Worker safety is a top priority for all maintenance and engineering managers. From personal protection equipment and fall protection to proper signage and safety training, managers are responsible for providing the resources workers need to ensure their safety on the job. Unfortunately, tragedies remain an unfortunate part of building construction and maintenance.
A construction worker died recently after falling from a bridge at the Contemplative Commons project site at the University of Virginia, says Brian Coy, a university spokesman. The worker fell from the west connector bridge that leads to the Ridley Building, which houses the School of Education and Human Development, and was transported to UVa Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries, according to The Daily Progress.
The Hourigan group, hired by the university, began laying the groundwork for the east tower of the new Commons in November 2022. The 57,000-square-foot Commons is scheduled to open this fall and will add to the Contemplative Sciences Center, Coy says.
The Contemplative Commons construction manager, Hourigan, is conducting a “thorough investigation” into the incident alongside the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The university is constructing a series of bridges that will connect high-traffic areas of university grounds with pedestrian bridges. The university broke ground on the Contemplative Commons in October 2021, two years after announcing the initial design for the new building. The commons will be a hybrid space for learning and relaxation that is woven into the environment where it is located.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor of the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
