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Worker Falls from Boat and Drowns in Pittsburgh; Utah Bridge Workers Saved by Life JacketsA man working for an Ohio-based contractor fell from a safety boat and drowned in the river beneath a Pittsburgh bridge on Friday, August 29. The 29-year-old man was stepping from the scaffolding under the bridge onto the boat to return to the shore for a lunch break when he fell into the river. An OSHA investigation is pending.
This accident occurred at the conclusion of a decade-long $84.2 million contract to rehabilitate a major city bridge and tunnel. It was the first significant work-related accident at the site.
In Utah in June, three painting contractor workers from another company fell 15-20 feet into a river after a scaffolding collapsed. One man exited the river immediately while the other two were swept a half mile downstream before parks employees were able to assist them in reaching shore. A representative of the sheriff's department stated, ñIt was a good thing they had life jackets on or we would have been doing a search. The river was pretty high and cold and they were weighted down with tool belts and equipment so they are really lucky."
OSHA requires that employees working over or near water are provided with U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets or buoyant work vests whenever a risk of drowning exists. These life jackets should be inspected for defects before and after each use and the defective jackets discarded. In addition, ring buoys with at least 90 feet of line placed no more than 200 feet apart must be readily available for emergency rescue operations and at least one life saving boat should be on site. It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure that life-saving equipment is provided and used where required.
Sources: Pittsburgh Tribune Review 8/29/03; Emery County Progress 6/17/03; OSHA Safety and Health Regulations for Construction (Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment/Working Over or Near Water): CFR 1926.106.
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