A worker from Texas was killed at a concrete plant near Marietta, Georgia, when he fell inside a concrete silo on Feb. 16. The accident happened at approximately 3:05 p.m., according to a statement released by the Cobb County Department of Public Safety.
Authorities said two workers were making repairs inside a silo at the Thomas Concrete Woodstock plant in East Cobb when one of them slipped and fell. The victim, a 49-year-old Houston man, was then crushed under hundreds of pounds of sand and gravel.
Emergency crews said the victim had already died by the time they arrived at the scene of the accident. Harsh weather conditions prevented the recovery of his body for nearly six hours. He was finally removed from the rubble around 9 p.m. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have opened an investigation into the incident.
When a worker loses his or her life due to a workplace accident, their spouse and children may be left without a steady source of income. Unexpected end-of-life costs, such as funeral and burial expenses, can also add to their financial burden. However, most workers who are injured in a construction accident are covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance, which provides financial benefits to a worker’s family in the event of their death. Some families may wish to seek the help of an attorney when filing their claim to ensure all necessary documents are properly prepared. If a family’s claim has been denied, an attorney may choose to file an appeal on their behalf and provide representation throughout the hearing process.
Source: East Cobb Patch, “Concrete worker killed in East Cobb identified”, Justin Ove, Feb. 17, 2015