At Least 6 Dead After Collapse Of Pedestrian Bridge In Miami

Construction

Florida International University Bridge Collapse Leads to Multiple Safety Violations

Sept. 20, 2018

Six people died in the March 2018 bridge collapse.

Five contractors are responsible for a March 2018 bridge collapse at Florida International University, an OSHA investigation discovered.

The agency cited Figg Bridge Engineers Inc., Network Engineering Services Inc. (doing business as Bolton Perez & Assoc.), Structural Technologies LLC (doing business as Structural Technologies/VSL), Munilla Construction Management LLC, and The Structural Group of South Florida Inc. after six people were killed in the accident.

“Collectively, these employers failed to take appropriate action and provide the necessary protections to their employees while they were working on the bridge on the day it collapsed,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt A. Petermeyer in a statement.

The agency uncovered seven violations, totaling $86,658 in penalties, that included exposing workers to rushing and fall hazards and allowing multiple employees to connect to an improperly installed lifeline, even though a potential bridge collapse was "evident."

News reports identified the victims of the collapse as Oswald Gonzalez, Alberto Arias, Rolando Fraga Hernandez, Navarro Brown, Alexa Duran and Brandon Brownfield.

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.