Back in late June, we had written about a structural collapse at the under-construction equine center at Texas A&M, a world-renowned engineering school. 5 workers were reported injured by the collapse, and OSHA launched an investigation. Click the link to read more about the serious worker injuries that occurred in the collapse during erection of the steel equestrian center at Texas A&M.
Our Houston work accident injury attorneys note that OSHA work accident investigations take an average of 6 months. And so the results of OSHA’s investigation of the equestrian center collapse at Texas A&M are finally in.
The federal workplace safety agency has fined Houston-based general contractor Gamma Construction $6,300 for failure to ensure that the steel equestrian center was erected in a way that would maintain its structural stability. As OSHA’s Austin director noted, employers building steel structures must follow proper and safe procedures for bracing and ensure that the sequence of building erection steps maintains the structure’s stability. (Maggie Kiely, The Eagle, Bryan College Station, 12/20/13)
Our Houston work accident injury attorneys point out that proper bracing and sequencing of steps is equally important in taking down a building. OSHA also just fined employers in Philadelphia about $400,000 for failing to follow proper demolition procedures and failing to maintain safe structural bracing in the collapse that killed 6 people and injured 14 in the adjacent Salivation Army store when the structure collapsed.
Ramco Erectors, Gamma Construction’s subcontractor at the Texas A&M site, was fined $40,500 and cited by OSHA for 7 serious safety violations. The penalties were for serious safety violations that included:
The Houston work accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC clarify that a “serious” violation by OSHA standards occurs when a substantial probability exists that death or serious injury could result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known. As the Austin director of OSHA indicated, employers have a duty to ensure safe conditions for their workers. When they breach that duty, employees and their families might be entitled to monetary damages for the full value of the injuries and losses that they have suffered. Contact us at 713-807-9500 or through our online contact form to learn more about your rights after an on-the-job accident.