A Hawai‘i Department of Transportation employee was killed yesterday afternoon near Kalihiwai Bridge while cutting down a tree. The name of the 30-year-old man, of Lihu‘e, has not been released pending proper notification. Scott Ishikawa, HDOT spokesman, said the man
A Hawai‘i Department of Transportation employee was killed yesterday afternoon near Kalihiwai Bridge while cutting down a tree.
The name of the 30-year-old man, of Lihu‘e, has not been released pending proper notification.
Scott Ishikawa, HDOT spokesman, said the man was part of the maintenance crew that was trimming trees and removing brush around 1 p.m. in Kilauea.
“They were on Kuhio Highway around 1 p.m.,” Ishikawa said. “They were clearing some tree branches near the bridge and as one was cutting down a tree, the tree fell on him. Apparently he was dead at the scene.”
Members of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will conduct an investigation while HDOT will conduct its own, Ishikawa said.
Ishikawa will come to the island today to begin looking into the case, he said.
Kuhio Highway was closed for a short period of time to allow vehicles of emergency responders through, but the road was not closed for a long period of time, he said.
The HDOT has not had an on-the-job death since 2004.
In that instance, the victim was a contractor, not a full-time state employee.
The 30-year-old man killed yesterday worked for the HDOT since 1999.
“We want to give our prayers and condolences to our employee’s family,” Ishikawa said. “Our hearts go out to them.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 5,702 fatal work injuries were recorded nationwide in 2005, down about 1 percent from the revised total of 5,764 fatal work injuries in 2004.
