We have previously had occasion on our Philadelphia blog to discuss the dangers that workers in the construction industry must face, often on a daily basis. Regrettably, another construction accident has severely injured a worker, nearly killing the man and placing him in critical condition.
The accident happened as workers were tearing down an old residential hall on the grounds of the University of Washington. The demolition was a preliminary step in a larger plan to erect a new building for student housing on the site once the former hall was reduced to rubble and taken away.
During the course of one workday last month, however, a large chunk of concrete came loose from the old building and tumbled down to the ground, where it struck the cab of a crane on the jobsite. The slab was approximately 30 feet tall by 15 wide and weighed an estimated 20 tons. The force of the impact crumpled the cab and seriously injured the crane operator inside. Pictures of the scene show a mass of irregular concrete boulders and tangled steel wires surrounding the crane.
Many area firefighters and emergency personnel responded quickly to the workplace accident and they began the delicate work of extracting the injured man from the mangled remains of the cab. After approximately 100 minutes, they were able to remove the man safely to the hospital, where he received treatment for leg and head injuries.
The cost of medical bills can be a challenge for many people injured on the job, but workers’ compensation was designed to defray those often high costs.
Source: KVAL.com, “Crane operator critically injured in UW construction accident,” July 23, 2012.
• Our firm handles situations similar to the one mentioned above. If you would like more information about our practice, please visit our Bristol medical benefits page.