There are risks at just about any workplace. However, construction sites tend to have more potential for serious injuries than other types of work environments in California. This can be a problem for employers of construction workers because a serious work injury can result in an injured worker claim or even an OSHA investigation.
This may be the result of a recent construction site accident in another state that left three people dead and one person seriously injured. The incident happened late one morning in late March when scaffolding collapsed at a construction site at a high-rise building. Apparently, the workers were in the middle of lowering and removing a mast climber. The scaffolding collapsed just before 11 a.m., according to reports released to the public.
One of the men killed in the incident was a 41-year-old worker. The other two decedents were both 33-year-old males. The man who was injured was 53 years old and was taken to a nearby medical facility to obtain treatment for serious injuries. It is not yet clear whether all four of the workers were working on the scaffold or whether the workers were tethered to the scaffold or to the building. The workers are believed to have fallen more than 200 feet to the ground.
It was, of course, a shock for other workers as well as the employer that the fatal work accident occurred. However, an employer should also be aware of the possibility of an injured worker claim or an OSHA investigation following a work accident in California. Knowing the legal options available for an employer to defend financial interests is critical.
Source: wral.com, “3 dead, 1 injured in downtown Raleigh construction accident“, March 24, 2015
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