Kansas City roofer killed in on-the-job accident

A man was fatally injured while repairing a roof in Kansas City’s industrial East Bottoms. The accidental fall occurred at about 4:15 pm on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the 1300 block of North Chouteau Trafficway. The victim was identified as Christopher W. Goodall, 39, of Kansas City, Kansas. The roofer was working on a roof repair and was not wearing a harness at the time of the fall.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.

Construction is a high hazard industry for all who work in it. Falls are one of the most common construction hazards. In fact, falls are the most frequent cause of fatalities at construction sites and account for one-third of construction-related deaths.

There are safety measures that can prevent falls, but the number of construction workers who fall to their deaths has increased in recent years. The most recent fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), indicates that there were at least 442 construction worker fatalities in 2007 that resulted from falls.