Contractor recovering after accident

A local contractor is recovering in a San Francisco hospital after losing his left arm in a construction accident Saturday afternoon.

Bob Shaw, who runs the crane operation for Carson City's Shaw Construction, was injured when a piece of crane equipment used to lift a cement wall malfunctioned, said his brother Ed Shaw.

According to police reports, the injury happened when a cable released while it was being adjusted on the concrete slab.

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation at the construction site at 745 Trademark in Reno has found no wrongdoing by the company. Another Shaw construction worker suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Shaw was taken by air ambulance to Ralph Davies Hospital in San Francisco, where doctors specialize in limb reattachment, Ed Shaw said. The effort was unsuccessful. Shaw is set for his last surgery on Friday and will likely be in the hospital another week.

Bob's wife, Linda,and daughter, Tiffany, have been at the hospital along with Bob's other brother and two sisters.

"The employees are very upset," Ed said. "He's a strong-willed person and I know he'll get through this."

Ed Shaw said he visited his brother at Washoe Medical Center before his transfer. He said Shaw's first concern was the welfare of coworkers who may have been involved in the accident.

"This is an inherently dangerous business," he said. "You work around heavy equipment and electricity and all kinds of dangers."

Shaw Construction is working on a commercial building at the site. The company does commercial projects throughout Northern Nevada.

Bob Shaw lives with his family in Washoe Valley.