Workers in just about any walk of life can suffer injury at work in a fall accident. Workers in any industry may slip-and-fall while on the job. These types of workplace accidents may result in injuries to the head, the spine or other parts of the body, requiring extensive medical treatment. As a worker is exposed to various heights while performing job duties, the risks involved with of fall may become more apparent.
Construction workers are often aware of the risks of falls from ladders, scaffolding or other items while working on a project. In late January, a communications tower worker was killed in Texas after falling from a cellphone tower. The work-related accident was one of five fatal accidents involving workers in the communications tower industry in a five-week period. The rash of fatal accidents certainly caught the attention of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The federal workplace safety agency says that falls are not the only hazard that cellphone tower workers may face. Like the construction industry, workers in the communications tower industry can be injured or killed from falling objects, collapses related to the tower infrastructure and in accidents involving machinery. The agency is working with the communications tower industry to promote safety among tower workers.
An official with OSHA, Dr. David Michaels says in a press release that, “Tower worker deaths cannot be the price we pay for increased wireless communication,” according to Occupational Health & Safety.
Workplace safety is of vital importance in any industry. Workers in the El Paso, Texas, area should know that Texas law does not require all employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Issues can arise after an accident, whether an employer has outside insurance coverage, is self-insured or is uninsured. Workers injured in Texas should consider consulting with legal counsel as soon as possible after a workplace accident to learn what options may be available in an individual situation.
Source: Occupational Health & Safety, “OSHA Works Toward Safety for Cell Tower Employees,” Feb. 13, 2014