Worker Hit in Head by Excavator Bucket in New Jersey

A 56-year-old man, working at a construction site was struck in the head by the bucket of an excavator which resulted in severe head injury. This incident took place on Valley Brook Avenue, Lyndhurst. After this incident, the injured worker was immediately taken to the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Peterson by the Lyndhurst Police Emergency Squad for the treatment of a severe head injury.

However, it has not been disclosed yet how severe the injury is as this incident is undergoing investigation by The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They are investigating the incident that had been circumstances at the construction site that resulted in this incident.

Importance of Safety in Construction

This type of incident highlights the importance of safety protocols when working on construction sites or operating heavy construction equipment. Almost every year we encounter so much news regarding the incidents that take place in the construction working sites because of the lack of safety measures and the irresponsibility of workers not having proper safety precautions and the right training to use heavy machinery due to which such incidents occur.

Incidents in the Construction sector

The New Jersey Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation underlines past incidents similar to the recent ones. For example, a 28-year-old carpenter was killed during his work because lack of operator awareness and not wearing safety equipment also he was not given proper supervision, all these factors contributed to this incident that took his life.

In 2014, another incident reported that 34 years 34-year-old lady was struck by a backhoe bucket and was brutally injured by it. Later investigated, many factors came up like she was standing within the swing radius of a heavy equipment machine and was not wearing any safety gear which caused this accident.

Many cases need to be addressed regarding safety precautions for workers, staff, and people who work on construction sites, it is necessary to highlight the importance of this issue as it plays a very important role in maintaining a sustainable, safe, and peaceful working environment. 

To get rid of this type of incident we should take some safety measures for both employers and workers to use heavy machinery.

Recommendations for Important Safety Measures

1. Employers need to create SOPs and safety plans for workers that specifically target the safety hazards and employees’ well-being including risk assessment factors and control measures to create a protective layer around the workers which gives a safer, more efficient, and better output.

2. Setting a training session for workers, specifically for their job roles as employees or workers should have attained training before operating heavy-duty machines because it is very necessary for both employers and employees to know what they are doing and how work is done professionally.

3. Workers or employees should use personal protective equipment or safety gear for personal safety such as solid hats, gloves, and highlighted clothes to avoid any injury or accident Workers should take safety precautions while working with heavy construction machines or any type of construction and handy work that includes risk.

4. Ensuring communication protocols to maintain a two-way coordination system between operator and working staff through electronic devices. This practice enables workers to measure the risk and inform the authorities if anything looks suspicious.

5. Operators should timely check all heavy machines for routine inspection and maintenance, to ensure everything is working smoothly and accordingly. Machines need maintenance as they use a high amount of power to perform tasks efficiently but consisting usage of a machine without maintenance can lead to multiple problems and malfunction which increases the risk of accidents and can be very harmful to workers surrounded by it.

6. Restrict the area around the heavy machines that swing and rotate to perform tasks as they pose a severe danger and a massive amount of risk. Authorities should mark that area while operating these heavy-duty machines for employees’ protection and well-being.

7. Employers should take care of workers and maintain strong supervision over operations and the working environment to avoid any type of unwanted situation.

8. Employers should take employees’ well-being as the priority and understand the complexities, situations, and circumstances of their work rather than forcing them to work at any cost, this type of behavior leads to a disaster resulting in casualties and accidents in the workplace.

Compliance and Accountability as Important Values

Regulatory authorities like OSHA ensure that the workplace is safe and sound. Employers that violate safety standards face big penalties which will help foster a culture of safety.

Workers are not in a position to follow the safety guidelines just for the sake of following the orders but their safety is often at risk whenever they break them. This event is a reminder and promotes the importance of safety measures in construction sites.

Overview:

The construction site accident in Lyndhurst, NJ, shows that the construction could be a very dangerous line of work. Applying proper safety measures limiting the hazards at the workplace, carrying out proven safety training procedures, and promoting safety consciousness can prevent many such incidents in the future.

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