After Mezzanine Collapse in Boston, Two Contractors Face Citations and Proposed Penalties
The collapse caused one worker to lose their legs and two others to be injured.
- By Alex Saurman
- Nov 11, 2022
Two contractors are each facing citations following a mezzanine collapse that resulted in one worker losing their legs and two other workers being injured.
According to a news release, workers were on a demolition and asbestos abatement project in Boston when a concrete mezzanine collapsed. OSHA inspected two contractors after the May 2022 incident, NorthStar Contracting Group Inc. and general contractor Suffolk Construction Inc.
OSHA said NorthStar Contracting Group Inc. did not ensure an engineering survey was performed "to determine the condition of the mezzanine and framing, and floors and walls during demolition operations to avoid the possibility of unplanned collapse," "[e]nsure a designated competent person performed or supervised required duties in the asbestos containment area," properly train workers on certain hazards, “remove asbestos containing waste by the end of shift,” post weight limits on the mezzanine so they were visible and make sure workers were using respirators correctly in “regulated asbestos containment areas.”
The agency also said that Suffolk Construction Inc. did not "[i]nspect the contractor’s work in the asbestos regulated containment area to ensure compliance with all aspects of the asbestos standard," conduct inspections regularly "inside the asbestos control area of the mezzanine" and “have a plan in place to prevent an unplanned collapse of the mezzanine,” in addition to also not posting weight limits and ensuring proper respirator use, the news release said.
NorthStar Contracting Group Inc. was issued three willful, four serious and one other-than-serious violations and proposed penalties of $399,864; Suffolk Construction Inc received two willful and three serious citations and proposed penalties of $292,116.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.