Running a zip line in the lush jungle-like atmosphere of the Honoli Stream on the Big Island of Hawaii may sound like a dream job. But for two employees at GoZip, the job turned out to be a devastating loss. One employee at GoZip, a 36 year-old man with the initials T.C., was testing the zip line when the structure holding up one end toppled, sending T.C. 200 feet to his death. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is now investigating the accident, and believes that it was "totally preventable." While T.C. perished in the incident, his co-worker from Ohio, a man with the initials C.W., was critically injured.
According to the investigative findings, the ground anchors that held in the tower at the top of the zip lone where not anchored into the ground deep enough, and the soil was too soft to withstand the weight. While T.C. was riding the line and C.W. was monitoring the ride from the top tower, the ground anchors that were supporting the platform ripped out of the earth. An engineer who inspected the site of the accident says that the anchors were placed in Pahala ash. This is a soil that looks normally, but loosens up about 90 percent when it is disturbed.
The engineer said that the ash looks like red dirt, but it won't hold any important supports in place. He said that this incident concerns him, because there are many tall structures that are rooted in Pahala ash on the island. In fact, there are even other zip lines that may have the same devastating occurrence. T.C.'s mother says that she is now making sure that other zip lines in Hawaii have stricter regulations. She hopes that this will keep more people from plummeting to their deaths when they are trying to enjoy a nice vacation in the tropical state.
Her fight for zip line safety might be a tough one. The Claims Journal says that Hawaii lawmakers deferred a bill in March that called for the state to make zip line safety a priority. The bill asked the state government to provide oversight to the safety of tourist attractions in the area, especially those that come with a risk, such as zip lining. If it had passed, the bill would have required that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations conduct $100 inspections on each zip line that is located on the Hawaiian Islands. But the state government essentially killed the bill when they deferred it. There is a possibility that this saddening instance may cause a raised awareness of the danger of zip lines, but critics aren't certain.
The GoZip Company failed to take the precautions necessary to make sure that the zip-line was rooted in the ground and that the surface could sustain the heavy load. While the Department of Labor and Industrial Resources is almost certain that the accident was avoidable, Experiential Resources Inc. and their operating arm, GoZip, plan to dispute the accusations. Right now, GoZip is being cited for not making sure that the ground anchors could support the load on the tower without failure. The company is also under charges because they did not require that their employees wore helmets when testing the zip line.
The state of Hawaii is seeking a penalization of $13,500. The company said that they will contest the matter. A hearing will be scheduled with the Labor Relations Board sometime in the near future. According to a representative at Experiential Resources, GoZip has built hundreds of zip lines in 40 states and 12 countries. With all of their construction, they have never had a disaster like this one occur. If you were injured or someone you love was killed in an accident like this one, then you should talk to a personal injury lawyer. You may have a viable case and be able to get compensation for your sad loss.