1 Dies, 2 Injured After Fall From Construction Site
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UPDATE: A Columbus construction worker fell to his death Wednesday at a construction site after a scaffolding collapsed, injuring two co-workers as well.
Published: July 1, 2009
Updated: July 2, 2009
DUBLIN, Ohio—A Columbus construction worker fell to his death Wednesday at a Dublin construction site after a scaffolding collapsed, injuring two co-workers as well.
NBC 4’s Patrick Preston reported from the scene Wednesday.
Crews were called to a construction site at 6100 Emerald Pkwy. Dublin at about 11:20 a.m.
The masonry workers were laying brick on the outside of the structure when the accident happened.
Dublin police reported the men were working on the future IGS Energy headquarters when the scaffolding they were standing on gave way.
The three workers fell different distances from the scaffolding: one fell to the ground, a second worker fell two stories and a third worker fell one story, according to Dublin Public Information Officer Mike Racey.
Wilbert Johnson, 52, of Columbus died after he fell an unknown distance.
Racey said details of Johnson’s death were not available.
Racey told NBC 4 that it appeared to be an accident, but police conducted numerous interviews as part of the investigation.
Racey said Brock Oldaker, 43, of Columbus, was treated and released from an area hospital. Gary Rathburn, 49, of Galloway, is in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
IGS Energy referred all inquiries to Messer Construction, the company overseeing the construction project.
Messer spokesperson Jim Kapp told NBC 4 he could not offer any information about the workers or the accident when contacted early this afternoon.
“Our thoughts are with the workers injured today and their families,” Kapp said.
The three workers involved in Wednesday’s construction accident in Dublin worked for International Masonry based in Columbus. Messer Construction hired International Masonry as a subcontractor.
International Masonry has been cited for 14 violations and fined $17,032 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) over the past 10 years, including two violations and an $8,000 fine for a fatal accident at a school construction site in 2002.
RELATED: International Masonry’s Record Of Violations
According to an April 8, 2002 OSHA report on International Masonry:
“On April 5, 2002, Employee #1, a mason, was working on a construction site for a school. Employee #1 let himself down through the walk planks on the outrigger and was attempting to climb down one level on the scaffold to egress. The ladder being used for access/egress to the scaffold was on the third level. While climbing down on the end rail, Employee #1 lost his footing and fell 26 ft between the scaffold and the wall being constructed. The access ladder on the third level was a 32-ft extension ladder which was not long enough to reach the fourth level of the scaffold where the block was being laid. All the members of the crew stated that they got down from the scaffold the same way as Employee #1 was attempting to when he fell. Employee #1 sustained a fractured neck and head injury and was pronounced dead at the hospital.“
RELATED: April 2002 Fatal Accident Report
Calls to International Masonry were not returned Wednesday afternoon.
Work on the project has been stopped as an accident investigation continues.
It remained unclear when work at the site would resume.
CLARIFICATION
Earlier, NBC 4 reported Messer Construction was cited for four OSHA violations in 2006. Since then, Messer Construction spokesperson Jim Kapp informed NBC 4 that the Messer Construction cited for four safety violations in 2006 is not the Columbus-based commercial construction company Messer that is managing the construction of the IGS Energy Building in Dublin.
NBC 4 called an OSHA manager who examined the 2006 file and confirmed the Messer Construction cited in 2006 is not related to Columbus-based Messer Construction.
A Messer spokesperson told NBC 4 the company has an outstanding safety record and received the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America’s 2009 Construction Safety Excellence Award.
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Reader Reactions
prayers?
I worked for this particular masonry company for two years. I was friends with all three of the accident victims. All of them were very experienced men and no one is to blame for what happened today. I was not on this particular jobsite but knew the names of the men involved before it was shared publicly. Wilbur Johnson loved Jesus and I am confident he has a smile on his face right now.
People need to take a deep breath and relax. No where was I critical of the first responders.
To those that answered my questions about why some patients went where, thanks.
Kudos to the early responders today. Clear most people don’t understand the criteria for transport to local hospitals. Growing up on the “other side of the business” daughter of a nurse and Dr, I hold the EMT’s and FF’s in the highest regard. They have the toughest jobs… making life saving decisions along with stabalizing and or recussitaion(sp) is their number 1 thought process until they can get all patients to the hopitals for continued care. Hence , the term “first responder” These guys and gals are not there for the paycheck! Life flight is exactly what that means “life” flight.
God bless and prayers to the victims of such a horrific accident and prayers to the families of “all” involved.
WHAT ABOUT THE WORK SITE? Still functional? Accicents are not supposed to happen like this… curious to see how OSHA steps it up on this one.
Thank you to those who are defending Emergency personnel. Look it up Mickey, any fall from a height greater than 15ft can cause traumatic internal injuries. Not to mention the fact that it isn’t your place to question professionals with many years experience. W.T.F is staffed with amazing EMS and Fire. I’d rather fly a victim than lose them in transport because some citizen doesn’t see it fit. The public is who we serve and try to save with our skills and knowledge. As for the Hospital choices, MOI protocols and SOP’s determine that as well as ER availability!! SO please do your homework before trashing EMS.. Thanks and God Bless these workers, families, and each of you.
Agreeing with others here. Pray for the victims and families first. Second, there are many reasons why people are sent to differtent hospitals. Grant is a Level 1 trauma center, and by protocol is where all serious victims are taken. Other hospitals all have different levels of capabilities for different injuries and conditions. Not to mention that a patient might simply request to go to a certain hospital, and ER’s can go on diversion if they get too busy from other traumas in the area. There was a serious car accident in Dublin just minutes before this accident. And finally- thank and pray for the emergency responders that take care of strangers in times like this.
How about everyone just take a step back and say a prayer for the workers and their families…
Grant is a level one trauma center…Riverside is not which is why he was flown to Grant.
I forgot to mention that if the fire department used Life Flight or Med Flight to transport, that patient probably had significant injuries OR may have possible internal injuries that require IMMEDIATE surgical intervention.
Look up “the golden hour” in trauma patients.
A) you can’t send everyone to the same hospital. B) not all hospitals are cerated equal; Grant is, I think, a Level I trauma center.
You sends the victims where they can get the care they need, and no offence, but that ain’t Dublin Methodist.
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