The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health provides regulations and guidelines to protect construction workers. Although the agency maintains that most workplace injuries are preventable, accidents happen — often with devastating consequences. One such a tragedy on a San Diego construction site recently claimed the life of one worker and caused serious injuries to four more.
Reportedly, the incident occurred in La Jolla on a University of California San Diego project. Under the circumstances to be determined by Cal/OSHA investigators, the five workers were struck by a collapsing rebar wall frame. According to the agency, this is the first safety investigation at this site since the start of the project in June 2018.
Tragedies like this one continue to happen on construction sites nationwide. Less than a month ago, a worker died at a worksite in another state after a fall of over 30 feet, and a construction worker in yet another state lost his life when he fell two stories and landed on a scaffolding structure below. The on-site fatality rate underscores the need for compliance with safety regulations.
The victims of workplace injuries in San Diego and the surviving family members of the deceased worker will be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. An attorney with experience in this field can assist with the claims to ensure maximum benefits are obtained under relevant laws. Medical expenses are typically covered, along with funeral and burial costs when applicable. Also, the California workers compensation program might provide financial packages to make up for lost wages of injured workers who are temporarily disabled and also help surviving family members with day-to-day living expenses.