A 28-year old Independence, Missouri man died when an automotive shop employee became pinned under a vehicle lift. The accident apparently occurred at 11:00 in the morning on August 5th.
It was reported that he and other workers were attempting to move the lift when it fell over on top of him. The lift was described as a heavy and mobile piece of equipment. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration are currently investigating what occurred.
Obviously a determination as to what occurred does need to be made. This sort of accident could have been a result of safety procedures not being in place or because the piece of equipment was in some way defective.
Unfortunately workers are often asked to perform tasks that involve risk. Employers do not always appreciate or even understand the risks that the workers are taking. Yet when safety protocol is in place and employees are trained concerning the proper use of equipment these sorts of accidents are generally avoided.
Attorneys that represent victims of work-related and construction accidents have the resources to find out how these sorts of incidents occur. They can also hold responsible parties accountable: be it employers, supervisors, manufacturers of products or even insurance companies that provides coverage to businesses.
Work-related accidents will continue so long as there is an atmosphere of indifference to the worker’s safety. It’s often too easy to delegate duties to others without considering the consequences. However, shortcuts regarding safety ultimately benefit no one should an accident happen to occur.
Source: Claims Journal, “Missouri Auto Shop Worker Killed When Lift Falls Over,” Aug. 7, 2013