Berkeley Cement, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Oct 14, 2020: Employee injures thumb when struck by hammer

At 11:20 a.m. on October 14, 2020, Employee #1, employed as a cement mason by Berkeley Cement Inc., was working at a site located in San Francisco, CA. The employee was engaged in connecting cement pipes and was holding a clamp when a coworker accidentally struck Employee #1's left thumb with a hammer. The cause of the incident was determined to be the coworker's miss of the clamp. Employee #1 suffered a smashed left thumb. The employer reported the incident to DOSH on October 15, 2020. On October 19, 2020, a compliance safety and health officer (CSHO) opened an investigation into the incident. The employee later died during vacation in Mexico, after recovering from the incident. No violations of Title 8 were found, and no accident-related citations were issued.

Incident on May 29, 2019: Employee incurs multiple injuries when struck by collapsing

At 1:35 p.m. on May 29, 2019, Employee #1 and Coworkers #1 and #2, employed by a cement construction company, were working at the construction site for a new hotel. They were removing the Pro-Shore system, which was used to create formwork for the cement poured to create the second floor above. The three employees were removing the joist and main beams of the Pro-Shore system in various bays under the poured concrete. Coworker #1, working from a forklift, was going from bay to bay and loosening the main beams by hitting the star nut, the piece that supports the beams, and then removing the joist and beam and handing them to Employee #1 and Coworker #2 on ground level. Coworker #1, seeing that something wasn't right, told the other employees to stand back, at which time the bay collapsed. The main beam swung out and struck Employee #1 in the face and shoulder, and Employee #1 fell to the ground and lost consciousness. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted for treatment of a fractured face, fractured left shoulder, and head injuries.

Incident on Oct 5, 2018: Employee's neck is injured by falling shore deck panel

At 9:07 a.m. on October 5, 2018, Employee #1 and a coworker, employed by a concrete construction company, were working to grade/level a Pro-Shore deck panel and GASS post. A deck panel from 12 to 18 feet away from the employees fell and caused a total of five deck panels to fall. One panel struck Employee #1 in the head. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital for treatment of a non-serious neck fracture and then released without hospitalization.

Incident on Jul 31, 2017: Worker falls from scaffold ladder, hard hat prevents serious

At 9:00 a.m. on July 31, 2017, Employee #1 and Coworker #1, employed by a concrete company, were working at a multiemployer construction project, a commercial building. They were dismantling a two-level rolling scaffold so it would clear under the ceiling and they could move it to the opposite side of the floor and resume their work. With the scaffold's wheel locks engaged, they removed the top railings and began to descend the scaffold's built-in access ladder. Employee #1, thinking he had reached ground level, reached out with his foot, missed a ladder rung, and fell, a fall height of approximately 20 to 24 inches. He hit his head on the pavement, and the hard hat he was wearing absorbed the impact. Emergency services were called, and Employee #1 was transported to the hospital. He underwent various medical tests for head injury, and all were negative. Employee #1 was treated for head pain and discharged.