Construction is a severely hazardous industry that involves a vast array of activities involving construction, alteration and repair. Construction workers engage in many activities that might expose them to serious hazards, such as falling from rooftops, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, electrocutions and airborne toxins.

Communication between contractors and their employers is crucial. If they bring their workers out to start a job and the area isn't properly shut down for construction, there can be fatal consequences.

Crews were performing preventative maintenance on the Fuller Road bridge in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 23. Just before 2:00 pm, a worker was positioned on top of a lift that reached from the underside of the bridge when an Amtrak train approached on the thought-to-be out-of-order tracks. The train blew its horn and the conductor attempted to slow down to give the lift time to clear the tracks, but the incident happened too fast and the worker was forced to jump from the boom lift to save his own life mere moments before the train collided with the machine.

The worker was lucky to escape from the tumble unscathed and the train was not seriously damaged by the collision. However, it is unclear and unsettling as to why the train and crew were unaware of each other's use of the stretch of track.

No passengers were aboard the train, as the event it was traveling to was a dedication of a new disability-accessible platform, MLive.com reported. Crews are expected to finish with repairs to the bridge in mid-September. The work includes "expansion joint replacement, pin and hanger replacement, concrete patching and brush removal," the site reports.

Communication is the most important factor involved in accident prevention, especially on worksites. For help implementing a contractor safety program, reach out to Safety Advantage, LLC today.