June 18, 2015- Richmond, VA
Two employees of Crown Corr Inc. are miraculously uninjured after a portion of the swing scaffolding they were working on malfunctioned.
At the time of the incident, the two workers were on scaffolding attached to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond Pavilion at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center, installing a set of windows roughly 100 feet off the ground.
At approximately 9:45 AM, NBC12 News reports that one side of the swing scaffolding gave way after the primary pulley system failed. However, both workers were fully tied off with independent harnesses, a measure which ultimately saved them from serious injury. Other employees on site were then able to hoist the men to safety.
To date, the cause of the malfunction remains unknown.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), sets strict rules specific to scaffold safety to reduce the risk of scaffold accidents and injury. While proper safety measures proved invaluable in this instance, workers involved in scaffolding accidents often fare far worse.
According to the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, “additional requirements applicable to specific types of scaffolds” is one of the top 25 most frequently standards cited during construction inspections. Scaffolding accidents can result from slip and falls due to unstable platforms; poorly or defectively constructed rigging apparatuses; or lack of personal safety equipment provided to employees.
Regardless of the height at which scaffolding accidents occur, the harm to workers is typically severe. Long-term conditions such as herniated discs, broken bones, nerve damage, concussions, and even paralysis resulting from a scaffolding accident can throw any family into emotional and financial chaos.
If you or a loved one suffers an on-the-job scaffolding-related injury, call the experienced personal injury and workers’ compensation attorneys at ReidGoodwin today to schedule your legal evaluation.