Construction Company Fined For Injuries Man Suffered in Fall
A construction company was fined $30,000 after an employee working for the company fell off a pier while working on a truck-mounted crane. The 49-year-old man suffered serious injuries including a fractured vertebra, broken ribs, and a broken wrist. The incident occurred in 2008 when the 49-year-old worker was attempting to climb over one of the stabilizers for the crane to reach the far end of the pier.
As the man climbed over the rigging that stabilizes the crane, he slipped and fell 5 meters (approx. 16 ft) onto some rocks in the shallow waters. The company that the man worked for was fined following the accident because an investigation showed they failed to provide some type of protection or fall prevention for the workers on the pier. Following the man’s accident, the company took measures to prevent other accidents from occurring in the future.
Construction work of any type always carries inherent danger with it, especially when the construction workers are working from high altitudes or working near water. In this incident, the victim of the fall could have drowned if the water was high enough and his injuries were severe enough. The injuries to his back could have been much worse causing the man to be paralyzed and preventing him from escaping from the water. The fine against the company is the right punishment for the man’s injuries because they failed to ensure his safety. If the company had taken measures to ensure the workers’ safety, this incident could have easily been prevented.
