When there are workplace hazards, employees can get seriously hurt or even killed. This was the case when a 19-year-old man died after getting crushed between a tractor trailer and a flatbed trailer in a workplace accident.
Responders who arrived at the accident found the man on the ground with a number of injuries to his upper body and abdominal region. His coworkers had done what they could in an attempt to help him but his injuries were too severe and he did not survive.
How did this accident occur? This is the same question that officials asked when the accident occurred. At this point, there is no specific information as to how the man became pinned between the two vehicles.
Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the accident. The company the man worked for has previous serious violations, with the most recent violation occurring on 2009. An OSHA spokeswoman said the agency is not necessarily looking at whether the employer was at fault for this incident, but rather focusing on whether any workplace hazards existed.
According to an OSHA spokesperson, it is especially concerning when a company has repeat violations that are serious in nature. When a violation continues to happen, workers can be at greater risk of injury or death.
Anyone injured in a workplace accident such as this one can seek workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can help with some of the financial difficulties that can arise in the wake of a work accident.
Source: KSPR: “OSHA Set to Investigate Workplace Death in Springfield,” Lauren Matter, Nov. 3, 2011