Worker killed after construction lift tips over in Taunton
By Marc Larocque/Taunton Gazette
UPDATED 9:21 PM EDT Aug 17, 2015
TAUNTON, Mass. —
The fatal incident took place behind St. Mary's School, where a construction lift was operating on a slope, near the property boundary with Morton Hospital, the Taunton Gazette reported Monday.
A section of a fence between the two properties was broken, as men in hard hats inspected the area around 5 p.m. on Monday, and police pushed back members of the media.
Taunton police Detective Lynn Pina said at that time that state police and other investigators were not yet on scene, and that no information was available.
Pina confirmed only that a worker died, and that police were investigating.
"We're in the very early stage of investigation," said Pina, noting that Taunton police were waiting for the arrival of investigators for the Massachusetts State Police.
The large construction lift at the scene was next to a towering brick smokestack behind the Catholic elementary school.
Workers and pieces of construction equipment sported logos for the Taunton-based Skyline Contracting and Roofing.
OSHA, the federal workplace safety agency, said it responded to the scene and confirmed that the incident was a reported "fatal construction accident" near Morton Hospital.
"I can confirm that OSHA has responded to a report of a fatal aerial lift tipover on Washington St.," said Ted Fitzgerald, a regional representative for OSHA.
"In Taunton, OSHA's inspection seeks to determine if any workplace safety standards were violated in this incident," he said.
Fitzgerald said that, according to the information he received, the worker who died was employed by Skyline Contracting and Roofing Corp.
"That's what I have at the moment," Fitzgerald said around 5:30 p.m.
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AUGUST 17, 2015
TAUNTON, Mass. (WPRI) —
A construction worker died Monday in Taunton, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
The agency says they responded to the scene of the accident, which occurred in the area of Morton Hospital on Washington Street around 12:30 p.m.
Police said a boom lift fell over, killing a 48-year-old man.
Investigators say the man was on a platform when the lift fell over. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital – and now OSHA is investigating the incident.
After police left the scene, the lift was loaded onto a flat bed truck and was towed away around 7:30 p.m.
Eyewitness News reached out to NES Rentals, the company that owns the construction equipment the worker was using at the time of the accident. The company said they are not releasing any information at this time.