More than six months after the death of a masonry worker on site, Homewood Flossmoor High School said construction of a science building remains ongoing.
High School District 233 communications and engagement director Carla Erdey said in a statement the construction company in charge of the project cooperated with an Occupational Safety and Health Administration audit after the death of worker Ronald P. Simonson, 63, of Vernon Hills, in February.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident on February 7, 2024, that took the life of a skilled mason constructing the science building,” Erdey said Tuesday. “His family, co-workers, and friends remain in our hearts.”
The company that employed Simonson, Joe’s Masonry, was a subcontractor hired to assist Reed Construction in building the school’s net zero science building and the culinary and fashion/interior design renovations, a spokesperson for District 233 said at the time.
Simonson’s death from a hand saw slicing his neck led OSHA to take notice.
OSHA issued three citations July 10 against Joe’s Masonry, based in Elmhurst, due to conditions for its workers at the high school.
The company paid more than $16,500 for three violations all coded as “serious,” including failing to provide working walking platforms, exposing workers to fall hazards, a lack of guardrails around platforms more than 11 feet off the ground and unimplemented engineering controls that increased dust exposure that can cause lung disease and other health issues.
Joe’s Masonry received one prior OSHA citation in 2012 for lack of guardrails on a scaffold, according a statement from OSHA in February.
Sal Calzante, vice president of Joe’s Masonry, declined to speak on the violations Wednesday. Reed Construction did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Following the investigation, Erdey said OSHA turned the construction site back over to Reed Construction, where it will remain until work is complete in mid-winter.
“Reed Construction has a weekly third-party safety audit conducted on the site throughout the project to ensure a safe environment for all,” Erdey said in the statement.
The state-of-the-art science building is being built to be net zero, producing more energy than it runs, with the help of a $2 million grant, according to a news release after it was approved. The energy the building produces will offset about $80,000 per year in annual energy costs, the release said.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
