Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
A construction worker fell 30 feet off of a building in Alston, but escaped serious injury because he landed a bubble wrap, stated a Boston Fire Department spokesman. A 38 year old man lost his balance while working on a building on Commonwealth Avenue and fell through the wooden planking of the scaffolding.Firefighters had to cut him free from the bubble wrap, and he went to the hospital to be treated for back and shoulder injuries.
The building is covered in bubble wrap during construction to keep the heat and dust in and to black any winds. The Boston Fire Department spokesperson said, “The plastic was covering the entire side of the building and engulfed him. We had to slice the plastic away so the medics could treat him.”
One neighbor reported that she heard the fall, stating, “I heard like a crash, sort of, but I didn’t hear any voices after that. I guess it sounded like a rustling of this and a little boom.” She also mentioned that construction had been occurring for a while there. “So, I just expected they had been knocking on something. I don’t know if he got tangled up in the plastic and that pretty much saved him from falling onto the concrete, so that’s really good.”
Representatives from the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)arrived at the building later that day to inspect the building for any breach of safety regulations. As of right now, an investigation is pending and there are some inquiries to be made as to where the worker was standing before he fell.
Pulgini & Norton, LLP attorneys have handled workers’ compensation claims for over 25 years in and around Boston and its surrounding areas. If you or a family member has been injured at work and would like to seek legal assistance, please contact us at (781) 843-2200 or (888) 344-2046 or email us.
Cited Sources:
Falling construction worker saved by bubble wrap: Man falls 30 feet from Boston building, wcvb.com, February 5, 2013
Plastic Sheeting Breaks Worker’s Fall in Allston, whdh.com, February 4, 2013