Twin Peaks Tunnel Work Can Resume After Worker Death
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The San Francisco Municipal Transportation received clearance from both Cal OSHA and the San Francisco Police Department late Friday night to resume work on the Twin Peaks Tunnel Project, after the death earlier Friday of a signal technician struck by a falling steel beam inside the tunnel.
"We have taken extra precaution to ensure the tunnel is safe before returning workers to the project," said Ed Reiskin, SFMTA's Director of Transportation, said in a statement today. "We feel confident that the contractor, under the SFMTA's oversight, has done everything possible to ensure construction can proceed safely."
The construction worker, 51-year-old Patrick Ricketts of Williams, in Colusa County, was hit by the beam about 4:30 p.m. Friday near the West Portal end of the tunnel, according to the SFMTA. He died at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Ricketts was an employee of Oakland-based Shimmick Construction.
Grief counseling will be made available to all those working at the site.
The 100-year-old Twin Peaks Tunnel carries MUNI's K, L and M lines between the West Portal and Castro stations. It has been undergoing major rehabilitation work, including replacing and adding tracks, repairing tunnel walls and ceilings, replacing the drainage system, and completing seismic upgrades and structural repairs. The work started in June, and is expected to be finished by late August, the SFMTA said.
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