Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a statement last Wednesday that Caterpillar failed to install proper fall protection into their plant in Mapleton, IL. The incident happened in June of this year when a 39 year old man fell into an 11 foot deep pot that was filled with molten iron that was heated to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result of this fall the Caterpillar employee immediately incinerated.
A federal investigation into the incident that occurred earlier this year stated that if proper fall protection was in place then the employee might not have died. The reasoning behind OSHA is to ensure the safe and healthy working conditions of workers. They do this by enforcing rules and regulations along with providing training and other educational assistance.
Every year there are thousands of work-related fatalities and millions of work related injuries. While this particular incident may not occur to most people, a serious or fatal injury may occur in your workplace. If you are injured on the job its important to report the incident to your supervisor immediately, fill out an incident report, seek medical treatment from your doctor of choice, and then call an experienced worker’s comp attorney.
If you or a loved one was injured or killed at work, contact Chhabra & Gibbs P.A. Our dedicated team of attorneys has a combined 130+ years of experience dealing all types of work injuries. We are available 24/7 and offer a FREE case evaluation. Contact us at 601-948-8005. For more personal injury news visit msinjurylaw.com.
