OSHA fines multiple contractors for safety violations after FIU bridge collapse
Sept. 19, 2018
The five companies collectively received seven violations, totaling $86,658 in proposed penalties
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on Friday cited multiple contractors for safety violations after one employee suffered fatal injuries and five other employees sustained serious injuries when a pedestrian bridge at the Florida International University campus in Miami collapsed back in March.
The five companies collectively received seven violations, totaling $86,658 in proposed penalties.
OSHA cited Figg Bridge Engineers Inc., a civil and structural engineering company; Network Engineering Services Inc., a construction engineering and inspection firm; Structural Technologies LLC, specializing in post-tensioning in bridges and buildings; Munilla Construction Management LLC, a bridge and building construction company; and The Structural Group of South Florida Inc., a contractor specializing in concrete formwork.
OSHA’s investigation determined that the companies failed to protect workers when indications of a potential bridge collapse were evident. Violations included exposing employees to crushing and fall hazards; and allowing multiple employees to connect to an improperly installed lifeline.
