October 15, 2021Contractor faces 2 serious citations after US Department of Labor findssafety failures led to welder’s death at Bonner Bridge demolition project OSHA finds contractor overloaded bridge section, leading to collapse and fatal fall

RODANTHE, NC – A federal workplace safety investigation found that established procedures were ignored, causing a 42-year-old welder on the Bonner Bridge in Rodanthe to fall more than 50 feet to his death when the structure collapsed on April 14.

Employed by PCL Civil Constructors Inc., the worker was torch-cutting crossbeams on a section of the bridge where the company discarded concrete for removal. The concrete’s weight caused the structure to collapse and the welder to fall. PCL Civil Constructors is the lead contractor for the project, which includes dismantling sections of the bridge built in 1963.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited PCL Civil Constructors with two serious violations for failure to use engineering surveys or calculations to control the structure’s stability and avoid unplanned collapses. OSHA also found the employer overloaded bridge sections beyond weight capacity and exposed workers to struck-by and crush-by hazards. OSHA has proposed $23,210 in penalties.   

“PCL Civil Constructors violated federal safety standards and a worker needlessly died as a result,” said OSHA Area Director Kimberley Morton in Raleigh. “If they had followed well-known standards, this tragic loss of life could have been prevented.”

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. Learn more about OSHA.

# # #

Media Contacts:

Erika B. Ruthman, 678-237-0630, ruthman.erika.b@dol.govEric R. Lucero, 678-237-0630, lucero.eric.r@dol.gov

Release Number:  21-1827-ATL (275)

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The department’s Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).

October 15, 2021Investigation into worker’s severe arm injury finds Cusseta auto partsmanufacturer, supplier willfully ignored safety precautionsOSHA proposes $205K in penalties for Leehan America Inc.

CUSSETA, AL – A 64-year-old employee suffered an arm amputation, federal workplace safety investigators found, as a result of a Cusseta auto parts manufacturer and supplier’s willful failure to follow required safety standards.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the assembler, working at Leehan America Inc., sustained the severe injury when struck by a forklift on April 14, 2021. OSHA investigators cited the company with a willful violation after learning they allowed the forklift’s driver to operate the vehicle without training. In addition, OSHA cited Leehan America with a repeat violation when they found no machine guarding in place, an amputation hazard for which the agency cited the company in April 2018.

OSHA also found the company failed to ensure the use of energy control procedures and did not provide employees with lockout/tagout devices. Leehan America also failed to conduct forklift evaluations for operators that were trained at least every three years, and examine forklifts and remove unsafe vehicles from service as required.

OSHA has proposed $205,384 in penalties for Leehan America.

“Leehan America knew the requirements and willfully ignored them, and a worker suffered a life-changing injury,” said OSHA Area Director Jose Gonzalez in Mobile, Alabama. “Adding to the tragedy is the knowledge that if appropriate safety precautions were taken, the incident was preventable. There is no excuse for taking shortcuts that put workers’ safety and health in jeopardy.”

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. Learn more about OSHA.

# # #

Media Contacts:

Eric R. Lucero, 678-237-0630, lucero.eric.r@dol.govErika B. Ruthman, 678-237-0630, ruthman.erika.b@dol.gov

Release Number:  21-1837-ATL (274)

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The department’s Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).