Cincinnati Construction Accidents
Construction accidents occur frequently in Cincinnati. This article discusses some common areas where these dangerous events occur.
According to data gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction accidents cause the second most fatal occupational industries in Ohio. Of the 168 occupational injuries that occurred in Ohio, the construction industry accounted for 14.9% of those fatalities, falling into a close second place behind transportation and warehousing that warranted 15.4% of the state’s fatal occupational injuries. Of the 25 or 14.9% of the construction industry’s fatalities 11 were caused by falls of some kind, 4 by contact with objects and equipment, 3 by expose to harmful substances or environments, and 7 were transportation related incidents. From this information it can be easily deducted that in Ohio construction is one of the industries with the highest chance of fatality.
In the U.S. however, construction accidents are a far bigger chunk of the total occupational injuries by industry. In 2008, there were 5,071 work related fatalities across the nation. 969 of which from the construction industry, which has the highest amount of occupational fatalities of any industry., beating the mining industry by 134 fatalities. Information from the CDC reports that although the construction industry has roughly 8% of the U.S.’s workers, it accounts for 22% (nearly a fourth) of the nation’s work related fatalities, the largest number reported for any industry.
EXAMPLES OF CINCINNATI CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS
Cincinnati Excavation Accidents
Recently a man man was impaled by a backhoe while he and his crew were using trench digging machines to install water pipes. According to Deerfield Township’s Fire Chief, the machine “has both a claw bucket for excavation as well as a lifting mechanism for … lifting and setting pipes into place.” He believes “when the claw mechanism was reattached to the backhoe the second time…it didn’t latch completely because there was separation” which in turn caused the accident in which William Shearn was impaled. Apparently the backhoe came loose and pinned the man in a trench. The worker was alive when emergency workers came to free and was talking with rescuers while firefighters were attempting to free him but died before he could be freed. According to Deerfield Township’s Fire Chief, investigators said Shearn and another worker were installing a waterline in the underground trench when the backhoe came loose and pinned Shearn against the waterline.
Cincinnati Scaffolding Accidents
In August of 2009 a worker fell from scaffolding onto Interstate 75. The worker was working on the Kyle Station Road Bridge, from which he fell and landed on the highway. According to onsite patrol, the injured worker (Edmond Gourdon) was standing on scaffolding underneath the bridge when he fell.
July 2007, a worker was crushed to death when an 8-ton weight fell from a construction crane. The worker was assisting other workers with dismantling the crane, when one of the counterweights came loose and ultimately crushed him. The 80 ton crane was being used to build a new pump station at the city waste water treatment plant. The workers job was to drive one of the three tractor trailers that were taking away sections of the crane.
Cincinnati Electrical Accidents
In April 2006, a Hyde Park man was killed when his bucket truck came into contact with an electric wire. He was then electrocuted and suffered cardiac arrest. He was then transported to Norwood Hospital where he was pronounced dead.