COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A Penrose construction company has been fined $1,500 after an accident killed one of its workers and injured another at a project at Fort Carson.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited subcontractor Hardrock Structures for a “serious” violation over a concrete girder that slipped July 9.
OSHA investigators concluded that the rigging that maneuvered the girder was not watched closely enough, said John Healy, director of the agency’s Englewood office.
Hardrock owner Nicole Thomas declined to comment Thursday. The company has until Jan. 23 to contest OSHA’s report.
Before the accident, crews were leveling a girder by lifting up one side and having worker Paul Snow insert shims underneath, Healy said.
The crane operator then replaced the girder and began to retract the crane’s rigging when it snagged on an eyelet in the girder, causing it to fall, Healy said.
Billy Needham, 39, of Canon City, was killed by falling concrete. Snow, 44, suffered injuries to his face, wrists, internal organs and right leg after being thrown from a lift cage.
OSHA typically fines a company $5,000 for a similar violation, but Hardrock’s fine was reduced because it’s a small company with no record of OSHA violations, Healy said.
Paul Snow’s wife, Patrece Snow, said the accident left her husband blind.
