The death of a construction worker in Sackets Harbor, NY in June brings to light once again the seriousness of construction work. Kenneth Bush was operating an excavator when a tree standing 40 feet tall fell on the equipment and trapped the driver inside. While crews rescued Bush in minutes, he succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.
This headline highlights the importance of construction site safety. No actual building had begun on the site. The ground was being cleared to prepare for construction. It took crews about 10 minutes to arrive on the scene and while there is no indication anything could have been done for the victim due to the nature of the accident, the construction workers still had to wait for hydraulic equipment to arrive before rescue attempts can be made.
Construction accidents are certainly not uncommon and many of them can turn deadly in an instant. Company training and regular monitoring of safety protocols is essential for safer work environments. Equipment operators especially need to be trained in safety protocol to prevent accidents as well as what to do when accidents do occur.
Those who work on foot on construction sites are just as high at risk for injuries and fatalities as those who operate the heavy equipment. There are more accident being reported that involve workers being pinned under or run over by heavy equipment.