A New York worker was injured recently following a fall. According to reports, the man — a grave digger — fell into a four foot by eight foot hole he was digging. Emergency crews were called to rescue the man, since the deep hole caused a situation where the worker was in a low-oxygen environment and he was only semi-conscious. When the paramedics arrived, one was lowered into the hole to check the man’s vitals.
When rescuers discovered that the man’s vitals were strong, firefighters were called in to complete the rescue. In order to get the man out of the hole, firefighters had to use specially trained units to shore up the hole to prevent collapse. Once trench panels were in place, a basket was used to hoist the man to safety.
According to reports, the man broke his leg in the fall and had been in a lot of pain. However, he was treated for his injuries and was recovering in stable condition. It is not known if the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had untaken an investigation of the incident.
When workers — like the man in this case — are injured on the job, an investigation can help to determine what happened and why. Sometimes the employee was negligent and sometimes the employer did not take the proper precautions to prevent the accident from happening.
In either case, the injured employee could be entitled to workers’ compensation. This compensation could help to cover the expenses caused by the accident. These costs could include medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs and more. With the help of workers’ compensation, injured workers can get back to normal following a workplace accident as quickly as possible.
Source: The New York Times, “At Cemetery, a Worker Falls Down on the Job,” Al Baker, Sept. 5, 2014