Unfortunately, it only takes one moment to make a tiny mistake before becoming a victim of a construction-related accident. For the potential victims of a construction accident, the resulting injuries are often serious — or even fatal. Unfortunately, an Illinois man working on a project at Olmsted Locks and Dam lost his life earlier this month.
The 54-year-old man had been working on a construction project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the lock and dam in order to replace outdated structures. While he was securing barges near the worksite, he was killed in the early hours of the morning.
Currently, the exact cause of his death is still unknown, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, so officials are uncertain if unsafe working conditions factored into the accident. It was the first recorded death on this particular project.
The man’s friends and family are undoubtedly stunned and reeling from the news of his death. To make matters worse, there are many uncertainties involved with the accident, so it will be difficult to gain any sense of closure until the results of the official accident investigation are released.
As the family grieves, they may be comforted in knowing that they may be eligible for workers’ compensation death benefits as a result of the accident. Though any fatal construction accident is a tragedy, it is hoped that the family will be able to get through this with the support they deserve. As the investigation continues, the focus will be on what happened in order to ensure that other workers on the project will remain safe as they continue improving the southern Illinois dam infrastructure.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Worker dies at Olmsted Locks and Dam project in southern Illinois,” June 2, 2012
