Cal/OSHA issues five citations in death of laborer

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.kvsun.com/articles/2008/11/12/news/doc491afdaa76d7d272180923.txt

Cathy Perfect
Kern Valley Sun

Published on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:03 AM PST
The California Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on Friday, Nov. 7, released its report of citations to Sure Set, the building contactor hired by JTS Construction of Bakersfield as a subcontractor, to remove modular buildings from the Woodrow Wallace Middle School campus in Lake Isabella, as part of the current phase of the school’s renovation project.

The report cited Jose Chairez, sole owner of Sure Set, of Merced, for violations that resulted in the death of Adan Fraga, on July 14, who was working under a 10,000-pound modular building that collapsed on him. According to the Kern County Coroner’s report, the 24-foot by 40-foot modular building was resting on five two-by-four wooden crates, when at approximately 1:40 p.m., one of the crates shifted on the soft dirt and the building collapsed on top of Fraga. The incident was ruled an accident.

Fraga’s three brothers, who also were working on the modular-moving project, and Kern County Fire Department personnel on scene at the time, lifted the building with mechanical equipment and rescued Fraga from under the building, the Coroner’s investigation summary said. Kern County Fire Captain Steve Pendergraph told investigators that life-saving efforts were immediately initiated and Fraga was transported to Kern Valley Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Fraga and his brothers, all from Mexico, had been working for Sure Set as general laborers for three months.

The citations issued to Sure Set, one “serious” and four “general,” are the result of a four-month investigation by Cal/OSHA. The serious citation, the fatality, carries a penalty of $12,6000, while the remaining for general citations carry a collective fine of $1,350 and focus on safety prevention and precaution programs not implemented by Sure Set owner Chairez at the time of the tragedy.


FULL story at link.

[DoctorMyEyes]

1. OSHA blows

The citations issued to Sure Set, one “serious” and four “general,” are the result of a four-month investigation by Cal/OSHA. The serious citation, the fatality, carries a penalty of $12,6000, while the remaining for general citations carry a collective fine of $1,350 and focus on safety prevention and precaution programs not implemented by Sure Set owner Chairez at the time of the tragedy.


One man dead, four months worth of taxpayer dollars spent on an investigation, and then OSHA really socks 'em one, huh? OSHA - I'm sure in some language that translates literally into "no teeth".