Vineyard Worker Killed By Harvesting Machine

When we go to work each day, we expect the work environment to be safe and free from hazards that could harm us. Yes, some jobs are more dangerous than others, but even with riskier jobs, we know that our employers take the steps necessary to keep us safe.

Sometimes, though, other people’s negligence ends up causing us harm. Last week, a 49-year-old man in California died when a piece of his clothing got caught in a grape harvesting machine and pulled him in.

While we await Cal/OSHA’s investigation and report on the incident, we have some questions.

Was the employee properly trained to work around this machine?

Did the employee have the appropriate clothing to wear while operating this machine?

At the Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach, we often see cases in while other people’s negligence, or an employer’s failure to train, play a part in worker deaths. If you need a Los Angeles death claims attorney, we will be by your side, working to get the compensation you deserve.

What can happen?

For the latest reporting year, OSHA says that there were 5,190 workers killed on the job. The top ten most deadly jobs, counted at deaths per 100,000 workers, are as follows:

1. Logging workers
2. Fishers and related workers
3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
4. Roofers
5. Recyclable material collectors
6. Structural iron and steelworkers
7. Drivers/sales workers and truck drivers
8. Farmers and agricultural workers
9. Construction/extraction supervisors
10. Ground maintenance workers

When an employee begins working for a company, a few things need to happen to ensure everyone’s safety.

• The company needs to ensure that all employers are trained in proper safety procedures as well as on ALL equipment they will be asked to use.
• Companies need to provide employees with proper safety gear for ALL jobs they will be asked to perform. This includes clothing, eyewear, helmets, gloves, boots, respiratory equipment, etc.

If a company fails to do these things, it is putting the lives of workers at risk. In the story above, many people will be tempted to say that it was his fault for letting his clothing get close to the harvesting machine, but did the company properly train him to operate the equipment?

What you can do?

If you lost a loved one due to a work-related accident, we know how difficult all of this can be to deal with. You may just want to put this behind you. We understand that. We also understand that the people or group responsible for your loved one’s death need to be held accountable for their actions. At the Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach, we will help you do that.

We will work tirelessly to investigate your case and secure the following compensation:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of future income and benefits of the deceased
• Pain and suffering damages
• Punitive damages

When you need a Los Angeles death claims lawyer, you can contact us by clicking here or calling us at 818-609-7005.