A company has been fined $14,000 in connection with a fatal construction accident earlier this year on the University of Iowa campus. The accident on January 24 claimed the life of 52-year-old Kevin Hammons of Washington, Iowa.
Hammons was working for Iowa Bridge and Culvert, Inc. on the restoration of the U-of-I’s flood-damaged Art Building West when a steel beam fell on top of Hammons and pinned him to the ground. The Iowa Division of Labor Services cited the company, based in Washington, for six safety violations.
The state, among other things, claimed the person doing daily safety inspections for Iowa Bridge and Culvert did not have adequate knowledge of possible safety hazards. Iowa Bridge and Culvert also was cited for nine serious safety violations in 2009 during another project near the University of Iowa.