Wooden Robot Brewery fined by the state after its co-founder died in a fall
The state Department of Labor has cited Wooden Robot Brewery in the death of co-founder Dan Wade from a fall in February at the popular Charlotte gathering spot.
The brewery failed to protect its employees from falling through holes, including skylights, that were at least 4 feet above a lower level, according to a copy of the citation obtained by The Charlotte Observer on Friday through a public records request. The Observer filed the request at the time of Wade’s death.
The brewery lacked covers, guardrails, “travel restraint systems” and “personal fall arrest systems,” according to the citation.
The state fined the brewery $2,000 for what the citation listed as an “alleged serious violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina.”
The maximum penalty for each serious violation is $15,625, Erin Wilson, director of communications for the Department of Labor, said in an email Friday.
“The General Statutes say the Labor Department has to take into consideration various factors such as the gravity of the violations, the size of the business, the good faith and cooperation of the employer, and history of previous violations,” Wilson said.
“The penalties are in no way designed to make up for the loss of life,” Wilson said.
The brewery did not immediately respond to an email offering a chance to comment.
In addition to the location on South Tryon Street in South End, the brewery operates The Chamber by Wooden Robot on East 36th Street.
At the time of his death, friends and colleagues recalled the 36-year-old Wade as a “pillar of our brewing community,” a mentor and “a fantastic father.”
Wade and his wife, Samantha Fulton, had a son who was born on New Year’s Day.
This story was originally published May 31, 2024 at 10:10 AM.