Gary Puleio: Puleio Family Statement 11/13/2001

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”. .

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Puleio Family Statement 11/13/2001

In anticipation of an article in the Meadville Tribune the family of Gary Puleio released this statement to the paper
11/13/01

We, the family of Gary Puleio, are questioning the findings in the OSHA investigation of his death 8/15/01 at Meadville Redi-Mix. We feel the investigation did not adequately address the safety issues and are especially disturbed by the discrepancies between the report of the West Mead Township Police and the OSHA citation. Our concerns are outlined in letters to John Stranahan , Erie Area OSHA director dated 10/11/01 and 10/28/01. These letters have been sent also to Richard Soltan, the regional OSHA director.

Thus far we have not had any response to our questions from either Mr. Stranahan or Mr. Soltan.

As tax paying US citizens, we expect accountability from those agencies our tax dollars fund.

We understand that PA Worker's Compensation Laws are "no fault" and no matter how much negligence is found and no matter who is at fault, a fixed compensation is paid to the victim's widow.

We believe that underlying this law should be the expectation that a fair and adequate investigation was done.

It is only by truly exploring the cause of the accident that further tragedies can be prevented.

We hope that by seeking answers to questions we have about Gary's death that we will eventually find closure and peace. We hope that no family ever has to experience the sadness we live with daily.

Gary will be forever loved and missed by us. His children will be without a father, his wife without a companion. May his legacy be safer worker conditions for others and accountability by those responsible for worker's safety.

The Family of Gary Puleio
Donna Puleio Spadaro MD, sister
Linda Corey Puleio, wife
Paul Puleio, brother
Marion Puleio Krier, sister
Phone 814-437-7891 (Spadaro work)
Phone 814-432-5450 (Spadaro Home)