The construction industry is known for being dangerous at its core, but there are statistics and then there are individual tragedies when workers are killed. Based on yet another fatality that occurred in Pittsburgh yesterday, it appears that the individual losses are mounting in terms of the collective problem that is construction worker danger in the area. A man yesterday fell 13 stories to his untimely death.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“A worker died yesterday when he fell from the roof of the Pennsylvanian apartment building Downtown, plunging 13 stories and striking the sidewalk.
The accident occurred at 11:01 a.m. as Mr. Pfoertner and a foreman were pulling cables to the roof, according to Diane Richard, a spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh Police Bureau. The foreman told police he heard a “thump” and turned to see his co-worker on a sloped ledge several feet below the roof. The momentum of the fall carried Mr. Pfoertner off the ledge and to the ground.
The men were not wearing harnesses because they were working only on the roof of the Romanesque building, the foreman, who was not identified, told police.
There have been 11 construction fatalities in southwestern Pennsylvania since October of last year. In just the last week, four workers have died after falling, according to Leni Fortson, an OSHA spokesperson in Philadelphia.”
Hopefully these tragedies will stop and safety concerns will prompt a different set of working environments on these projects. If you or someone you love has been injured in a construction accident, you need to contact the construction accident attorneys at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Wed, Aug 19, 2009
Construction Accidents, Work Injury