Contract Worker Falls 35-50 Feet from Kemah Boardwalk Rollercoaster

A contract worker was critically injured Monday after falling from a rollercoaster at the Kemah Boardwalk.

The incident happened at about 1 p.m. as the worker was performing maintenance on the Boardwalk Bullet, a 96-foot-tall wooden rollercoaster that has been in operation at the Kemah Boardwalk since 2007. According to Kemah Fire Chief Robert Suniga, the worker was about halfway up the tracks when he fell an estimated 35 to 50 feet to a platform below.

The Seabrook Fire Department and Kemah Volunteer Fire Department responded. They worked to stabilize the worker, who is believed to be in his 50s, and lowered him to the ground. Suniga said the worker had multiple injuries as a result of the fall but was conscious and able to communicate with emergency crews.

The worker was wearing a harness at the time of the accident, but at this time it is unclear whether his harness was attached to a safety line when he fell.

Falls are a leading cause of injury and death among workers across the U.S. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide fall protection at elevations of four feet and above, depending on the industry. Unfortunately, fall protection violations are the leading source of OSHA citations every year. Employers need to do better.

An investigation into this worker’s fall will reveal whether he was sufficiently protected. Our Houston work injury attorneys will continue to follow this story as it develops, and our hearts go out to the worker and his family in this difficult time.