http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/scaffolding_accidents Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:16:28 -0800 pixel-app en http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/8019 Thu, 22 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/8019
The scaffolding was bent by the impact and all three were taken to the hospital, one with some pretty serious injuries.

Joe Henderson, 32, fell all four stories. When he landed, he could barely move, but he was talking to paramedics as they took care of him, loading him up on a backboard so he could be airlifted to the hospital.

The men were installing hurricane accordion shutters on the outside of the condos. They say they were having problems with the device earlier in the day. It was starting and stopping. Then, the rusted cable broke.

Two of the men had their safety harnesses on and they were left dangling, holding onto anything. But, Joe had just taken his off, as he was climbing on to the balcony, when it snapped. He fell more than 40 feet.

"He's a really good buddy. It's pretty sad to see that happen to a guy like that. He's a hard worker and everything," says accident victim James Dixson.

The workers say they have complained about the scaffolding before, but got on it anyway so they could do their job. The two other workers were pretty banged up, with one dislocating his shoulder.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7152 Sat, 29 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7152
Ocean City police said Michael Koch, 46, of Georgetown, was hanging Christmas decorations inside the hotel's atrium with Ivan Morales, 34, of Ocean City, when the scaffold the men were standing on collapsed. The men were four stories above a concrete deck.

Koch died after being transported to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, Md.

The hospital was the first of three that Morales was taken to Friday. An ambulance took him from Atlantic General to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md., and by Friday night he was in critical condition at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

Police said the heavy fog Friday morning ruled out helicopter transport directly from Ocean City to Peninsula Regional. Morales was flown by helicopter from PRMC to Baltimore.

Police said they do not know what caused the scaffold's collapse. An employee at the Princess Royale's front desk Friday night said the hotel is not releasing any information about the incident.

Maryland's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, police said. ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7153 Thu, 20 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7153
Two workers sustained serious neck and back injuries when they fell from the three-story wooden scaffolding, while a third worker underneath the scaffolding was less seriously injured, said Lt. Louis Liberati, who was at the scene.

The workers were being treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. A spokeswoman said they were being evaluated for fractures and head trauma.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse, which happened at about 1:30 p.m. High winds were whipping through the city Wednesday afternoon in advance of a line of storms that was racing across the state.

The fallen wooden scaffold, covered with a blue tarp, stretched across a city street and covered three cars.

Gavin Williams said the wind caught the tarp like a sail and pulled it down onto the car he was riding in while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light. He exited the car by popping open its hatchback.

"Scary when you see a blue thing coming down on top of you," Williams said.

The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections and officials with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration were responding to the scene.

L&I issued violations to the Arch Street property on Oct. 31 regarding the building's cornices, maintenance to the exterior and roof, and the certification of the fire alarm system, spokeswoman Andrea Swan said.

The building's owners did have a permit to repair the building's roof, which required submitting plans showing the kind of work they wanted to do, Swan said.

L&I identifed the building's owner as Li He Ren of Cherry Hill, N.J., and the architect who applied for the permit as Charles Datner and Associates of Ardmore. A telephone listing for Li He Ren could not be found. A message left by The Associated Press at Charles Datner and Associates was not immediately returned.

L&I issued a stop work order for the permit after the accident, Swan said.

OSHA spokeswoman Leni Fortson said the accident was under investigation.

Authorities were trying to determine what company had put up the scaffolding. The city's Streets Department did not receive a request to put scaffolding on the sidewalk at the property, spokeswoman Cynthia Hite said.

Benny Lam, who owns a jewelry store across the street, said the scaffold went up only two nights before. He heard a loud noise when the structure fell.

"I heard the boom," he said. "I thought it was a truck hitting something."]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7154 Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7154
The construction accident occurred in the 1200 block of Imperial Avenue at about 11:30 a.m., according to San Diego Fire Department public affairs officials.

One laborer fell about four floors to the ground, a dispatcher said. It took emergency crews about a half-hour to rescue the other one. Medics took both to a hospital. Their conditions and identities were not immediately available.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7018 Fri, 14 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/7018
The worker, identified as Yugo Beja, 23, of Elizabeth, was standing on a scaffolding when a thick hose filled with water struck the scaffolding and knocked Beja off of it and down the shaft, police said. The stair shaft is about five stories high.

The spot where the 7:30 a.m. accident occurred is in the 400 block of Boulevard East, near a NJ Transit bus lot.

Weehawken police officers Ellia Almoyan and John Decosmis responded to the scene and two construction workers showed them where Beja had fallen.

"When they got to him, he was conscious but had some facial and arm injuries," Weehawken Deputy Chief Robert Del Priore said.

After firefighters and paramedic workers arrived, Beja was placed on a stretcher and carried up the shaft, police said. He was taken to Jersey City Medical Center, where he remains under treatment for his injuries. Police said his injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening. ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6695 Wed, 10 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6695
Donatius J. McMahon, 44, leaves behind two daughters ages 6 and 9, as well as his wife, Bobbie, who was still in disbelief hours after the incident.

"I'm still waiting for the director to yell cut," Bobbie McMahon said Tuesday evening.

The incident happened about 11:15 a.m. at an eight-story building under construction just off Cooper Street and Broadway.

A 40-year-old man from Wapwallopen, Pa., who was standing on the same scaffold, suffered a broken arm and other unspecified injuries. The man, whose name was not released, was in stable condition Tuesday at Cooper University Hospital, police said.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office has ruled the incident an accident. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

McMahon and the Pennsylvania man had finished installing windows and were disassembling scaffolding, authorities said. They were removing metal pieces from the top of the structure to the bottom.

While they were about 30 feet off the ground, a 4-foot steel mast which had been used to support the scaffolding they had disassembled broke loose above them, authorities said. It struck McMahon in the head and hit the other man in the arm.

The scaffold tipped to the right, dumping the men and their materials to the ground and into a perimeter fence.

"The thing just popped," said Carmen Myers of Camden, who was on her way to Philadelphia via the Benjamin Franklin Bridge pedestrian walkway near the construction site when the accident happened.

"(McMahon) was trying to hold on, and he slid down and all the equipment fell on him," a crying Myers said.

McMahon was a four-year member of Philadelphia Local 252 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, his wife said. He was working for King Glass Co. of Scranton, Pa., a subcontractor for Turner Construction of Philadelphia.

"He was a great dad and he was a great union worker," she said. "That was his life."

Construction of the eight-story, $20 million building has been under way for more than a year and is 95 percent complete, officials said. It will include six levels of parking, one floor of retail space and one floor for Camden County College computer classrooms.

Minutes after the accident, shocked workers stared at the scaffold, which was tipped at about an 80-degree angle with blood staining its side.

It was not immediately known if the workers were wearing helmets or tethers, Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi said.

Each year, 50 people die and 4,500 more are injured in scaffold-related accidents, OSHA said. Workers being struck by falling objects was a primary cause of such accidents.

The OSHA office in Marlton will examine specifically how the men were taking the scaffold down, said Gary Roskoski, OSHA's area director.

Representatives also will interview employees and witnesses, Roskoski said. A report and possible citations will be issued within six months.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6481 Sat, 16 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6481
A painter who fell to the ground, Pedro Hernandez Encarnacion, 34, of Eden died Thursday evening at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

Investigators say Encarnacion suffered fatal internal injuries in the fall, while a second painter, Victor Estrada, 35, remained suspended near the broken scaffolding for more than an hour.

Estrada remained hospitalized at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, where a spokesman said he was listed in good condition.

A third painter, Christopher Titus, 23, of Shallotte was not injured.

Investigators said it appeared that one of two cables supporting the platform snapped, releasing the left side of its balanced perch into a wild downward swing.

Investigators from the state Department of Labor were at the scene Thursday and Friday.

The 300,000-gallon water tower is just off N.C. 704 near U.S. 220. The men were employed by a subcontractor of the town of Madison to repaint the tower.

Labor Department spokesman Juan Santos said it could be several weeks before investigators know exactly what triggered the accident.

Santos said investigators would try to determine first why the scaffolding fell, then why Encarnacion was not saved by a tether that he should have been connected to.

Emergency workers said they removed a safety vest from Encarnacion, but were not sure if it either malfunctioned or was not being used properly.

Encarnacion, who grew up near Acapulco in the ocean-side Mexican province of Guerrero, moved to Rockingham County five years ago. He was a resident alien who had applied for U.S. citizenship.

"He came to work," said his wife, Sandra Encarnacion, 46. "He sent money home to his mother."]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6482 Sat, 09 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6482
Terry said an autopsy by the Milwaukee County medical examiner's office revealed no heart problems or other natural causes that would have caused Zebedke Richardson to fall 30 to 40 feet from a scaffolding Monday.

Terry said he had not received a final report from Milwaukee County, but it is not believed that any other findings will be released.

Robinson fell from scaffolding and was impaled on a 5-inch bolt at a construction site near Batten Airport at Mount Pleasant St. and South St. He was 55.

Richardson was a 12-year employee of C.D. Smith Construction of Fond du Lac. The company is building a basin for the city's Water and Wastewater Utilities.

The accident happened Monday afternoon, and Richardson died at 8:50 p.m. after neurosurgery at St. Mary's Medical Center, Terry said.

Terry said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating the incident.

A review by the Racine Police Department concluded that the incident was an industrial site accident and not a criminal incident, Sgt. William Macemon said.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6483 Fri, 08 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6483
"We've had more this fiscal year than in past fiscal years," said Robert Kowalski, director of OSHA's Bridgeport office, which covers Fairfield, New Haven and Middlesex counties.

On Tuesday, Gilberto Ortega, 40, of Mount Vernon, N.Y., died after falling from scaffolding at a MacArthur Drive house and sustaining serious head injuries, police have said. Ortega was a principal of G & R Brothers in Westchester County, N.Y.

Kowalski estimated that about four or five such "catastrophes" the term used to describe an incident in which someone dies or three or more people are hospitalized have already occurred this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Besides Greenwich, those accidents included construction-related catastrophes in Bethel, Danbury and Meriden, according to agency data.

In the past, such accidents have numbered about one or two, Kowalski said, adding that there was no apparent explanation for the increase but that the figures were relatively low. For example, Florida, a far larger state, normally has about 70 such accidents every year.

"We've been fortunate up here," Kowalski said.

Since the start of this fiscal year, Bridgeport OSHA inspectors have been sent to investigate 57 businesses involved in accidents, according to data the agency makes available on its Web site. About 30 of those firms, or slightly more than half, are in the construction business.

Kowalski said that the agency, which has jurisdiction over privately owned businesses, has seen a trend of more accidents involving people injured by falls. Additionally, many have involved small businesses.

"Nine times out of 10, it's the owner of the business that dies," he said.

Kowalski declined to comment on the Old Greenwich accident because there is an ongoing investigation.

Prior to this accident, OSHA had been sent to investigate six workplace accidents in town this fiscal year, according to the agency's data. Greenwich police reports also show another incident last week that has not yet been recorded in OSHA's database.

The last previous work-related fatality to occur in town was on July 27, 2001, when Jorge Rejas-Diaz, 44, of Mamaroneck, N.Y., died after falling 29 feet from the pitched roof of a Calhoun Drive home undergoing renovations.

OSHA does not investigate work-related accidents that involve motor vehicles or those involving government employees. ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6484 Thu, 24 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6484
Alan Stockton, 44, of Laguna Beach was killed.

A second scaffolding of the same type was pulled from service after the accident, pending investigations by police and the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

Richard Martin James, 33, of Fountain, was killed Dec. 14 when he fell 90 feet into the water while working on the bridge.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6485 Tue, 01 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/6485
A construction worker at the scene off River Road in the Whippoorwill Hills subdivision said the workers, including the job foreman, fell between 15 to 20 feet while working on a house. The worker for Howerton Construction of Gasburg, Va., offered no other details.

Deputy Fontay Macon said a construction worker told him around 9:15 a.m., four men were on the scaffold when it tilted, causing three men to plunge to the ground.

Injured were Frankie Howerton, Frank Edmonds and Brandon Jones. No ages or addresses were available. Macon said one worker sustained a back injury, one hurt his foot and the other sustained a wrist injury. Macon said it was not clear who sustained which injury.

Two of the workers were transported to Community Memorial Health Center in South Hill, Va., while another was taken Halifax Regional Medical Center in Roanoke Rapids.

Macon said it was not clear which man was transported to which hospital. Macon planned to turn the accident over to the detective division for further investigation. ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/scaffolding_accidents Tue, 01 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/scaffolding_accidents Scaffolding Accidents Scaffolding accidents are usually the result of improper construction or negligent maintenance of the scaffolding. It is estimated that 10,000 of the 500,000 injuries that occur annually on construction sites are scaffold accidents.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have strict regulations concerning the proper assembly and usage of scaffolds. Unfortunately, the erector and/or laborer often perceive certain components as unnecessary or too expensive to rent or buy. The result is a scaffold that does not comply with the OSHA standards.

Our lawyers are experienced and successful in scaffolding injuries and other construction accident injuries. If you have been injured in a scaffolding accident, our lawyers will evaluate your case for free.

The most commonly "forgotten" scaffold components are:

Base Plates and Mud Sills: Base plates and mud sills are required on all scaffolds. Also, the surface on which the mud sills are placed must be capable of supporting the loaded scaffold without settling. In some cases it may be necessary to compact the soil before setting up the scaffold.

Scaffold Ties: The first tie must be installed at the horizontal member of the frame closest to the 4:1 base to height ratio. In other words, if you are utilizing 5-feet wide frames, the first tie should be installed at the horizontal member of the frame as close to the 20-feet height as possible. After the initial tie is installed, subsequent ties must be installed at height intervals not to exceed 26 feet. Also, ties must be installed at each end of the scaffold and at horizontal intervals not to exceed 30 feet. All ties should be capable of withstanding a "push" or "pull" force of 2,500 pounds. Additional ties may be necessary when enclosing a scaffold or when the scaffold is subject to high winds. If in doubt, always review your scaffold set-up plans with a professional engineer prior to beginning the set-up.

Side Brackets: When using side brackets, it is important to remember that brackets are for personnel only. NEVER use side brackets for material loading or storage. Also, check the load capacity of the side brackets and do not overload them. Most brackets are rated for a load capacity of 500 pounds. When determining the load on a particular bracket, you must remember to include the load in the area of .5 of the bay on each side of the bracket. Side brackets should be secured against uplift by either pinning (if holes are provided) or wiring to the frame.

Guard Railing: This should be complete with both top rails and mid rails. Current OSHA scaffold codes require fall protection on all scaffolds where the user is exposed to a fall of 10 feet or more to a lower level. When using guard railing to satisfy the fall protection requirement, it must be installed with a top rail height of between 38 inches and 45 inches above the work platform. Mid rails must be installed approximately midway between the top rails and the work platform. Also, all top rails must be able to withstand a force of 200 pounds in any downward or horizontal direction. Don't forget guard rail panels on the side brackets at each end of the scaffold.

Toe-boards: Current OSHA scaffold codes require toe-boards on all sides of the work platform at heights of 10 feet or greater. Toe-boards must be a minimum of 3.5 inches high and be able to withstand a force of at least 50 pounds applied in any downward or horizontal direction.

Work Platform Decking: OSHA requires all work levels to be completely decked. Always follow the OSHA chart to determine platform load capacity when using plank. When manufactured plank or decks are used, be careful not to exceed the rated load capacity. Also be sure to properly inspect all planks/platforms before installing, and once installed, check for proper overlap of the planks.

Fastening (Lock) Pins: The most popular types are snap pins, gravity pigtail pins, and hinge pins. These are recommended at all frame connections, especially if hoisting material from the platform level.

If you or a loved have been injured in a scaffolding accident, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified personal injury attorney.]]>