The U.S. Labor Department released additional details regarding the June 13 construction site accident in western St. Thomas Monday. An agency spokesperson provided the latest disclosure in an effort to clarify previous reporting published by the Source.
Those authorities now say multiple people suffered injuries requiring hospitalization.
Ten people described as construction workers were rushed to the Roy L. Schneider Hospital following the collapse of a scaffold used to build a portion of the Botany Bay Hotel. Previous reporting cited an Occupational Safety and Health Administration Inspection Report citing violations by the contractor, Immaculate Builders Council, LLC. The initial report included fines levied for violations of more than $26,000 for two seriously injured workers and one individual described as “Other.”
In the update sent to the Source on Monday, the accident produced “multiple injuries” but no deaths, as was reported in a Feb. 26 article. “I wanted to clarify an important distinction regarding the OSHA inspection classification. The OSHA Establishment Search System uses the term “FAT/CAT” to categorize both fatalities and catastrophes. While this inspection fell under the FAT/CAT category, a review of the violation details mentions multiple injuries, but no fatalities,” the Labor Department spokesperson said.
The latest statement conflicts with an earlier statement received through the OSHA Region 1 headquarters on Feb. 20.
In addition to the violations cited in Inspection Report 1758172, the following citations have now been listed:
Citation 01001 (Scaffold collapse): Multiple employees injured.
Citation 01002 (Lack of training): Multiple employees injured.
Citation 02001 (Failure to report hospitalization): Employer did not notify OSHA of five (5) employee hospitalizations within 24 hours.
“The injuries include spinal compression, fractures, impalements, and abrasions,” according to a statement issued by Schneider Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Tina Comissiong. In additional reporting on the accident, med center officials said one accident victim was airlifted to the U.S. mainland for further treatment. Two more were believed to have also been sent off island as well.
The Source has filed a Freedom of Information request with the agency to seek further information.
