When Chicago parents send their kids off to play they encourage the youngsters to stay in pairs or groups with other children. There is a certain level of safety that comes with being with others and friends can keep watchful eyes on each other to prevent disasters from happening. Many employers ask that workers engage in similar behaviors and that the workers stay with others when completing dangerous tasks.
An out-of-state construction worker was alone and was performing his job when he suffered a scary construction workplace injury. The man became trapped between a beam and a piece of machinery and is believed to have suffered a shoulder injury. Though rescue crews were dispatched to the construction site other workers located the injured worker first and were able to get him to safety.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be looking into the construction accident to determine how it happened and who was at fault. Reports indicate that several companies had workers at the site at the time of the accident. In addition to any sanctions OSHA assigns, the injured worker may contemplate his own legal rights and a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.
Employers are responsible for keeping their workers and the public safe when they engage in construction and building projects. This often involves having sufficient personnel on site to keep work moving forward in a safe and secure manner. OSHA will determine if the injured workers should have been on his own at the time of the incident. If he should have had support to help him complete his work-related task, his employer may find itself facing penalties and lawsuits for the damages that occurred.
Source: Fox 6 Now, “Construction accident: OSHA investigating after worker becomes trapped at Amazon complex site,” Katie Delong, July 23, 2014
