Construction Workers Face Real Danger of Work Injury or Death

Those who choose to work in the construction industry have the pride of accomplishment when a project is completed. They also face a real danger of experiencing a serious work injury or possibly death if something goes wrong. As many New Jersey construction workers know, an accident can happen without warning and may have devastating consequences.

Recently, the dangers of this type of work were reiterated when the deaths of workers in one geographic area were recapped. Over the past few years, several men became victims of fatal construction accidents. The most recent death occurred early last month when a 54-year-old man was hit by unspecified equipment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not completed its investigation, and it is unknown if the man’s employer will face any fines or sanctions for safety violations.

Another man perished when he and several other workers were demolishing a building and a portion of it collapsed, trapping him under the debris. The company was found to have several violations and fined by OSHA after an investigation into the man’s death. That company’s appeal is still ongoing. In another accident, a 40-year-old man was killed while attempting to unload a large trash receptacle that fell on him. That company paid fines in excess of $12,000.

When a construction worker is seriously injured or killed while on the job, it can create a financial hardship for the worker’s family. New Jersey employees do have access to the workers’ compensation program that pays benefits to anyone who suffers a work injury through no fault of his or her own or death benefits to surviving family members. If one has difficulties during the process of filing a claim, he or she may seek the assistance of a personal injury attorney who is experienced in successfully handling claims for these often vital benefits.

Source: silive.com, “Fatal construction accidents on Staten Island in recent years“, March 27, 2017