The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a formal investigation into a serious construction accident on Madison’s Capitol Square that left an ironworker hospitalized with multiple broken bones.
An OSHA spokesperson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Feb. 4 that the agency has six months to complete the investigation and will not share additional information during that time.
The worker, identified by family and fellow Ironworkers Local 383 members as Dakota Chamblee, was injured Jan. 31 when a crane dropped a massive steel beam at a Findorff jobsite. Friends and co-workers have rallied around Chamblee, raising financial support as he begins what is expected to be a lengthy recovery.
More than $20,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe for Chamblee, a member of the Ironworkers Local 383 union.
"He is a solid young dude and hard worker and deserves our help. I’m not sure how long the road to recovery will be, but I would assume he will be out of work for a while," wrote union member Caleb Murray, who launched the fundraiser.
Chamblee fell about 50 feet at a Findorff construction site on Madison's Capitol Square Jan. 31 when a construction crane dropped a beam weighing at least 20,000 pounds. Murray said Chamblee was making a beam connection when he fell.
According to a Feb. 4 statement from Findorff, Chamblee is "recovering well."
The accident has drawn significant attention from Madison’s construction community, where union members and contractors frequently work side by side on high-profile projects around the state Capitol. Safety advocates say the incident underscores the risks ironworkers face when performing connections dozens of feet in the air.
Findorff officials said they are cooperating fully with investigators and focusing on supporting the injured worker and his family.
"The outpouring of community support has been uplifting for those involved in Saturday's incident," a spokesperson said. "Our highest priority is the health and safety of our employees and everyone on our job sites, and we continue to work closely with local authorities and safety officials, including individuals from OSHA, to review the incident."
Not all OSHA investigations involve an on-site inspection. OSHA might first call the employer, who can provide a written response with planned corrective actions. If an inspector ultimately finds violations of OSHA standards, the business could face citations or fines.
Findorff said authorities have deemed the site safe and work has resumed away from the incident location.
The construction site is the home of the future Wisconsin History Center, which is replacing the former state historical museum across from the state Capitol. The multiyear project is one of the most visible developments in downtown Madison and involves complex structural steel work.
A spokesperson for the Wisconsin Historical Society, which is leading the project, said "we care very deeply about the welfare and safety of the contractors supporting our projects, and we were relieved to hear that the crew member is in stable condition."
Work has resumed at the construction site on Madison's Capitol Square away from the incident location.
Hope Karnopp can be reached at usatodayco.com.
Originally reported by Hope Karnopp, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in JS Online.
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