Workplace accident causes coal miner to be electrocuted

On Behalf of | Aug 10, 2011 | Workplace Accidents |

Workplace accidents resulting in the death of an employee are tragic, whether here in Illinois or any place across our country. Family, loved ones, and other workers are all shocked that someone should lose their life in the normal and ordinary course of their employment. It is a tough pill for all of us to swallow. Yet, fatal workplace accidents happen all too frequently. The family is left to grieve and to wonder how such a terrible thing could possibly have happened.

The answers are not always obvious. A 40-year-old man was electrocuted last month while doing a welding job at a West Virginia coal preparation plant. Employed by an industrial construction firm, the man had been working at the plant for 15 months and had been a foreman for 12 years. He was electrocuted by his own welding unit. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration ordered closure of the plant and will conduct a full investigation.

The death was reported to be the 4th in a West Virginia mine this year, as well as the 3rd coal miner death nationwide in the month of July. No further details of the welding accident were immediately available.

Workplace accidents happen for a variety of reasons. Certainly an accident involving such an experienced foreman requires a full examination of all the facts and circumstances leading to his death.

Every day workers are injured on their jobs here in Illinois, some seriously. The laws concerning workers’ compensation can sometimes seem a maze of contradictions, especially for a family already dealing with the consequences of their loved ones’ injuries. An attorney experienced in handling cases arising from workplace accidents may offer some solace and understanding for those seeking to pursue their legal rights.

Source: The Southern, “Stonefort man killed in work accident,” Scott Fitzgerald, July 30, 2011

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