Construction Worker Fatally Injured after Five-story Fall from Scaffolding
According to WJLA, a construction worker was fatally injured on the job after plunging five stories to the ground in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.
About the Fatal Construction Accident
The construction accident occurred in the 4000 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest near the intersection with Emerson Street at approximately 5:00 p.m. local time. Officials say a man fell five floors while working on scaffolding on the building.
WJLA reports that the worker was unconscious and was given CPR following the fall. The worker was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
According to WJLA, the construction worker later died from injuries sustained in the fall. The identity of the worker is being held pending notification of next of kin.
On the Job Accident Statistics
The following information is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
- 4,836 workers sustained fatal injuries on the job in 2015.
- 937 of these fatalities occurred in the private construction industry – the highest total since 2008.
- In 2015, 17 percent of decedents were contracted by and performing work for another business or government entity rather than for their direct employer at the time of the fatality.
- Fatal falls to a lower level accounted for nearly 40 percent of fatal work injuries in the private construction industry in 2015.
