26-year-old falls 7 meters while straightening skylights in Ried!

26-year-old falls 7 meters while straightening skylights in Ried!

On March 26, 2025, a serious industrial accident occurred in Ried im Traunkreis, Gmunden, in which a 26-year-old man from the Gmunden district was seriously injured. The young man was busy replacing the roof windows on a single-family home. While he was climbing onto the roof to straighten a roof tile, he slipped through the skylight when he got back on and fell from a height of around six to seven meters.

After the crash, he was transported to Wels Hospital in a rescue helicopter. His injuries are serious, but no further details about his condition have been released. The circumstances of the accident once again shed light on the dangers that exist in construction, particularly when working at heights.

Dangers in the workplace

Accidents like the one in Ried im Traunkreis are not isolated cases. According to data on occupational accidents in Austria, there have been positive developments over the last 40 years, but the construction industry continues to have the highest accident rates. In 2018, the accident rate in this sector was over 150 accidents per 1,000 construction workers. This highlights the need for targeted safety measures and prevention campaigns, particularly for young workers who are often still inadequately prepared for the risks.

The protection of employees was already an important issue in Austria in the 1980s. Although there were some protective measures in place at the time, the wearing of helmets and other protective equipment was rare. Consumption of alcohol during work hours was common, and many safety regulations were non-existent or ignored. This development meant that the number of accidents was high at the time, but resulted in few legal consequences.

In recent decades, several worker protection laws have been introduced that have helped improve working conditions. Among other things, the Construction Worker Protection Ordinance ensures that safety standards are adhered to in the construction industry in order to minimize the risk of accidents at work.

Statistical development and outlook

The accident statistics show a decline in the accident rate from 54.9 accidents per 1,000 insured people in 1980 to 21.6 in 2018. This positive development is the result of targeted prevention measures and educational work by the chambers of labor. In addition, the training of safety specialists and occupational physicians since 1995 has made a significant contribution to improving the situation.

However, the challenges remain. Particularly in the construction industry, where many workers are exposed to high risks, continuous efforts must be made to make working conditions safer. The industrial accident in Ried im Traunkreis provides an impressive indication of the dangers that still exist and the need for further accident prevention measures in order to avoid future accidents.

For further information on developments and measures in the area of ​​occupational safety in Austria, you can read the articles on 5min.at as well as safework.at read.