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California company cited for death of workers injured on the job

On Behalf of | May 13, 2013 | Workplace Accidents |

Any kind of construction work can be especially dangerous considering the size of equipment and the weight of components used in construction work. There are naturally many regulations in place, yet a sometimes those regulations may be overlooked and workers can become injured on the job. Recently in California, a construction worker died on the job and the company was cited for the incident.

The worker died while working on a freeway in Los Angeles. He had been loading 3,000 pound beams onto a flatbed truck. Due to a rotating part, one beam pushed into another and pushed it off of the truck. The massive beam fell and killed the worker.

OSHA investigated the incident and found cause to cite the construction company. The investigation determined the company employed unsafe practices concerning the proximity workers had to the beams and trucks. There were two citations issued to the company and they were also ordered to pay fines in the amount of $36,000.

While fines or an adaptation of practices to ensure safety from this point on will not reverse the fatality suffered recently by this particular construction company, it may help to ensure others workers do not become injured on the job. California companies have benefits in place to help injured workers and also to help the families of workers who have been killed, whether it is due to faulty safety practices or simply a tragic accident. Those monetary and health benefits may help families and workers keep up with the cost of daily life if they are unable to work for some time or if the death of a worker has left the family without an income.

Source: culvercity.patch.com, “Cal-OSHA Fines Kiewit Over 405 Freeway Construction Fatality,” Matthew Sanderson, April 26, 2013

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