Arrest Made in Bear Spray Attack on Worker

Safety at Work

Evesham, NJ (WorkersCompensation.com) – Police said one woman has been arrested and another is being sought for their part in a bear spray attack on a Sunglass Hut employee last month.

The employee was one of a number of employees who were injured by weird means on the job over the past few months.

Police said they were called to the Sunglass Hut on S. Route 73 on the South Jersey shore for a report of an assault during a robbery. When police arrived, the employee said two women had entered the store wearing hats and face coverings. The women then began stealing a large number of expensive sunglasses.

The employee said when she tried to call police, one of the women sprayed her with bear spray, a statement from the Evesham Township Police Department said.

Police said the employee was going to be okay. Bear spray can cause temporary severe pain, including involuntary eye closures and tearing, nasal discharge and coughing.

Officials said the two women stole between 18 and 20 pairs of sunglasses valued at more than $10,000.

Police charged Allesha Taylor-Jones, 29, of Delaware, with first-degree robbery, third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, third-degree theft, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

In California, an employee is suing Tesla over injuries he received when he was knocked unconscious by a robotic arm.

The worker at the Fremont, Calif., Tesla plant said he was attacked and injured by a humanoid robot. He’s suing the company for negligence.

What does California law say about tort claims and the exclusive remedy rule? Head to Simply Research

Peter Hinterdobler said he was working a late-night maintenance shift earlier this year when “Optimus,” a humanoid robot unexpectedly activated, knocked him unconscious and pinned him to the ground with an estimated four tons of counterbalance weight. He claims Tesla was negligent in developing, operating and maintaining the robot.

According to the civil complaint filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the machine was designed to do warehouse automation and mobility tasks. Instead, the machine clamped its mechanical arm onto Hinterdobler’s left shoulder, forcing him against a table.

Co-workers at the plant rushed to help Hinterdobler by deactivating the robot. Hinterdobler said in the lawsuit he was released several minutes later. The complaint states HInterdobler suffered shoulder, neck and back injuries, as well as ongoing psychological trauma.

The lawsuit said Tesla was aware Optimus had displayed erratic behavior but had failed to implement any substantive repairs. As a result, Hinterdobler is suing for damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The suit also asks for punitive damages for an event Hinterdobler’s attorney said was a “willful and reckless disregard” for employee safety.

And officials in Scottsdale, Ariz., said a contracting company could face more than $15,000 in fines for its part in an attack on workers by bees.

According to a report from the Industrial Commission of Arizona, bees attacked workers who were removing stucco from a Scottsdale assisted living facility so a beekeeper could get a hive. Instead, the bees attacked the men. Two men were in a lift removing the stucco.

Officials said 65-year-old Nicolas Soto was stung by a swarm of bees at the Vi at Silverstone. Officials said that by the time Soto came down off the lift, he had been stung dozens of times. When the lift was lowered, another worker used a blower to try and get the bees to leave the men, the bees attacked him before dispersing.

All three men were hospitalized. Soto lost consciousness and later died.

The commission proposed a fine against the company, C&J Builders for two violations. According to the commission, the company sent workers into an area where bees were known to be active but did not give its workers “instruction on potential hazards, how to avoid injury, and first aid procedures.” The commission also cited the company for not providing its workers with appropriate protective equipment to work in an area known to have hazards, in this case, the bees.

Police said Soto was wearing a T-shirt, jeans, and boots the day of the attack. Officials said he suffered bee stings all over his body, even below his clothing.

“There is gear that can be worn to help protect you from the stings and why they weren’t wearing it would be a big question for me,” Phoenix attorney Frank Verderame said at the time of the attack. “Whoever employed him must have known something.”

The commission proposed a $15,370 fine for C&J Builders. The five-member board approved the fine during its Sept. 25 meeting.

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