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Earlier this week, a three-story building collapsed unexpectedly, injuring three construction workers and a passerby. The building accident occurred around 1:30pm Monday afternoon in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The workers were reportedly adding a fourth floor to the building and removed a critical beam, which made the building unstable.

One construction worker was trapped in the debris for roughly 20 minutes while coworkers and passerby worked to free him. He was buried up to his neck and was transported to Bellevue Hospital in critical but stable condition.

Injuries to the other two workers were less severe. One injured worker escaped with minor injuries, and another refused medical treatment after sustaining minor bumps and bruises. A pedestrian who rushed to aid the injured workers was taken to the hospital for observation.

A building department spokesperson said building violations will be issued in connection with the incident.

Source: 3 construction workers and a passerby hurt in Williamsburg building collapse, New York Daily News, March 29, 2010 Continue reading

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On Tuesday morning, a contractor died in a scaffolding accident. According to police, the construction accident occurred around 11am after the scaffolding collapsed, causing the man to suffer massive head and body trauma that led to his death. He was reportedly installing a fourth floor window in a residential building when he fell.

The injured contractor was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The local newspaper reports that another man was injured by the scaffolding collapse, but his name and condition were not released.

Construction sites present numerous hazards to workers, including on-site explosions, defective tools, fires, falling objects, crane or scaffolding accidents, and other dangers. The repercussions of these accidents can be life-altering and may lead to long-term disability or casualties.

Source: Cullman man dies in construction accident, Cullman Times, March 23, 2010 Continue reading

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Our Massachusetts work injury attorneys have learned that a construction worker was injured when the ceiling of a church collapsed in Rockland, Massachusetts. According to fire officials, the ceiling collapse occurred in the lower level of the Holy Family Church last Thursday morning while workers were performing demolition work on the plaster ceiling of the church’s lower sanctuary. A 20-by-30 foot section of the ceiling reportedly collapsed.

The unidentified worker was flown by medical helicopter to Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital. The injured worker’s condition is unknown. A second person suffered minor injuries but did not require hospitalization, according to officials.

The demolition accident is still being investigated to determine the cause.

Source: Worker Hurt in Ceiling Collapse at Massachusetts Church, ClaimsJournal.com, March 16, 2010 Continue reading

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Inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration discovered impalement and cave-in hazards at a construction site in Newton, Massachusetts. The Newton-based general contractor and its concrete subcontractor were working on a synagogue under construction and OSHA found workers in excavations up to 14 feet deep that lacked protection against a cave-in. These cave-in hazards were made even worse by the fact that there was no safe means of exiting the excavation. Warmer weather could also cause the soil to thaw.

As a result of these unsafe working conditions, OSHA has issues both companies four willful citations with $84,000 in proposed fines for each company. In addition, the general contractor faced four serious citations with $7,200 in proposed fines for a total of $91,200 in proposed fines. The subcontractor was issued two serious citations on top of the four willful citations for a total of $87,600 in fines.

Both companies have fifteen business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director, or contest the findings.

Source: Builders Cited for Impalement, Cave-In Hazards at Synagogue Site, OHSonline.com, March 13, 2010 Continue reading

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Last year, a firetruck crash killed a Boston firefighter when Ladder 26 lost its brakes, lurched down a hill, and hit a Mission Hill apartment building. A report released earlier this week says the driving accident was the result of improper driver training and flawed brake adjustments by firefighters who had not been trained as mechanics.

Since the fatal accident and the investigation that followed, the fire department has hired licensed mechanics to service trucks and has created a preventive maintenance program. Mayor Menino and the fire commissioner support these safety measures, and Menino had initially ordered that licensed mechanics work on trucks rather than uniformed firefighters.

However, the report from earlier this week recommends that uniformed firefighters receive training and return to servicing the firetrucks. The debate continues, as critics argue that the panel was advancing a union agenda rather than putting safety first.

Source: Firetruck brakes faulted for crash, Boston Globe, March 9, 2010 Continue reading

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Our Massachusetts wrongful death lawyers have learned that a construction worker died on Friday afternoon when the walls of a 6-foot-deep trench collapsed and pushed him into the sewer main, killing him instantly.

The 25-year-old was working to install a storm sewer line roughly 10 feet underground when the construction accident occurred in the town of Alamo, Texas. Reports say there were four other construction workers nearby at the time.

Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will examine the site of the construction accident to determine if any safety mandates were violated.

Source: Man dies in Alamo construction accident, The Monitor, March 5, 2010 Continue reading

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $136,000 in fines against a Massachusetts contractor that was working on a project involving the removal of asbestos-containing material at Boston Beth Israel Hospital last fall. OSHA inspectors discover 19 alleged safety violations, among them a failure to conduct an initial asbestos exposure assessment, a lack of protective clothing, and several respirator-related deficiencies.

Asbestos exposure is a serious health hazard to workers. Research has shown that prolonged exposure without appropriate safeguards in place can lead to lung cancer and other diseases.

The Danvers-based company received one willful citation with a $55,000 proposed fine for not establishing a regulated work area. OSHA also issued the company 17 serious citations totaling $80,000 in fines for the other safety issues and one other-than-serious citation with a $1,000 fine for not providing injury and illness logs in a timely fashion. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or contest the findings.

Source: New England Contractor Fined for Asbestos Hazards, Respiratory Deficiencies, OHSOnline.com, March 3, 2010 Continue reading

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Last week, an unidentified construction worker fell into an uncovered 20-foot shaft and sustained severe injuries, including a potential traumatic brain injury and a leg injury. The shaft reportedly houses a lower concrete platform that stores mechanical equipment. According to the San Antonio Express-News, the construction accident occurred around 7:45am at San Antonio College’s Nail Technical Center.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene of the workplace accident and pulled the worker out of the shaft. He was apparently conscious while rescuers transported him to a local hospital for medical treatment. It was unclear whether the man was wearing a hard hat at the time of the fall or why the metal grate was left open.

The construction accident remains under investigation by local authorities and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

Source: Construction worker injured at San Antonio College after falling into 20-foot hole, JusticeNewsFlash.com, March 1, 2010 Continue reading

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Earlier this week, two construction workers died after the trench they were working in collapsed on top of them, burying them alive. The deadly workplace accident occurred in Oklahoma around 2:45pm on Tuesday.

Local fire officials reported that the workers were digging a hole for a septic tank when the trench collapsed. Due to unstable soil, rescue crews were not able to immediately rescue the men, ages 32 and 44. Crews finally recovered their bodies by 10:30pm that night.

The cause of the trench collapse is not known, but the United States Occupational Health and Safety Administration will be investigating this fatal accident, and the state medical examiner’s office will perform an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Source: Two Oklahoma construction workers buried alive, JusticeNewsFlash, February 23, 2010 Continue reading

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OSHA is reportedly wrapping up its investigation of Middletown Middletown gas plant explosion that killed five workers and injured 21 workers earlier this month. The state’s public safety commissioner announced on Tuesday that he anticipates the investigation will wrap up over the next several weeks. While the site is no longer considered a crime scene, investigators have not ruled out a possible crime.

OSHA is investigating the accident site along with Massachusetts state police and the US Chemical and Safety Board. According to federal law, OSHA has up to six months complete an investigation and determine whether any safety regulations were violated.

According to Middletown’s chief building inspect, it appeared that the workers had performed a purge of gas lines by sending nitrogen through the line, followed by natural gas to clear out any moisture, which is “an accepted and approved method.”

Source: OSHA investigating Middletown gas plant explosion site, The Register Citizen, February 17, 2010 Continue reading

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