Fatal fall from bridge draws OSHA fine: Agency blames worker death on safety violations ($70,000)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/12/23/3874340.htm

(Paducah Sun, The (KY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 23--American Bridge, the contractor for the U.S. 62/641 bridge over the Tennessee River below Grand Rivers, has been cited for six safety violations, including a fine of $70,000 in connection with an employee's death last June.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the fine and citations.

James R. Jones, 54, of Arlington was working on a girder on the north edge of the bridge on June 13 when he fell, landing near the river's shore, said James Lamb, deputy coroner in Livingston County. Jones apparently died instantly.

Jones died after falling approximately 70 feet from a girder. He was wearing a harness and lanyard but was not secured to an anchorage point, according to reports at the time.

"This company has a fall protection plan, but management's failure to enforce their own safety and health policy resulted in this totally avoidable fatality," said William Cochran, OSHA's area director in Nashville.

OSHA cited the company with one willful violation for failing to eliminate employee exposure to fall hazards and failing to ensure that employees properly used personal protective equipment while working above heights of 6 feet.


FULL story at link.