Artery Severed in Saw Mishap

The Framingham DPW water department employee, in his 20s, suffered a left shoulder injury, said Brandolini. He was conscious and talking at the scene.

The employee "severly cut an artery in his arm" while in the trenches, said Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin.

While working on a sewer issue on Woodland Drive, a gas-powered saw the employee was using kicked back and cut him in the shoulder, explained Halpin.

Halpin said the employee had to get himself out of the trench and that fellow DPW employees then treated him until first responders arrived.

They used a belt as a tourniquet, Halpin said.

"It was a harrowing experience," said Halpin.

"They basically saved his life," said Halpin of the injured man's co-workers.

A medical helicopter landed at Massachusetts State Police headquarters yesterday to take the male employee to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston for treatment.

Halpin said the employee was in stable condition and may be discharged Tuesday night.

Halpin described the incident as a "serious workplace" accident to Selectmen Tuesday night.

"Framingham Police Department notified the (Massachusetts) Department of Labor Standards that a worker for the Framingham Water Authority received serious injuries while working in a trench with a circular saw," said Kevin Franck, director of communications for the Massachusetts Office of Labor and Workforce Development. "A DLS employee was immediately directed to the scene to conduct a survey of the worksite and interview witnesses and other public employees present. Our investigation will focus on whether common industry standards for safety were in place, why the accident happened and how similar accidents can be prevented in the future. DLS is tasked with looking into public sector occupational accidents and helping employers to ensure the safety of public workers.”

Get local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter.

Framingham Patch sent out a breaking news alert Tuesday morning, when this incident happened.

You can get breaking news alerts by signing up here.

And become a fan of the Framingham Patch Facebook page, by clicking here.

Halpin said U.S. Department of Justice's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) would likely be investigating the incident as well. Both investigation are common practice with workplace accidents.

Woodlawn Drive is where there has been a lot of activity the past couple of days, due to an issue with the sewer system.

Residents have been complaining of numerous trucks coming down their suburban street for a couple of days.

Framingham Public Works says they have an issue with the sewer line and pumping station. Halpin said the work was scheduled to be completed Tuesday night, until the accident happened.