Even those who have experience in the operation of equipment such as cranes can be victims to the hazards posed by these dangerous machines. Only qualified operators of cranes and other construction vehicles in Missouri and elsewhere must work on them, even if the operator is the owner of the machine. A tragic work accident recently caused the death of a 55-year-old crane operator in another state.
Emergency services received a call about an on-the-job accident shortly before 9 a.m. on a recent Tuesday. Upon arrival, they found an overturned crane with the operator trapped inside the cab. Firefighters managed to remove the victim, who did not survive the accident. They confirmed that no other workers were involved.
A spokesperson for the local sheriff’s office said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would take over the investigation. A preliminary report speculates that the man was using the crane to remove a large object from the back of a flatbed truck. The load must have been unbalanced to cause the crane to tip over onto its side, trapping the operator.
When workers lose their lives in Missouri or other states, the surviving family members may pursue financial relief through the workers’ compensation insurance system. However, in this case, claiming benefits could be complicated because the person who died in the work accident was also the owner of the equipment rental business that owned the crane, and the accident occurred on his premises. The family will likely benefit from retaining the services of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to navigate the claims for death benefits.
Source: hollandsentinel.com, “UPDATE: Police identify victim in crane fatality”, Caleb Whitmer, Nov. 1, 2016