Too many injuries and fatalities have happened in workplaces in which lockout/tagout procedures were not in place to prevent machines from accidentally starting up while workers were dangerously close to or working on the machines. According to an accident report, these were the circumstances that led to a fatal work injury that claimed the life of a Pennsylvania mechanic. The accident happened on a recent Monday at a foundry in Providence Township.
According to the coroner, the worker was inside a molding machine, carrying out repairs and maintenance, when the machine unexpectedly activated. Not many details were made available, but it was reported that the mechanic’s leg got caught in the working parts of the machine. Medics from a Lancaster EMS unit that was stationed at the foundry responded promptly and freed the worker from the molding machines within 15 minutes.
He was rushed to the hospital, but the life-saving attempts were in vain as he was declared dead at the medical facility. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched an investigation to determine the sequence of events that caused this worker’s death. Investigators will likely pay particular attention to the company’s compliance with safety regulations.
Regardless of the outcome of the OSHA investigation, the surviving family members of the Pennsylvania man taken by this fatal work injury may pursue death benefits by filing a claim with the workers’ compensation insurance system. The financial assistance provided by the insurance program may relieve the financial burden of end-of-life expenses and the sudden loss of income. The deceased worker’s most recent income level will determine the lost wages compensation that the dependents will receive for a limited time following the tragedy.
Source: lancasteronline.com, “Mechanic killed in Monday accident at Quarryville foundry is identified“, Ryan Robinson, Feb. 10, 2016