Air conditioning workplace accident leaves one woman dead

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Workplace Accidents on Friday, August 5, 2016.

Handling heavy pieces of equipment and consumer goods comes with the territory of certain jobs, but it can also be an incredibly dangerous endeavor. Illinois employers must provide adequate safety equipment for workers who are tasked with handling and moving especially heavy items. Sadly, even with the proper equipment, a workplace accident can still happen, such as the incident that cost one-out-of-state woman her life.

The 37-year-old victim had been employed at Johnson Controls through a staffing agency since April of 2016. The temporary worker was in the process of helping move a commercial air conditioner unit at the time of the accident. After she and other workers moved the 3,200-pound air condition onto a nearby trailer, the unit fell, landing directly on her.

Nearby employees managed to move air conditioner unit off of the woman, and at least one person administered CPR before emergency responders arrived. She was taken to an area hospital where, around 35 minutes after the unit fell on top of her, medical professionals pronounced that she had died. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the local police enforcement have launched investigations into the accident while they await the victim’s autopsy results.

Falling equipment is a serious safety concern for any given number of professions in Illinois. A workplace accident involving a falling item can lead to serious head injuries, broken bones, injured spines and, in some cases, even death. When an employee dies as the result of an on-the-job accident, his or her family can usually receive temporary death benefits that help address lost wages.

Source: fox43.com, “York County woman killed in workplace accident“, Taniel Orr, July 28, 2016