Community Corner

Man Killed at Cupertino's Rock Quarry

—By Bay City News Service

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating a vehicle accident that killed a man Thursday afternoon at a rock quarry in Cupertino, a Cal/OSHA spokesman said today.

Cal/OSHA's mining and tunneling unit is looking into the fatal accident that happened at 1:21 p.m. at Stevens Creek Quarry involving the driver of a tractor, agency spokesman Greg Siggins said.

"It sounds like the brakes may have failed" while the driver was headed down "a slight grade," Siggins said.

The driver killed in the accident was identified today as Jose Gonzales, 49, of San Jose, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.

Cal/OSHA found no hazards at the quarry and did not order a work stoppage, Siggins said.

The quarry at 12100 Stevens Canyon Road accepts loads of clean dirt, concrete and asphalt that are dumped there and recycled for reuse in construction projects, according to its website.

Mark Mallin, a spokesman for the quarry, said the business might have a statement about the accident in the next day or two.

Cal/OSHA is also investigating Tuesday's fatal industrial accident at the construction site of the planned $1.3 billion stadium for the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Siggins said.

Donald White, 63, was killed when an elevator counterweight struck him at 6:43 a.m. inside an elevator shaft.

Cal/OSHA is reviewing information from Schindler Elevator Corp., White's employer, for possible safety code violations and potential fines and will issue a report in November or December, Siggins said.

The stadium project's general contractor Turner-Devcon voluntarily halted work on the project until Thursday even though Cal/OSHA said it could resume construction on the day of the accident.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.



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