BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A window washer plunged 13 stories down the side of an Alabama hospital tower and survived after falling into a garden-like area with newly planted shrubbery, authorities said.

The worker was getting onto a platform outside the building Thursday when his safety equipment malfunctioned, Birmingham Fire Battalion Chief C.W. Mardis said.

The worker's safety gear did slow his descent somewhat, so he didn't "free fall," Mardis said.

He was also fortunate to land where he did.

"He fell into a landscaping area with freshly planted bushes and mulch," Mardis said. "So that kind of broke his fall."

The worker was conscious when he was taken to UAB Hospital, where he's recovering, Mardis said.

The 14-story building, part of Children's of Alabama, has been under construction, hospital spokeswoman Rachel Olis said. It is nearing completion and is scheduled to open this summer, she said.

The window washer is a subcontractor with an Atlanta construction firm, Doug Ecker of Hoar Construction, which is involved in the hospital project, told WBRC-TV.

"We are working closely with the general contractor to understand the circumstances of the accident and to ensure the highest safety practices are in place," Everclear Enterprises of Atlanta said in a statement Friday.

"This accident is unfortunate and unprecedented in our 19-year history," the statement said. "Our foremost concern is the health and well-being of our co-worker."