Painting Contractor Cited for Bay Bridge Accidents That Resulted in Fatalities

Caltrans issued two citations and recommended $18,000 in fines against a painting contractor involved in several accidents on the San Francisco Bay Bridge.

Work on a $170 million project to strengthen the bridge against earthquakes was halted after Darryl Clemons, a 33-year-old painter and employee of the contractor, died when scaffolding buckled. Three other workers were also injured when they were pinned against the underside of the bridge's lower deck by the fallen platform

It was the second death within four months on the construction project. In September, a 47-year-old motorist was killed when a piece of scaffolding erected by the painting contractor fell from the side of the bridge and crushed the cab of his pickup truck as he drove on the lower deck.

Less than a year ago the painter's 58-year-old father, James Clemons, also employed by the company, fell 80 feet from a work platform on the span and was seriously hurt. He fell because he had not buckled his safety strap.

Officials from the state Occupational and Health Administration are continuing their investigation into the painter's death. It plans to interview workers and review safety procedures before issuing a report within six months,

Work is about halfway complete on the retrofitting project, which began in late 1999 and is scheduled to be done by the end of next year.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, January 23, 2002