A crane accident in another state killed one member of the public and seriously injured 4 other people. It was not clear whether any of the 4 other people were workers, but authorities did say that two of the injured victims had suffered critical injuries.
The crane collapsed and fell on top of a nearby apartment building after succumbing to high winds from thunderstorms that hit the area.
The silver lining in this tragedy is that it has cast light on what has long been a safety hazard at construction sites. Although they may look solid from the ground, large cranes are in fact somewhat fragile, awkward machines that can easily injure workers, or passers, in a number of ways.
In fact, this most recent accident was the last in a long line of crane incidents that over the years have left at least 8 other construction workers dead. These accidents interestingly did not make big splashes in the news, allegedly because the construction firms involved tried to keep mum about them as much as possible.
However, at least in the region where these accidents occurred, the problem has not gone unnoticed by regulators. The affected area has seen a spike in OSHA investigations of cranes, and the agency has reportedly issued several citations as a result.
The reminder to Georgia employers, particularly those which operate in the construction industry, is that cranes, and the operation of them, are subject to detailed safety standards. Even if it means lost productivity, employers must take care to follow these rules carefully. Should they fail to do so, workers can get hurt.
Should an employee in Northern Georgia get injured because of a crane accident or another work-related injury, workers’ compensation benefits may be available.