A Pennsylvania construction worker sustained serious injuries Aug. 30 he became trapped under an asphalt roller. The man was trying to avoid an accident on Saunders Station Road near Monroeville when the roller tipped over on him.
The Suit-Kote employee was driving the heavy equipment from one construction site to the next when the machine’s hydraulic hose broke. The man, 30, drove off the road and into a creek bed to avoid a traffic accident. However, the asphalt roller tipped over, trapping him between the machine and the creek bed.
A Monroeville Fire Department representative said the man landed face down in the creek, with the roller on top of his legs. He sustained a head injury and loss of blood. The victim was taken to Forbes Regional Medical Hospital where doctors were able to stabilize his condition. The man’s employer and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the accident.
Construction accidents happen, even among the most careful of workers, such as this man who was injured while trying to avoid an accident that might have involved more people. This man could be off work for a long time, with medical expenses mounting up and no income coming in to support his family. Luckily, Pennsylvania offers workers’ compensation to tide residents over until they can return to work. Should problems arise in the claims process, a workers’ compensation attorney may be able to assist an injured worker get these benefits from the state. If the injured worker is unable to return to work, an attorney may be able to help him get permanent disability benefits from the state as well as from Social Security.
Source: WTAE, “Operator trying to avoid crash gets pinned under asphalt roller in Monroeville”, Ashlie Hardway, August 31, 2013