A 46-year-old Columbus man was killed on Sept. 23 after falling from the roof he was working on in the White Oakes Landing development.
According to officials, the man’s death is believed to be an accident. His employers are cooperating fully with the investigation, but it appears that the worker did not have his safety harness hooked up properly to a lanyard when he fell. Two other workers were with him on the roof, although neither heard nor saw him fall.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that falls as the number one cause of deaths among construction workers. In 2016, for example, more than 37% (370 out of 991) of construction worker deaths were due to falls. In the majority of cases, workers who die are not fully protected by safety gear at the time. In some cases, the employer hadn’t even provided the proper gear.
The safety agency urges construction companies to “Plan. Provide. Train.” OSHA wants employers to ensure that all work is done safely, no matter the height of the job. It’s important to take the cost of safety equipment into consideration for every job. Employers are also responsible for making sure that employees are always provided with the correct safety gear and are trained on how to use it.
Workers should have enough training that by the time they go up on a roof to work, attaching safety gear properly is an automatic act. Employers should also enforce the rules to make certain that employees never take chances or get lax about safety.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to a fall on a construction site or were injured in a serious fall yourself, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses.