Company in Hutto cited in deaths of two painters

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/23/0123deaths.html

Men weren't wearing proper safety equipment and scaffold couldn't hold weight, according to OSHA citation.

By Isadora Vail
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, January 23, 2008

A Hutto painting company was cited for a number of safety hazards in connection with the deaths last year of two men who were painting a new Round Rock hospital.

On July 28, Eloy Luna, 37, and Mario Mojica, 38, fell 90 feet from scaffolding at the Seton Medical Center Williamson.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a citation to F.L. Crane & Sons Inc., a national company that has an office in Hutto. The citation included five violations, which were listed as "serious," and assessed more than $19,000 in fines.

The OSHA citation, issued last month, said that the scaffold wasn't sufficient to hold the men's weight and that the company didn't provide "fall protection" such as safety harnesses. The agency also said that there wasn't a guardrail on part of the scaffold and that the area underneath wasn't protected from falling debris.

Company President Bob Burleson said the company is contesting the citation but would not comment further. He referred all questions to a company attorney in Dallas, who did not return phone calls Tuesday evening.

Because the company is contesting all violations, it is not immediately responsible for the fines. OSHA spokeswoman Diana Peterson said the case will go before the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board but did not specify a date.

[cutlassmama]

1. Probably a fly-by-night company hiring illegal workers. I would

imagine this happens a lot.