Construction Worker Killed During Building Demolition

According to WEAU 13 News, a construction worker was killed during a building demolition on Railroad Avenue in Chetek, Wisconsin.

OSHA and Chetek Police Investigating

Crews from the Wirth Brothers Excavating LLC were demolishing a building on Railroad Avenue when a wall unexpectedly collapsed, and Craig Wirth, 65, was hit by debris and killed, WEAU 13 News reports.

Construction Work-Related Fatalities and Injuries Statistics

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the leading causes of private sector worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the construction industry were:

• Falls (39.9%)
• Electrocution (8.2%)
• Struck by object (8.1%)
• Caught-in/between (4.3%)

These, known as the “Fatal Four,” were responsible for more than half (60.6%) of the construction worker deaths in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.