A Chicago construction worker was killed when an over stressed 40 ton beam fell and crushed him a federal investigation has determined.  The 47 year old worker was doing demolition along Chicago’s Interstate 90 and Touhy Road overpass when the incident occurred.

Omega Demolition Corp was fined for one willful safety violation for over stressing the beam during demolition by OSHA. They were also cited for three serious and one other than serious violation following the incident in which three other workers were also injured.

OSHA inspectors determined the worker was standing in an aerial lift and torch cutting steel bracing between the two beams when one of the beams fell resulting in his death.

The agency also found Omega Demolition failed to follow OSHA standards for respiratory protection including training workers, fit testing them for the appropriate respirator, maintaining fit test records and ensuring respirators were used in compliance with its certification.

OSHA has proposed penalties of $152,433 to the Elgin, Illinois-based company and placed it in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which focuses on employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations time and time again. Under the program, OSHA may inspect any of the employer’s facilities or job sites if it has reasonable grounds to believe there are similar violations.

Anytime you hear about a fatality that could have been prevented when a worker was just trying to do their job is heartbreaking. There are rules and standards in place to ensure the safety of everyone on a job site.  Had these regulations been followed it is almost certain that this tragedy could have been prevented.  I hope that stories like this bring awareness to similar organizations to be proactive in making sure every single on of their workers is safe.