Shocking safety violations in Boise hangar collapse

Big D Builders Inc.’s Outrageous Disregard for Safety Standards Leads to Tragic Collapse of Boise Airport Hangar

A devastating incident occurred near Boise Airport in January 2024, killing three workers and injuring at least eight others when an airport hangar collapsed. After a thorough investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found shocking lapses in safety protocols at the construction contractor, Big D Builders Inc. of Meridian.

The investigation found that Big D Builders began construction of the hangar without adhering to essential safety measures, such as adequate bracing and tensioned guy wires. Inspectors found that the contractor ignored several visible warning signs of structural instability, including bent, buckled and undulating structural I-beams, unbalanced columns and multiple broken steel cables.

Despite these glaring red flags, Big D Builders went ahead with adding 150-foot bays to the sprawling project. OSHA inspectors found these bays visibly misaligned and critical connecting bolts loose. Instead of using additional bracing or temporary guy lines as required by steel fabrication industry standards, the contractor resorted to using ties to straighten the spans.

“Big D Builders’ blatant disregard for federal safety regulations cost three workers their lives and left at least eight others with painful injuries,” said OSHA Area Director David Kearns in Boise, Idaho. “The company’s irresponsible construction methods left the aircraft hangar structure extremely fragile.”

In addition, the company operated cranes and other heavy equipment in hazardous conditions, such as mud and standing water, increasing the risk of equipment tipping over.

“The tragic loss and pain suffered by so many is compounded by the fact that Big D Builders could have prevented it all,” Kearns added. “We cannot put a value on the loss of life, but we will use all of our resources to hold employers accountable when they willfully disregard safety regulations and expose workers to serious and fatal injuries. We encourage other employers to keep in mind the risks of ignoring federal OSHA and industry safety standards.”

In response to these violations, OSHA cited Big D Builders for one willful violation and three serious violations of federal safety regulations, with proposed fines of $198,586. Inland Crane Inc. of Boise was also cited for one serious safety violation, with proposed fines totaling $10,163, for failing to ensure stability during the erection of the hangar.

Big D Builders Inc. is a design-build contractor based in Meridian. It offers a range of services, including site evaluation, architectural and engineering consulting, drafting and project management, in several states.