On July 1, two men who were working on the Fauntleroy Expressway Bearing Pad Replacement Project under the West Seattle Bridge were injured when a box truck traveling on a bridge off-ramp hit the arm of the lift in which they were working, KIRO 7 reports.
Both men were knocked out of the lift basket by the impact. One man, who was wearing a safety harness, fell about 15 feet and was hanging in the harness. The other man fell 50 feet to the ground and later died at Harborview Medical Center.
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating, but told the news agency it could take six months to determine who is to blame.
“Were they where they were supposed to be? Was it signed properly? Were there cones? Did they do everything possible to avoid this?” L&I Detective Patrick Michaud told the news agency, adding that interviewing the survivor should help the investigation.
The man who survived the fall was in serious condition and was scheduled for surgery. The man who died has not yet been identified.
