In the last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported 3 three fatal construction accidents. One accident involved a crane operator who was killed while working at a highway construction site. In a separate incident, two men lost their lives when a strap holding a 10,000-pound generator attached to a crane broke, and dropped the generator on the workers below. In a third, a construction worker was seriously injured when he was thrown from the bulldozer he was operating and hit by the machine.
These instances demonstrate the dangers inherent at construction sites, especially when using large machinery. Employers have a duty to eliminate unreasonable risks of harm at a work site. This can be achieved in a number of ways, e.g., through proper training, hazard identification, coordination with other trades, maintenance of equipment, etc. However, other entities can sometimes be responsible for injuries despite these efforts. For example, design defects in machinery or the negligence of other contractors on a multi-employer work-sites worker can lead to accidents.
In these instances, it can be important to discuss your situation with a knowledgeable attorney that handles both workers’ compensation claims as well as third party lawsuits. Viadro Law, LLP, is such a law firm. For more information, or if you or a loved one has suffered a serious construction site accident, please contact the experienced Oakland personal injury lawyers at Viadro Law, LLP for an immediate consultation.
