A 36-year-old man fell from a ladder during the construction of a sukkah in Rehovot. He was taken to Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer in moderate condition with injuries to his upper body.
The person who fell and was injured has been named as Dudi Shmuel, a businessman and a close associate of the hasidic Rebbe of Kretshnif. The Kretshnif congregation has asked the public to pray for the victim, David Moshe ben Malka, to have a full and speedy recovery.
Last week, United Hatzalah responders provided medical treatment and evacuated a 43-year-old man to the hospital after he was moderately injured due to falling from a height while trimming a palm tree.
As every year, Magen David Adom published a safety guide for the holiday of Sukkot, in order to celebrate the holiday in health and without injuries:
- Be sure to wear closed shoes, weed the nearby vegetation in which snakes and other dangerous reptiles may hide, and make sure that the access roads to and from the sukkah are clear of various obstacles, in a way that allows for a quick exit from the sukkah when necessary.
- Be sure to place the sukkah at a safe distance from electrical installations and gas tanks. Be careful not to light a fire near gas tanks or electrical installations, if any, during the construction of the sukkah.
- Those building a sukkah on a balcony on a high floor or on top of scaffolding must be sure to make sure that no heavy object falls down, for fear of injuring passers-by. Make sure that openable canopies and planters are firmly fixed in place, and that there is no danger of the sukkah planks, chunks of roofing, or any other object falling down.
- During the construction of the sides of the sukkah, care must be taken to keep children away from the area, so that they are not injured by parts that may fall on them. In addition, it is necessary to make sure that the sides are firmly attached to each other, in a way that does not allow them to collapse. Be especially careful when it comes to wooden walls, or any other hard material.
- During the laying of the roof, be careful about working at heights. Stay away from power poles and power cables and be careful not to touch them. Do not climb on the balcony railing, or on an unstable ladder. The roof must be attached to the body of the sukkah, so that it does not fly off in the wind and injure passers-by.
- At the ends of the palm branches commonly used for roofing a sukkah there are thorns that can impale the fingers and hands of those engaged in building the sukkah. Keep the palms away from children, and make sure they don't get stabbed by them. In addition, the palm should be held from beneath and not between the leaves, for fear of animals of various kinds that may be found there.
- When connecting the sukkah to the electricity, be careful not to touch exposed electrical wires or electrical points that are not safe. Make sure that before connecting the sukkah to the electricity, the sockets are up to standard and safe for use in an open area, and waterproof, in order to avoid electrocution. Avoid installing improper electrical cables in the sukkah, as this may cause a short circuit and fire.
- Hanging decorations: do not stand on railings, unstable ladders, chairs, etc. in order to hang the sukkah decorations. It is forbidden to hang decorations on the electric wires and near the light bulbs that light the sukkah for fear of fire.
- Care must be taken to ensure that children do not get hurt or fall from a height during the sukkah decorating, and it must be ensured that a responsible adult is nearby and watches over them at all times. Falling from a height can cause damage to the spine, concussions, and in severe cases even death.
- One should avoid leaving lit candles inside the sukkah unattended, and one should pay attention to the placement of the candles in the sukkah at all times, in order to avoid fires in the sukkah. Avoid throwing cigarette butts in or near the sukkah, in order to avoid the possibility of a fire.