Those in California who work in construction know that their job carries with it a significant of risk of injury. Between workers high above the ground and heavy machinery, a construction site is a dangerous place. If proper safety equipment and training is not utilized and implemented by the company, a serious work injury may result. A construction company is now facing fines due to an accident that occurred earlier this year and resulted in a worker’s death.
The accident, which occurred out of state, occurred on April 21. It resulted in the death of a 24-year-old man. The man fell over 30 feet while working on the roof of a community center.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s investigation concluded that the construction company failed to train the worker properly and did not provide a proper fall protection system. In addition to these two significant violations, OSHA also discovered a number of other infractions, including a lack of fire extinguishers. The company, which is based in South Dakota, is now facing $77,000 in penalties as a result of the accident.
All it takes is one fatal work injury for the life of a California worker and his or her family to be changed forever. In such cases, the grieving family is left struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Workers’ compensation death benefits may offer them some solace, typically by covering final expenses and providing a financial package for the victim’s covered dependents. While these benefits won’t diminish the anguish of the loss, they may provide important financial relief at a crucial time. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney is often consulted to assist the family with the filing of the claim.
Source: ksfy.com, “OSHA fines Watertown company in fatal construction accident“, Aug. 2, 2016