A construction worker was killed Monday at McCarran Airport. The Department of Aviation says the Las Vegas Paving employee was working on the Terminal 3 project when there was an incident.

Airport managers would not say exactly what happened.

Statement from Las Vegas Paving:

"Las Vegas Paving Corporation is deeply saddened by the unfortunate loss of life of one of our valued employees on the McCarran Airport Terminal 3 project. As a company, we place workplace safety as 'priority one' and strive to provide our employees with a safe and secure workplace. Unfortunately, and as with all construction projects, the possibility of unforeseen accidents resulting in bodily injury and death is ever present. Las Vegas Paving will be working closely with the appropriate authorities to determine how this tragic accident occurred. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and co-workers of the worker involved."

Statement from the Department of Aviation

"On Monday, Feb. 23, a laborer employed by Las Vegas Paving suffered a fatality while working on the Terminal 3 roadway project at McCarran International Airport. The incident is under investigation by the Nevada division of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. On behalf of the Clark County Department of Aviation, I want to personally extend our collective condolences to the friends, family and coworkers affected by this tragic event.

Monday's occurrence was the first work-related fatality on a Department of Aviation job in the 16+ years that Bechtel has tracked contractors' hours. From October 1992 through December 2008, contractors worked more than 15.6 million hours on Department of Aviation projects with only 110 lost time incidents reported, a frequency rate of 1.405. The national average of Bureau of Labor Statistics compiled from 1994 through 1997 shows the construction industry's national average was 2.95 lost time incidents, or more than double the average reported on Department of Aviation job sites during a similar time frame.

Construction is an inherently dangerous activity, and even the best safety programs can't completely protect the health of those who work in this field. Today's tragedy is an unwanted reminder of the risks which we've previously been able to avoid, and through continued diligence hope will never occur again."

-- Randall H. Walker, Clark County Director of Aviation