By Lori Ehde
A city employee has been verbally reprimanded and two others were suspended following investigations by the city of Luverne and the Office of Safety and Health Administration.
Senior lineman Mike Gangestad received two verbal reprimands, senior lineman Brian Remme was suspended two days' and Public Utilities Director Red Arndt received five days' suspension.
According to City Administrator Matt Hylen, the April 12 disciplinary action was not required by OSHA, but an internal city investigation revealed the employees had violated city policy related to OSHA's investigation of two incidents last year.
On Oct. 20, subcontracted employee of Mediacom Brad Herr fell to his death from a city electrical pole near the Armory after receiving a high voltage electrical shock.
On Dec. 3, another electrical accident at a city substation left Fulda Electric employee Phillip Kramer without his left hand and part of his forearm.
In March, OSHA cited the city of Luverne for two "willful" violations in that accident and levied a $56,000 fine.
In that case, OSHA said the city failed to turn off power to the area Kramer was working on and allowed Fulda Electric electricians to enter the west substation when they were "not qualified to work on or near equipment energized at distribution voltages."
Just this week, OSHA ruled on its investigation of the Oct. 20 fatality and fined the city of Luverne $2,000 for what it termed "serious violations."
In its citation OSHA said the city didn't properly test the power pole near the Armory or communicate potential hazards after a Sept. 28 incident in which a non-city worker had been "bit" while working on the pole.
A city employee reportedly tested the pole and failed to find and communicate the problem. One month later, Herr died when working on the same line.
According to Hylen, the city is exercising its right to appeal the two OSHA citations on the Dec. 3 accident and in hopes of a more lenient ruling.
"We're questioning the charge itself and the severity of the fine," Hylen said. "WeÕre saying itÕs not merited."
The city has 20 days to consider whether it will appeal the May 6 citation on the Oct. 20 incident.
Gangestad received two verbal reprimands, one for failing to find and communicate hazards on the Armory pole and another for lack of cooperation in the investigation of the Dec. 3 incident.
Remme was suspended for two days without pay for failing to follow safety procedures while providing Fulda Electric employees access to the city substation in the Dec. 3 incident.
Arndt was suspended for two days without pay and three days with pay (deducted from vacation time) for failing to establish and clearly communicate safety procedures for non-city workers near the city electrical system.
Responsibility for that area ultimately lies with him as a department head.
In a matter unrelated to the OSHA violations, Gangestad was fired April 22 following a complaint about him filed April 19.
Details about that complaint will be released pending the outcome of a union grievance he has since filed to appeal his termination.
Gangestad, a senior electric line worker, has been employed by the city since June 1997.