Leonard Biar: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on May 16, 2022 (fatal): Employee is killed from heat stroke during construction

At 3:15 p.m. on May 16, 2022, an employee was working as a helper installing interior walls, ceilings and doors at a multi-employer construction site for a new commercial building. It was the employee's first day of work, and the worksite was in direct sunlight with no shade available other than within the employees' vehicles. The employee reported that he was not feeling well and had stopped sweating. The employee was killed from heat stroke at some point after finishing the work shift because he was not acclimated to the heat that he was exposed to in his working environment. Over the period of exposure during the work shift, the heat index ranged from 71 to 96 degrees F. Coworkers reported that the employee had consumed a Gatorade and water at the first morning break, a Gatorade at lunch, and another bottle of water at the time that the employee reported he was not feeling well. Water and Gatorade were provided on site by the employer but the employee was not trained on how to identify the symptoms of heat illness and their severity.