Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at M Betters Construction, Inc., 3366 Big Battle Run Road, SALEM, WEST VIRGINIA 26426
on — Fractures, affecting the heel(s).
Final narrative
Two employees (one driving, one a passenger) were transporting a load of steel reinforcement on a rough-terrain flatbed truck. The truck rolled down a hill and overturned. The driver suffered a broken heel and the other employee's foot was broken.
An employee was operating a sit-down type of material handling equipment (MHE). They were turning the MHE with the clamp attachment in the air when the MHE fell over onto its right side. The employee's right foot was caught under the battery cover of the MHE. The employee sustained a chemical burn from the battery and a fractured right ankle.
An employee was driving an unloaded forklift outside a building. During a left turn, the forklift drove off the paved area onto an unpaved surface, became unstable, and tipped over. The employee was pinned under the forklift and suffered two broken leg bones and a broken hip.
An employee was trimming tree branches from an aerial lift. As they were maneuvering the aerial bucket lift from inside, the truck drove over soft ground and tipped over. The bucket lift fell to the ground with the employee tied off inside, resulting in rib fractures.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 238990)
A crew was relocating a dumpster (containing approximately 200 pounds of demolished wire) to access the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units they were servicing. During movement of the dumpster, a section of carpet tile dislodged from the floor, causing an employee to lose his footing, slip, and fall. He landed on his right wrist, resulting in a fracture.
An employee was cutting a board using a circular saw. The saw pinched, kicked back, and cut the employee's left ring and little fingers. The employee suffered an amputation to the little finger.
An employee was using an aluminum extension ladder to remove gutters at a height of approximately 20 feet. As they were removing the gutters, part of the gutter collapsed and struck the ladder, causing it to move sideways. The employee fell from the ladder and sustained fractures to ribs on the left side and their right forearm.
An employee was using an electric saw to cut a piece of wood for a fence. The saw slipped out of his hand and lacerated his left leg. He was hospitalized.
An employee was erecting a scaffold. A side bracket was not secure. The employee stepped on the bracket to test it and fell 18 feet to the concrete floor resulting in fractures to the ankles and femurs. He was not using fall protection equipment.
An employee was conducting routine maintenance on a mixer. New lid pins had been installed, and the employee was rotating by hand to ensure they had been installed correctly. The employee's left middle finger was caught between the lid and top of a pin. The momentum from the mixer continued, causing a crushing injury to the finger. The employee underwent a medical amputation from the top knuckle to the tip of the finger.
An employee was climbing down a 15-foot multipurpose ladder. The employee fell about 8 feet, landing on the concrete floor and the ladder itself. The employee suffered several injuries, all on the right side: broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken temporal bone, broken shoulder, multiple fractures to the cheekbone, and a brain bleed.
An employee was rolling up the landing gear on his trailer when the handle began to unwind and struck his face, fracturing his jaw. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.