Last week in Lighthouse Point, a Florida crane accident claimed the life of 43-year-old construction worker Albert Phillips. Phillips’ legs were pinned under the fallen crane and coworkers used equipment on the ground to lift the crane off of him before emergency rescuers arrived at the scene of the accident.
Phillips was transported to North Broward Medical Center and gave his coworkers a thumbs-up sign as he was being carried away to indicate that he would be OK. The worker and father of three was pronounced dead on Tuesday evening, according to Lighthouse Point police.
Phillips’ employer, Ray Qualmann Marine, canceled work at the accident site on Wednesday out of respect for the deceased worker. The assistant area director for OSHA’s Fort Lauderdale office said Phillips’ death was the third workplace fatality this year in Broward as of Wednesday. The crane collapse remains under investigation.
OSHA investigates fatal Lighthouse Point crane collapse, South Florida Sun Sentinel, June 17, 2009
Contact a South Florida construction accident attorney if you or a loved one has been injured on the job.