Worker dies after fall at Benjamin E. Mays HS

By Rosalind Bentley

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A construction worker died Saturday after falling 20 feet from a hydraulic lift at Benjamin E. Mays High School.

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Channel 2 Action News An unidentified man was working on an addition in the rear of Benjamin E. Mays High School, which is being remodeled.

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The accident occurred at 1:45 p.m. as the unidentified man was working on an addition in the rear on the southwest Atlanta school, which is being remodeled.

Authorities said a metal pipe fell from a ceiling of the addition and struck the lift holding the worker. The impact apparently caused the worker to fall from the lift onto the pavement 20 feet below.

The building project is being led by Winter Construction, and President and Chief Executive Officer Brent Reid visited the site Saturday. He said the man who died worked for a subcontractor but gave no further details pending notification of the man's family.

It was “a tragic day and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family,” the CEO said.

The construction site has been temporarily shut down while the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigates. Reid said Winter and Shumate Air Conditioning and Heating also are involved in the investigation. A Shumate crew was at the site at the time of the accident.

Reid said the worker was employed by Shumate, and a half dozen Shumate workers gathered around a company vehicle after the accident. They would not comment when approached by a reporter.

The Fulton County medical examiner investigated the incident earlier in the day, and the body had been removed by late afternoon.

Reid said Winter has been working on the high school's expansion for a few months. The school's website said the project is expected to be completed by this December.

He said he was unsure when construction would resume but he thought it would be soon.

Keep checking for updates.