OSHA investigating collapse that injured workers

A 60-by-60-foot storage facility under construction in the Town of Grafton collapsed Friday morning, Nov. 14, injuring three construction workers.

According to an Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office press release, the collapse happened at about 9:45 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14, in the 300 block of North Port Washington Road.

“Workers were in the process of securing wooden roof trusses when the north wall bowed and the roof partially collapsed,”  according to the press release. 

Three workers who were working on the roof fell approximately 16 feet. All three sustained non-life-threatening injuries. One became trapped under the debris.

The Ozaukee Central Fire Department cut through the trusses to free the trapped worker. All three injured workers were transported to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, according to the press release.

The Town of Grafton’s residential and commercial building inspectors and Occupational Safety and Health Administration representatives responded to inspect the construction site and interview work crew members at the site, town Building Inspector Jason Katz said.

Katz said the project had not advanced far enough to be subject to a town inspection.

“It really had nothing to do with us on the building inspection. They were in the rough framing phase so it was not even in our wheelhouse at that point,” he said.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation by OSHA, which is the lead investigator, he said.

In an email, an OSHA media representative in Chicago confirmed that OSHA has opened an investigation into the incident but said that it could take up to six months to complete.

“During that time, no additional information will be provided,” he said.

Other responding agencies included the Port Washington, Cedarburg and Southern Ozaukee fire departments, the Ozaukee County Drone Team and Ozaukee County Emergency Management.