A steelworker working at the new Duxbury High School was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon, after a 20-foot fall from the building’s roof.
According to emergency officials, two workers fell from the building’s roof decking around 3 p.m. One of the workers was caught by the safety harness he was wearing, but the other worker’s harness cable snapped, causing him to fall two stories to the ground. Construction workers were able to free the suspended worker before emergency crews arrived.
Duxbury Fire Chief Kevin Nord, said the worker who fell suffered non-life threatening injuries to his neck, back, and torso, and was taken by ambulance to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, MA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officials immediately responded to the construction site after the incident.
The injured worker is entitled to his worker compensation benefits, which include:
• Immediate payment of all lost wages • Ensuring that all necessary medical care is provided for in a timely fashion • Having all bills processed and paid by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier
Depending upon the severity of the injury, the injured worker is often entitled to a settlement for his injuries.
A second aspect of this particular case is a potential defective product claim against the manufacturer of the harness. Assuming it was being worn properly, the harness should not have been compromised and caused the worked to fall. Without having an expert see the device, it is difficult to speculate why the harness snapped, but fortunately this steelworker was able to survive a potentially fatal fall.
At the law offices of Altman & Altman LLP, we have been successfully representing injured workers for three decades. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Massachusetts workplace injury, give one of our experienced injury lawyers a call for a free consultation.
Original Article from Patriot Ledger