For contracting company Hansen, Yuncken and Leighton (HYLC), the third time is definitely not the charm. Despite hurried assurances that workplace safety is a “top priority,” the third accident in three weeks at the Royal Adelaide Hospital Site prompted workers to walk off the site.
And as well they should have. According to CFMEU assistant state secretary Mick McDermott, the job site has been trouble since day one. During the rushed construction job, Hansen, Yuncken and Leighton’s top priority has been “productivity, not safety.” While contractors were careful to walk the party line on paper, McDermott noted that the reality is a very different story.
The latest accident involved a malfunctioning crane that crashed into the ropes of another nearby crane. Some of the construction site workers on the scene suggested that the gears had failed, but the operating company insisted that the “anti-collision equipment on [both] cranes was and is fully operational.” Given the fact that this was second time that a crane had failed within two weeks, it seems unlikely that all was well on the Royal Adelaide Hospital job site.
As Atlanta trial lawyers with experience handling construction site injuries, we at Pope & Howard, P.C. have witnessed the consequences that come with lax safety standards and irresponsible contracting companies. Given the circumstances surrounding the Royal Adelaide Hospital job site accidents, it’s a miracle that no one was hurt—one that the owners of Hansen, Yuncken and Leighton should not take for granted. Without a culture of safety that is implemented from the top down, construction sites around the world will continue to feel the effects of unsafe job site practices.
Pope & Howard, P.C. is an Atlanta-based trial law firm founded by Marc Howard and Geoff Pope. Our experienced trial attorneys specialize in tractor trailer accidents, construction site injuries, aviation accidents, and other cases involving personal or catastrophic injury.
Contact Pope & Howard, P.C. at (866) 910-0642 to schedule your initial consultation today.
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