Workers' rights advocates will host a vigil tonight for the 16-year-old who died in a construction site accident at 315 Interstate Drive. On Tuesday afternoon, Gustavo Enrique Ramirez was working at the site with his older brother when he fell off the scaffolding, dropping 120 feet to the ground.
The vigil, organized by Nashville-based advocates Workers’ Dignity, will not just commemorate Ramirez, but also demand accountability from the developer and the general contractor who oversee the project — the development of a La Quinta Inn.
“The speed and negligence behind Nashville’s build-or-bust mentality to finish this newest addition to Nashville’s downtown skyline is guilty for claiming another life,” reads a statement from Workers’ Dignity. “The developer and general contractor must be held accountable for the blood on their hands.”
A spokesperson with the state's department of labor says a Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigator was dispatched to the site. The TOSHA investigation process can take between four and six months to complete. During that time, investigators will survey the scene, review company procedures and protocols, and attempt to interview both witnesses and company management.
According to TOSHA, “Employees are not required to wear fall arrest systems when working on properly erected scaffolding, which includes an adequate guardrail system.”
In a press release, the Metro Nashville Police Department says there was no sign of foul play. They also say Ramirez was a part-time employee of subcontractor Cortez Plastering, but TOSHA is still working to confirm who employed the victim.
Workers’ Dignity decried the common practice of hiring subcontractors for construction sites. “All too often, contractors skirt responsibility by misclassifying workers to avoid liability or by subcontracting to smaller companies.”
The vigil for Ramirez begins tonight at 5 p.m. and will be held at the construction site at 315 Interstate Drive.
