Azarian employee killed in work site accident

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 Sean Ryan
Madison Staff Writer       A Sam Azarian Wrecking Company employee died Tuesday while he was working on an asphalt crusher in the Rohner Asphalt & Grading Contractors yard in Sturtevant.    “It’s just a tragic industrial accident,” said Art Scola, Sturtevant Police Department director of public safety. “He’s been working on this machine or a machine like it for quite a few years.”    Timothy A. Heath, 38, Kansasville, worked for the Racine-based Azarian for 13 years. He died from massive head wounds suffered while he worked on the crusher, which breaks apart slabs of asphalt with a barrel cutter.    Scola said the accident occurred while Heath was trying to dislodge a chunk of asphalt stuck in the machine’s cutter. Scola said the machine was off, but Heath was pulled into the cutter by the bar he was using to pry out the asphalt.    Scola said two co-workers were helping Heath clear the cutter, but the accident happened when they left for a few minutes to get raincoats.    

  The co-workers called the Sturtevant Police Department around 1:30 p.m., but Heath died before rescue teams could arrive.    The Milwaukee Area Occupational Safety and Health Administration office is investigating the accident. Bill Wilkerson, Milwaukee OSHA assistant area director, said his office just got the case, and it was awaiting autopsy results from Wednesday morning.    “We’re still in a fact-getting situation and we’re just getting started really,” he said. “Perhaps in a week or two we might have a good handle on how long (the investigation) is going to take us.”    In May 2000, OSHA fined the Azarian Construction Company $3,000 for failing to instruct employees on how to recognize dangerous situations and for failing to have adequate trench protection after Anthony Azarian was killed in an April trench collapse.    Madison Writer Sean Ryan can be reached at 608-260-8571 or by email.