Annapolis Personal Injury Law Blog
Construction work can be physically demanding and is oftentimes dangerous. Workplace injuries can occur if safety and training are not held to high standards and establishments don’t follow the laws set forth to protect employees. When an employer refuses to supply the materials or training necessary to keep a Maryland work site safe, legal action can follow.
An employer in another state was charged with manslaughter after an investigation from a 2015 incident raised questions and revealed a plethora of OSHA violations. The employer ordered excavation in a location that was outside of the allotted space granted on the permit. The workers had been requesting for the proper equipment to secure the walls and were repeatedly ignored or denied. No one on the crew held any OSHA training or safety certifications.
Due to the lack of experience and the employer’s denial of the proper equipment, one of the walls collapsed. Falling debris and masonry blocks killed an 18-year-old and severely injured two other workers. Compounding the issue is also the employer’s lack of workers compensation coverage.
When there are clear and obvious danger signs on a construction site, workers and their employers should be aware. If no training or the lack of an experienced crew leave the employees with no safety recourse, workplace injuries or fatalities can occur. Should Maryland residents find themselves injured in a workplace accident, workers’ compensation could cover the loss of wages and medical bills incurred. When an employer fails to keep a workers’ compensation policy in place, a victim can seek compensation in a civil lawsuit.
Source: bna.com, “NYC Contractor Faces Homicide Charges in Cave-In Death”, John Herzfeld, May 11, 2017
