2 men injured on the job after plank breaks on scaffolding
Readers of this blog in Massachusetts who earn a living doing things others might consider dangerous could be interested in the story of two men in another state that suffered serious injuries at work. The two were injured on the job in an accident that had the potential to cause serious damage. They fell almost 9 feet in an incident their coworkers say is unprecedented.
The men were working at a condominium complex. Both men were standing on scaffolding on a plank made of laminated material. The board broke, causing the men to plunge to the ground from about the second story level. A coworker, who has worked in construction for the past 30 years, says he has never seen that happen before.
One of the men did not appear to be injured seriously. The other man was reportedly knocked unconscious in the fall. He was revived by emergency responders at the scene but taken to the hospital for further examination. At the time of this report, there was no updated report immediately available concerning either man’s condition.
Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident to determine what caused the board to break and the scaffolding accident to occur. The men who were injured on the job may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits — much like workers in Massachusetts could be in similar circumstances. The state-regulated benefits are in place to provide what can be much-needed financial assistance in the aftermath of accidents such as this one.
Source: The Salem News, “Two injured in fall from scaffolding”, Alan Burke and John Castelluccio, April 23, 2014
