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Eye work accident: construction worker・s eyeball accidentally crushed by boss
A 41-year-old Hualien construction worker surnamed Zhao
was hired two years ago
to set up power towers for Taipower Company
The workers drilled four large holes in the ground to lay the foundation of the tower
Zhao used a hand gesture to tell the crane operator
to place a steel rod in place
When he secured a second rod with the other workers
he squatted down to tie down the steel rod
but before he had readied the rod
someone shouted
"Go up, go up!"
The site owner's 22-year-old son
then lifted the rod with the crane
The rod came off the hook
and the swinging hook
hit Zhao's right eye
He covered it in pain
and accidentally caught his eyeball as it fell out of the socket
But when the owner・s son ran over to see what had happened
he ran into Zhao
knocked the eyeball to the ground
and stepped on and broke the eyeball
Zhao was rushed to the hospital
but he is now completely blind on the right side
He later sued his employer and the crane operator
for occupational negligent bodily harm
The district attorney summoned witnesses including the site supervisor
but they all said the injury was caused because Zhao used the wrong hand gesture to signal his readiness
As such, the employer was not prosecuted
The now one-eyed Zhao
is enraged by the ruling
"How is it possible that I had caused this?"
"They told the mediating committee"
"that I blinded myself"
"Why would I do that?"
He drew a Buddha's hand catching an eyeball to thank Him for protection,
and decided to ask for retrial
Apple Daily News