03.01.2013

Contractor faces $105,000 in fines

Lunda Construction of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is facing $105,000 in fines from OSHA for one willful, and five serious safety violations, following the incident last July in which Joseph Bidler, 35, lost his life when a tandem lift went wrong on the Lake Butte des Morts bridge in Oshkosh. See Fatal crane incident.

Lunda has also been fined $21,000 for three serious violations, following an incident last April, near De Pere, in which Raymond Ashenbrenner, 58, was killed when a crane boom collapsed.

OSHA said that there were problems with operating standards, and planning meetings and that Lunda will be placed on its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

A subcontractor on the US 41 bridge project, Choice Construction, faces a $13,000 fine for the part it played in the incident.