seems this week was nothing but a lot of problems at our work site this week.

I was witness to a possible death yesterday at work :-(

I was doing my own thing yesterday at work working on the 1st floor of a New Best Buy going up with the Iron workers up above me in places still setting the Iron into place by Crane. One guy caught my attention as he was walking a beam 30 feet in the air not tide off to ANYTHING getting some tools or something!

he made it across one time that I saw him, but he didn't do so well the second time crossing the beam 30 feet up to get back to the spot he needs to be in. He lost his Balance, and fell. As he was falling, he hit his head on a beam coming down. a couple guys and myself saw what happened and I Immediately called for EMS as I knew this guy was done. Ran over to him, he was foaming from the mouth and bleeding badly from his head and was not moving at all. EMS shows up 5 minutes later, picks him up and takes him to the Hospital. Last time I heard late last night, he was in Critical condition

I just wish I never saw that happen, I have had that bad image in my head all night late night of how bad of shape he was in. I just hope he makes it through, but if he was only tide off that would not have happened, your suppose to be tide off anywhere above 8 feet.

 

That would suck! He is in a world of trouble now. I hope all the best for him. Oh man the Ministry of Labour would be in there so fast it would make your head spin. The foreman is in BIG trouble! I believe here anything over 8 feet off the ground you have to be tied off.

 

Well, for his family's sake, I hope they hire a good 'wrongful death/work comp attorney,' if indeed he does not make it. I've seen a lot of injured workers here in Ohio get screwed by the system. Especially from companies that are self insured and don't like to play by the rules.

As "ambulance chasing" as it may sound, that is a case where this guy needs an excellent, experienced attorney. The employer will most definitely have a leg to stand on with that '8 foot rule.'

 

Not to derail but man that scared me....reminds me of Orwell's 1984.

 

I know that's the last thing employers want to see is the Ministry of Labour. Big $$ fines will be flying every where. I bet that work site will be shut down until further notice.

 

Dude,

I know how you feel right now.

When I was installing modular furniture in Dallas, we were at a job site staging our equipement. There was a team of electricians doing some work there too.Tthe ceilings were really high, and they were working above the ceiling tiles. One of the new guys (2nd day on the job) dot zapped, and killed him on the spot. He was on the other side oif the building and I saw it from where I was at. It was a huge building. When it happened, everyone on that floor was told to leave the building.

It was disturbing to say the least and after I found out he was only 24, had a 2 month old daughter and a wife, I couldn't finish the day. I had to go home. That was about 8 years ago, and I can still see that vision in my head.

 

We've had 2 guys die on the job in the 6 years I've been with my company. First guy was changing a flat on his company van. Had the Van parked in grass and jacked it up THEN decided to crawl under the van to get the spare out. Van fell off jack and crushed him. In front of his own house and family watching.

Second guy was running a drop cable from the pole to the house. He had to go over some trees so he was using what we call a throw ball. Had thrown the drop over the trees alright. So much so that the ball had gone over the Primary power lines running down the road. When he pulled on the line to get it off the two primary power lines touched and ZAP. Dead on the spot. Sucks

 

Sounds like a terrible thing, but if the riggings were there for him to tie off to and he didn't follow the rules. How could the company be liable? A foreman can't babysit the workers every second of the day.

I feel bad for him and his family, but it is entirely possibly that he was in charge of his own fate, and he may have made a bad decission.

 

Yeah as much as it sucks for him if he chose not to tie himself to the beams it is his own fault.

 

Sorry to hear that man.

 

Yeah, but "whoever" saw him without a harness should have told him he was about to f-up. I would have spoken up but hindsight is always 20/20. Stupid people do stupid things regardless of who is trying to help or not help.

 

Matt,


I want you to remember what you saw. Remember it for the rest of your life. And when a foreman asks you to walk across a beam with no harness, remember what you saw and tell him to "F" himself.


You have a baby on the way. That baby needs his/her father.


NEVER FORGET. Your safety is YOUR responsibility.

 

Let's not forget the darwin award for stupidity guys. Remember that incredibly stupid woman that put the McDonalds hot coffee between her legs and burned herself, then won 18 million????

It wasn't McDonalds fault that she has bear scat for brains but they paid dearly. I'm not saying it's right, but it really doesn't matter what 'rules' are in place or what 'company' policies exist. If this guy doesn't make it, the family will sue for sure, and I'm confident they'll win something. Again, I'm not saying it's right because I don't agree with it. But it IS the foreman's job to babysit, like it or not, impossible as it seems.

 

I'm sorry for the worker and his family. He gambled with his life and lost, I really hope he was single. I'd hate to think of a husband and/or father being irresponsible enough to leave his family in the lurch because he thought "it'll never happen to me"

 

It just sucks, but is part of the hazzards of that kind of job.