Missouri workers in various industries are exposed to safety hazards on a daily basis. For this reason, it is vital for company owners to do hazard assessment checks on all work sites and to provide training to equip employees with the ability to recognize dangerous situations. Many deaths in workplace accidents are accepted as accidental although compliance with safety regulations might have prevented them.
One such incident claimed the life of a 54-year-old worker in a neighboring state on a recent Thursday. A report prepared by the fire department indicates that the man was a worker at a landfill site. The coroner said that the worker’s death was caused by blunt-force trauma to his chest and abdomen.
Reportedly, he was unloading garbage off a truck when another truck’s load shifted, causing it to roll over. This truck — with its 80,000-pound load of building debris, including wood, steel and concrete — landed on top of the worker and caused his death. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has apparently launched an investigation to determine whether this man’s death resulted from safety violations.
While money can bring no comfort to families who have lost loved ones in workplace accidents, the benefits that can be claimed from the Missouri workers’ compensation insurance system may ease the financial burdens. Death benefits typically include compensation for expenses related to a funeral and burial. Also, a financial package based on the deceased worker’s average wage may be awarded to help the dependents with day-to-day living expenses.
Source: qconline.com, “Illinois man crushed by garbage dies in landfill accident“, May 2, 2016