OSHA Cites Three Subcontractors After Fatal Forklift Accident at Fort Bliss ICE Facility
According to Engineering News-Record, a fatal forklift accident during construction of a federal ICE detention facility at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, has resulted in unresolved OSHA citations that could advance to a formal federal hearing.
What Happened
Hector Gonzalez, 38, an employee of Base International Inc., was killed on July 21, 2025, after being struck by falling composite beams while unloading materials from a forklift at the facility known as Camp East Montana. The death occurred just three days after the U.S. Army awarded a contract worth up to $1.3 billion to prime contractor Acquisition Logistics LLC to build and operate the complex, which later became ICE’s largest detention center, holding more than 3,000 people at times.
OSHA investigated and in January 2026 issued “serious” citations against three subcontractors for powered industrial truck safety violations, including struck-by hazards from unstable elevated loads and failures to train and certify forklift operators.
Base International received one “serious” violation and a proposed penalty of $11,585. The company contested the citation on Feb. 13, 2026, with a spokesperson telling the Associated Press there was “no wrongdoing by the company.” That case remains open. JMJ Production Services of Austin, Texas, and Fulfillment Personnel Services of Mobile, Alabama, each received two “serious” violations. Both reached informal settlements with OSHA on Feb. 18, 2026, each paying a reduced penalty of $15,000. The prime contractor, Acquisition Logistics LLC, received no citations. ICE later replaced the firm in March, awarding a no-bid contract to Amentum Services.
If Base International and OSHA do not reach a settlement, the case will advance to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission for a formal hearing before an administrative law judge.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Forklift operator certification is not optional. OSHA cited multiple firms specifically for failing to train and certify operators, a violation that can result in “serious” penalties even when you are not the prime contractor.
- Unstable elevated loads are a recurring OSHA enforcement trigger. Reviewing your material handling procedures and load security practices before work begins is a direct way to reduce citation risk on fast-tracked projects.
- Fast-tracked federal projects carry compressed timelines that can increase safety pressure. The fatality at Camp East Montana occurred within days of contract award, a warning sign that schedule pressure can outpace safety planning.
- Contesting OSHA citations keeps cases open and escalates exposure. Settling informally, as JMJ and Fulfillment Personnel Services did, closes the case. Firms should weigh the cost of a hearing against the reduced penalties typically available through informal settlement.
- Subcontractors can be cited even when the prime is not. Acquisition Logistics LLC, the prime contractor, received no citations while three subs did. Your liability on a jobsite is independent of what happens above you in the contract chain.
