Vikings stadium construction firms penalized after worker death
Two construction firms have been penalized in connection with an incident last year where a worker was killed after falling from the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Jeramie Gruber, 35, of Northfield, Minn., died on Aug. 26 last year after he slid off the roof of the stadium and broke through a guardrail before landing on an elevated platform. Another man working with Gruber was injured when he slid down the roof and hit a pole.
Berwald Roofing Company of North St. Paul, which is a subcontractor on the project, has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for a "willful" violation for failing to make sure 17 workers had fall protection. In OSHA jargon, a willful violation is one where "the employer either knowingly failed to comply with a legal requirement (purposeful disregard) or acted with plain indifference to employee safety."
The company was also cited for its workplace safety trainings and policies. In total, OSHA assessed $139,100 in penalties against Berwald.
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Berwald Roofing Company has been previously cited nine different times for safety violations in the last five years,including for failure to provide safety equipment on roofs or scaffolding.
Berwald Roofing Company President Eugene Berwald said in a statement that company officials are still working with OSHA to "reach a final determination of its findings" related to the Aug. 26 incident.
Mortenson Construction is the main contractor on the stadium project. Documents at the U.S. Department of Labor show that Mortenson has been cited for violating general safety and health provisions and fined $34,300.
Mortenson senior vice president John Wood said in a statement that the company is appealing the final terms of the citation.
"At Mortenson, safety is a core value and we are committed to eliminating the risk of injury on all of our projects," Wood said. "We will never lose that focus and we will continue to ensure it is the foremost priority."
Gruber was the only worker to die in the construction of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium. A public grand opening of the stadium is set for July 23-24.