On March 29, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that the death of an ex-boxer that occurred on a New Jersey construction site could have been prevented. The 60-year-old man died after he was struck by a piece of metal at AP Construction Inc.’s Camden Tower project site in 2017.
At the time of the work site accident, an employee was using a job hook to lift a piece of steel. However, the piece of equipment that was being used was not properly configured to handle the material that was being lifted. According to OSHA, the construction company was not following proper safety standards at the time of the man’s death. For example, the company was reportedly using improper lifting devices and had failed to properly train employees on the potential hazards surrounding the lifting equipment. As a result, the company was given more than $151,000 in penalties, though it can appeal the OSHA finding.
When workers are severely injured on the job, they may suddenly be unable to work. On top of that, the injuries may result in hospitalization and expensive medical bills in additional to regular household bills. In cases like this, an employee may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. However, there may be cases where the claim may be denied. An attorney may file an appeal and determine whether or not the injured employee could seek compensation from a third party. For example, if the accident occurred at a construction site, the attorney may assist with filing an additional claim against the manufacturer of the equipment that caused the injury.
Source: Courier Post, “OSHA: Ex-boxer’s death ‘preventable’ on Camden construction site“, Carly Q. Romalino, March 30, 2018