The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the recent death of a New Hampshire man. The 51-year-old Concord man had been an employee of a family-owned company for about 20 years. Catastrophic construction accidents are not unfamiliar for the owners of this company because the former owner suffered a fall some years ago that left him unresponsive for three months; however, he regained some speech and mobility after extensive rehabilitation.

One of their long-time employees fell to his death from a roof on a recent Tuesday, landing on a hard surface about 30 feet below. The worker was part of a work crew that was replacing the roof of a commercial building. According to a police report, the incident occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m., and the critically injured worker was rushed to a nearby hospital. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries later.

According to OSHA, no prior investigations were on record for this construction company. A spokesperson for the agency says any employees who work at elevated levels more than six feet above the ground or lower levels must have fall protection. It was not mentioned whether this worker was wearing a fall harness or whether the roof had guardrails to prevent falls. Compliance inspectors will determine whether safety regulations were violated.

When lives are lost in construction accidents, the surviving family members might be overwhelmed by the financial and emotional consequences of such tragedies. Regardless of the outcome of the OSHA investigation, death benefits can be claimed from the New Hampshire workers’ compensation insurance program. The claims process could be complicated, and many families choose to seek the support and guidance of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.