Oscar Preparations Continue While State Probes Accident

State safety investigators were working Friday to determine if engineering flaws or human error caused scaffolding to collapse outside the Shrine Auditorium on Thursday, injuring five workers.

“One of the things we will be taking a look at is the engineering, to see if there were any problems with how it was assembled,” said Dean Fryer, a spokesman for Cal/OSHA.

Agency representatives inspected the remaining structures erected for Sunday’s Academy Awards event, he said, and “everything seemed OK.”

Investigators also will try to find out whether workers who assembled the structure had been adequately trained.

The scaffolding had been erected behind the west bleachers at the Shrine’s entrance to shield media cameras from the sun.

By Friday, plans to put up another mammoth sun screen were well underway.

“The subcontractor who erects the scaffolding for our events is working with the Department of Building and Safety and the Fire Department on a different configuration,” said Ric Robertson, Academy executive director.

The replacement structure will be up in time for the award ceremony, he added.

Four of the injured workers were treated and released the same day, Robertson said, and one who had been hospitalized overnight was released Friday morning, “a little sore but in good spirits.”

By noon Friday it was business as usual along the bleacher-flanked red carpet, now unrolled for the Oscar audience.

Workers in the Shrine’s courtyard finished installing lights and lined the entrance with Oscar statues and potted shrubbery.

Fans camping out to get choice seats for the gala event seemed unfazed by the accident.

“I’m not too concerned,” said Penny Floate , who made the trek from San Diego to see the stars in person for the first time. “I’m sure they’re going to take extra precautions.”