Wednesday, January 12, 2000
OSHA studying fallen wall
1 construction worker remains in hospital
BY JENNY CALLISON
Enquirer Contributor
OXFORD — Construction remained halted Tuesday at the site of Oxford's new Lebanon Citizens National Bank. Instead, investigators were still reconstructing the events that led to Monday's collapse of a two-story concrete-block retaining wall.
“We have an investigator at the site who is interviewing some of the employees that were working there,” said Dennis Slessman, assistant area director for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Cincinnati area office.
Mr. Slessman said that by talking to employees of the subcontractor, Jeff's Masonry of Fort Thomas, and to other construction workers not involved in building the wall, OSHA hopes to establish what was happening before the accident.
According to Mr. Slessman, the investigation is considering several issues:
• Installation of and safety components on the scaffolding on which the masonry workers were standing.
• Integrity of the wall itself.
• Weather conditions, especially gusty winds.
• Employee training and knowledge of the construction process.
“We've had exceptional cooperation from local officials: the police department, building inspections, the fire department and life squad,” Mr. Slessman said. “The response of people that were first on the scene facilitated our initial investigation. We are continuing to work with them.” Mr. Slessman anticipates that OSHA will have preliminary findings ready within two weeks.
Six construction workers, all employees of Jeff's Masonry, were taken to Oxford's McCullough-Hyde Hospital following the wall's collapse. With the discharge Tuesday morning of John Peshek , 22, of Fort Thomas, only one worker was still receiving medical treatment.
James Clark, 27, of Port Orange, Fla., was taken by helicopter Monday to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. Mr. Clark remained in fair condition at the hospital Tuesday.
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