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Two Illinois Construction Workers Seriously Injured During Chicago Scaffolding Collapse

In Chicago?s River North, two construction workers sustained serious injuries on Monday when the scaffolding they were on collapsed off the Adlake Building located on West Ohio Street while they were doing masonry. The building was undergoing renovations.

It took over 50 firefighters from the Chicago Fire Department more than one hour to rescue the two men. One man, who was trapped between the scaffolding and the building, was pinned seven stories above the ground against the building. The other worker was able to climb onto the top of the building.

Both workers sustained head injuries and significant blood loss during the construction accident. They were transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where, on Monday night, they were reportedly in critical condition.

According to the Chicago Fire Department?s Special Operations Chief Michael Fox, the firefighters perform a lot of scaffolding rescues in Chicago. A window and roofing company employs the two construction workers.

Scaffolding Accidents
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to hold up construction workers and their materials while they are working on buildings and other large structures. It is important that proper safety precautions are exercised when workers are on a scaffold. It is also essential that the scaffold is properly constructed and free of defects.

According to the US Department of Labor, the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries reported that 88 people died in scaffolding accidents between 2000 and 2004.

A scaffolding structure can be elevated to high heights and a person injured in fall from a scaffold or during a scaffold collapse accident may sustain a traumatic brain injury, a spinal cord injury, internal injuries, or other catastrophic injuries.

2 men seriously hurt in scaffolding collapse, Chicago Tribune, October 28, 2008

Workers hurt in scaffold collapse, Daily Herald, October 27, 2008

Related Web Resources

US Department of Labor

Illinois Workers' Compensation

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on October 28, 2008 (boomark / email).