Henderson Worker Crushed by Pipe Shows Danger of Falling Object Workplace Accidents

About 10 percent of all construction injuries in Kentucky happen when workers are struck by falling objects.

These accidents occur in all sorts of ways. Construction debris falls from a roof onto a worker on the ground. A section of a wall collapses on an unsuspecting laborer. A piece of equipment slips from a hoist and injures those standing below.

A total of 472 workers were fatally injured in Kentucky and other states after being struck by objects or equipment in 2011, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many more suffered injuries that were permanently disabling.

In a recent illustration, a contract employee working on a city sewer project in Henderson was injured when a section of pipe weighing more than a ton fell onto his leg.

Here is the report from the Evansville Courier and Press:

The man was guiding a piece of pipe into a trench at the intersection of Atkinson and Clay streets on Henderson’s east side when the pipe came loose and landed on him, said Tom Williams, director of engineering for the Henderson Water Utility. The pipe weighed between 2,300 to 2,600 pounds, he said.

The man was semiconscious when firefighters arrived. It took about 15 minutes for firefighters to extricate him and load him in an ambulance. A spine board was used to haul him out of the 7 1/2 foot trench.

The injured worker was employed by a Bowling Green company that had contracted with the city for a sewer line improvement project.

Workers’ Compensation in Kentucky

Workers who are injured during the course of their employment will usually be eligible for Kentucky workers’ compensation benefits.

Here are some other workers’ compensation facts:

• The accident must be work-related.
• The injury can occur either on or off the employer’s premises, depending on the circumstances.
• The accident may occur while a worker is coming to work, leaving work or taking a work break.
• Repetitive injuries caused by doing the same things over and over for a long period of time are covered.
• Exposure to hazardous fumes, dangerous chemicals or toxic materials may be covered.
• Psychological or psychiatric injuries are covered in certain situations.
• On-the-job fatalities are covered.

Every case is different. Success in any Kentucky workers’ compensation claim depends on the nature of the accident, the status of the person injured and the specific facts of the case.

Sources:

• Evansville Courier and Press
  http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/mar/04/no-headline—henderson_sewer_accident/
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
  http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cfoi.pdf