When a community is preparing for a new sports stadium, there is likely a lot of excitement and anticipation leading up to opening day. During this time, however, it can be easy to forget the risks construction workers face day in and day out on the job.
Unfortunately, there are sometimes reminders of these dangers as reports of construction site accidents appear throughout the country. In September, we provided a post about a construction worker who passed away at the future site of the Saints stadium in St. Paul. Not long ago, another much-anticipated stadium project was overshadowed by a worker’s death.
Reports indicate that a recent death at the Levi’s Stadium construction site was the second to happen during the course of that project. The stadium will be home to the San Francisco 49ers football team.
In this particular incident, a steel company’s truck driver was fatally injured by a falling piece of rebar while he was making a delivery to the construction site. The 60-year-old worker didn’t immediately die from his injuries, but efforts to resuscitate him were ultimately unsuccessful.
As the construction industry in the Twin Cities moves forward with the Saints and Vikings stadiums, it will important for contractors to keep safety a top priority. If caution isn’t observed, then there is certainly more room for construction injuries in the future.
On large construction projects, there are often several companies contributing to the efforts. The nature of employment arrangements, as a result, can create some challenges when trying to obtain compensation for serious or fatal injuries. An experienced attorney can help sort through the details of an accident and determine potential legal options.
Source: NBC Bay Area, “Steel Company Driver Dies at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara,” Lisa Fernandez, Oct. 15, 2013