Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
A Massachusetts Department of Transportation worker fell into a 20-foot deep shaft in the Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston early on Friday morning. Officials have reported that either a ladder broke or the worker slipped just after 1 a.m. He was reported to have suffered from leg injuries from the fall and also hit his head. Because he fell into a water drainage system, officials were concerned that his wounds could be contaminated from the possible presence of natural gas and thus took necessary procedures to disinfect the worker. The worker was rescued from the hole after being stuck in the shaft for an hour. He has worked for the department for five years and his name was not released.
Firefighter Ronald Cook commented, “It’s like anything else, it’s time consuming, it takes a lot of guys to do, it’s manpower intensive…We had quite a few companies that turned out to do it and everybody did a great job.”
The state Department of Transportation is reviewing their safety protocol and investigating whether or not the 51-year-old electrician was following their set safety standards. Adam Hurtubise, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation, confirmed that they are “…conducting our own review, and if we determine we need to call in OSHA, we will.”
As reported just last week, this work-related fall has happened a week after an MBTA employee fell 30 feet into a concrete shaft below the tracks at the Charles/MGH Red Line Station. He was walking on a plank of plywood that was covering the shaft when he fell through and was stuck for hours before Boston firefighters could rescue him.
If you have been injured in a work-related accident and to find out if are entitled to workers’ compensation, contact one of our experienced Boston workers’ compensation lawyers for a free consultation.
Sources:
Worker rescued from shaft in Ted Williams Tunnel, 7-News, whdh.com, April 8, 2011
Department of Transportation worker’s fall in tunnel sparks probe, The Boston Herald, April 9, 2011
Contact the Massachusetts work injury lawyers at Altman & Altman if you have been injured on the job.
