Industrial workplaces in California might be necessary, but this does not mean that they are ideal environments for workers. Whether working in a manufacturing facility or factory, employees often face dangers at every turn. When a work injury does occur, it is not always immediately clear what led to it, leaving others at risk until safety inadequacies are discovered and addressed. The Occupation Safety and Health Administration cautioned that its investigation into an out-of-state workers’ death could take around six months.
A trailer was undergoing refurbishment efforts at a manufacturing facility when the accident took place. One of the workers on the site somehow pierced one of the hydraulic lines, which caused the trailer to fall several feet, crushing another worker. His co-workers jumped into action and used a forklift to move the trailer off of the injured worker before emergency responders had a chance to arrive on scene.
Upon their arrival, paramedics performed various advanced measures for life-support while the victim was taken to an area hospital. The victim was then set to be transported to a secondary location — a trauma center in another city. The injuries he had suffered to his lower extremities and chest ended up being too catastrophic for him to survive, and he died before he could be moved.
While it is perhaps true that no workplace can be 100 percent safe and free from risk, California employers must still utilize as many safety protocols as possible in order to secure the safest environment for workers. This includes both equipping workers with safety tools as well as properly training them for their respective positions. When a work injury results in the death of an employee, his or her family can usually receive temporary death benefits through the workers’ compensation benefits system.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Frankfort man crushed to death“, Erin Gallagher, July 6, 2016