The Best Ways to Prevents Injuries When Working in High Places

Life can change in the blink of an eye. Take this incident on April 27, for example. It was about 3:30 p.m. on Mercer Street in Seattle:

• Ironworkers Andrew Yoder, 31, and Travis Corbet, 33, were dismantling a crane nine stories above street level.
• Below them, in separate cars, 19-year-old Sarah Wong and 71-year-old Alan Justad were waiting in traffic.

All four were killed when the crane collapsed. Four more people on the street were injured.

While the Seattle tragedy is an extreme example, it’s a tragic reminder of the dangers of working from heights – buildings, bridges, cell towers, raised walkways and other structures. Construction sites, in particular, pose a risk to workers.

In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says dropped objects are the third-leading cause of construction injuries. In 2017, falling objects or equipment caused 45,940 injuries, or 5.2 percent, of all workplace injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while fatal falls accounted for 887 worker deaths (17 percent).

Make Safety the Top Priority

Employers are at the forefront of maintaining a safe environment for their workers. EHS Today, a workplace safety website, says employers:

• • Should adopt the “American National Standard for Dropped Object Prevention Solutions” developed by the International Safety Equipment Association. Helpful information also is available at safetyequipment.org
  • Must abandon the concept of “acceptable risk” – that a certain number of injuries and fatalities are the cost of doing business
  • Should encourage workers to speak up about safety issues
  • Along with workers and the general public, must recognize the importance of accepting responsibility for safety. Each party must understand how their actions can have an impact on their own safety, as well as the safety of people around them

Hire a Lawyer to Protect Your Rights

If you’ve been injured in a height-related work accident in Mississippi, you may have suffered a major injury that sidelines you for a lengthy recovery period. You could even be crippled for life. Unable to provide for your family or to pay bills, you are under financial, emotional and mental pressure that can further ruin your life. Your employer will be no help, possibly blaming you for your injury while hiding behind lawyers and an insurance company whose only goal is paying you as little money as possible. The overly complex workers’ compensation system can seem like it was designed to add to your misery rather than alleviate your situation.

The workers’ compensation lawyers at Tabor Law Firm, P.A., have more than 30 years of combined experience vigorously fighting for the rights of injured workers in Jackson and throughout Mississippi. They know the state’s workers’ compensation system inside and out. They know how to get you the compensation that you need to begin putting your life back together. Contact them today for a free consultation.