Gorick Fights Fines in Binghamton Parking Ramp Injury Case

A Broome County company is contesting penalties assessed by a federal agency after a worker was hurt on a downtown Binghamton demolition project.

Gorick Construction faces nearly $20,000 in fines in connection with an investigation conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A man sustained a leg injury at the old Water Street parking garage on January 29, 2024. The worker - whose name was not released - reportedly became trapped under some concrete on an upper level of the city-owned structure.

Binghamton police detectives interviewed workers at the demolition site shortly after the incident occurred. They turned the information they gathered over to OSHA.

The federal agency issued two "serious" citations to Gorick Construction on July 24. The initial penalties in the case totaled $19,359.

One citation said workers at the abandoned garage were "exposed to injuries from standing on a collapsing deck during demolition operations." OSHA's investigation concluded employees "were exposed to struck, by and caught between hazards."

According to the second citation, workers "were exposed to falls 12 feet to the lower level without fall protection of any kind."

Gorick Construction referred an inquiry about the OSHA investigation to a company vice president. He did not return a call seeking information about the company's decision to contest the proposed fines.

Most of the old parking garage had been torn down in 2022. But some additional demolition work was completed this year to clear the site for construction of a new structure.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: Binghamton fire medics assisted an injured worker at the Water Street parking garage demolition project on January 29, 2024.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.