Articles Posted in Workplace Accidents

Maryland workers are not exempt from accidents that occur on the job. Workplace accidents, mostly falls, are reported as being the leading cause of death for construction workers. What makes the statistics all the more real, when presented, is how many of the accidents could be prevented by training employees properly. Worksite safety and providing the proper equipment is crucial for construction workers to be safe while performing a job well and in a timely manner. When employers don’t implement training, accidents can happen.

The incident occurred around 11:50 a.m. on May 11. Two workers were unloading doors at an apartment complex. By leaning through the third floor window, the men were unloading the doors from a crate and were using another crate to stand on. The crate that was being used as a platform came loose from the hydraulic lift that it was placed on. The crate plummeted to the ground, taking both men with it.

One worker was pronounced dead by paramedics on the scene. The second worker was transported to a local hospital and is being treated with life-threatening injuries. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration continues its investigation into the events that led to this tragic event.

Maryland employers have the responsibility to minimize the risk of injury on job sites by obtaining necessary permits and training all workers about correct safety procedures. When able to spot and correct dangerous conditions, the number of workplace accidents decreases significantly. When caution is not of paramount concern, accidents and fatalities can happen.

A 54-year-old construction worker was killed last month in another state on an active job site. The union worker was struck and killed by a load that fell from a crane. It has been suggested that this accident may have resulted from extreme negligence. Officials believe construction workers may have failed to secure the load on the crane correctly. It is also noted that the contractors failed to obtain the permits required in order to operate dangerous equipment and to be able to work an active construction site.

With a recent uptick in workplace injuries, especially on construction sites, officials are taking notice. Non-union sites seem to be more susceptible to serious accidents than union sites. It has been suggested that this is due to the fact that union-led sites are safer due to more oversight by foremen.

Construction accidents in Maryland can arise from a variety of sources. Falls, dropped tools, cranes, overhead power lines, motor vehicles, scaffolding, as well as the use of heavy machinery and equipment are among the most common sources of construction workplace accidents. However, other dangers such as confined spaces, carbon monoxide, trench cave-ins and improper training can also lead to serious and, sometimes, fatal injuries.

A construction accident recently resulted in a worker’s death in another state. The accident happened on a recent Monday in February. It occurred around 2:30 p.m. at a highway construction site.

Police say a 38-year-old Missouri man was at the job site in Minnesota helping unload a large metal pipe from the trailer of a truck. For reasons that are currently unclear, the 2,500 pound pipe became dislodged and fell on top of him. Workers administered first aid immediately until paramedics arrived. However, the worker was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Construction accidents in Maryland and elsewhere can arise from a variety of sources. Falls, dropped tools, cranes, overhead power lines, motor vehicles, scaffolding, as well as the use of heavy machinery and equipment are among the most common sources of workplace accidents. However, other dangers such as confined spaces, carbon monoxide, trench cave-ins and improper training can also lead to serious and, sometimes, fatal injuries.

Two out-of-state workers were recently involved in a serious construction accident. The accident occurred on a recent Wednesday afternoon in February. Both workers were rushed to a local hospital where one later died while the other was treated and released.

Miami rescue officials were called to the scene of the accident at a Metromover car around 1 a.m. According to the Captain of the Miami Department of Fire-Rescue, a 43-year-old worker and a 37-year-old worker had been in an elevated bucket boom at a construction site when the rail car slammed into the bucket. Although both workers were wearing the proper safety equipment when the accident occurred, both were ejected from the bucket — one was left dangling while the other plummeted to the ground. The second man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Generally, it is a requirement that most Maryland employers carry insurance in the event an employee is injured or becomes sick on the job. When workplace accidents happen, the employer’s workers’ compensation benefits apply whether or not the accident or illness was the fault of the worker. In the event of a fatality, workers’ compensation death benefits will be awarded to the family.

A serious construction accident occurred on a recent Monday in January. The accident was in another state. It resulted in the death of a 19-year-old construction worker.

The accident happened around 10:30 a.m. at a construction site, the county sheriff’s office reported. According to a sheriff’s deputy, the female employee was working in a 15-foot hole when she was crushed by a backhoe’s digger. The operator of the backhoe was unaware that the other worker was in the hole at the time he dropped the machine’s apparatus. OSHA has started its investigation.