There are many businesses located in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas. According to laws under the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, these employers are required to provide safe working conditions. Whether an injury leads to a temporary workers’ compensation claim or a fatality, unsafe working conditions are not acceptable for any reason.
Unfortunately, even with correct oversight and maintenance, accidents happen. That’s when it’s important that an injured worker or his family carefully evaluates what happened, scrutinizes the responsibility of the employer and determines if compensation or wage assistance is appropriate.
Reporting situations to OSHA can lead to investigations that prove violations were present and accountability for compliance by the employer within a certain time limit. Such a situation exists with a castings company in a nearby city. According to reports, 10 safety citations have resulted after a work accident victim suffered fatal injuries last summer. OSHA always investigates workplace fatalities and commonly issues citations that result in fines and other penalties.
An employee with a two-year history with the foundry was killed while working on a furnace. The 30-year-old man was performing a relining task alone in a permit-required confined space when he fell into the electrical inductive furnace. That space designation means it had limited entry and egress, was not intended for the employee to remain within the space and required an attendant to be present.
Reportedly, because this accident was viewed as preventable, nine serious violations were issued by OSHA. Four involved the confined space regulations that directly impacted the procedure resulting in the fatality. The company has 15 days from the issuance date to comply or contest the violation charges.
The purpose of the OSHA oversight is to provide safety compliance standards for working men and women in this country. When an employee is injured on the job, workers’ compensation claims can provide financial security during recovery. A permanent disability or fatal workplace accident will need more careful consideration insofar as medical expenses and lost wages are concerned. Review of violation history is valuable in assessing claims for compensation.
Source:
Workerscompensation.com, “US Labor Department’s OSHA Cites Torrance Castings Inc. for 10 safety violations after furnace operator fatally injured” No author given, Jan. 31, 2014
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