Company Faulted in Iowa Worker’s Fatal Accident

An Iowa safety regulator is blaming a company for not adequately training a worker who was killed in a Marshalltown construction accident.

The Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing to fine Bridge City Construction, of Ottumwa, nearly $3,900. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that 37-year-old Bridge City employee Chris Ehrenhard, died in a December accident at a Marshalltown construction project.

The agency says the way Ehrenhard was operating an aerial lift pinned him against a beam and controls of the aerial lift, causing fatal injuries. The agency says Bridge City did not provide effective training to employees regarding hazards that were associated with the job site, such as ground conditions and overhead hazards.

Bridge City Construction owner Jason Blunt has declined to comment about the proposed fine. It’s unclear whether he will fight the penalty.