A worker was killed after falling into the water when a scaffold collapsed.
Scaffolds provide essential working platforms for those constructing or servicing buildings and other structures. Builders have used them since antiquity, and they fulfill a crucial need in commercial, industrial, and even residential projects.
But, along the many benefits scaffolds provide, they also entail foreseeable risks. Yesterday, news media outlets reported that, in the Port of Texas City, a worker was on a scaffolding when it collapsed. As a result, he fell into the water and died. The fall occurred shortly before noon on Monday, September 12, 2016 at the Marathon Petroleum Corporation Galveston Bay Dock 34. The body of the contract employee was located only after an extensive search. His family and loved ones are now mourning his death.
Since ancient times, builders have been aware of the potential for falls from scaffolds. These days, workers can tie-off and utilize other safety practices to reduce the risk of harm. In fact, the worker who was killed was connected to the platform with his safety-line, according to reports. Yet, the most fundamental scaffold safety procedure is to assure that the scaffold has been properly constructed and secured. As long as the scaffold and the footing it provides remain solid, many injuries and deaths can be avoided. News accounts indicate that the scaffold collapsed as it was being built. It is vital to the safety of those who work on scaffolds, as well as those who work near them, that the scaffold has been properly constructed and stabilized. This is the first step to the safe use of a scaffold, and it must be assured before any lives are put at risk. Now, an investigation is underway to identify why this terrible tragedy occurred.
If you or anyone you know has been injured in a workplace accident, contact the experienced attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211.