Despite strict safety regulations prescribed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, construction workers in Pennsylvania and other states are often exposed to life-threatening hazards. In some cases, employers disregard workers’ safety in order to speed up the progress of the project. This may backfire as a work injury may lead to authorities shutting down a construction project until hazards are addressed.
This is what happened on a work site in another state after a worker was injured in a construction accident. An incident report indicates that police officers were dispatched to the accident scene after they received an alert about a trench collapse on the afternoon of Dec. 24. When they arrived at the scene, they found that a collapsed scaffold had trapped a man in a trench.
Reportedly, a worker was below ground level on a scaffolding structure while working on a building’s foundation. When the structure collapsed, the worker fell into the trench, and sections of the scaffolding landed on top of him. Upon arrival, emergency workers lifted the injured worker to ground level; although he was alert, he complained of head, chest and shoulder pain. He was rushed to a medical center for treatment.
The local building inspector reportedly ordered all work to stop until an OSHA investigation is complete. It is not known whether the worker was issued any type of fall protection to prevent a work injury. Regardless of who was at fault, injured workers nationwide, including in Pennsylvania, are entitled to pursue benefits claims through the workers’ compensation insurance program. This will provide them with compensation for the unexpected medical expenses along with financial aid to make up for some of the lost wages.
Source: jpupdates.com, “Ramapo Building Inspector Shuts Down Jewish Construction Site Following Collapse”, Dec. 24, 2015