Companies involved in worksite death face unrelated safety charge

Two companies contracted to work on the Penn West Plaza, where a construction worker was crushed to death on Friday, are currently dealing with a health and safety charge stemming from an incident two years ago.

Lance James Orr, 27, was identified Monday as the worker who died on the 21st floor of the west tower, which is still under construction at 215 9th Ave. S.W.

A worker suffered severe head injuries in a 2007 fall from the 11th floor to the ninth floor during construction of the east tower, which has since been completed.

Centron, the general contractor, and Pagnotta Industries, a subcontractor, were charged with failing to ensure they were complying with Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act in connection with the 2007 incident, government spokeswoman Briar McGinnis confirmed on Monday.

Orr was working as a rigger on Friday afternoon —  someone who works with the crane operator to ensure loads are secure — when concrete forms being moved in a sling shifted and fell out, crushing him.

In a statement, Centron said, "Safety is a key component of all our projects and we hold ourselves and our subcontractors to high standards for training and on-the-job safety."

Pagnotta supplied the two cranes on the site, and hired staff to run them. Orr was employed by Pagnotta.

It's not known how long the latest investigation will take Occupational Health and Safety, but McGinnis said the latest incident and the one from 2007 will be treated separately even though they involve the same companies.

A hearing into the 2007 charge begins next month.