Bridge Painter Drowns in Georgia River — OSHA Answers With More Than $900,000 in Penalties
SAVANNAH — A bridge painter working over the Ogeechee River fell into the water and drowned — and federal investigators concluded his employer had willfully sent him up there with neither fall protection nor a life jacket. On September 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor issued more than $900,000 in combined penalties to two companies over the death.
The Incident
On April 7, 2025, bridge painters employed by Seminole Equipment Inc. were removing scaffolding from the southbound I-95 bridge over the Ogeechee River when one worker fell into the river and drowned. OSHA determined that the Tarpon Springs, Florida-based contractor failed to ensure employees used fall protection and life jackets while working on the bridge section — two separate lifelines, both missing.
The Violations
OSHA cited Seminole Equipment for five willful and three serious violations, proposing $877,220 in penalties. The willful classification is the agency’s most severe: it signals an employer that knew what the law required and chose not to follow it.
The agency also issued two serious violations to The L.C. Whitford Co. Inc., the controlling employer for the site, with a proposed penalty of $26,480 — a reminder that general contractors share responsibility for the conditions their subs work under.
OSHA’s Stance
“A critical piece of our mission to put American workers first is ensuring they are safe and protected on the job,” said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “No American should go into work fearing they might not make it home at the end of the day. OSHA is taking concrete enforcement action to stop preventable tragedies.”
Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling added, “The Department of Labor is committed to protecting our nation’s workforce by holding bad actors accountable. We will continue addressing careless practices when we see them to achieve our shared goal of safe and productive workplaces for all Americans.”
The companies have 15 business days from receipt of their citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Lessons to Take Home
Work over water demands layered protection: fall arrest to keep workers out of the river, and life jackets in case the first layer fails. Skipping both isn’t an oversight — it’s a shortcut with a body count. When you plan work at height, plan for the landing zone too, and never let dismantling or “wrap-up” tasks like scaffold removal escape the same fall protection rules as the main job. Teardown is when guards drop and attention drifts.
If you need to reset your crew’s mindset about why the rules exist, share our talk on the reasons to work safe at your next meeting.
