Old timers used to call it “dancing on the steel.” It was the dangerous and celebrated practice of walking along steel girders – high above construction sites – without wearing fall protection. Many men lost their lives doing it. Add one more worker fatality to the list.

A 22-year-old apprentice ironworker fell more than 30 feet to his death on July 25, 2014 while standing on a 9-inch-wide steel girder on a building under construction in Kansas City. On the job for just a few weeks, the worker’s employer, Fastrack Erectors Inc., did not provide him with fall protection, according to OSHA.

Following an investigation into the fatality, OSHA cited the structural steel company for seven willful and three serious safety violations and placed the company in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program. Fastrack Erectors employs 40 workers, who specialize in structural steel, miscellaneous steel, pre-engineered metal buildings, ornamental metal handrails and precast installation. The company employs union ironworkers from local union halls. Ironworkers Local 10 in Kansas City represented the 16 employees at the site.

“This young man had his whole life ahead of him. His dreams of marriage, children and exploring the great outdoors were cut short because his employer failed to provide fall protection, a violation of its own safety manual and OSHA rules,” said Marcia Drumm, OSHA’s regional administrator. “This tragedy illustrates how quickly a worker can die when fall protection is not provided, and why it’s so important.”

Read Full Article At Ehstoday.com

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