Steel worker in California suffers fatal workplace injuries

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health requires employers to provide work environments that are free of known hazards. In industrial facilities, that responsibility includes installing safeguards to prevent workplace injuries caused by making contact with moving parts of machines and equipment. Following a recent fatality at a steel-processing plant, Cal/OSHA will determine whether the lack of safeguards or other safety violations played a role in this tragedy.

Reportedly, firefighters responded to an emergency call received from a Fontana steel processor in the early-morning hours of a recent Tuesday. They arrived at the scene to find a materials handler trapped in some machinery. Authorities say the man was forging materials on a worktable when he was somehow pulled into the machine.

Rescue workers extricated the worker from where he was pinned between the belt and a cylindrical mandrel against which materials are forged or shaped. They rescued the man within minutes of their arrival and rushed him to a medical facility. Sadly, the worker succumbed to his injuries the following day.

The surviving family members of anyone who suffers fatal workplace injuries are typically eligible for insurance benefits. The California workers’ compensation insurance system provides death benefits to help families cope with the costs related to end-of-life arrangements. Furthermore, the program offers a financial package to make up for the sudden loss of income. The benefits claims process could be a daunting task, but help is available. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can provide guidance and support every step along the way in pursuit of maximum applicable benefits.