The Walsh-Kokosing crew member suffered life-threatening injuries while operating a boom lift at the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor construction zone.
CINCINNATI, Ohio — A construction worker died after a boom lift shifted and fell at a Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project work site in downtown Cincinnati, prompting investigations by local police and federal workplace safety officials.
Cincinnati police said officers were called about 10:30 a.m. Oct. 17 to the area of West Third Street and Pete Rose Way for a workplace accident. The worker had been operating a boom lift when the equipment shifted and fell, according to police. He suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he later died. Authorities had not publicly identified the worker in reports available this week.
The Cincinnati Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Section and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident. Authorities have not announced what caused the equipment to shift or whether any safety violation contributed to the accident. No official investigative findings had been released as of Thursday.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said the worker was a member of the Walsh-Kokosing crew working on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project. Walsh-Kokosing Joint Venture is the main design-build contractor for the major transportation project linking Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
ODOT said it was saddened by the worker’s death and offered condolences to his family and colleagues. The department said it takes worker safety on the project seriously and would continue to stay informed as Walsh-Kokosing and investigating agencies examine what happened.
The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is a multibillion-dollar infrastructure effort intended to improve travel on Interstates 71 and 75 around the Ohio River crossing between Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky. The work includes highway and interchange improvements on both sides of the river and construction connected to the heavily traveled interstate corridor.
The fatal accident occurred near West Third Street and Pete Rose Way, within a downtown Cincinnati construction zone associated with the project. Police have released few details about the circumstances immediately before the boom lift fell. Officials also have not publicly said whether other workers witnessed the accident or whether anyone else was injured.
The worker’s name had not been released publicly in the reports reviewed, and officials had not announced whether the accident would affect the project’s construction schedule. The investigation by Cincinnati police and OSHA remains ongoing.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.