Washington company fined for safety violations

A local company has been fined $14,000 by the Occupational and Safety Health Bureau for safety violations that occurred in January, which caused one death. Iowa Bridge and Culvert based in Washington was engaged in a flood recovery project on the University of Iowa Campus on Jan. 24. That day, Kevin Dean Hammons, 55, of Washington was killed when a steel beam fell on him and trapped him to the ground.

The Occupational Safety and Health Bureau cited Iowa Bridge and Culvert with six violations, all of which were serious. The original fine was $20,000 but that was reduced to $14,000 in a settlement agreement.

Iowa Bridge and Culvert was cited for failure to have a competent person inspect excavations and protective systems that might produce cave-ins. The company was also cited for failure to provide shield systems approved by a professional engineer. It was cited for having an inadequately supported wall system which exposed employees to being crushed.