SMYRNA - A federal safety agency fined an Atlanta-based company Monday in connection with a scaffold collapse at a Cobb County sewage treatment plant that killed two workers.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said officials at Archer Western Contractors Ltd. were aware of the dangers that led to the May 7 accident. The men were working on the Chattahoochee Tunnel project in Smyrna.
Reginald Washington, of Newnan, and Jose Lazama, of Atlanta, both 38, were killed. They were among workers reinforcing the sides of a 200-foot shaft, when the scaffolding collapsed.
OSHA has fined Archer Western $76,300. Safety officials said a formwork system, which holds concrete in place as it dries, was improperly constructed.
``This employer showed intentional disregard for worker safety,'' said Andre Richards, OSHA's Atlanta-West area director. ``Company officials knew the replacement anchors were smaller than the original ones holding the formwork together.''
Archer Western has 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties.
Tuesday
August 5th, 2025
2:05AM
