Individuals working on a building or any sort of construction in Columbus, Ohio, may want to be more careful, even when they believe nothing could go wrong. A recent construction accident in another state reinforces this warning.
According to reports, a 67-year-old man was assisting with the work being done on a Masonic Lodge late last month. At the time, he was the Worshipful Master of a local lodge and was assisting other Masons and volunteers with the construction.
This should not only serve as a warning to workers, but also to employers. Had this accident occurred in the workplace, an employer could likely be held liable for the man’s death, especially if he was not using the proper safety equipment.
Police said that the man fell 10 feet from the rafters where he was working to the concrete floor below him. The crew was trying to get items to where the man was at the time.
An unexpected shift in the man’s balance may have been what caused him to fall. Reports indicate that he fell headfirst and died instantly. The 10-foot fall, though it may not seem to be much, was enough to fatally injure this man.
The CEO of the man’s former employer — a major hospital — said many good things about the man. According to him, the man was an outstanding individual who had a passion for the hospital that he worked at for 35 years. The CEO also said that the man put everything he had into each and every one of the projects he was tasked with working on.
Source: Carthage Press, “Carthage man dies in construction accident,” John Hacker, Feb. 29, 2012