Thursday, July 19, 2007


SHELTON, Jul. 19, 2007 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
Officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating an incident Tuesday in which an elevator installer slipped and fell into the shaft of an elevator.

'I have a compliance officer on site investigating,' Robert W. Kowalski, the OSHA area coordinator, said Wednesday.

The 59-year-old installer, whose name was not immediately released, was taken to Bridgeport Hospital with unspecified injuries after falling at about 2:30 p.m. into the shaft of an elevator at a building under construction at 90 Ivy Brook Road off Constitution Boulevard South.

He was treated and released Tuesday.

Kowalski said OSHA, which has a regional enforcement program to investigate on-the-job falls, launched its investigation after being notified of the incident by local authorities.

He said OSHA does not release people's names. The installer's name was not available from local police because a report had not yet been filed Wednesday afternoon.

OSHA has six months to complete an investigation, although Kowalski said the agency usually likes to finish its work in 30 to 60 days.

'We look for the root cause of the accident and go from there,' he said.

Kowalski said OSHA is also investigating the incident Monday off Corporate Drive where Monroe resident and roofing contractor Marcus Mead fell from the 17th floor of the Renaissance, a condominium/apartment building under construction.

'Initially, it did not get called in as a suicide,' Kowalski said. 'It came in as a fall, so we dispatched a compliance officer.'

Shelton Police Sgt. Kevin Ahern said no one witnessed Mead's plunge from the building's roof, but authorities are treating the incident as a possible suicide.

'Our investigation leads us to believe he jumped off the roof,' Ahern said. Genevieve Reilly, who covers Shelton, can be reached at 330-6256.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0020-18262795


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