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OSHA cites 11 firms in connection to Hard Rock New Orleans lethal collapse

2020-04-07T12:00:00-04:00

After a months-long investigation, OSHA has cited and fined 11 firms in connection with the October 2019 partial collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans. The agency has proposed fines totaling $315,536, and all companies have 15 days to contest the monetary fines and citations.

According to Construction Dive, the following firms have been cited by OSHA:

Heaslip Engineering LLC drew the largest fine, $154,214, and the only willful citation among the group.
Suncoast Projects LLC, dba Hub Steel, based in Groveland, Florida, had the second-highest total fines of $37,191.
OSHA also cited general contractor Citadel Builders LLC for not providing the temporary lighting necessary for safe egress; for not marking exits with visibly marked signage; and for not ensuring that drawings or plans for beam shoring were available at the jobsite, reports Construction Dive.
REY.CO Inc. ($23,697)
F. Mata Masonry LLC ($12,723)
King Company LLC ($12,145)
Hutco Inc. ($10,794)
Regional Mechanical Services LLC ($9.446)
Rush Masonry Inc. ($9.446)
Southern Services and Equipment Inc. ($9,446)
S&S Construction and Consulting LLC ($8,096).

All fines were in connection to various job-site deficiencies and alleged violations discovered in the investigation.

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Amid Hard Rock collapse investigation, New Orleans mayor calls for more women in STEM roles

2019-11-13T12:22:00-05:00

Louise Blanchard Bethune is recognized as the first American woman who worked as an architect. Maybe there’s a Bethune among our young girls in the Crescent City, Baton Rouge, Lafayette or elsewhere in the state.

As the investigation into the deadly Hard Rock hotel collapse in New Orleans continues, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who has been meeting with the expert architects and engineers studying the collapse made a stunning realization: “The majority of them were absolutely men.”

A staff editorial published by The Advocate highlights comments that Cantrell made at a recent Girl Scouts Louisiana Leadership Luncheon, where she commented on the gender disparities she observed among the experts who had been tasked with helping her administration navigate the aftermath of the collapse.

According to the article, Cantrell said, “there’s a great need to make sure that our women, our girls, are being groomed to take their rightful positions in the area of STEM, in the city of New Orleans and in the state of Louisiana.”

Cause of Hard Rock Hotel collapse in New Orleans remains unknown

2019-10-15T18:37:00-04:00

The priority remained on stabilizing the building, two days after the top floors collapsed on one another, sending debris to the street below and killing two people. One worker remained missing, and authorities have said they also want to find him before moving onto an investigation into what happened.

According to 4WWL the cause of the collapse isn't clear. Jean Mattei, former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said that it is currently too difficult to know what caused the failure, reports 4WWL. "From the videos and from what I've seen, it was something that started at the top and cascaded down," Mattei said to 4WWL.

Archinect user t a z has also started a discussion regarding the incident, click here to read it.