A view of Bella Vista Independent and Assisted Living in Oshkosh, Sept. 10, 2015. (WLUK/Jerry Van Handel)Fatal fall victim identified as Oshkosh man, 20
By FOX 11 News Thursday, September 10th 2015
OSHKOSH, WI
The man who died after a reported five-story fall in Oshkosh was washing windows, authorities say.
The Winnebago County Coroner's Office says Tyler Peterson, 20, of Oshkosh, died Wednesday. He was working at Bella Vista Independent and Assisted Living, 631 Hazel St., when scaffolding gave way.
Oshkosh police say they were called to the apartment complex around 12:40 p.m. for a report of a person who fell five stories.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating Peterson's death.
Bella Vista is the former Mercy Medical Center building near Menominee Park.
Falls are the leading cause of deaths or injuries of workers. Be extra careful every time you work at an elevated location, your life depends on it.
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Oshkosh police, OSHA investigate man's death
Nathaniel Shuda, Oshkosh Northwestern Media
September 10, 2015
(Photo: File / Oshkosh Northwestern Media)
Local and federal authorities continue to investigate the Wednesday, Sept. 9, death of a 20-year-old Oshkosh window-washer who they say fell five stories from a senior and assisted living facility.
The manner of death appears to be consistent with the fall itself, although authorities won't have a preliminary cause of his injuries until after a preliminary autopsy, which was scheduled for noon, Thursday, Sept. 10, Winnebago County Coroner Barry Busby said. Authorities anticipate releasing the findings of that preliminary examination sometime Friday, Sept. 11.
"This is a tragic accident and kind of unusual," Busby said, noting there has not been a job-related fatality of this nature in Oshkosh during his 18-year tenure as coroner. "With OSHA and everybody else involved, you have more eyes on it."
Tyler S. Peterson fell from a platform while washing windows on the fifth floor of Bella Vista Retirement Community, 631 Hazel St., which is the former Mercy Medical Center building, authorities said.
Authorities responded to a report of a person falling five stories from the building at 12:40 p.m., Wednesday, in the 600 block of Hazel Street, according to an Oshkosh Police Department news release. Peterson was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting its own investigation of the incident to determine whether any violations of OSHA standards occurred, agency spokeswoman Rhonda Burke said in an email.
Two OSHA compliance safety and health officers from the agency's Appleton-area office responded to the scene after being notified at about 2 p.m., Wednesday, Burke said. Agency personnel will collect evidence, conduct interviews and review records relevant to the incident and will analyze the information for any violations for which citations might be issued.
Burke declined to provide more specifics about the incident, noting the agency does not comment on open investigations, but said falls are the leading cause of death in the workplace.
"There is no doubt that OSHA has saved thousands of lives, but far too many preventable injuries, illnesses and fatalities continue to occur," Burke said. "Workers and families should never accept the risk of death as a condition for employment — and neither should we."