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Work accident on Missouri dairy farm claims third life since 2012

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration believes that if business owners comply with its strict guidelines and safety regulations, most workplace accidents can be prevented. A spokesperson from OSHA said agricultural workers are typically exposed to work environments where multiple extremely dangerous hazards exist. This statement was made in the aftermath of an employee’s death in a recent work accident on a Missouri dairy farm.

This fatality reportedly happened when a 51-year-old worker traveling on the back of a farm vehicle was ejected. When he struck his head on the ground, he suffered a critical head injury that led to his death two days later. According to OSHA, the worker’s death was the third fatal workplace accident on the dairy farm in the past four years.

A worker was struck and killed by a piece of equipment in the auto repair facility of the dairy farm in 2012. The second fatality occurred when a worker fell to his death from a 12-foot ladder. The OSHA spokesperson said that, although fall accidents are responsible for most workplace fatalities nationwide, two in five deaths on the job involve motor vehicles.

When a Missouri family loses a loved one in a work accident, several financial stumbling blocks may be present. End-of-life expenses are significant, and the sudden loss of income may cause additional difficulties. Fortunately, death benefits are typically available through the workers’ compensation insurance program. Surviving family dependents of the accident victim receive a compensation package with regard to lost wages, along with coverage of expenses related to a funeral and burial.

Source: kbia.org, “Heartland Dairy has third fatality in three years“, Ashley Reese, Sept. 30, 2015