The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced that falls accounted for the most workplace violations in the fiscal year 2012. Also in the top 10 were scaffolding violations. Earlier this month an incident involving two men cleaning a Pennsylvania water tower illustrates just how serious the consequences from a fall from scaffolding can be.

A total of three men were working on the water tower at the time of the incident. Two were standing upon scaffolding located inside of the 100-foot-tall tower doing their work when the scaffolding collapsed. The collapse caused one man to fall to the ground that was 50 feet below. Sadly, he died.

The other man, who had been standing on the scaffolding, did not fall to the ground but rather was left hanging in the air in a safety harness. It took over three hours for that man to be rescued by a local fire department. Upon getting the man to the ground he was taken to an area hospital. The extent and nature of his injuries is not known.

It is not clear what caused the scaffolding to collapse or why a safety harness did not save the man who died. As is often the case when a workplace accident such as this occurs, the incident will be investigated by OSHA. Depending on the agency's findings, the men's employer could face citations and fines.

Regardless of what OSHA determines, if the man who was wearing the safety harness suffered any injuries it is possible that he could seek workers' compensation benefits while he recovers from the incident. The benefits would most likely make that time of recovery financially as well as emotionally easier.

Source: The Washington Post, "Worker left dangling by harness for hours after accident in Pa. water tower; colleague dies," Associated Press, Dec. 5, 2012

Workers' compensation cases are often complex. Our firm provides counsel in these types of matters. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Pennsylvania workers' compensation page.