In some instances, a workplace injury can result in an investigation to determine what happened and whether the accident could have been prevented. Some work accidents occur because an employer does not provide adequate safety precautions or training.
Last week, a woman was killed in a construction site accident after she was pinned in between scaffolding and a railing. She had been working underneath a building when the accident occurred. When coworkers found her, they got her to safety and attempted to resuscitate her.
When emergency responders arrived they too tried to revive her. Their attempts continued as they brought her to a nearby hospital. But her injuries were too severe and she died on the way to the hospital. It is unclear what types of injuries the woman sustained.
It is always difficult to deal with a death that resulted from an accident. The woman was 36 years old and had been working as a contractor on the construction project. She had been working in an underground loading area when the accident occurred.
The local police department is reportedly working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to figure out how the woman became crushed by the equipment. When OSHA launches an investigation, it often tries to determine whether the employer had followed the federal safety and health regulations for preventing workplace injuries. If OSHA finds that the construction company failed to do so, the company could be cited for violating the federal regulations.
For now, the construction project has been halted in order to respect the needs of the other workers and the woman’s family and friends.
Source: The Hoya online, “Construction Worker Dies in Accident Under Leavey,” Lauren Weber, 17 March 2011
