November 21, 2018
Iowa

OSHA investigating construction worker’s death at St. Ansgar wind farm

Globe Gazette Staff | Nov 20, 2018 | globegazette.com

ST. ANSGAR | OSHA is investigating the death of a construction worker at a wind farm under construction in Mitchell County.

Mitchell County Sheriff Greg Beaver said the fatal accident occurred about 1 p.m. Saturday while the worker was loading heavy equipment at Turtle Creek Wind Farm, which is under construction near St. Ansgar.

Dave Berthelsen, president of White Construction, identified the construction worker as Joseph Hill of Minnesota. He would not give Hill’s age or provide where Hill lived in Minnesota.

Beaver said deputies responded to the site, with medical aid being provided. After a brief investigation, Beaver said deputies determined it was not a criminal matter.

OSHA began conducting an investigation at the construction site Monday afternoon, with the assistance of White Construction.

Turtle Creek Wind Farm is a $2.75 million project expected to generate $16.5 million in revenue in the next two decades. It is scheduled to come online this year.

EDP Renewables, the company that owns the wind farm, says on its website the turbines will have a capacity of 200 megawatts, enough to power about 80,000 Iowa homes each year.

The company operates more than 2,300 turbines in 12 states across the U.S., according to its website, including one other wind farm site in northwestern Iowa.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/11/21/osha-investigating-construction-workers-death-at-st-ansgar-wind-farm/