California Legislator Calls For Investigation Into Worker Safety At LAX

March 14, 2014

California state Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, on Friday called for a state investigation into possibly unsafe working conditions at Los Angeles International Airport.

Lieu’s call comes following the death three weeks ago of a 51-year-old baggage employee Cesar Augusto Valenzuela with contractor Menzies Aviation. According to reports, workers for Menzies Aviation have been injured in several incidents in recent years, and a Feb. 25 story by the Los Angeles Times cited Cal-OSHA saying Menzies had been issued multiple citations last June totaling nearly $95,000 in proposed penalties for safety violations.

Lieu and other officials said they are concerned about possible shortcuts and cost-cutting steps that may have contributed toward airport work becoming unnecessarily dangerous.

Worplace Safety Workers Compensation Worker Injury Construction“The fact that this isn’t the first safety incident involving Menzies Aviation shows that there may be a dangerous pattern developing,” Lieu said. ”

Valenzuela died in a single-vehicle accident at the busy airport, which is part of Lieu’s senate district.

Topics California Aviation

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