A 28-year-old-construction worker died in a construction site accident in Duxbury on Saturday, November 19, after a circular saw he was using to cut a pipe kicked back and cut his neck. Coworkers and emergency personnel provided first aid, but the injury was too severe for the man to survive.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is investigating. A friend of the man who died. A Facebook post reported by The Boston Globe said that the worker was trying to make some extra money on his day off.
Even though circular saws are one of the most common tools used in construction, serious accidents involving them are rare. OSHA records show only 4 circular saw injuries reported in 2014 and 16 in 2013. One of the 2014 injuries involved a worker whose throat was cut while cutting a steel water pipe with a gas-powered circular saw. The worker survived but was hospitalized.
Anyone who has worked with circular saws knows that binding and kickbacks present serious risks. Workers assume these risks as part of their jobs, but questions always arise when an accident involving a circular saw leads to death or serious injury. Was the saw in good working condition? Was the cutting area free of obstructions that could have contributed to the accident? Were workers hurrying to complete a job? Was the worker trained in the use of the saw and well rested and alert while operating it?
The Sheff Law team of Boston personal injury lawyers has extensive experience in workplace accidents. We know which questions to ask to determine liability, and we provide free consultations for workers and family members of workers harmed or killed in construction site accidents. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-423-4477.