A recent fatality at a manufacturing plant for computer chips in Malta temporarily halted construction while the death was investigated. The spokesman for GlobalFoundries issued a news release confirming a fatal accident had occurred at the $8.5 billion site, but the area was now secure without further risk. He added that the production of the computer chips had not been impacted.
According to reports from the New York State Police, a 54-year-old subcontractor from John Danforth Construction was killed while working with five other men. The crew was attempting to install an industrial air exchanger in a space on the fourth floor of the facility. The deceased is from Saranac, New York. No mention was made of any injuries suffered by other workers resulting from the fatal accident.
The project, now in its fifth year, is part of a massive expansion and construction of a Technology Development Center for development and new research, and is one of the state’s most sizable construction projects under operation. More than 2,400 employees were hired to run the day-to-day operations at the factory, and approximately 3,000 construction workers are employed at the site.
While few details were given about the construction site accident, a project of that magnitude must comply with strict Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. If there was negligence on the part of any of the subcontracting companies or GlobalFoundries itself that caused or contributed to the construction worker’s death, it could form the basis of litigation for damages should the man’s survivors choose to pursue legal action in the New York civil court system.
Source: Albany Business Review, “Subcontractor dies following accident at GlobalFoundries plant, construction halted,” June 27, 2014
