Worker suffers leg fracture in work accident with crane

Health and safety in the workplace are important for both employees and employers. Some jobs are innately more dangerous than others, which makes workers’ compensation an essential benefit for workers who put themselves at a higher risk. A workplace accident or injury could temporarily keep an employee out of work, causing not only lost wages for the worker, but also decreased productivity for the employer. It is in the best interest of both the employer and the employee to ensure that an injured employee can quickly and fully recover from any workplace injury.

A tree trimmer in southern New Jersey was recently injured in an incident involving a crane. The work accident occurred while the work crew was using the crane to remove a portion of a tree. The weight of the tree was heavier than anticipated, causing both the crane and the truck to tilt. As a result, a worker was thrown onto the roof of a house below the crane, fracturing his leg in the fall. The crane’s boom not only tore down the nearby power line, but also then landed on the truck, trapping the operator inside for over an hour.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating and reviewing this incident. An employee injured in a work accident like this one most likely can file for workers’ compensation. Especially when an injured worker needs medical attention and will temporarily be out of work, the compensation could go towards medical bills, rehabilitation and lost wages.

Providing safety standards in the workplace increases not only the safety of employees, but also improves the work environment and overall productivity. Not all accidents can be prevented, so it is also crucial for employees to receive the benefit of workers’ compensation in those instances when work accidents could occur.

Source: Claims Journal, “Worker Hurt When Crane Topples in Southern New Jersey,” Feb. 11, 2013