A construction worker was killed July 31 at Tampa International Airport while working on the facility’s Airside A shuttle guide remodeling project.
Around 7:41 a.m., according to the airport, “a piece of construction material fell from the path of the ferry with the operator inside. The operator died as a result of his injuries.”
The airport did not disclose the company the individual worked for, but says Johnson-Laux Construction is the general contractor on the project and the airport is working closely with that company to fully understand what happened.
Johnson-Laux Construction was not immediately available for comment on Aug. 1.
The airport said in a statement that flight operations were not affected and that passengers who were picked up at its blue arrivals gate were temporarily redirected to the Blue Express lanes until the arrivals area blaves reopened at noon on Wednesday.
Expressing his condolences, Tampa International Airport General Manager Joe Lopano said in a statement that the airport is conducting a thorough investigation into the crash.
The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, which operates the airport, has halted all work on the project until further notice for a comprehensive safety review, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was at the scene Wednesday to conduct their investigation. Tampa police and the Tampa International Airport Police Department are also investigating.
The $61 million project to refurbish the Airside A and Airside C shuttles began in April, according to TPA, which says the shuttles have been in operation since the 1990s and have traveled more than 1 million miles since then.
The project includes replacing bearing pads that act as shock absorbers under the steel guide supports and completely rebuilding the concrete guides one lane at a time. Eight new shuttles are also part of the project, arriving this fall and entering service in spring 2025.
