Thursday at 2929 Weslayan, located near West Alabama inside the Loop in Houston, a high-rise construction worker died in a tragic 10-story fall down an open elevator shaft. Our Houston industrial accident attorneys report that the open elevator shaft is in a building destined to be Houston’s tallest rental property at 35 stories tall. The multi-family dwelling inside the Loop is being developed on a 2.6-acre site by PM Realty Group. The man who died was reportedly working for a sub-contracting group at the site. The project’s general contractor is CF Jordan Construction.

The Houston Fire Department’s Technical Rescue team extracted the high-rise construction worker’s body from the tragic scene of the fatal fall. Authorities and OSHA are conducting investigations of the industrial accident to determine the cause. (Sources: Shaina Zucker, Houston Business Journal, 8/30/13; and Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, 8/29/13)

The Houston industrial accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC convey their condolences to the family and friends of the man who perished in the fatal fall.

OSHA and the Extensive Safety Regulations Designed to Protect Workers in High-Rise Construction

In recent years, 17% to 18% of all worker fatalities in America have been in the construction industry. Our Houston industrial accident attorneys emphasize that the leading cause of construction worker deaths has consistently been from falls. Fatal falls represent one of the “Fatal Four,” the four leading causes consistently responsible for on-the-job construction worker fatalities.

Due to the high degree of danger from falls and other on-the-job construction accidents, OSHA has promulgated an extensive body of regulations designed to help prevent construction worker fatalities. 29 CFR 1926.760 contains the rules designed for construction worker protection from fall injuries and fatalities while working on high-rise buildings and steel construction.

The OSHA regulations detail the criteria for fall protection equipment such as guardrail systems, safety-net systems, personal fall-arrest systems, positioning-device systems, and their components. Our Houston industrial accident attorneys note that some of the specific rules include:

• Body belts or body harnesses must be used in fall restraint systems for constructing high-rise buildings and their steel frameworks [29 CFR 1926.760(d)(2)].

• While working at heights over 15 feet and up to 30 feet, workers acting as connectors must be provided with a complete personal fall arrest system or other allowable fall protection, and wear the equipment necessary for tying off [29 CFR 1926.760(b)(3)].

• Leading-edge workers in a controlled decking zone (CDZ) are required to be protected from fall hazards above 2 stories or 30 feet (whichever is less) [29 CFR 1926.760(c)(1)], and to have completed CDZ training in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.761 [29 CFR 1926.760(c)(4)].

• Workers not engaged in leading-edge work and who are not properly trained in the hazards involved are prohibited from entering a CDZ [29 CFR 1926.760(c)(2)] and [29 CFR 1926.760(c)(4)].

Details of the fatal fall at 2929 Weslayan did not mention the fallen worker’s specific role on the project. It is not clear whether or not he had the proper safety equipment. Click the link to learn about how better worker training could increase construction worker safety on a high-rise construction job.

Contact the Experienced Houston Industrial Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a FREE Initial Legal Consultation to get the Information You Need after a Fatal Construction Accident

Not all Texas workers are covered by Texas workers’ compensation. Independent contractors, for instance, are specifically exempted. But these exempted workers have the ability to directly sue employers who neglected proper safety, while workers covered by workers’ comp do not.

Learn your family’s legal options after a fatal construction accident, and what steps you need to take to protect your rights and build a successful wrongful death claim. Call the dedicated Houston industrial accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC at 281-369-4363 or reach us anytime through our online contact form to schedule your free consultation.

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