Gary Puleio: John Stranahan 8/30/2001

Gary Puleio

Gary was killed on the job at a concrete plant on August 15, 2001. He had been employed there only 3 months as a non-union cement truck driver and fell 25 feet to his death, from a cement tower, while shoveling gravel off the hopper to clean it. The company claimed Gary just wandered up there on his own, without wearing any safety equipment, at the end of his driving shift rather than being assigned this dangerous task because he was the “new man”. OSHA accepted this implausible story and after admitting no wrong doing, the company paid a $6000 fine for REPEAT violations for not posting danger signs at a confined space and not implementing measures to prevent unauthorized entry. This company had multiple serious violations issued only months before Gary was killed which were informally settled with reduced fines. Corporations routinely “negotiate” with OSHA to downgrade fines through a process called “abatement. ” Aggrieved families of dead workers have no such access to OSHA, face hurdles in obtaining information under the Freedom of Information Act, have their concerns condescendingly dismissed and ultimately are told that no further action can be taken once 6 months have passed since the “alleged violation”. .

Thursday, July 5, 2007

John Stranahan 8/30/2001

John Stranahan
OSHA
3939 W. Ridge Rd
Suite B12
Erie Pa. 16506

8/30/01

Dear Mr. Stranahan:

I am writing to obtain the results of the OSHA investigation into the death of my brother, Gary Puleio.

Gary, aged 53, had only been employed as a cement truck driver for 3 months by the Kebert Construction Company when he died after falling 20 feet into a cement mixing tower. It appears he was alone on the tower and no safety harness was in place.

It appears that he was sent to perform a hazardous job outside the scope of this truck driving responsibilities without proper training or safety devices in place.

After an autopsy, the coroner ruled his death accidental and the local newspapers stated his death was reported to OSHA.

Today, I was contacted by Barry Burbage, Assistant Area Director of OSHA, and given your name as the person to contact for information.

Therefore, under the Freedom of Information Act, I request that you send me results of the findings concerning my brother's death.

Please contact me promptly if there is something more I need to do to obtain the results.

Sincerely,

Donna P. Spadaro MD
R. D. 2 Box 18
Franklin, Pa. 16323
Work 814-437-7891
Home 814-432-5450

Cc: Carl Lawlor
OSHA
The Curtis Center Suite 740 West
170 S. Independence Mall West
Phila, Pa 19106