When an employee is on the job in Massachusetts, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure he or she is working in a safe environment where the possibility of harm is low. This can be challenging to do in certain situations, especially those where heavy equipment or hazardous materials are involved. It is important that safety protocols are always followed and that workers wear the proper safety equipment in order to minimize their risk of being injured while on the job.
A recent accident involving heavy equipment turned out to be deadly. It occurred while crews worked on a parking garage at the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Maryland. For some unknown reason, a safety tower started to fall. Construction workers tried to remove it with a jack, but ended up extending the scaffold legs too much and did not provide proper bracing for the extension. This made the jack’s load capacity smaller and resulted in it not working properly. A slab of concrete was dropped, trapping two workers beneath it. One of them, a 57-year-old, died from his injuries. Another was seriously injured.
The family of the victim who was killed in this accident may wish to consult with a lawyer regarding their right to their loved one’s workers’ compensation death benefits. Doing so may ensure that they are properly compensated for their loved one’s death. The employee who was injured may also want to have a discussion with his lawyer regarding his right to workers’ compensation benefits.
Source: WJLA, “Westfield Montgomery Mall construction accident due to malfunctioning jack,” Brianne Carter, Sep. 24, 2013