Employers in all industries must protect the health and safety of their employees. Sadly, this is often not the case, leaving employees in Oklahoma and other states extremely vulnerable to potential workplace injury incidents. A company in a neighboring state contends that employee safety is its priority. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has apparently cited this company 24 times after inspections at its facilities in 13 different states over a period of seven years.
The latest incident in which this grain company was involved claimed the lives of two workers who became trapped when they were overwhelmed by grain in a bin on a recent Tuesday. The company did not provide any information about the circumstances that led to the tragedy. It is also not known whether the two employees were equipped with personal protective equipment at the time of the incident.
Reportedly, rescue workers struggled for hours to save the men, but the rescue ultimately became a recovery operation. Authorities say some of the grain in the bin was removed by a vacuum truck before the workers were uncovered. They say the men were buried under approximately 20 feet of grain, and it took three hours to recover the bodies.
Virtually any workplace injury has the potential to turn into a fatality. When Oklahoma families have to cope with the deaths of loved ones in such accidents, they may pursue claims for relief. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help them to navigate death benefits claims. Survivors’ benefits typically cover funeral and burial costs along with lost income coverage.
Source: powderbulksolids.com, “Grain Bin Accident in Kansas Claims Two Lives“, Jan. 5, 2018