The Willow Island Disaster
* The Willow Island Disaster occurred on April 27, 1978 at the Willow Island Power Station near New Martinsville, West Virginia. While constructing a cooling tower newly poured concrete scaffolding collapsed, causing workers to fall more than 150 feet. Fifty-one construction workers were killed making it one of the deadliest construction accidents in U.S. history.
* Investigators found that accelerated construction schedules, inadequate curing time for concrete, and poor safety oversight contributed to the failure.
* The disaster led to major changes in construction safety practices, stricter enforcement of OSHA regulations and greater emphasis on worker protection and structural safety during large-scale projects.
NO COMMON SENSE
ANALYZE THE EXAMPLE
* Which supports and barriers were in play?
* What were the dynamics?
* Who, or What, won the Tug-of-War?
* Discuss the outcome with your family and friends.
* Use Post #4 as a reference for the relationships and dynamics between supports and barriers.
