Whether involved in residential, commercial or traffic construction projects, workers in Ohio frequently find themselves in potentially risky situations. Many of these situations involve being near large equipment or vehicles. Employers are responsible for ensuring that proper safety procedures are developed and that all staff, including supervisors, are trained about these procedures. Job site management staff is responsible for making sure these procedures are followed.
Unfortunately, there are times when accidents on construction job sites still happen. These may involve violations of required safety protocols or negligent operation of equipment by workers. Regardless of the cause or contributing factors, the results can include serious injury or even death to construction workers.
Sadly, that is what happened at a construction site along a stretch of Interstate 480 recently. According to a report from the Record-Courier, a truck on the job site was in reverse and backing up when it hit and killed another construction worker. The incident occurred within the designated construction work zone in the wee hours of the night. No details have been released as to why the truck was allowed to back up while a pedestrian was behind it.
The man who died was 59 years old. The man who was driving the truck is 31 years old and at this time faces no criminal charges. It is not known if an official investigation has or will be launched by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or any other entity or whether the deceased worker’s family might seek civil action for compensation.
