New York construction sites often have heavy equipment and sometimes workers can end up getting hurt by these machines. Due to their sheer size, it’s easy for workers to get run over or pinned by them and suffer serious injuries. A worker was recently pinned between an aerial lift and a beam at the site of an Amazon Distribution Center in another state. Fortunately, his construction injuries do not appear to be serious.
The construction accident happened on the afternoon of July 23. Co-workers noticed that a 35-year-old worker was stuck between the two pieces of equipment. They took swift action and were able to free the worker before emergency personnel could arrive. It is unknown how the accident occurred, as there were no witnesses.
The victim was taken to a local hospital and is being treated for a dislocated or torn shoulder. The man’s employer is unknown. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident to determine the cause and liable party.
Injury accidents can happen in virtually any work environment. However, the construction industry has so many elements at play, making accidents much more common. In fact, construction is one of the most dangerous industries. The victim was fortunate that he was not fatally crushed by the beam and lift.
The good news is that if a construction worker is injured on the job, he or she has the right to receive workers’ compensation benefits – regardless of fault. In fact, for the most part, injured workers in any industry are entitled to these payments, but there are some exceptions. These benefits help pay for lost wages and medical bills due to the injury.
Source: FOX 6, “Construction accident: OSHA investigating after worker becomes trapped at Amazon complex site,” Katie DeLong, July 23, 2014