$280 K in fines for truss collapse 
Federal OSHA has proposed $280,000 in fines for a contractor building the Maumee River Bridge in Toledo, a section of which collapsed Feb. 16 and killed four Iron Workers Local 55 members

According to the Engineering News Record, OSHA cited Fru-Con Construction Corp. for four willful violations of federal workplace standards. “This tragic accident could have and should have been prevented,” said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw.

News reports said construction workers were repositioning a 315-foot launching truss to prepare for another concrete bridge segment placement when the truss collapsed, killing the workers and injuring five others.

Most of the work on the 1,225-foot main span of the I-280 pre-cast segmental cable-stayed crossing has remained halted since the accident.

Citing the OSHA report, ENR said Fru-Con was cited “four times for improperly anchoring to pier caps the front legs and the roller beam for the back legs of both the launching truss that collapsed and its twin, which has been idle since the accident.”

Said a Fru-Con spokesman: “At no time did any of our employees engage in any conduct that knowingly placed any other employees at risk.” Fru-Con has until mid-August to appeal.

An accident that also took four construction workers’ lives took place in 1999, when MIOSHA handed down fines totaling $493,500 against four companies in connection with the Aug. 24, 1998 block wall collapse that killed three electricians and a sheet metal worker in Flushing Township.

All four companies received citations alleging serious violations, and in the case of two companies, willful violations of the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act after a block wall at Flushing High School collapsed.

U.S. construction climbs a little
New U.S. construction inched up 1% in June to $565.1 billion, reported the McGraw-Hill Construction. During the first six months of 2004, total construction on an unadjusted basis was reported at $286.2 billion – up 10 percent over a year ago.

By region, the Midwest was up 5 percent during the first six months of this year compared to a year ago.

June’s uptick was aided by higher activity in public works projects, but that area is expected to slow because of state and federal fiscal constraints. “During the first half of 2004, the construction industry continued to be supported by the robust performance of single family housing, in combination with stability for commercial building,” said Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for Dodge. “It’s expected that the second half of 2004 will see single family housing ease back a bit, and commercial building remains the sector most likely to pick up the slack.”

For union building trades workers, the gradual improvement in overall U.S. construction is skewered by the strength of residential construction, which is dominated by the nonunion sector.