Dangers from Above

Ken Margolin

Contributor

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I'm not a deer hunter, but I have a few friends who are. They tell me that the reason why hunting deer from a tree stand is so successful, is that deers have no natural enemies who prey on them from trees. Deers don't look up to spot potential dangers. Humans are similarly at risk from objects falling from above them. Some truly catastrophic brain injuries, crushing injuries, and deaths, have been caused by falling objects. The big box stores which I've written about on this site before, are too-frequent culprits. So too are careless construction companies whose foremen fail to insure that objects at height are secured and that pedestrians are steered well clear of high-level work done on buildings fronted by public sidewalks. Workers are also at risk from objects that fall on them because not properly secured or behind barriers, or that are lifted improperly or with the wrong equipment. OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, gives four chilling examples of falling object injuries to workers; three of the incidents resulted in fatalities. Since people are not wired to routinely scan the skies for hazards, the obligation of those working above ground level, to follow safe practices, is in every way, a high one.