Worker Killed in Chicago Construction Accident

According to Chicago Tribune a construction worker was killed in at a jobsite in a Chicago neighborhood on Friday. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation regarding the death.

Details of the Chicago Construction Accident

Joel Ogiego, 45, was killed in a construction accident that took place near the intersection Elm and Sate Street around 2 pm.  Authorities say other workers found the man pinned by part of a crane.

Ogiego was woking in a crane about 60 feet above the ground. He started to get closer to the shaft when an elevator was descending and struck him.

Fellow workers were able to free the Ogiego before first responders arrives. He was later transported to the hospital, where he later died from upper body injuries.

OSHA is trying to determine if safety regulations were violated and if something could have been done to prevent Ogigo’s death. Initial reports stated that the crane operations may have aided in his death.

OSHA has six months to investigate and could issue monetary penalties if safety regulations have been violated.

Construction Accident Statistics

• In 2013, OSHA officials completed 39,228 federal inspections and 50,436 state inspections.
• During this time, they recorded 4,405 on the job deaths. This averages to 85 deaths a week or more than 12 deaths per day.
• 3,929 worker fatalities occurred in private industry and 796 were associated with construction accidents.
• The leading causes of death for construction workers in 2013 were:
  • Falls
  • Struck by object
  • Electrocutions
  • Caught-in/between