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Two men were killed when hundreds of pounds of slab fell on them at a warehouse in Lockport, NY. Continue reading
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Jul 06, 2018 /prREACH/ -- Thanks to various tools and advances in technology, we are able to work with materials that weigh thousands of pounds. However, without the proper precautions, workers who are handling these heavy materials can have their lives snuffed out in a matter of seconds, like those of two men who were recently killed at a warehouse in Lockport, NY.
On Monday, June 25th, 2018, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department and the South Lockport Volunteer Company were called to XPO Logistics, an international logistics and transportation company by frantic employees reporting an accident. When they arrived, they discovered that more than 800 pounds of kitchen counter materials had tipped from one side of a truck to the other, crushing two men who were working in the truck.
In the minutes it took first responders to arrive, both men died from their extensive crush injuries.
OSHA has announced that an investigation of the accident will begin to determine what caused the eleven giant slabs to tip unexpectedly. If they determine that XPO Logistics failed to implement required safety procedures in some way, the company may face thousands of dollars in fines.
After expressing their condolences to the family members of the victims, XPO Logistics also announced their own internal review of the accident with their safety team, hoping that future accidents can be prevented.
“These two men will not be the only ones to lose their lives at work in New York this year despite a huge push for safety awareness on job sites throughout the state.” said workers’ comp attorney Brian Mittman. “Our firm handles cases like this all too often.”
While nothing can be done to bring accident victims back to their loved ones, workers’ compensation does provide death benefits. These benefits are offered so that those left behind aren’t injured financially as well as emotionally from their loss, but obtaining these benefits can be difficult without legal assistance.