Construction sites can easily be among the most dangerous workplaces. That’s why it’s crucial that those responsible for the projects taking place on these sites take all necessary precautions to keep workers safe. Even those working to ensure a site’s safety aren’t immune from injury or worse.
Just this month, a catastrophic accident injured a safety consultant in Paterson. He survived, was rescued and at last report was recovering.
He reportedly fell through a shaft from one floor down to the next and was impaled by two steel rods (rebar) used to enforce concrete. The site that was once a National Guard armory is being turned into a sprawling housing complex. The company the man worked for was hired after an incident that injured a worker this summer.
General contractor has a history with OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating this latest incident. That investigation could take months. The company that is the project’s general contractor has already been cited for multiple OSHA violations and is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties. The owner of that company called this latest incident a “freak accident.”
Obviously, when most people are assigned to a construction site, they can’t take the time to investigate the history of every company involved with the project. They might not even know who all is involved.
In the meantime, if you have suffered injuries or a loved one has been killed, it’s important that you seek the workers’ compensation benefits to which you’re entitled. If you’re having difficulty getting those benefits, it may be worthwhile to seek legal guidance.