Earlier this month, three workers in Woodville Township, Ohio, were injured after a rebar concrete form they were working on collapsed. The construction accident was serious enough that two of the workers required helicopter transportation to the University of Toledo Medical Center and Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center. The third injured worker was hospitalized with less serious injuries after being transported via ambulance.
According to the corporate safety director for the construction company, of the three individuals, they were all released later that day with minor injuries. All three of them had fallen approximately 24 feet because of the collapse. He said that the use of medical helicopters was a precaution because of the remote location of the facility.
The construction company was working on a project to install a sixth lime kiln at Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties facility. The company that owns the facility and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration have both begun investigations into the accident. After the accident occurred, MSHA ordered the area affected by the collapse shut down for the investigation.
According to a manager at the facility, no one knows why the rebar collapsed. Reports from the night before have some wondering if strong winds could have contributed to the accident. Others believe that the quality of the rebar could be a cause.
It’s important for the workers to get healthy before going back to work, because even if the injuries were first classified as minor, more problems could be lurking below the surface. If longer-term problems develop that prevent the men from working, they could be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Source: The News-Messenger, “Feds probing accident that left 3 injured,” Mark Tower, Dec. 17, 2011