By MOLLY CHARBONEAU

The state’s Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau (PESH) has begun its official investigation into the death of Archie Tyler, a city Watershed Maintainer who drowned March 4 in the Bronx when rushing water pulled him down a drainage pipe in the Jerome Park Reservoir.

PESH initiated its fatality probe March 14, holding an opening conference with the Dept. of Environmental Protection, DC 37 and Locals 376 and 1322, which represent watershed workers. In mid-April, the state’s investigator started interviewing employees.

Bill Quinlan, chair of the Watershed Maintainers Chapter of Local 376, said the local was disappointed that PESH did not query members sooner. “I couldn’t believe they had no one there investigating right away — like the next day,” he stated.

Local 376 Deputy Administrator Bill Fenty said members’ recall of the events surrounding the fatality was not likely to be as fresh after a month’s delay. However, the pace of the inquiry improved once the interviews began.
“At this point, the investigation appears to be progressing,” said Rebecca Porper of DC 37’s Safety and Health Unit.

Ms. Porper said the union also wants a comprehensive safety and health review of all DEP sites and a safety and health plan, based on that review, to protect members.

The PESH investigation of Mr. Tyler’s death began as OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, launched a statewide probe of the bureau’s response to workers’ fatalities.

OSHA’s review was prompted by complaints from unions, including a formal complaint from DC 37 about PESH’s investigation of the death of DEP Construction Laborer Christopher Postiglione of Local 376. Mr. Postiglione died in January 1999 after a hit-and-run driver struck him on a Long Island Expressway service road.

DC 37 went to OSHA because PESH waited three weeks to investigate, did not issue a report until September 1999 and failed to press DEP to take prompt action on training deficiencies.

In October 1999, before DEP finally implemented a safety program for its outdoor workers, DC 37 lost another member, Assistant Project Manager Joseph Lohman of Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375, who was killed by a truck in a street work zone.