A horrific construction accident nearly claimed the life of a worker in Manhattan recently. The man fell four stories onto a pile of rubble where he was impaled by long pieces of rebar. Witnesses say the construction worker technically never hit the ground, and was actually suspended a foot off the floor by the rebar.
Another worker on site says he and others stayed and comforted the victim while they waited for paramedics to arrive. He described how he and the others did their best to put things under the victim’s body to make him more comfortable.
The victim was pierced through his back, abdomen, thigh, and groin, and was said to be conscious the whole time, moaning.
Later, EMS sources say they have no idea how the man managed to survive his wounds. Last we heard, the victim was still in serious condition in the intensive care unit at a nearby hospital.
Could This Construction Injury Have Been Avoided?
The other employee that sat with the victim, as well as the construction company they both worked for, admitted that not all required safety measures were taken.
The work accident, at least the impaling, could potentially have been prevented had the construction company followed regulations, which requires them to place orange safety caps on the end of loose rebar and other sharp hazards. These orange caps are designed to protect employees from incidents just like this one.
An investigation has already revealed that the victim was not wearing the proper safety gear when he fell 50 feet from the fourth floor to the basement, but that isn’t necessarily the worker’s fault. The construction company is supposed to provide the workers with proper safety gear, such as a harness or a safety net.
This isn’t the first time this particular building violated safety protocols either. A few months ago, the owners of the building were cited for improper use of elevator or hoisting equipment and failing to keep with building codes. Three months later they were fined again for still not having corrected the problems.