There are many hazards that can befall workers while carrying out their regular assignments. Though the majority of employers are diligent about ensuring that the risks of a work accident are minimized, not every accident can be prevented. Even the most diligent Missouri employees can suffer a serious accident that results in injury or death.
Recently, emergency responders were called to the site of a building under construction to provide services to a trapped worker. According to the early reports, the 31-year-old man was working on the site when he somehow fell down an elevator shaft. Once the first rescue personnel were on scene, they summoned extra assistance from another company to help free the victim.
Within a quarter of an hour, the man was freed from the severely confined space. The report indicated that he was wedged between the wall of the shaft and a counter balance connected to the elevator. Though he was transported to a local medical center, the man purportedly died at the scene. He was believed to have fallen an estimated 20 feet before becoming trapped.
Both the Maryland and the federal offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are conducting investigations into the cause of this fatal work accident. There were no other details relating to the possible factors that may have played a role in the worker’s death. It is possible that his surviving family may file for one-time death benefits from the state’s workers’ compensation program. Missouri workers who suffer a serious injury or illness while on the job also have access to this type of program, which provides monetary benefits while one is unable to return to duty. Individuals who require assistance in filing a qualifying claim may seek the input of an experienced attorney in order to obtain all of the benefits to which they are entitled.