OSHA investigating accident, other worker in critical condition ( 1 death)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/local/local_story_358185822.html

Published: December 23, 2008 06:58 pm

Mark Millican

A worker injured Monday afternoon in an accident on Highway 41 South was in “critical condition” Tuesday afternoon, a hospital official said. Another man was killed.

Jerry Shelton, 54, a subcontractor who was helping to install a utility pole that fell into power lines at Dalton Plaza South, was taken to Hamilton Medical Center and later sent to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta. Glenn Stone, 44, of Chatsworth, was killed.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Marietta office is investigating.

“We have two investigators in Whitfield County,” said Michael Wald, a spokesman for OSHA. “When the investigation begins, they have up to six months to complete it. They will be looking for violations of OSHA standards, but there won’t be any public statements before the report is completed. The result of the report could be citations or civil penalties.”

Wald said OSHA — which is responsible for private sector workplaces — will be looking at the “employer-employee relationship” to see if the workers were in a safe and healthy work situation. He said the standards are “broad and comprehensive” and the investigators will have freedom to determine whether the workplace was safe and healthy.

Wald said he can’t comment on the specifics of an ongoing investigation, but said investigators will talk to “anyone who has information” about the accident.

FULL story at link.