July 27th, 2011
Updated: Police identify dead construction worker

UPDATED 4:18 p.m. JULY 29:

STAFF REPORT

San Marcos police identified a construction worker killed in the collapse of a metal building frame Wednesday as Margarito Guardado Resinos, 34, a native of El Salvador.

A second worker injured in the accident was treated and released from University Medical Center at Brackenridge. He was identified as Nelson Pineda. No other information about Pineda was available. Both worked for Jetka Steel Erectors of Katy, Texas, a subcontractor for Bailey Elliot Construction of Austin.

Resinos was killed and Pineda injured when a pre-engineered metal building frame under construction by Bailey Elliott Construction collapsed at about 11:53 a.m.

A computer search of Occupational Safety and Health Administration records did not turn up violations in the last ten years for either the contractor or subcontractor.

OSHA inspectors conducted a surprise inspection of a Round Rock construction site run by Bailey Elliott in July 2009 but did not find safety violations, records indicate. The investigation was opened and closed in 46 days, a short lapse by government standards that suggests the inspector found limited or no evidence of bad practices, said Juan J. Rodriguez, a Dallas spokesperson for OSHA.

OSHA has begun its investigation into the cause of the collapse. Businesses with 10 or more employees are required to report workplace accidents to OSHA that result in a death or three or more injuries, Rodriguez said.

The building under construction is a new manufacturing facility for Thermon Manufacturing, which produces heat tracing products used in the oil, gas and refining industries. The company has been headquartered in San Marcos since 1971.