2 workers injured in falls at Cowboys Stadium

Two workers were injured at Cowboys Stadium Thursday morning when they fell from an upper roof to a lower level of the stadium, said Tiara Richard Ellis, Arlington police spokeswoman. An Arlington Fire Department spokesman said the men were doing maintenance on the top hatch of the stadium when they slipped. He said the workers were not wearing safety harness and described the workers’ injuries as severe.

The accident happened about 7 a.m., fire officials said. At 8:30 a.m., rescue personnel were attempting to remove the men from the where they fell.They fell an estimated 50 to 75 feet, officials said.

The fire department spokesman said one of the workers would be transported to a hospital by air ambulance. The injuries included broken bones, the fire department spokesman said.

Members of the Arlington Fire Department’s technical rescue team could be seen on the top of the stadium during the rescue operation. The fire department spokesman said the men would have to be lowered from where they fell before they could be transported to the hospital.

The stadium has had its share of accidents. In one of them, an electrician was killed in June 2008 when he touched a high-voltage line.

Since work began on the $1.1 billion stadium project in April 2006, 175 incidents had been reported through May 2008, an official with general contractor Manhattan Construction said last year. Those incidents included minor scratches, broken bones, and eye irritation.

Manhattan initiated new safety procedures in May 2008 after a sharp increase in the accidents. The company was in a partnership with OSHA to provide extra safety training for employees.

OSHA investigated two previous major accidents at the site. In January 2007, a worker fell through a hole, and the contractor, Capform, was fined $10,000.

Later that year, a man was hit in the back with a crane hook. OSHA found no violations but issued the employer, also Capform, a warning letter.
By Domingo Ramirez, Jr. in The Fort Worth Star Telegram
Report from WFAA News, Dallas Fort Worth