A lot of construction and similar work happens several stories above the ground. Even when workers have proper safety equipment and training for working 30, 40, 50 feet in the air or more, an accident can lead to a fall, which puts the worker at obvious risk of severe injury.
An Illinois man working on a power line fell 30 feet when a utility pole hit the cherry picker he was standing in. According to WGN-TV, the man was part of a crew that was attempting to place the large metal pole into its base. Somehow a part of the pole slipped from the crane that was holding it and landed on a power line.
The line hit an elevated boom lift, which tipped over the cherry picker’s basket and sent the worker falling to the ground. His condition was not known immediately after the accident. He was a contract worker for Commonwealth Edison; ComEd said that it was investigating why this terrible incident occurred.
Needless to say, falling from a great height puts you at risk of permanent disability, if you survive. For example, brain and spinal cord injuries are common results. Employers who put their workers high above the ground have a legal duty to take reasonable measures to reduce the chances of an accident. It remains to be seen if ComEd lived up to its duty in this case.
No matter the reason for a work accident, victims may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits until they recover.
