Examining High-Profile Construction Site Accidents and Their Lessons

Construction is one of the most dangerous job industries, and fatal workplace injuries occur frequently. Many of these injuries result from accidents—most commonly related to falling, electrocution, being struck by an object, or being trapped in or between equipment. Many high-profile accidents have occurred on construction sites, with dire consequences.

Our attorneys have found that by examining these accidents, they have learned valuable lessons in caution and safety practices that can help you prevent future incidents on construction sites.

Most Fatal Causes of Workplace Accidents

Statistically, the majority of workplace accidents that occur on construction sites are due to four leading high-risk hazards:

• Falling Accidents—poorly constructed scaffolding, improper use of ladders or placing them on uneven surfaces, slick work surfaces, and a lack of fall protection on site
• Electrocution Accidents—electrical equipment and live wiring, such as circuit breakers, control panels, light fixtures, junction boxes, and transformers
• Struck-By Accidents—swinging, falling, or rolling equipment and objects
• Stuck-In or Between Accidents—machinery, workplace materials, or equipment, trapping, squeezing, or crushing

High-Profile Construction Site Accidents

Lapses in safety procedures have resulted in dire consequences in construction site accidents.

• Willow Island Cooling Tower 1978—the United States’ most deadly construction accident—multiple safety procedure failures resulted in the collapse of a cooling tower under construction that killed 51 people and injured many others

• Milwaukee Big Blue Crane 1999—miscalculation of wind speed and crane load resulted in a loaded crane falling and killing seven workers

• New York City Crane 2008—polyester slings securing a crane to a building snapped, causing the crane to fall, killing seven and seriously injuring 24 others

We can learn valuable lessons in safety by looking back at previous high-profile construction site accidents.

Take Action With An Attorney After a Construction Site Accident

High-profile accidents on construction sites have demonstrated the need for daily safety at work. Valuable lessons from these previous accidents in following safety protocols can prevent future workplace hazards.

Contact Lowenthal & Abrams, PC today if you or a loved one have been affected by an accident on the job site. Our experienced team can help you protect yourself and others, while holding the responsible party accountable.