Contractor, PennDOT Work to Reopen Fire-Damaged Bridge

General contractor Joseph B. Fay Co. and the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation said they would work around the clock to repair a bridge-truss compression cord damaged during renovation work on a bridge. A welder’s torch ignited tarps and plastic pipes during work on Sept. 2, prompting officials to shut the Liberty Bridge, which carries a key artery into Pittsburgh. The contractor, which called the fire an “unfortunate incident,” faces potential damages of $213,000 for each day the bridge is closed.

Deputy Editor Richard Korman helps run ENR's business and legal news and investigations, selects ENR's commentary and oversees editorial content on ENR.com. In 2023 the American Society of Business Publication Editors awarded Richard the Stephen Barr Award, the highest honor for a single feature story or investigation, for his story on the aftermath of a terrible auto crash in Kentucky in 2019, and in 2015 the American Business Media awarded him the Timothy White Award for investigations of surety fraud and workplace bullying. A member of Investigative Reporters and Editors, Richard has been a fellow on drone safety with the McGraw Center for Business Journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Richard's freelance writing has appeared in the Seattle Times, the New York Times, Business Week and the websites of The Atlantic and Salon.com. He admires construction projects that finish on time and budget, compensate all team members fairly and record zero fatalities or serious injuries.

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60% of workers are exposed to heights greater than 5 ft daily, and workers' compensation from injury is more than $7B - it's time for construction leaders to take measures to reduce risk and create a safer work environment. We'll explore how technology can improve construction site safety and help prevent accidents before they happen.