forward and given a glass paperweight, a steel cross, the governor's proclamation and were allowed to have the white cross. A lunch was served following the ceremony.

Those attending to honor BAINUM were his wife, April of Norwalk; his father, Michael BAINUM of Redding; his mother-in-law, Jeannette LUTRICK, and sister-in-law, Heidi ALBAUGH of Mount Ayr, and family friend, Regina OTTEN of Waukee.

NOTE: According to a Des Moines Register article: "Tadd Bainum, 35, a Hallett employee, died after a transformer spark caused a fire near the gravel mine at 5255 N.W. 26th St. The fire started around 4 p.m., said Jana Rooker, spokeswoman for the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Officials say the man, who wasn't identified, was killed at about 4 p.m. Tuesday at Hallett Materials. They couldn't confirm whether the man died in the fire, which was the result of a transformer spark, or if he was electrocuted. A spokeswoman for MidAmerican Energy says the company had to shut off power to the area for rescue crews to reach the man. The Hallett Materials site is near a body of water and mines basic materials. U.S. Mine Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration inspectors are being called to the scene to investigate."

The investigation revealed:

Tadd M. Bainum (victim) had 14 years and 48 weeks of mining experience. He had been a supervisor for approximately 5 years, 14 weeks, all with this company. He had worked at this mine for 1 year and 29 weeks, of which 1 year and 25 weeks were as the supervisor. He previously was a supervisor at the company's portable wash plant operation. Bainum had not been trained to perform electrical tasks in accordance with 30 CFR Part 46.

Tadd's death was attributed to electrocution.

Hallett Materials was cited and as a result established a new policy requiring that only authorized and qualified electricians conduct electrical work where voltages exceed 480 volts. All persons were trained regarding the new policy.

Transcription & note by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2012