The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "construction work" ...
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Hidden Wealth of Azerbaijan President
The President of oil-rich Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has been compared to a Mafia crime boss in US diplomatic cables, and man analysts refer to him as a dictator. OCCRP looked deeper than those labels and found that the Aliyev family has systematically grabbed shares of the most profitable businesses in the country. Investigative reports by OCCRP and Radio Free Europe have revealed and more importantly proven for the first time that the ruling family has secret ownership stakes through offshore companies in the country’s largest businesses, including banks, construction companies, gold mines and phone companies. The government Aliyev runs gave these shares. The family also has secretly amassed high-end property in places like the Czech Republic. The Azeri government responded to the revelations first with silence and now claims that OCCRP is an agent of the rival Armenian government. Aliyev’s administration also failed to investigate the harassment and blackmail of OCCRP and RFE journalist Khadija Ismayilova earlier this year. While Azerbaijan has worked at improving its image worldwide, OCCRP’s reporting makes clear that a petty dictatorship remains in control.
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Structural Failures
A series of stories examined the potential causes for the failure of a parking garage fa�ade that fell, killing a teenager walking to a music festival.
Tags: parking garage; public works; construction; engineering
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Public Works, Hidden Violations
Several construction companies were given "tens of millions in federal stimulus contracts," even though they violated several laws and regulations. Also, a few had been "convicted of defrauding taxpayers on previous projects" and others had previously paid fines for violating regulations. These should have been revealed when filling out the forms to be approved for the stimulus contracts.
Tags: transportation; workplace; safety; pollution; environment; FOIA; Highway Division; officials; federal government; federal funds
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A Slippery Slope
The series examines a Boston sidewalk that has led to accessibility issues for people with disabilities.
Tags: construction; road maintenance; wheel chair; handicap; public property
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Las Vegas Construction Deaths
Workers had been dying at a rate of one every six weeks -- 12 deaths in 18 months -- until contractors made sweeping safety improvements after the Las Vegas Sun revealed that poor safety practices and lax oversight by state regulators had contributed to the fatalities. Before the story, construction safety had been a non-issue in Las Vegas. The deaths were considered the cost of doing business in a $32 billion building boom, the biggest in Las Vegas history. High-rise construction is dangerous, authorities said. Contractors and state regulators blamed many of the accidents on the dead workers themselves. This investigation found those arguments were "plainly wrong."
Tags: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Las Vegas; construction work; worker deaths; property; contractors; Nevada state regulations
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Blowing the Whistle on a Casino Giant
The Review-Journal found that remodeling at one hotel in Las Vegas was registered as cosmetic work, thus exempting it from permits or inspections. However, the work was far from cosmetic and the continued renovations threatened public and employee safety.
Tags: construction; renovations; public safety; cosmetic remodeling; hotels
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A risky game
"Arizona State University performed emergency repairs to its Sun Devil Stadium to repair rusting beams that posed serious risks to fans. Crews worked 24 hours a day on a first round of repairs while the university did not disclose the risk to the public." The damage was not caused by the fans who spilled their drinks, but because the university had not waterproofed the stadium correctly.
Tags: sports arena; university; safety; hazards; repairs; construction; Arizona; Sun Devil Stadium
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Lethal and Leaking
In Hanford, WA millions of gallons of nuclear waste have been stored underground. The Department of Energy has been working to clean up the site since the early 1990s. However due to engineering miscalculations, the development of a treatment plant is behind schedule. Errors such as defective equipment and other mistakes that risk the safety of the plant have forced the price of the clean up to triple.
Tags: Department of Energy; environment; nuclear waste; treatment plant; construction; construction delays; Bechtel; ecology; toxic waste
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Welcom to Boondoggle Unified
" At L.A. Unified, the nation's second largest school district, Joe Santos worked at a construction company that had won a $10 million dollar seismic bracing project, despite no experience in seismic safety work. When Santos witnessed false claims, left his company and became a federal whistle blower, he was troubled to find that not only were the school district and FEMA reluctant to root out the fraud and waste he exposed; the District Attorney was willing to prosecute him on computer theft charges, even though key evidence had been tainted. The story exposed a vacuum of accountability between FEMA, its inspector general, the general, the school district and its facilities management division. Selective prosecution raised questions about priorities and methods within the L.A. District Attorney's Office."
Tags: earthquake; seismic protection; fraud; construction; school district; FEMA
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Inspecting the Inspectors
"The Phoenix area is one of the fastest growing parts of the country. Developers and home construction companies are trying to keep up with demand, so homes go up quickly; some owners say too quickly." It turns out that building inspectors were taking half the time that experts say they should. They're work loads were high. Also the developer themselves were to blame in some cases. One developer "poured sub-standard slabs for homes to save money."
Tags: construction; home owner; inspections; home inspectors; Pheonix; FOIA