Construction workers were on a job site near the Pismo Beach Pier, working by the cliffs, when a rebar cage gave way. Rubble cascaded down the side of the cliff and buried the workers. Though they survived, five of them were injured.
People nearby were playing volleyball and enjoying their time outside when they saw the collapse. They ran over and helped to dig the workers out. They were crushed under rocks, plywood and rebar.
While that may suggest that someone should have inspected the site more often to make sure there weren’t any problems, the city now says that they did just that. In fact, the city claims they had an inspector out the day before.
One city official noted that some of the fault could lie with the contractor. He noted that the contractors are required to make sure that workers do their jobs safely. He said that something “didn’t go correctly in this case.”
It is also worth noting that the city claims their inspectors look at just the permanent tie-backs. They don’t look at the temporary devices used to secure the rebar.
This could turn into a very interesting legal battle if the company says that the inspection should have shown that the situation was unsafe and the inspectors say that the company — or the workers — just did not follow proper safety procedures. It will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.
It will also be critical for the injured workers to see how it plays out, as that could help define their legal options to get compensation for those injuries.
Source: KSBY, “City says construction site was inspected day before collapse in Pismo Beach,” Megan Abundis, June 28, 2017
