New Girder-Bracing System Puts Boh Bros. Back to Form Work

Louisiana highway officials have given Boh Bros. Construction, New Orleans, permission to resume suspended activities on the $803-million I-10 Twin Spans bridges in New Orleans. The Dept. of Transportation and Development has approved a bracing system to prevent Bulb T edge girders from rolling. An accident on Oct. 30 during a deck form-flipping operation sent 10 workers into the water, critically injuring two and killing one. Officials say the cause has not been determined but say they are confident the new procedures will prevent girders from rolling. The guideline includes bracing girders with angle irons at the top with a tie rod between the top flanges. Wooden four-by-four posts will be positioned at the base of the girders for additional bracing. Work resumed three days after the accident, but regulators prohibited Boh from working on concrete forms attached to the girders until new safety measures had been approved.