by Leslie Rasimas
Staff Writer
Despite constant construction and obstruction on campus, reported
accidents and injuries are almost nonexistent.
Director of Design and Construction Dr. Clyde D. Robbins said each
project on campus has a safety representative present at all times
to ensure safe working conditions for workers and people walking
on campus.
“We have had no reported injuries where loss of work time
resulted in the past several months,” Robbins said.
Junior chemistry major Joseph P. Carlin was the first student to
be injured on campus this year.
Last Tuesday, Carlin was walking past the construction site of the
Library & Information Commons when he was struck on the head
with a 2x4 board.
“I was walking next to the fence on my way to class, and the
next thing I knew, I got hit in the head with something. I stumbled
a little, but I didn’t know what had happened, so I continued
to class,” Carlin said.
Carlin said he received a strange look from a girl when he tried
to say hello to her. He then asked a friend of his, Ellie M. Abernethy,
if there was something wrong with his face, and she said it was
bloody.
Abernethy walked Carlin to the infirmary, where he was treated for
minor cuts and bruises.
Carlin said the board struck his face and made an imprint approximately
one-quarter inch from his eye.
Carlin said he received e-mails from several concerned administrators
on campus, and he sent an e-mail to Interim Chancellor Dr. Harvey
R. Durham.
“Dr. Durham said he would tell [Vice Chancellor for Business
Affairs Jane P. Helm] to look into things and get back to me. Everyone
at ASU has been really helpful, which is nice because I was really
concerned about this,” Carlin said.
Kevin Burns, project manager for Bovis Lend Lease, the construction
company in charge of the Library & Information Commons, said
Bovis has a strict safety program in place.
Burns said after an investigation, Bovis found that a subcontractor
who was working on the pitched roof of the new library accidentally
dropped a 2x4 board that struck the perimeter fence. The fence broke,
and the board then struck Carlin in the head.
Burns said the construction worker would probably not be fired.
Project manager for the new library Patrick A. Beville said a covered
sidewalk is under construction now to protect pedestrians and workers.
The sidewalk will protect people walking between D.D. Dougherty
Hall and the new library.
“Up to this point, the library area has been completely accident-free,”
Beville said.
Beville said trash is not thrown off the roof, as people may believe
this is how accidents happen with building materials.
“I was always concerned about the safety on campus, but I
wasn’t even surprised when this happened. At this point, I
feel like [the university] will take additional precautions because
this happened,” Carlin said.
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