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Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
Sun Jun 24, 2018, 07:59 AM Jun 2018

Workers' deaths expose numerous unsafe work conditions, false statements, distortion, misdirection

by contractor

Joey Hale and Ben Ricks had only been at work for three hours when they fell to their deaths June 4 in an elevator shaft at the former International Shoe Co. building at 1501 Washington Ave. near the City Museum.

Hale, 44, and Ricks, 58, both of St. Louis, were working in a “spider basket” suspended by a cable operated by a hoist six stories up inside the elevator shaft when it fell. Authorities said a safety cable snapped, but that only tells part of the story.

If the job was being performed properly, both men should also have been harnessed to secondary safety lines, secured outside of the basket, to prevent them from falling if the equipment failed.

Exactly what happened isn’t clear. The City of St. Louis and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating.

https://labortribune.com/workers-deaths-expose-numerous-unsafe-work-conditions-false-statements-distortion-misdirection-by-contractor/

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Workers' deaths expose numerous unsafe work conditions, false statements, distortion, misdirection (Original Post) Sherman A1 Jun 2018 OP
A man was killed on a construction site in our area last week mountain grammy Jun 2018 #1
It's criminal behavior. Scruffy1 Jun 2018 #2
Yes it is.. mountain grammy Jun 2018 #3
Why not start a thread about this death in this forum angstlessk Jun 2018 #4
I will do that. mountain grammy Jun 2018 #5

mountain grammy

(26,569 posts)
1. A man was killed on a construction site in our area last week
Sun Jun 24, 2018, 08:32 AM
Jun 2018

buried alive when a trench caved in. The worker "watching" had taken a break. The GC decided a trench box wasn't necessary so a man died needlessly. He was a Mexican national with a family. Should be criminal charges against the contractor and a large settlement for the family, but my guess is the response will be "womp womp."

Scruffy1

(3,239 posts)
2. It's criminal behavior.
Sun Jun 24, 2018, 12:28 PM
Jun 2018

OSHA has some pretty strict rules o protecting underground workers and so does my state. On a union job if you feel it is unsafe you call your safety officer. Without a unionthe workers don't know the rules and are afraid of losing their job. Many times II have seen contractors use migrant workers to perform unsafe jobs to maximize profits.

angstlessk

(11,862 posts)
4. Why not start a thread about this death in this forum
Sun Jun 24, 2018, 05:05 PM
Jun 2018

and post updates as you discover them?

My first thought when I read your post, it that I would like to know the outcome, but unlikely, as it would get lost.

But this forum would be perfect to start a thread with notice of followups.

mountain grammy

(26,569 posts)
5. I will do that.
Sun Jun 24, 2018, 10:10 PM
Jun 2018

I'm sure I'll know the GC if it's a local company. I plan to find out as much as I can and will let you know in this group.

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