• Home
• Workers
• Regulations
• Enforcement
• Data & Statistics
• Training
• Publications
• Newsroom
• Small Business

Region 6 News Release:   USDL-OSHA-99-32-3-19
Friday, March 19, 1999
Contact: Diana Petterson or Beverly Sepulveda
PHONE : (214) 767-4777 ext. 222 or ext. 221

OSHA PROPOSES $69,300 PENALTY AGAINST DERR CONSTRUCTION CO. OF EULESS, TEXAS

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Derr Construction Co. of Euless, Texas, for alleged safety and health violations with proposed penalties of $69,300, announced the U.S. Department of Labor. The citations resulted from an accident investigation at a New Orleans construction site.

Derr Construction Co. had 18 people employed at the construction site of the New Orleans Sports Arena adjacent to the Louisiana Superdome in downtown New Orleans. The OSHA investigation was initiated after three employees were severely injured and hospitalized after a Sept. 19, 1998 accident. The employees were lifting a steel mechanical platform that collapsed while being lifted into place.

The OSHA investigation found the employees were using safety harnesses to attach themselves to the mechanical platform but should have been secured to an achor point above the platform. Additionally, OSHA determined that an inadequate engineering design was used to lift the mechanical platform.

The company was cited for one serious and one willful violation. A serious violation is one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result. A willful violation is defined as an intentional disregard of or plain indifference to the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.