Johnson City, TN – A total of five block masons sustained construction injuries from a scaffolding collapse at the site they were working at. They were working at the Hamilton Place construction area located off North State of Franklin Road. The construction accident occurred because the scaffold was placed upon a ceiling joist crafted from steel. It broke beneath the weight of the concrete block the men were using to construct the interior wall. Their fall was fifteen feet with the concrete block falling along with the workers who sustained the construction injuries.
Construction Accident Thought To Be Serious
The incident brought three ambulances, two EMS teams, and seven fire trucks to the assistance of the fallen workers. This large of a team showed up because original requests stated that the men were trapped within the building. The job superintendent for True Line Construction said the accident appeared to be worse than it actually turned out to be. The workers were covered in blood and maintained gashes which required stitches. The superintendent seemed to be confident that all five workers would receive treatment then be released from the hospital’s care. They’re familiar with the kind of work they were doing and it was believed that the injuries weren’t too severe by those in charge of the site. Some of those in command believe it is possible that the workers may have had this issue many times before, but they were fortunate that the scaffolding never gave out.
As of Thursday evening four workers were actually admitted into the hospital. Two were in stable condition, one in serious condition, and the other was listed in critical condition. The fifth worker was treated for his injuries then released. It looked as though one man had a broken ankle and the other two had sustained back injuries. It’s a possibility that the bar joist that tumbled along with the workers may have been incomplete, which is just a guess from the job superintendent.
Not a Typical Scaffolding Accident
The accident appeared to happen in an unusual manner. The scaffolding bowed outward as opposed to falling in a directly downward motion when weight is applied. OSHA was on the scene to launch an inspection for the accident. A lot of ideas on what actually took place with the accident are mere speculation at this point in time. The intention of the bar joists was to slope a single-story roof. One joist was bent at one of its angles. The project foreman is one of the construction workers who fell. The superintendent was unable to fully disclose all the names of the injured parties since they were unknown to him. Plywood sheeting and concrete block were littered across the area. The men performing the job are generally knowledgeable of how the scaffolding should be set up and works. The site of Hamilton Place is slated to be a retail area for rental with a restaurant.
