OSHA records reveal previous safety violations by Grant Mackay.
The investigation into the exact cause of the collapse of the Flagship Hotel in Galveston that resulted in the death of demolition worker Tauelangi Angilau may have only just stared; but already local newspapers are citing the safety track record of Grant Mackay, the demolition contractor that employed him.
According to the Galveston County Daily News, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Grant MacKay in 2009 for a “serious” violation, claiming the company didn’t furnish to its employees a work environment that was free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
The citation also claimed company employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by falling debris from the structure being demolished.
The violation was observed at a Houston work site Jan. 16, 2009, where employees used insufficient equipment to demolish a structure, an administration document states. The equipment, a Hitachi EX1200, had a maximum reach of only 56 feet 11 inches for demolishing a structure that was 94 feet tall, the administration stated on the U.S. Department of Labor website.
The administration fined Grant MacKay $2,500 for the violation. The administration had no other violations listed for the company.
The administration is investigating Tuesday’s collapse at the Flagship but declined to reveal whether the 2009 violation was the result of the investigation of an injury.
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