Georgia Injury Law Blog
Federal investigation officials are investigating a workplace accident in Atlanta, in which 2 people were killed after the piece of equipment they were working on, collapsed. Of course, family members of the persons who were killed are emotionally devastated. Unfortunately, as workers’ compensation attorneys know to well, Georgia’s worker’s compensation system is unlikely to provide the families with the level of financial assistance they need to move forward with their lives.
The accident occurred near midtown Atlanta, where the 2 men were working on a mobile lift in a 40-foot bucket.At some point, the lift became stuck.The men had been working on the exterior of an apartment building when the lift became stuck.As the workers attempted to move the lift, it collapsed on a concrete walkway.The 2 men were flung onto the ground, and sustained serious injuries.They were taken to the Grady Memorial Hospital, but succumbed to their injuries later.The victims included a 29-year-old man and a 42-year-old man. According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, the 2 men died from injuries they sustained in the fall.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun an investigation into the accident.The lift was at a height of 40 feet, but the 2 men were not crushed by the machinery when they fell.
Heavy equipment accidents can include all types of heavy machinery, including cranes, forklifts, trucks, compactors, backhoes, and bulldozers.Many of these accidents are caused because workers have not been trained to use the equipment properly.Additionally, accidents can be avoided if workers are supervised during operations.
When a person operates heavy construction or industrial equipment, those operations must be governed by proper safety procedures.If safety procedures have not been established, workers are at a high risk of being involved in an accident.Additionally, workers must communicate with other workers in the vicinity in order to avoid accidents.Whenever a worker operates heavy machinery, pedestrian workers in the neighborhood may be at risk of injuries, and worker communication can help mitigate these risks.
Often, workers are at a risk of accidents because of defective equipment.A piece of equipment that has a defective component is more likely to malfunction, causing injuries.Besides, equipment also needs to be maintained regularly in order to avoid accidents.Machinery that requires repairs must be kept aside, or removed from service until it has been fixed.Employers who fail to do so could be placing their employees at risk of injuries.Equipment may also be a risk to workers if it has been heavily loaded or overloaded.For instance, overloaded cranes or forklifts can be a serious safety hazard to workers to workers nearby.
Equipment that has been placed in an unsafe area, like near high-tension power lines, or near holes and other obstacles, may also increase the risks of injuries to workers.In many of heavy equipment-related accidents, workers may suffer catastrophic injuries like brain injuries, amputations and crushing injuries.
The Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent workers who have been injured in industrial or workplace accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.If you have been injured in a workplace accident, speak with a workers’ compensation attorney at our firm.