A construction worker lost his life on Tuesday afternoon on a north Austin, Texas construction site. The man was working at the QuikTrip gas station on East Parmer Lane, near McCallen Pass. As he performed his work, he fell into an open manhole. The worker was then swept away by fast-moving sewage, ultimately losing his life before rescue personnel could save him. The victim’s body was ultimately located four hours later. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators will conduct an investigation into the deadly incident.
Despite being a vital part of the economy, construction projects often pose severe hazards both to construction workers and to the general public. Construction companies must ensure that work is regularly and properly inspected. Each construction project poses its own unique risks and hazards based on the work being done. Risks that may present themselves during a project must be carefully evaluated beforehand. When this does not occur, it can result in catastrophic personal injury or death. According to OSHA, nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites across the nation every day. The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries.
On a job such as this one when openings are created, they must be properly barricaded or roped off to ensure that members of the public or workers are not injured. A failure to secure the area where the hazard exists fails to meet industry standard on a construction site. When simultaneous operations involving multiple contractors and workers are occurring, the only way to ensure the safety of all involved is too adequately assess risks posed by hazards like an open manhole cover.
According to a recent study by a business insurance analysis firm, 12 of the 25 most dangerous jobs as measured by the rate of people who die at work are in the construction industry.
Our experienced lawyers have handled personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits of all kinds and have the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured as a result of the negligence of another party. The experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of an accident on a construction site.
Our lawyers have represented numerous workers who have been hurt on a job site as a result of the negligence of another party. There are strict and short time limits on making claims, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your legal rights.