Contractors apparently keep striking out where safety is concerned at the Miller Park construction site.
HCH Miller Park Joint Venture, general contractor at site, Milwaukee, and four subcontractors received citations and proposed penalties yesterday for fall protection issues unrelated to the July 14 crane collapse.
OSHA issued citations to HCH, L.H. Sowles Co. Inc., Best Erectors Inc., Oneida Erecting Inc., and Milwaukee Plate Glass with proposed total penalties exceeding $170,000.
Alleged serious citations issued to HCH included allegations that the firm failed to protect workers from falling objects by not covering holes in outrigger scaffolding and failing to frequently inspect the job site, materials and equipment.
L.H. Sowles was cited for allegedly allowing employees to be exposed to fall hazard by not properly guarding a wall opening and for failing to use fall protection on the east side of Miller Park where the fall hazard was more than 30 feet.
Best Erectors, Oneida Erecting and Milwaukee Plate Glass were issued serious citations regarding fall protection issues involving employees working west of the clock tower and for failure to properly guard a wall opening, which also exposed employees to fall hazards.
OSHA Area Director George Yoksas, Milwaukee, said the companies have 15 working days from the receipt of the citations to contest or accept the citations and penalties.