Denver construction workers are aware that there are certain risks inherent in their jobs, but, if the employer has properly prepared its employees, there is a very real likelihood that the job is safe. It is oftentimes when a construction company doesn’t cover proper safety procedures or how to carefully do the job without putting anyone at risk that Colorado employees suffer crush injuries that severely affect the ability to work.
A recent construction accident has left one man dead after the building he was in collapsed. The man was one of three construction workers who were working in the building when it inextricably collapsed. The equipment operator still is unsure what happened, but the contractor for whom the men worked has a history of failing to protect its workers. The contractor was cited previously when one of its employees fell to his or her death.
One of the men, 69, was buried in the rubble. He and a 31-year-old employee were both covered by reinforced concrete, bricks and steel beams in mere moments after the building collapsed. The firefighters who responded to the collapse were able to get the two men out of the debris and wreckage, but the 69-year-old employee’s crush injuries were too severe and he died at the hospital. The 31-year-old man was also rushed to the hospital, but there is no information on his condition.
The third employee, a 60-year-old, was found in an air-filled pocket in the wreckage. It took approximately 45 minutes to remove him from the building. Firefighters had to first remove a half-ton slab of concrete on his arm and steel pipe that was crushing his legs. There was also a considerable amount of debris on his chest that was making his breathing labored.
When accidents like this happen in Denver, it is important that the injured workers contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as they can after seeking medical attention. An attorney can help them to prepare an application for workers’ compensation and determine if they are permanently disabled after such a serious accident.
Source: The New York Times, “Construction Worker Killed in Building Collapse in Manhattan,” Al Baker, March 22, 2012
