The worker, who is not a regular employee of the College, was repositioning some lights following the College's Interterm production of the award-winning Broadway musical, "The City of Angels." According to Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Department David Schneider, this job was scheduled to take one or two days.
There were people in the building at the time of the accident, but no one was present in the Music Hall when the worker fell. The injured man was able to get up and he walked to solicit help from other people in the building. Emergency assistance was called, and the worker was subsequently taken to Baystate for treatment.
"He broke some ribs and I believe there was some amount of internal bleeding," reported Schneider.
Though not fully recovered yet, the worker's condition has improved. "He is recovering well," said Schneider, "and he was released from the hospital in a few days."
Since the accident, the music department has been taking measures to ensure the safety of the Arms Music Center, specifically Buckley Music Hall. "The music department is now in conversations with the office of Environmental Health and Safety to make sure everything is safe," Schneider said.
Additionally, questions have been raised about whether renovations to the music hall are needed. "We're in touch with Jim Brassord, who is in charge of all construction on campus," said Schneider. "I couldn't predict if it will speed up any changes."
Buckley Recital Hall was designed by architect Benjamin Thompson and built, as part of the Arms Music Center, between 1967 and 1968. Before moving into its permanent home, the music department had taken up residence at the Octagon, College Hall and, at a time, in the C-level of Frost library.