PORTSMOUTH — A Manchester scaffolding company committed four “serious” violations that led to the fall of a bricklayer at a Bow Street construction site, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
A settlement agreement between OSHA and Boston Ladder & Scaffolding Co. states the violations occurred Nov. 30 at the Martingale Wharf, a historic building currently under construction at 99 Bow St.
One OSHA violation states that each scaffold component was not capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least four times the maximum intended load applied or transmitted to it. As a result of that finding, OSHA imposed a $2,450 fine.
Boston Ladder & Scaffolding also agreed to post notice of the OSHA finding and penalty near the accident site for a period of three days or until the violation is remedied.
OSHA also found the scaffolding company’s employees were not supervised by “a competent person qualified in scaffold erection, moving, dismantling or alteration.” For that “serious” violation, the company was fined $2,100.
A third violation with another $2,100 fine states the scaffolding company did not provide fall protection for employees.
The fourth violation states the Manchester company’s employees were not trained by a competent person and for that violation, it was fined an additional $2,100.
By terms of an agreement, the fines are due April 1 or they increase.
Emergency responders were called to the construction site the morning of Nov. 30 when a bricklayer fell through scaffolding to the ground, two stories below, where he was covered by fallen bricks and construction materials.
“Something gave way or fell,” Fire Capt. Bernie Marvin said at the time.
Marvin said the worker fell from one scaffolding, through a second one, then to the ground; a pan of mortar, scaffolding materials and a pile of bricks fell with and on top of him. The worker landed on a set of stairs with the bricks and boards, and it took responders about 15 minutes to free him from the debris.
“He was in a fair amount of pain,” Marvin said about the injured bricklayer, described as 37 years old and from Milford.
The worker was extricated, transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital and released later the same day.
Developers Butch and John Ricci have been working on the building as a part of a two-year demolition and construction project which is expected to include 52,000 square feet of mixed-use space on six floors overlooking the Piscataqua River.
The Riccis are working with contractor Mark McNabb, who previously told the Herald the worker suffered no permanent injuries and broke no bones.
According to OSHA’s Web site, “falls are the most frequent cause of fatalities at construction sites and annually account for one of every three construction-related deaths.”
OSHA cites 2007 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics noting that 442 construction workers died that year as a result of falling on the job.
Via: Seacoastonline