Business owners nationwide, as in Colorado, whose workforces include multiple subcontractors typically have a difficult time ensuring compliance with safety regulations. While each contractor is responsible for the safety of its employees, the company owner will be held accountable for any workplace injury that occurs. An employee of a subcontractor recently lost his life while working at a mining facility in another state.
An incident report indicates that a 61-year-old man was operating a large piece of equipment on a site where the extraction of minerals takes place. The man apparently exited the cab of the machine and became trapped in the track of the large piece of equipment. It has not yet been determined why the worker — who had been working for the contractor for 18 years — exited the machine before shutting it down.
The owners of the mining company extended their condolences to the family of the deceased worker. They said that workers’ safety is a priority at the facility, and this fatal accident will be investigated to determine what can be done to avoid similar tragedies in the future. A federal inspection by mining accident experts will likely follow.
To help the surviving family members of any victim of a fatal workplace injury, the Colorado workers’ compensation insurance system allows death benefit claims to be filed by the dependents. The benefits typically include compensation to cover the cost of end-of-life arrangements, along with an award of a financial package to cover daily living expenses for a period after the loved one’s death. The amount of this award will be based upon the deceased worker’s average weekly wage prior to death.
Source: actionnewsjax.com, “Man killed in industrial accident in Clay County“, Brittney Donovan, April 11, 2016