Worker Impaled by Steel Rods at Construction Site
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, a man sustained critical injuries after being impaled by steel rods at a construction site in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
“Every fighting chance to survive.”
Fire officials say a panel fell at the multi-story construction site at 825 South Hill Street at around 3:00 p.m. The panel landed on a 27-year-old man, sending at least two pieces of rebar through his torso.
The swift response from the Los Angeles Fire Department may have saved the construction worker’s life. Emergency crews used whatever they had on hand, including a saw and a crane, to help prevent a loss of life.
Miraculously, the fire department’s quick response unit was able to stabilize the man and remove him from the construction site. Paramedics cut away rebar with the saw and lowered the man to the ground using a crane and a litter basket at the site.
The man is currently in critical condition at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, reports the Los Angeles Daily News.
On The Job Accident Statistics
The following information is provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):
- 4,821 workers died on the job in 2014 – on average, more than 92 workers died per week.
- 804 Hispanic or Latino workers died from work-related injuries in 2014 – this average to more than 15 deaths a week.
- Fatal work injuries involving contractors accounted for 17 percent of all fatal work injuries in 2014.
