The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a serious citation to Kaverit Steel and Crane, based in Edmonton, Canada, following the death of one of its employees at the Port of Morrow in Boardman, Ore. The citation carries a proposed penalty of $7,000.

The serious citation alleges that workers were not provided a safe workplace because of exposure to the sudden collapse of a gantry crane.

On April 25, a fatal accident occurred involving the collapse of a gantry crane at the Port of Morrow in Boardman. At the time of the collapse, the newly erected gantry crane was in a trial run with a technician in the operator's cab. The technician was killed when structural members of the Kaverit 60-ton crane failed.

The gantry crane frame was not properly designed to standard industry practice and could not withstand sufficient lateral force.

Kaverit Steel and Crane has 15 working days following receipt of the citation to contest the violation or to request a meeting with OSHA to discuss the violation notice, including methods of correction, length of abatement period and the proposed penalty.

OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. In fiscal year (FY) 2002, the most recent year for which data have been published, there was a 6.6 percent decline in work related fatalities in the U.S. In FY 2003, OSHA conducted almost 40,000 inspections, with more than half focused on high-hazard industries.