OSHA fines contractors for summer construction death in Kansas City
Two construction companies were fined a total of $535,000 on Wednesday after a 22-year-old apprentice ironworker fell to his death in Kansas City last summer.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the companies failed to provide fall protection for the worker, who was killed July 25 at a work site in the 3500 block of East 149th Street. The worker, who was not identified, fell more than 30 feet while standing on a 9-inch-wide steel girder.
OSHA cited Fastrack Erectors Inc., a subcontractor based in St. Louis, for seven willful and three serious safety violations and imposed penalties of $511,000.
The general contractor, ARCO National Construction KC Inc., with an office in Riverside, was cited for four serious violations and fined $24,000.
Neither company could be reached Wednesday night. They may contest the citations.
“This young man had his whole life ahead of him,” OSHA regional administrator Marcia Drumm said in a statement. “His dreams of marriage, children and exploring the great outdoors were cut short because his employer failed to provide fall protection, a violation of its own safety manual and OSHA rules.”
Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
To reach Matt Campbell, call 816-234-4902 or send email to mcampbell@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published January 21, 2015 at 6:58 PM.