The families of two ironworkers who fell from the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) Cancer Center construction site on June 6 are suing two construction contractors responsible for general contracting and concrete service on the project. One of the ironworkers, 27-year-old David O’Donnell, died at the site after scaffolding separated at the structure’s corner during high winds and caused the two workers to fall roughly nine stories. The other, 36-year-old Jeffrey Spyrka, was taken to the intensive care unit at UCMed. ABC7 later reported that, after multiple surgeries, Spyrka was responsive and not paralyzed.
The lawsuits, filed by GWC Injury Lawyers firm on behalf of both families, name general contractor Turner Construction Company and concrete contractor Adjustable Concrete Construction as the defendants. Adjustable Concrete Construction was formerly named Adjustable Forms, and is referred to as Adjustable Forms in the lawsuits. GWC filed the suit for Spyrka and his wife on June 10 and that for the O’Donnell family on June 13. The next court date for the Spyrkas’ case will be on August 14.
A statement released by GWC alleges that Turner Construction “failed to take appropriate safety measures to ensure that the massive scaffold system… was safely and properly erected” and that the contractor endangered the health and safety of workers by having construction work at high levels on the structure take place during high wind conditions. GWC also says that Adjustable Concrete Construction failed to “properly build the scaffold so that the corners of the structure could not separate.”
“These workers should have never been working on what turned out to be an unsafe, dangerous scaffold perched over 100 feet in the air,” GWC Managing Partner Louis Cairo wrote in the statement. “This was an absolutely callous act of negligence and misconduct by major construction companies who viewed progress on the job as their priority rather than the safety of the workers on the job. The evidence will prove that this was a totally preventable catastrophe.”
Construction at the site is paused while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigates the accident.
In a statement to the Maroon, a spokesperson for Turner Construction addressed the death and injury of the workers.
“Our hearts are broken, and we extend our thoughts and prayers to their family members, friends, and colleagues at this extremely difficult time,” the statement read. “The safety and well-being of everyone on our sites is so important to us. We work extremely hard to prevent days like this. Grief counseling services are available to all workers on site to support them in the difficult days and weeks ahead. We are aware of the court filings, and we continue to fully support investigations underway by all relevant agencies and entities.”
Adjustable Forms also provided the Maroon with a written statement. “We are aware of the recent filings and continue to be deeply saddened to learn of this accident. We offer our sincerest condolences to the loved ones of those affected,” the statement reads. “Safety is integral to what we do, and Adjustable Concrete is partnering with Turner Construction to support a full investigation into this matter alongside the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We are deeply grateful for the University of Chicago Medical Center doctors and all first responders involved.”
On the day of the accident, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Mark Anderson and University of Chicago Health System President Tom Jackiewicz sent an email to all staff in the UCM health system and the Biological Sciences Division (BSD).
“The safety of everyone on the medical campus and within our UChicago Medicine health system and BSD community is of the utmost priority, and we are staying in close touch with Turner Construction to fully understand the event,” Anderson and Jackiewicz wrote.
