A construction accident injured four workers on Feb. 16 in North Hollywood when they fell down a shaft for an elevator. Three of the workers suffered critical injuries in the fall, which was roughly 30 feet into the shaft, according to multiple reports. The site for the construction project was located on the 11000 block of Otsego Street at a building spanning five stories.
The elevator shaft was still under construction at the site when the accident occurred. The four men range from 45-to-60-years-old. The accident occurred around 1 p.m., on Feb. 16. According to investigators, the crew was installing metal sheeting in the elevator shaft when the accident happened.
All four men were transported from the scene to local hospitals. Three of the four men were initially listed as being in critical condition and the fourth was listed in fair condition. Authorities have said that the accident is still under an active investigation.
There are various efforts construction workers can take to avoid falls at work. These include wearing harnesses, wearing helmets and ensuring that scaffolding is built properly and anchored to the ground. It is unclear what caused the four men to fall down the shaft and it is also unknown what type of safety measures were in place at the time of the accident.
Suffering injuries on a construction site is frightening, especially injuries stemming from falls. Falls are one of the most common construction site accidents in California. Victims of these accidents should seek immediate medical attention and have all of the paperwork filled out properly in order to begin the workers’ compensation process.
Source: ABC7, “4 construction workers injured after falling down an elevator shaft at North Hollywood site,” Feb. 16, 2018
