Many readers in Colorado may be aware that fracking is a process of extracting oil and gas from the ground by using pressurized fluids and sand. One worker has died as a result of a fatal on-the-job acacident and another suffered severe injury. Both men were working at a fracking operation in another state.
According to a report, a valve that the man was working on was turned the wrong direction. This caused a pipe to become disconnected and strike the worker in the head. It appears that the man died instantly after the impact.
The other man who suffered a workplace injury was injured the same day. His injuries appeared to be minor. He was treated at a local hospital. The company which employs the men who suffered workplace injury on the fracking site is investigating the cause of the fatal accident.
Like workers in similar jobs in Colorado, workers’ compensation benefits are typically available when someone is injured on the job. In fact, the survivors of the man who died as a result of the workplace injury that he suffered are likely entitled to receive death benefits to cover the man’s funeral costs and other final expenses, as well as a lost income package for eligible dependents. The payments that can come from such benefits can help an injured worker recover from an injury or allow family members the chance to lessen the financial impact of the loss of a loved one. When an accident happens to a worker in our state, they may wish to consider reviewing their eligibility for the workers’ compensation program to ensure all benefits due are received.
Source: The Dickinson Press, “Minn. man killed, Halliday man injured in accident at hydraulic fracturing site,” Amy Dalrymple and Peter Passi, Jan. 21, 2013