On the morning of June 16, subcontractors for R.C. Pacific Construction Inc. were working on the frame of a building in Foster City that is slated to be a Carl’s Jr. According to a spokesperson with the California Division of OSHA, a portion of the structure collapsed on the workers when a truss, a component used to support the roof, collapsed around 10:30 a.m. A dispatcher for the Foster City Fire Department sent fire crews to the scene of the incident on Triton Drive. Two of the construction workers only suffered minor injuries, but the others were moderately injured. All four men were transported to Stanford Hospital for treatment.
Cal/OSHA started their investigation into the accident that day according to the news source. A representative of the construction company said that it will be conducting its own investigation as well. According to a construction worker at a construction site nearby, high winds in the area might have contributed to the collapse of the building’s framework. No one from Cal/OSHA or the construction company spoke of that possibility in the news source.
Cal/OSHA’s and the company’s respective investigations into this incident may uncover that the injured workers were not at fault for the structure’s collapse. The very design of the building may be cited as the cause of its collapse. Also, the company may have ordered bad lumber or other defective components that could have contributed to the accident. In the event that one, or both, of those inquiries point away from the victims as being liable for the frame’s failure, they may want to consult a personal injury attorney to discuss their options for legal recourse.
Source: CBS SF Bay Area, ‘4 Construction Workers Injured In Foster City Partial Building Collapse”, June 16, 2014
Source: San Francisco Gate, “Foster City construction accident injures 4 workers“, Henry K. Lee, June 17, 2014