As reported in an article posted on EHS Today, recent investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have found that a New Jersey construction worker’s dangerous fall was due to worksite hazards. Additionally, the construction company running the worksite had been repeatedly cited by the organization for similar hazards in the past.
Reports indicate that the worker fell 45 feet while erecting steel beams in the construction of a Jersey City commercial facility. The worker survived the fall, but suffered a broken right kneecap, shattered right elbow, fractured pelvis, punctured liver, and punctured kidneys.
It was found that the company, while involved in decking construction work, had failed to protect the worker from a potential fall. The construction company had been cited for similar violations in 2007 and 2012.
Falls are the leading cause of fatalities at construction sites, and workers need a wide variety of protective gear in order to prevent such incidents from occurring and to protect them in the event they do fall. Ladders, scaffolds, and other climbing equipment must be properly erected in a stable manner in order to avoid collapses or other incidents. Railings and harnesses can prevent a worker from falling over the edge. Every employee who works “higher up” should be trained in working and taking safety precautions at an elevation, including how to properly use all safety gear to avoid mistakes which can result in injuries.
However, it is up to contractors to provide safe well-maintained equipment, proper training and a safe work environment. Property owners may also be responsible for an unsafe work environment. Additionally, manufacturers must produce safety equipment that does not fail and cause or allow injuries to workers. If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction fall accident in New Jersey, or any type of construction accident, call Blume Forte at 973-845-4421 to learn more about your legal rights to pursue compensation for your losses.