In order to protect workers, the government has created a series of safety regulations to protect people from workplace accidents. These regulations are especially important for those people who work in fields where there is an extra risk of danger — like construction workers. Construction workers often work in the elements, with potentially dangerous equipment and in potentially dangerous conditions. All of these factors combined can easily lead to a construction accident if these safety regulations are not closely followed.
Recently in Saratoga Springs, a construction accident occurred at a site located on Lake Avenue in the downtown business area. The accident occurred at the construction site for a hotel where a large crane crashed to the ground from the building above. It smashed into a fence on the site and fell nearby a popular restaurant. Thankfully, no workers were injured in this accident. According to the site’s managers, the crane fell after a lever malfunctioned.
Despite the fact that the accident was visible from both the police and fire stations, the construction company never reported the accident to either agency. Following the accident, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident and the construction site to determine if safety regulations are being violated.
While this accident did not cause harm to any of the workers, many construction site accidents do. They can leave workers with severe and permanent injuries that can prevent them from working. In these situations, workers’ compensation is available to help workers pay for the costs of the accident. Workers’ compensation will pay for medical expenses, rehabilitative costs and lost wages. If workers are unable to work, workers’ compensation can be essential in helping those injured construction workers provide for their families.
Source: My Fox NY, “OSHA investigating crane collapse in upstate NY,” Feb. 14, 2013