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Injured worker had scant training for risky job

A contractor misrepresented a carport demolition job as simple cleanup work, says the company that provided him the day laborer.

By ABHI RAGHUNATHAN
Published October 6, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Able Body Labor executives on Thursday blamed a contractor's deceit for injuries an employee sustained when a carport collapsed.

Todd Wiseman, a spokesman for Able Body Labor, said the company has complained to the state Attorney General's Office about the contractor and was considering legal action against him.

Contractor Robert Arroyave told Able Body this week that he needed workers for cleanup work, Wiseman said.

But Arroyave took two day laborers from Able Body to a house at 4616 12th Ave. S and told them to tear down a termite-infested carport, Wiseman said. Arroyave asked them not to tell anyone, Wiseman said.

Arroyave gave the two laborers a 20-minute course on demolition and some tools before leaving them unsupervised around 9 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

About 40 minutes later, the carport collapsed on 45-year-old Daniel Davis, who was hammering at termite-infested wooden panels while standing inside the carport. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, and remained at the hospital Thursday in critical condition.

"It's ... a corporate responsibility for people to be forthright in what they're expecting our guys to do," Wiseman said. "We can't have them coming in and lying and putting our guys in dangerous situations unsupervised."

Davis' family came up from Naples to visit him at Bayfront. Cynthia Davis, his sister, said she was dazed and upset.

"This came as a total surprise," she said. "I'm going through a lot of emotional stuff right now dealing with my brother and what he's going through."

Arroyave, the head of Florida Land Holdings and Management, could not be reached for comment Thursday. Authorities say he is connected to Scott Lubik, the head of Alpha Systems. Lubik owns the property where the accident took place. Authorities say he purchases homes, then refurbishes and sells them.

Arroyave's attorney, Worth Blackwell, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The county's construction licensing board says it plans to fine Arroyave $1,500 for various violations, including contracting without a license.

Wiseman said Able Body executives would push for harsher actions.

"This should not be happening," Wiseman said. "We'll take every piece of action that we can against the parties involved for misrepresenting what they were doing with our guys."

Jimmie Hinze, a professor of construction safety at the University of Florida, said some contractors abuse day laborers to save money, hiring them for dangerous jobs and saving money on insurance.

The day laborers, many of whom have little money, go along, he said.

"They're going to have a can-do attitude about it because they want to stay employed."

Abhi Raghunathan can be reached at araghunathan@sptimes.com or 727 893-8472.

[Last modified October 6, 2006, 01:25:42]