Failed scaffolding results in construction accident, kills 3
On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Construction Workers’ Accidents on Tuesday, March 24, 2015.
Without workers brave enough to scale the sides of buildings or work in other dangerous areas, construction sites would be mostly empty and progress would likely slow to a crawl in Illinois. Fortunately, there are a number of men and women who fill the role of construction workers. It is imperative that the safety of these workers be a top priority on every construction site to avoid a potentially disastrous construction accident.
Scaffolds are a normal sight at most construction areas, but they are also a common point of breakdown in worker safety. We discussed the dangers of unsafe scaffolding on Jan. 5, 2015 (“Scaffolds common cause of a construction accident”), and it does not appear as though much has changed since then. A scaffold at an out-of-state construction site recently failed, killing three workers.
The scaffold was attached to the side of an 11-story building when some workers reported hearing something shaking. Worried that something was wrong, one of those workers actually reached out to the men on the scaffold, but it was too late. The scaffold failed, and witnesses to the accident reported seeing the men fall from the platform. Construction was put on hold as authorities investigated, and fellow construction workers gathered at the site to grieve the loss of their fellow employees.
The importance of utilizing the correct safety precautions in all workplaces is paramount to the continued safety of workers. Illinois workers are more than just employees — they are people, many of whom have friends and family that love and care for them dearly. Others have families that rely on them for financial stability. When a construction accident results in a tragic death, the victim’s family can stand up for their right to pursue workers’ compensation benefits. Death benefits through workers’ comp can be invaluable when it comes to adjusting to life without a loved one who was killed on the job.
Source: wral.com, “3 dead, 1 injured in downtown Raleigh construction accident“, Brian Shrader, Monica Laliberte and Laura Leslie, March 23, 2015
