Lacked Road Safeguards: PESH Faults DOT In Repairer's Death

Lacked Road Safeguards
PESH Faults DOT In Repairer's Death

By HOWARD MEGDAL

The state Labor Department's Public Employee Safety and Health bureau has cited the Department of Transportation for numerous violations in conjunction with the September 2005 death of Assistant Highway Repairer Nicky Antico.

GENE DeMARTINO: Pleased by findings. In a report released last week, PESH found that the city violated Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards in the use of traffic signs, signaling/flagmen and barricades at the Slossen Ave. site in Staten Island where Mr. Antico was struck by a vehicle and killed.

'Sites Should Be Safer'

If they abide by this decision, I'm happy with it," District Council 37 Local 376 President Gene DeMartino, whose union represents Highway Repairers, said in a June 21 interview. "I've always felt [sites] should be more safe - our men and women who come to work every day should come home safely."

Mr. DeMartino did not elaborate on what abiding by the decision would entail, and PESH did not offer specific remedies or punishments for the violations.

DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall did not return calls seeking comment.

In the report, PESH detailed a number of safety problems at Mr. Antico's work site. DOT did not have a written Traffic Control Plan for the site, nor "proper signs or set-ups of traffic control devices to deter things of this nature from happening," according to the report. An individual assigned exclusively to flagging traffic was also absent from the site.

Others Hurt In Collision

Two other DOT workers, Louis Ciccotto and Michael Moschella, were injured by the vehicle, which was driven by Vincent Ventafredda. Mr. Ventafredda was charged with manslaughter in connection with Mr. Antico's death.

The city granted continuing health benefits to Mr. Antico's family in a bill requested by Mayor Bloomberg.