Windy weather is usually just an annoyance for most people. However, high winds can pose a serious danger to those working outdoors under those conditions. A Massachusetts man discovered these risks in an unfortunate and serious construction site accident. The incident is under investigation.

The 49-year-old was working on a ladder, 30 feet above the ground at the West Bridgewater construction site. He was providing repairs to a roof. Windy conditions likely put the stability of the ladder and the man's safety at risk. As strong winds blew, the man fell off the ladder, sustaining multiple injuries. Included among the maladies are severe leg and pelvis injuries.

To make matters worse, the man fell onto a rusty metal container present on the construction site. As a result of this, he could sustain additional harm to his health if an infection results from exposure to the rusty materials.

The man suffered injuries serious enough to dictate a request to have him airlifted to an area hospital. Unfortunately, the same high winds that potentially caused the accident also prevented the helicopter from responding to the scene, so he was brought to the hospital in an ambulance.

Officials from the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were called to the scene. They are likely looking into the safety of the work site to determine if it is related to the terrible accident.

Employees have a responsibility to provide their best work to their employers. At the same time, employers have a duty to make sure working conditions are safe and will not lead to the kind of accident that occurred on this Boston-area construction site. If it was indeed too windy for the man to be working on a tall ladder, the employer should have prevented the man from working. This construction worker will lose time that he could be working and will have to cover his medical bills somehow. Employees should always be made aware of their right to safe working conditions.

Source: The Enterprise, "Man who fell off ladder at West Bridgewater work site identified," Maria Papadopolous, Jan. 18, 2012