State Fines Company $284,000 After Worker Falls to Death from Bridge in Vantage

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries is fining a construction company after a man died from falling off the Beverly Railroad bridge in Vantage.

Boss Construction of Bellingham faces about $284,000 in fines for failing to have safeguards in place to keep workers from falling.

A 39-year-old man fell 60 feet from the bridge deck to the ground last August while laying concrete as part of a bridge restoration project.

L&I cited the company for what it called two "egregious serious willful violations" in falling to provide safety precautions over several days last August.

According to L&I:

"Inspectors observed a catenary line — a horizontal line anchored at each end that workers can attach to for safety — installed on only one side of the bridge deck. The line spanned approximately 2,600 feet, but did not span the entire 3,052 feet of the bridge. That left about 200 feet on each end on one side of the bridge without a line for workers to attach to as they walked on the bridge. The other side of the bridge had no catenary line and was completely unguarded for the full span. Guardrails had been removed several months prior to the incident leaving a flat, unguarded surface. L&I also cited Boss Construction for not having a rescue boat immediately available and not having ring buoys with ropes or life.