Worker injury in confined space claims worker’s life
On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Industrial Workers’ Accidents on Thursday, December 11, 2014.
Illinois workers who face the dangers of working in confined spaces are commonly aware of the hazards to which they are exposed. Company owners have to abide by the strict safety regulations as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The probability of worker injury escalates when the applicable safety regulations are disregarded by employers.
An important part of the safety regulations related to working in confined spaces is the preparedness in the event of an emergency. Workers should be provided with adequate respiratory protection, along with retrieval lines to enable emergency workers to bring an injured victim to safety. Certain refined spaces require special permits before workers may enter, due to a high risk of injury or illness due to chemical hazards.
A worker recently lost his life after his heart rate became irregular while working at a facility of Environmental Remediation and Recovery Inc. One of the services the company offers is the cleaning of railroad cars, and the worker was busy cleaning the inside of a railroad car when he apparently suffered cardiac arrhythmia. OSHA determined that the company was not equipped to rescue the worker, nor did they have trained emergency personnel.
In addition to coping with the sad news of a loved one’s death that resulted from a worker injury, Illinois families may feel financially insecure without the deceased worker’s regular income. However, they may find comfort in knowing that the workers’ compensation insurance fund typically provides financial aid to the surviving spouse and other dependents after a fatal workplace accident. While no amount of money could replace the company of a loved one, the benefits may assist the family in finding closure.
