Worker dies after fall at south Kansas City construction site

For the second time in a week, federal safety officials are investigating a fatal fall at a Kansas City work site.

A 22-year-old worker died Friday after falling Thursday while working at a construction site in the 3500 block of East 149th Street, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Officials with OSHA said Monday they had no details about what kind of project the man was working on or how far he fell.

Last Tuesday, a 53-year-old man died after falling from a bridge at Independence and Cambridge avenues in Kansas City’s Northeast area.

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction accidents, said Barb Theriot, a regional official with OSHA. There have been five deaths from falling so far this year in Missouri.

Theriot said that such deaths are preventable and encouraged workers and employers to contact OSHA at 816-483-9531 with concerns or questions about working safely.

The agency also has safety information on its website, OSHA.gov.

This story was originally published July 28, 2014 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Worker dies after fall at south Kansas City construction site."