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BRAINTREE Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The US Department of Labor has determined after an investigation that factors including proper planning and safeguards could have prevented the New Bedford dock collapse in October 2023 which caused five construction workers to fall into the Achushnet River and injured two of them, according to a press release.
Upon inspection, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the Connecticut based Mohawk Northeast Inc, failed to determine if the walking and working surfaces on the pier had the strength and structural integrity to withstand the forces of employees on the dock safely combined with the weight of materials and equipment on it. OSHA has issued the company a citation and has assessed approximately $161,323 in proposed penalties. In addition, the agency has proposed an additional $53,004 in penalties for the employer’s violations related to fall and drowning hazards.
“Mohawk Northeast Inc. had a responsibility to determine if the pier was structurally sound and ensure other required safeguards before placing its employees and equipment on the pier, but it chose not to do so,” said OSHA Area Director James Mulligan in a statement.
The total proposed penalties issued to the company is $214,327, according to the release.
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