Construction workers in Missouri have to cope with the potential dangers of their occupations on a daily basis. The long list of dangers often includes large cranes. A crane accident can result in catastrophic injuries to workers, and these accidents are often due to disregarded safety procedures and inadequate staff training. Crane safety is regulated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA).
A 45-year-old construction worker recently lost his life in a tragic accident that occurred on a construction site in another state. It was reported that he was part of a crew working on a multi-story building when the accident took place. Elevated to a height of approximately 60 feet, the worker apparently leaned from the crane into an elevator cage. At this time, the elevator descended, and the man was pinned.
While waiting for emergency services, co-workers freed the unconscious, injured man and performed CPR. He was taken to ground level in a basket after being moved onto a stretcher. The critically injured worker was rushed to the hospital by ambulance but succumbed to his severe upper-body injuries soon after arrival. OSHA has launched an investigation to determine whether safety violations contributed to the worker’s death.
Missouri owners of construction companies are expected to provide adequate safety training to crane operators and other workers who perform their duties on or in the vicinity of cranes. Workers who are not informed of the potential hazards may be severely injured, or even killed, in a crane accident. To cover the high medical expenses that typically follow such an accident, workers may pursue claims for workers’ compensation benefits. In the event of a worker’s death caused by a construction accident, the victim’s surviving family members may be eligible for death benefits. This may assist them with covering the costs of a funeral and burial and provide some level of financial assistance.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “OSHA to investigate after worker, 45, dies in construction accident“, Tom Palmer and Rosemary Regina Sobol, Jan. 31, 2015