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Woman dies after being struck by steel cylinder near construction site

Woman dies after being struck by steel cylinder near construction site
VIOLATIONS. THIS STEEL CYLINDER, ESTIMATED BY PUBLIC SAFETY TO WEIGH AT LEAST A TON AT THE CENTER OF A DISTURBING SCENE. FRIDAY. AUTHORITIES SAY IT ROLLED DOWNHILL FROM THIS CONSTRUCTION SITE, HITTING 51 YEAR OLD AALIYAH LOPEZ AND COMING TO A STOP UP AGAINST A PARKED PICKUP TRUCK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE. IT’S COMPLETELY INEXCUSABLE. IT COST SOMEBODY THEIR LIFE. BEN BEYER IS A WORKPLACE INJURY ATTORNEY. HE IS NOT REPRESENTING ANY PARTIES INVOLVED, BUT HE OFFERED US INSIGHT INTO WHAT OSHA MAY BE INVESTIGATING IN ORDER TO LOSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU HAD TO HAVE SOME SORT OF RIGGING FAILURE WHERE YOU HAVE A LOAD THAT’S LIFTED, IT FAILS, IT DROPS, IT ROLLS DOWN A HILL, OR YOU GOT SOME SORT OF LARGE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HITS SOMETHING THAT THEN HITS SOMETHING, AND YOU HAVE THIS DOMINO EFFECT WHERE THE THING STARTS TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL. THE TWO GENERAL CONTRACTORS ON THE PROJECT ARE MASSARO AND GILBANE. THE SUBCONTRACTOR IS COSTA CONTRACTING. YOU CAN SEE ITS NAME EMBLAZONED ON AN EXCAVATOR JUST UP THE HILL FROM WHERE THE WOMAN WAS KILLED. AN OSHA INVESTIGATION INTO COSTA LAST YEAR DETERMINED THAT EMPLOYEES WERE NOT PROTECTED FROM MATERIALS OR EQUIPMENT THAT COULD POSE A HAZARD BY FALLING OR ROLLING INTO EXCAVATIONS AS A RESULT, OSHA HIT COSTA WITH AN $8,000 FINE, SIMILAR VIOLATIONS YIELDED A $13,000 FINE IN 2019, AND A $4,000 FINE IN 2018. GILBANE ALSO CAME UNDER OSHA SCRUTINY. MULTIPLE TIMES, LIKE IN 2021 WHEN IT WAS FINED. $14,000 AFTER AN EXCAVATOR WALL COLLAPSED IN PHILADELPHIA, KILLING A WORKER. THEN THERE’S MASSARO, WHICH IN 2006 WAS FINED $63,000 AFTER A WORKER WAS DECAPITATED BY AN ELEVATOR AT A PROJECT ON SECOND AVENUE HERE IN PITTSBURGH AT THE TIME, THE COMPANY SAID IT WOULD APPEAL THE FINE. ALL OF THOSE COMPANIES OF COURSE, WILL NOW BE SUBJECT TO A NEW OSHA INVESTIGATION, THOUGH WE ARE IN THE INFANCY OF THIS INVESTIGATION, SO WE DON’T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THIS WILL YIELD. THE SPOKESPERSON, THOUGH, FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE COMPANIES, SAID THAT THEY WILL COOPERATE WITH INVESTIGATORS. AS FOR 51 YEAR OLD AALIYAH LOPEZ, THE VICTIM IN THIS INCIDENT, SHE WAS WALKING WITH COLLEAGUES AT THE TIME ON THE SIDEWALK. UPMC SAID THAT SHE WORKED AT WESTERN PSYCH. THEY SAID THEY’RE DEEPLY SADDENED AT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE WITH LOPEZ’
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Woman dies after being struck by steel cylinder near construction site
A woman died after a steel cylinder rolled down a hill from a construction site in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood and struck her Friday, police said. Pittsburgh police and EMS were called to the 3700 block of Terrace Street near Petersen Events Center around 10:40 a.m.The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said Aleia Lopez, 51, of Pittsburgh's North Side, was pronounced dead at the scene.A spokesperson for UPMC confirmed that the woman, who police said suffered a head injury, was an employee at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.Witnesses told authorities the woman was walking with colleagues when a large steel cylinder broke free from the University of Pittsburgh's Victory Heights construction site.In a statement, UPMC said, "We are saddened by this tragic incident. Our immediate concern is the well-being of our employees, patients and visitors. While this was not a UPMC construction site, this tragedy impacts our campuses and we are providing support services to our employees. Our deepest sympathies are with the victim's family, friends and colleagues." The construction site is a joint venture between Gilbane and Massaro.Officials told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that the cylinder rolled down a hill at the site, through a fence and struck the woman, coming to rest against a pickup truck.A registered nurse who was near the scene attempted to administer CPR but was unsuccessful.Emily Bourne with Pittsburgh Public Safety says the woman was declared dead within a minute of medical arrival.The construction manager on the project released the following statement:“We are working closely with authorities to investigate this tragic incident involving one of our subcontractors. We’re grateful to the first responders for their swift actions at the site.“We are deeply saddened by today’s events and our hearts go out to the family of the individual impacted by this incident.”The following statement on behalf of Costa Contracting was released by attorney Dennis Blackwell:With heavy hearts, Costa Contracting wishes to extend their deepest condolences to the family of the woman who lost her life today, Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this profoundly difficult time. Costa Contracting is committed to a full investigation to determine the factors that led to this event. Safety remains our paramount concern and we are working with OSHA and local authorities to understand precisely what occurred. At this time, we respect the privacy of the family and ask that others do the same. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.The University of Pittsburgh released the following statement about the incident:“Earlier today, a pedestrian was fatally injured near a construction site in the vicinity of DeSoto Street and Terrace Street. The individual is not a current student or employee of the University of Pittsburgh. No other injuries have been reported and no additional details are available at this time. The City of Pittsburgh and Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the investigation with the full support of the University. We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim. Resources are available to support University of Pittsburgh community members, including Life Solutions and the University Counseling Center."
PITTSBURGH —

A woman died after a steel cylinder rolled down a hill from a construction site in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood and struck her Friday, police said.

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Pittsburgh police and EMS were called to the 3700 block of Terrace Street near Petersen Events Center around 10:40 a.m.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said Aleia Lopez, 51, of Pittsburgh's North Side, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for UPMC confirmed that the woman, who police said suffered a head injury, was an employee at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.

Witnesses told authorities the woman was walking with colleagues when a large steel cylinder broke free from the University of Pittsburgh's Victory Heights construction site.

In a statement, UPMC said, "We are saddened by this tragic incident. Our immediate concern is the well-being of our employees, patients and visitors. While this was not a UPMC construction site, this tragedy impacts our campuses and we are providing support services to our employees. Our deepest sympathies are with the victim's family, friends and colleagues."

The construction site is a joint venture between Gilbane and Massaro.

Officials told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that the cylinder rolled down a hill at the site, through a fence and struck the woman, coming to rest against a pickup truck.

A registered nurse who was near the scene attempted to administer CPR but was unsuccessful.

Emily Bourne with Pittsburgh Public Safety says the woman was declared dead within a minute of medical arrival.

The construction manager on the project released the following statement:

“We are working closely with authorities to investigate this tragic incident involving one of our subcontractors. We’re grateful to the first responders for their swift actions at the site.

“We are deeply saddened by today’s events and our hearts go out to the family of the individual impacted by this incident.”

The following statement on behalf of Costa Contracting was released by attorney Dennis Blackwell:

With heavy hearts, Costa Contracting wishes to extend their deepest condolences to the family of the woman who lost her life today, Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this profoundly difficult time. Costa Contracting is committed to a full investigation to determine the factors that led to this event. Safety remains our paramount concern and we are working with OSHA and local authorities to understand precisely what occurred. At this time, we respect the privacy of the family and ask that others do the same. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The University of Pittsburgh released the following statement about the incident:

“Earlier today, a pedestrian was fatally injured near a construction site in the vicinity of DeSoto Street and Terrace Street. The individual is not a current student or employee of the University of Pittsburgh. No other injuries have been reported and no additional details are available at this time. The City of Pittsburgh and Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the investigation with the full support of the University. We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim. Resources are available to support University of Pittsburgh community members, including Life Solutions and the University Counseling Center."