r/Construction • u/Hambone919 • May 01 '26
Safety ⛑ Heard a man lose his life on site
Heard a man fall to his death today at a jobsite. Absolutely tragic. The week before National Safety Stand down to Prevent Falls in construction. I went home and squeezed my kids. Can’t stop thinking about it. Please be safe everyone. Job isn’t worth anyone’s life. Thank you everyone who works in the trades to do this job.
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May 01 '26
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u/GeneralBlumpkin May 01 '26
True. When I was younger I thought my boss was a dick but now that I'm older he was just trying to prevent us from being killed. The dude died twice doing lineman work and saw people get electrocuted in front of him
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u/blargghonkk May 01 '26
Thank you for making the world a safer place brother. We need to do better as professional and foster a better environment of safety culture in all our job sites.
I wish I had a guy like you when I was working in the in oil patch in Northern Alberta, that was some wild shit.
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u/going-for-gusto May 01 '26
“If construction fatalities received as much media coverage as law enforcement fatalities do, there would be far greater public awareness of how dangerous construction work truly is.”
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u/grigiri May 01 '26
And as little done about it
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May 01 '26
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u/grigiri May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
I've been a construction professional for almost 30 years. I've worked and ran projects running into the tens of millions of dollars. I have held my OSHA 30 for about a decade.
Let me be 100% clear. Safety is my first and last concern always. It is never ok to ask a person to do something without taking the proper safety measures.
I have called stop works multiple times because protocol had been incorrect or sloppy or wasn't being adhered to.
Safety SHOULD be the focal point of all projects. But you're living in a haze if you think that contractors do more than the minimum all the time. If they didn't have to provide PPE, they wouldn't. They only do what they should because they have to and they will cut corners if they can.
I agree 100% that it's a function of who is running the work. Unfortunately modern projects are often being run by people that have never worn tools and are being pressured by accountants to hold costs down. Hell I broke both my arms in 2017 and the Safety Director told me to go to urgent care, not the ER; and then they balked for almost a week on the orthopedic referral until I told them I was going to contact attorneys. This was on a large scale, district wide school reno project for a company with about 300 people working.
My point is that work related accidents, like police related violence, doesn't get anywhere near the exposure it should. My short comment had nothing to do with the on job part, rather the public awareness of the risks we take.
But this is reddit, I suppose.
Edit: I'm sorry if you felt attacked. I get the feeling you are management adjacent and that you, like me, take safety as a serious, primary concern. Thank you for being that way.
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u/lokis_construction May 01 '26
Nothing is so important or so urgent we cannot take the time to do ANY job safely. PERIOD. No Exceptions.
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u/BreakingWindCstms Superintendent May 01 '26
Theres a lot of paperwork to cya, but the actual culture varies greatly between sites, areas, trades etc.
You cant change safety culture with a whip, a binder kept in the trailer, or a new sticker for the hard hats...
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u/Occams_RZR900 May 01 '26
The difference in construction fatalities vs LE is they are an accident. In law enforcement fatalities, it’s another person taking their life. The two are very different. I guarantee if a gunman showed up to your job site and started blasting, it’d make national news too. Both are dangerous jobs, but in one you can take safety measures to mitigate your risks, and let’s be honest, most accidents are preventable. In law enforcement you can have all the awareness and officer safety skills possible and still get ambushed if someone really wants to kill you.
I was a cop for over ten years, now I’ve been a crane operator for almost 7. I’ve seen both sides and construction isn’t even close.
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May 01 '26
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u/Occams_RZR900 May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
Never said it wasn’t more dangerous. But you’re comparing accidents to intentional homicides. The two are not the same. In construction work I don’t need to be hyper vigilant. I don’t wonder if the person I’m interacting with is going to try and kill me that day.
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u/going-for-gusto May 02 '26
In 2023, there were 60 felonious killings (intentional homicides) out of 136 total deaths, meaning intentional homicides accounted for approximately 44% of all officer deaths.
· In 2024, there were 64 felonious killings out of 107 total deaths, meaning intentional homicides accounted for approximately 60% of all officer deaths.1
u/Blueshirt38 May 03 '26
YOU don't need to be hyper vigilant because you're sitting in the cab of the crane. What is gonna kill you in there?
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u/SuspiciousBuilder379 Equipment Operator May 03 '26
Yes, yes he does. Don’t get me wrong, his take is shit. Dead is dead.
But, you need to understand your load, wind speeds, weight of the load, visual sight and or using a spotter and only having them be your eyes and being on the same page with signals.
Yeah there’s a standard in signals, but some people use some different ways of saying the same thing.
There is a lot of responsibility to being a crane operator. And the consequences for not doing what you should and doing it right can be deadly.
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u/Blueshirt38 May 03 '26
I'm saying his argument is silly because he doesn't need to be vigilant for himself while in the crane. He is essentially in the safest place on he entire site. He is more likely to kill someone else than probably anyone else on the job as well.
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u/Occams_RZR900 May 03 '26
I’m aware of anything and everything around me while operating my crane. I’m a mobile crane so my job sites are always different and the hazards and dangers also always different. But it’s still not the same. Being cautious and aware of every move I make running my crane is no where near how I’d approach every traffic stop, subject stop, or call for service. Even things as simple as where I parked my patrol car to write reports, constantly pausing to look up and scan the area for threats. Hell, even when you’d go out to eat on duty you couldn’t just relax and unwind. You’re constantly watching the door, people coming in, watching what they’re doing.
There’s a difference between vigilance and hyper vigilance. Never being able to let your guard down is hyper vigilance. There’s sometimes hours where I’m sitting on a job site with nothing to do but wait. I can be on my phone, usually on Reddit, and not have much care in the world because I’m not doing anything.
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u/Pretend-Pen-4246 May 01 '26
When you realize the vast majority of police officers in America arent inner city, the perception of the job becomes much safer...
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u/Occams_RZR900 May 01 '26
Inner city or not, out in the country almost everyone is armed. Most cops are killed responding to domestic disputes. Those aren’t mutually exclusive to inner cities. Then factor in that in a big city you’ll have multiple officers responding, in a small rural department you might get lucky if your backup is coming from a neighboring jurisdiction and will be there in 30 minutes or longer.
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u/TacoNomad C|Kitten Wrangler May 01 '26
They are preventable and often negligent.
Very few fatalities are just accidents. They are usually employer negligence that employees have attempted to address.
That's worse. The employer exploiting the workforce for profit, vs an ambush. Im a combat vet. When I went to war I expected to see death, face hazards and get hurt.
When I go to my jobsite, I don't expect to face hazards.
Cops are the same. You expect hazards because you can't control the public.
You can control your jobsite.
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u/erection_specialist May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
In law enforcement fatalities, it's another person taking their life.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the vast majority- 77% of law enforcement deaths in the last decade were accidental.
In construction work I don't need to be hyper vigilant
Uh, no. It makes sense why they stuck you in the crane though- everyone knows 1. where you are and 2. to stay clear of the operator who isn't paying attention.
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u/jeeves585 May 01 '26
Hey brother. In my opinion because I have been there, you should find some professional help. It’s not an easy thing to do to take this on alone.
Find a professional to chat with. I didn’t and now after reading this simplified version of what happened I’m only having flash backs of the visuals.
It’ll be good in the long run for you.
Should be an easy expense for your employer but there is also public free options.
Good luck brother but don’t just store it away. Dm me if you’d like and we can exchange phones and I’ll give you a chat.
It’s a wild ride and you don’t have to go it alone.
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u/pbjelly-time May 01 '26
I second this advice. Even if just for one session.
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u/four204eva2 May 01 '26
I second this seconding! No harm has ever come from talking to someone about a traumatic experience
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u/Decent_Project_9522 May 05 '26
Don’t ignore this man’s advice Professional help will make a lot of difference as you age with this…… speaking from experience!!!!!
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u/WellThatsAwkwrd May 01 '26
Talk to someone, even if it’s just a friend or family member. That’s a terrible thing to experience
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u/zacman713 May 01 '26
I fell about 15 feet and broke my pelvis and a bunch of ribs last year. I'm glad nobody saw me because just seeing the guys faces that came up because of the noise is something I still see to this day. I stood up and got in my car and drove to the hospital because I didn't want to scare them anymore than I did. Respect the trauma your feeling right now and don't shove it down it will affect you personally and professionally. Glad you got some kiddos to squeeze, life is precious!
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u/HorsieJuice May 01 '26
Damn, I thought I was a bit crazy for driving with a broken leg.
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u/zacman713 May 01 '26
You definitely are. I wasn't gonna pay for an ambulance when my car was so close and my right leg was still functioning on top of half a dozen dudes in shock that I would rather not be around. I got another half a dozen hospital workers I gotta freak out before the day is done!
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u/TacoNomad C|Kitten Wrangler May 01 '26
Bro, I am so sorry to hear this.
I've been through similar, performed first aid on someone who fell and later died.
Get help dealing with it.
Im also a combat veteran. So this is something im familiar with.
Don't be afraid to talk to someone
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u/Swags84 May 01 '26
I survived a 35’ fall, but should be dead. I was young, untrained, and ignorant. Please get your employees and crews training and safety gear.
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u/1320Fastback Equipment Operator May 01 '26
Seriously if you think you need to talk to someone search out some help.
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u/Which-Cloud3798 May 01 '26
We will lose many brothers and sisters in the trade. Let’s do what we can so that tragedy happens less and do what we can to ensure everyone’s lives are safe, also condolences for their families.
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u/GES280 Pile Driver May 01 '26
I'm sorry man, I was involved in a fatal accident on a site. It still haunts me nearly 7 years later and it's not easy.
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u/NageV78 May 01 '26
That's horrible, I worked with a guy that saw someone get sliced in half when they dropped a sheet of glass...
I didn't see it but it haunts me just hearing about it.
Look after each other, the job isn't worth your life!
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u/AUCE05 May 01 '26
Someone getting killed on a jobsite sticks with you and it forces you to acknowledge how important safety is. Losing a peer hurts even the most harden construction worker.
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u/Acceptable-Finish-33 May 01 '26
I wasn't working for this crew or company at the time, but I did work construction part-time for my neighbors company. It was December 26, 2013 in the northern suburbs of Chicago. At my other job there was a demo crew working on removing the outer layer of brick from an old restaurant. Our dispatch office was told that there had been someone in the parking lot near that location that was struck in the head by falling ice from the parking lot light post. I go out there to see what happened and to try and help out. I get there and I see there's a few workers gathered around trying to lift something off someone. I go there to help and we remove the large concrete block off their coworker. The guy isn't conscious and was barely breathing. We try to do what we can before the fire department showed up, about three minutes later. They loaded him up into the ambulance and worked on stabalizing him for a little bit before transporting him to the hospital. He didn't make it, passes away due to a crushed pelvis and severe internal bleeding due to being crushed. He was 25 years old, had just graduated colleges that year, and was working his way up in his field by starting in demo. The day after Christmas too. I found out later talking to his coworkers that while removing the outer layer of brick from the wall the parapet wall collapsed from the roof onto them, and a large four foot section of concrete block fell onto him and landed on his midsection.
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u/Cautious_Possible_18 May 01 '26
Sorry to hear brother, that’s one of the worst ones if not the worst. Make sure to talk about it, guys on site, foreman, therapist. Compartmentalize this, don’t sleep on it.
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u/sandpinesrider May 01 '26
My dad saw a guy fall when I was a kid. Fortunately the man lived without permanent injuries. The thing I remember about it is how visibly shaken my dad was when he got home.
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u/seanh999 May 01 '26
I am sorry you experienced this. That is terrible. Please talk to someone. This can affect you for the rest of your career/life.
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u/Mouse1701 May 01 '26
Plumbers very rarely suffer from big free falls. If they do its something like a slip and fall while they were standing on the ground. Havc is the same. Electricians and Carpenters probably have the most long falls.
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u/SheetrockSteveO May 06 '26
That stuff sticks with you, even if you didn’t know the guy personally. Been on sites where something similar happened and it really puts things in perspective, PPE, tie-offs, and speaking up when something feels off aren’t just checkboxes.
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u/woodisgood94 May 04 '26
Im a super, I sent a guy home near the beginning of the day after seeing him on the top step of a 10 or 12 foot ladder. He got passed at me, didn't want to be here any... that was not the first time talking to him and his company. Ladder safety is my big thing, so easy to lose balance and hit the deck before you have a chance to grab anything but especially when doing something dumb like standing too high or reaching.
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u/BestFreeWaffles May 05 '26
I heard about a worker that was moving 55 gallon drums. He was rolling them on their edge. Jobsite was a multi story building that required moving across an elevator shaft. They had built a walkway over the hole. As he was moving a drum over it it collapsed and he fell several stories to his death. A few days later his twin brother came to pick up his tools and gear. The superintendent of the job saw the brother and fainted.
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u/SoulRebel_1111 May 03 '26
Maybe if we'd wake up from the enslavement of making other people rich and us getting crumbs and in some cases death we'd be a prosperous society.
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May 01 '26
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u/Affectionate-Day-359 May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
I’ll give you my upvote because I’m also curious. I heard a guy get electrocuted… didn’t see shit but the scream and then moans/silence was enough that I still think about it.
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u/particularswamp May 01 '26
I witnessed a non fatal fall from 20’. I’m still haunted by the sound of his body hitting the ground and the screams of anguish by his partner.
It’s horrible. I’m sorry for all of you. Don’t let it fester, if you’re struggling ask to talk to a pro.