Press Release
☷US Department of Labor cites 2 Georgia construction contractors after Yellow River bridge collapse takes worker s life | U S Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor ( By Press Release office)
May 05,2022
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US Department of Labor cites 2 Georgia construction contractors after Yellow River bridge collapse takes worker’s life Companies overstressed parts of structure , failed to conduct proper engineering survey COVINGTON , GA – A federal workplace safety investigation has determined that two companies failed to follow required safety standards that could have prevented a bridge collapse and spared the life of a 33 - year - old worker on a demolition project in Covington on Oct . 19 , 2021 . B&D Concrete Cutting Inc . of Atlanta and Georgia Bridge and Concrete LLC of Tucker did not conduct a proper engineering survey and , as the access road bridge over the Yellow River was being dismantled , an overstressed section of the bridge collapsed and fell into the river . During the collapse , a concrete saw weighing more than 1 , 700 pounds struck and fatally injured the worker employed by B&D Concrete Cutting . A second B&D worker suffered injuries and was hospitalized . U . S . Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators cited B&D Concrete Cutting Inc . and Georgia Bridge and Concrete LLC – the project’s prime contractor – for not ensuring a competent person had performed an engineering survey before allowing workers to begin the dismantling project . Additionally , company personnel did not ensure procedures were in place to prevent structural members from being overstressed during dismantling operations . This failure exposed employees to fall and struck - by hazards . “If the employers had conducted a proper survey on this highly technical project as required , the tragic loss of one worker and serious injuries to another may not have happened , ” said OSHA Area Office Director Joshua Turner in Atlanta - East . “Established safety standards exist to ensure workers get home safely and don’t leave families , friends and communities to grieve a preventable fatality . ” OSHA also cited Georgia Bridge and Concrete for failing to keep a fire extinguisher within 75 feet of two equipment refueling stations . The agency proposed penalties of $31 , 283 for Georgia Bridge and Concrete and $25 , 669 for B&D Concrete Cutting . B&D Concrete Cutting Inc . – formerly known as B&K Concrete Cutting – is a construction contractor specializing in cutting and removal within commercial , industrial , transportation , aviation and healthcare industries . Georgia Bridge and Concrete LLC – formerly known as Sunbelt Structures Inc . – specializes in bridge and heavy civil construction . The companies have 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply , request an informal conference with OSHA , or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission . Visit OSHA’s website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program . Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and free help on complying with OSHA standards .
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