Construction Site Accident In Boston’s Theater District Being Investigated

On March 20, 2014, a partial building collapse in Boston’s Theater District caused injuries to three workers. While the investigation is in its early stages, initial reports indicate that a heavy load of steel placed on the unfinished 12th floor of the apartment tower under construction may have caused the incident.

Inspectors from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will conduct more interviews today and examine the debris field inside the damaged building. The federal investigation could take several months to complete. One focus will be whether there were any workplace safety violations that contributed to the event.
The planned 30-story tower at 
45 Stuart Street is being built by AvalonBay Communities of Arlington, Virginia; the developer’s general contractor is John Moriarty & Associates Inc. of Winchester.
Construction work is one of the most dangerous areas of employment, with thousands of workers hurt on the job every year. Many of these injuries are the result of contractors’ and management’s failure to maintain a safe jobsite. Some of these injuries are the result of defective equipment. Other injuries are the result of carelessness or negligence on the part of a general contractor or subcontractor, for example failing to properly inspect the jobsite, failing to provide safe machinery or tools, or failing to provide workers with adequate fall protection equipment.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a construction site accident or workplace accident, and you have questions, please contact an injury lawyer at Swartz & Swartz, P.C. Call our Boston, Massachusetts office at (617) 742-1900, or toll-free at 1-800-545-3732.
By James A. Swartz of Swartz & Swartz P.C. – Permalink