Large machines are always a bit scary when you are working with them. Even if everyone is doing everything in the exact way they should be, something may still go wrong. From the viral video you may have seen of the crane spinning in the high winds due to the recent hurricanes to the incident last year in Fort Mill, you never know when disaster can strike while using large machines and construction equipment.
Last year, a construction worker was rushed to a hospital in Charlotte after he was seriously injured by an excavator while working on the Doby Bridge Road construction site. The thirty-four-year-old had been talking to his superiors about a maintenance issue that the machine had been having when the person controlling the excavator moved it which is when he was struck, knocked over, and ended up being pulled under the machine as it was moving. This investigation was turned over to OSHA as it was not believed to be criminal in any way, just a simple (albeit painful and potentially deadly) accident.
Accidents involving excavators are not abnormal. In fact, between the years of 1992 and 2000, there were nearly 350 deaths relating to excavators and backhoes. This generally involved the victim being struck by a moving part of the machine, or even being hit by the bucket which can unexpectedly disconnect from the excavator’s arm. As we said before, someone can be doing everything perfectly and still have an accident where someone is injured.
The saddest part of this fact is that the majority of these injuries could have been prevented. Most of these cases involve some issue with the setup of the site. These can include power wires being caught and causing electrocution, a steeper grade than the machine is supposed to be operated on, or simply having heavy machines too close to trenches which can cause a loss of control.
If you or a loved one has been hurt while on the job due to some sort of heavy machinery, do not hesitate in calling Collier Law Firm for a free consultation. We will fight for you to make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve from your work-related incident. You have enough to worry about, let us take some of that stress away by working for you.