Two Crane Accidents Lead to Worker Deaths
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that a crane operator has died during a work accident at a US factory. The accident took place yesterday morning in Wisconsin. Joseph Golec, 46, was operating an overhead crane to lift a 3,700-pound metal casting when the casting struck another casting, striking Golec so that he became caught between two castings. Golec was transported from Kenosha Steel Castings to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
In an unrelated construction accident in Oklahoma on Monday, a worker died while trying to repair a crane. Lucio Reyes sustained major trunk and head injuries when a boom from a crane came loose, pinning the 41-year-old worker to the ground.
Crane Accidents
Crane accidents are a common cause of work injuries and deaths, especially at construction sites. Common causes of crane accident-related injuries:
• Overloading
• Design defects
• Incorrect assembly
• Getting hit by a moving or falling load
• Crane collapse
• Contact with electrical power lines
• Collapsed booms
• Fall accidents
• Rigging related-failures
• Poor maintenance
• Inadequate training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandates that employers follow certain safety precautions and compliance measures to make sure that crane accidents do not happen. Working with a crane can be a dangerous job, and employees are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.
Contact Chicago construction accident lawyers to discuss your crane accident case. The Law Offices of Steven J Malman & Associates represents Illinois workers injured in Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, and Will County. We handle both Illinois workers' compensation claims and third party lawsuits.
