The
contractor rebuilding a bridge over the Housatonic River in the Falls
Village section of Canaan, Conn., has been cited by the U.S. Department
of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for 13
alleged willful and serious violations of construction safety standards.
The
Brunalli Construction Co. of Southington, Conn., faces $180,950 in
proposed fines for allegedly failing to protect its employees against
fall, drowning and other hazards at the Route 7 jobsite.
A
December 2008 OSHA inspection found employees exposed to falls of up to
43 feet into the river while working without fall protection on
unprotected or inadequately guarded sections of the bridge and using an
access ladder of inadequate height. They also were exposed to drowning
hazards due to the lack of life jackets, ring buoys and a lifesaving
skiff that are required to be used and readily available on site when
employees work over water.
"The significant hazard of a
four-story plunge was exacerbated by the lack of required lifesaving
rescue equipment," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in
Hartford. "While it's fortunate no fall or drowning occurred, the
potential for a fatal or serious accident was real and present at this
jobsite."
As a result, OSHA issued Brunalli Construction three
willful citations, with $147,000 in proposed fines, for the fall,
drowning and ladder hazards and 10 serious citations, with $33,950 in
proposed fines, for additional fall-related hazards, puncture and
laceration hazards from a damaged cable guardrail system, no hardhats
for employees exposed to overhead hazards, amputation and laceration
hazards from unguarded grinders, and no trained emergency responders on
site.
OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with
plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and
health. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical
harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or
should have known. Detailed information about fall hazards and
safeguards is available on OSHA's Web site at
www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/index.html.
Brunalli
Construction has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and
proposed penalties to comply, request and participate in an informal
conference with the OSHA area director or contest the citations and
proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and
Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's
Hartford Area Office, telephone 860-240-3152.
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