Many workers who are hurt on the job or the families of employees who are injured or killed in a workplace accident may qualify for workers’ compensation following a work accident. This spring, an industrial accident claimed the life of a 25-year-old worker at a plant in Halfway, Maryland.
The out-of-state man was a contract employee at Purina Mills, a subsidiary of Land O’Lakes. After an investigation that took nearly a month and a half, the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has ruled that the death of the contract worker was an accident. The investigation of the worker’s death found that he died due to operator error.
According to the labor department’s report, the worker was brought in to clean equipment at the Hopewell Road facility just outside Halfway in mid-April. The fatality occurred, according to the labor department, because the worker had not locked out an auger.
Although investigators did not blame Purina for the employee’s death, the company was cited for seven safety violations discovered while the workplace accident investigation was taking place. Three of the unspecified violations were deemed “serious” and another four citations, which carry no monetary penalties, were found to be non-serious.
The most serious violations found by the state labor department inspection carry penalties totaling more than $9,300. The company has 15 days to respond, either by challenging the labor department’s citations or by paying the fines.
Workers rightfully expect that their employees will provide them with safe working conditions and proper training. However, workplace accidents still occur. If you have been injured on the job, speaking with an experienced legal professional may be beneficial.