The Hawaiian House and Senate Labor Committees grilled State Labor director Darwin Ching to find out why two companies were fined only $750 each for the collapse of a tower at Campbell Industrial Park May 16, 2009, that killed a worker.

The 169-foot metal tower collapsed at the old Hawaiian Cement facility as it was being prepared for demolition.

Witnesses said worker Juan Navarro and his supervisor ran to a safe spot just before the tower fell. But then, for a reason still unknown, Navarro went back into the tower and was killed as it smashed down on him.

AG Transport, the California sub-contractor hired to do the demolition, did not have a contractors license work in Hawaii.

The State Department of Commerce enforcement office confirmed Monday it is investigating AG Transport for failure to have a license for demolition work in Hawaii.And the State Labor Department has fined AG Transport $750 for failure to have a written engineering survey and an evacuation plan for the demolition project.

The Labor Department also issued a$750 fine to San Construction, the main contractor for the project, for failure to oversee safety practices on the project.

House Labor Chairman Karl Rhoads said Monday the fines are too low."I just don't believe that $750 is really much of a deterrent," said Rhoads. "My feeling is fines need to be significantly higher to have an effect."

Ching said the fines are based on a formula that mirrors federal fines.Under the formula, fines are lowered for smaller companies, and contractors pay less if their past safety records are good.