Whether in Maryland or elsewhere, pretty much anything can happen while working on the job, especially with heavy equipment around. Malfunctioning machinery and falls can, unfortunately, be all-too-common happenstances. However, every once in a while a workplace accident will occur that is both completely unexpected and defies all logic, even with the inclusion of heavy machinery.
Two Maryland workers were reported injured recently while operating a forklift at a motor vehicle repair shop. Curiously, none of the injuries were actually caused to the men, at least directly, through the operation of said machinery. Instead, the report indicates that both men were harmed when a manhole cover spontaneously exploded after the two drove over it while inside the forklift.
Multiple businesses with nearly 50 employees in the surrounding area were evacuated after the incident. Experts say the issue was caused by natural gas that had built up underneath the cover and was allowed to quickly extend into the topside atmosphere after the cover was run over and shifted slightly. Both men were hospitalized for burn-related injuries afterwards, but, thankfully, nobody was killed by the blast.
Maryland officials also noted that the structural integrity of the nearby buildings remains intact, and there is no reason to believe that similarly, unexpected manhole cover explosions will ever happen again. Still, events like this go to show that a workplace accident can happen even on the most seemingly routine and safe of jobs. Workers that are injured on any job, especially in strange circumstances such as this, may want to do all in their power to help ensure that they are provided with adequate compensation.
