Police are currently investigating the death of a construction worker who was tragically killed while operating equipment at a construction site at the Moscone Center. The accident occurred around 8 a.m. one morning when a worker was operating a cherry picker inside a ramp that goes underground at the Moscone Center located on Third Street between Folsom and Howard Streets.
The worker was standing on top of the cherry picker, lifting up a piece of heavy equipment, when he got pinned against a cement concrete structure. Several coworkers saw the accident and immediately brought the man down, but it was too late to save him. Although they called 911, he was unable to be resuscitated. No other injuries were reported and there was no damage to the construction site. City and state officials are looking into the incident.
Accidents involving construction machinery, such as this accident, are very common. Construction machinery is a critical part of completing almost any project at a construction site. Because this machinery is so frequently used to complete major construction projects, it is also commonplace for workers to be killed or injured when using construction equipment. With the economy doing well in many parts of the country right now, work injuries involving construction equipment are on the rise.
Frequently, construction equipment requires that workers use their heads, legs, arms, feet, hands, and torso to operate the equipment. In order to use the equipment, workers normally must be in close proximity to it. Although there are regulations that must be followed concerning required safeguards and the types of protective gear that must be given to workers, these regulations are not always adhered to, which can result in death and serious injuries.
In many cases, the management on a construction site fails to provide the money to follow OSHA and state rules. It’s common for construction companies to be eager to finish a project, and to not want to invest the time or money into maintaining equipment or ensuring that workers are safe on a worksite. As a result, workers are often injured in accidents involving forklifts, cherry pickers, bulldozers, cranes, and front-end loaders.
There are a number of serious injuries that construction workers can suffer from after being involved in a construction accident. Workers can incur injuries involving broken bones, amputated limbs, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back and shoulder injuries, electric shock, burns, paralysis, and much more.
Construction managers and others in a position of authority have a duty of care that they must follow in providing construction equipment to employees. They must ensure the equipment is safe, and that proper safety equipment is provided. They also must ensure that workers have been properly trained in order to be able to operate the equipment.
If a construction worker is injured on the job, typically he or she has a couple of options. He or she can file for worker’s compensation benefits, or sue a third party, such as the equipment manufacturer. Typically, if an employer has worker’s compensation insurance, the employee cannot directly sue the employer after an accident, although there are exceptions.
If you have been injured in an accident involving construction equipment, call the San Francisco personal injury attorneys at Liberty Law at 415-896-1000 or 510-645-1000. We work with injured clients throughout the San Francisco area, including Oakland, Hayward, Tracy, Fairfield, San Jose, Berkeley, and the surrounding areas to ensure they get the compensation they deserve after an accident. Call us today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.
