Injuries on the rise for Seattle tunnel project

SEATTLE (AP) — State occupational safety figures show the Seattle tunnel project has seen a growing number of workplace injuries since 2012. The injuries have resulted in almost $1 million in workers' compensation claims.

Those hurt included a worker whose hand was crushed in the giant tunnel machine's cutter head when he was changing the cutting tool and another who severely injured a knee in a fall.

According to a spreadsheet of claims provided to The Associated Press by state regulators, some claims from the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project totaled several hundred dollars while others resulted in medical bills running tens of thousands of dollars.

State safety figures show more workers were injured in 2014 than the two previous years combined. The contractor, Seattle Tunnel Partners, says it emphasizes workplace safety.