Workers in all industries and all states, including in Georgia, rely on their employers to provide work environments that are free of known hazards and to comply with prescribed safety regulations. While many employers prioritize worker safety, unanticipated workplace accidents sometimes show dangers that should have been addressed. In one such an incident, a man suffered workplace injuries when he was knocked into an unprotected trench.
An incident report indicates that the worker was on the edge of a trench without safety railings when a suspended cable was struck by a construction truck, causing a falling pole to hit the worker. The man fell into a trench that was 15-feet deep. A doctor in a nearby emergency room heard the alert and ran to the work site to help the injured worker.
Reportedly, the doctor climbed into the trench to stabilize the critically injured worker. He helped firefighters to secure a neck brace and place the man on a backboard, and they lifted the worker into a rescue basket. He was then hoisted to ground level and transported to the hospital in a critical condition.
After such a traumatic accident, workplace injuries can cause extended periods of absence from work. Lost income and mounting medical expenses can have an adverse impact on the financial stability of a worker and his or her family. For this reason, the Georgia workers’ compensation insurance program allows injured workers to file benefits claims to cover all medical expenses and a percentage of lost wages based on the victim’s average weekly wage.
Source: abc7ny.com, “Construction worker critically injured after falling into trench in Brooklyn”, April 22, 2016