Corpus Christi Personal Injury Lawyer - Workplace Injuries

Man Dies In Fall At CPS Power Plant

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:45:00 GMT

A man fell to his death while working at a CPS Energy power plant on Monday, according to officials from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and San Antonio Police Department.

The man, 27, who is yet to be identified, died from the serious injuries he sustained when he fell approximately 35 to 40 feet at the unit on Calaveras Lake.

According to CPS Energy officials, the worker, employed by Calaveras Power Partners was installing a new piece of catwalk at the construction site, when the worker stepped on an unsecured portion of the catwalk, which caused it to tip. The worker then lost his balance and fell nearly 30 feet to the ground.

The job site will remain closed while an investigation is conducted, said a company spokesman.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

OSHA Investigating Hispanic Worker Deaths In Texas

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:49:00 GMT

Recently released federal statistics show the number of Hispanic workers who have died on the job has risen by 76 percent.

Particularly worrisome is the number of work related deaths in Texas. Dallas Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials investigated 50 Hispanic workplace deaths in 2008.

According to 2007 data, the most recent available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 144 Texas construction workers died on the job. Of them, 144 were Hispanic workers.

So far in 2009, 21 fatalities have been investigated in Texas, including a scaffold collapse at the construction site of the 21 Rio condos in Austin which killed three workers.

The increase in Latino workers dying on the job can be attributed to more Hispanics in the workforce, said Peg Seminario, safety and health director of the AFL-CIO. In 1998, Hispanics represented 10.4 percent of the U.S. labor force. And in 2007, they accounted for 14 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The agency cites poor communication skills, lack of training, and exploitation of workers as factors that lead to workplace accidents and fatalities.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Worker Dies In Trench Collapse In Arlington

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:21:00 GMT

A utility subcontractor was killed when a trench wall collapsed at a water tower site within two miles of the University of Texas at Arlington this morning.

The collapse occurred when Rob Harrell, 34, of Grand Prairie, was working in a 10-foot trench trying to connect power to a new water tower, said Alan Kassen, of the Arlington Fire Department.

The contractor on the project is Fort Worth-based Landmark Structures, which builds water towers.

There was no sign of trench shoring -- the process of bracing the walls of a trench in order to prevent collapse -- when emergency workers arrived at the scene, according to officials.

Fire, Police and officials fromt he Water Utilities Department are working closely with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigators. The investigation is expected to take up to six months.

Our Des Moines Partner, has a helpful article titled Construction Safety - Trench Collapse for more information on these types of accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Worker Files Suit After Falling From Construction Basket

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:27:00 GMT

A worker applying plaster to a building was dropped 30 feet, without warning, when the telescopic handler he was using started to shake and the chain extending the boom malfunctioned.

On February 9, in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas, John Henry and Vivian Jackson filed a suit against GEHL Company, PEER Chain Company and RSC Equipment Rental Inc.

The device was leased by RSC, the telescopic handler was manufactured by GEHL with a chain designed and manufactured by PEER.

He claims his injuries were caused by defective and unreasonably dangerous equipment and that the handler was improperly designed.

Amongst other things, the suit seeks damages for mental anguish, lost wages, physical pain, mental impairment and medical expenses.

The complaint alleges the defendants "failed to give adequate warnings of the product's dangers that were known or by the application of reasonably developed human skill and foresight should have been known and/or failed to give adequate instructions and warnings to avoid such dangers."

Jackson alleges RSC, the rental company, is liable for failing to exercise ordinary care, improper and inadequate maintenance of the telescopic handler.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Crane Collapses at Houston Refinery Killing Four Workers

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:45:00 GMT

A construction crane collapsed at LynondellBasell’s refinery killing four workers and injuring seven in the latest of several fatal construction accidents this year.

The 30-story-tall crane collapsed at the refinery located in southeast Houston at 2 p.m., said Jim Roecker, vice president of the refinery.

The workers were in the area of the crane, but officials are unsure if they were on or beneath the crane at the time of the accident.

Three workers were treated at the accident scene. Two workers suffered serious injuries and were transported by helicopter to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center and the other two workers were taken by ambulance to the hospital, according to Assistant Chief of the Houston Fire Department.

Deep South Crane & Rigging, the crane owners, are known as one of the nation’s largest mobile crane operators with equipment 300 feet tall.

Officials are unsure what caused the crane to collapse. Refinery officials are hopeful that one of the many security cameras in the area captured video that will assist officials in figuring out what caused the accident, so this type of tragedy does not happen again in the future.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Construction Worker Killed in Texas Crane Accident

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:33:00 GMT

A crane hook plunged to the ground killing a construction worker when the cable snapped, according to police.

Workers were examining the damaged cable extending from the crane that was atop a several-stories-high unfinished building, but a full investigation will be launched.

The name of the worker has not been released, pending family notification.

The worker was a subcontractor for TXI and the crane was provided by Lewis Equipment Co.

Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the cause of the deadly crane accident . Work has been halted at the high-rise condominium site until the investigation is complete.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Tyler Construction Worker Killed in Accident

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:29:00 GMT

A Tyler construction worker was tragically killed in a construction accident on Monday, when he became pinned between the lift he was on and the roof beams in the area he was working.

The worker, 49, suffered fatal injuries at Lanes Chapel Church, according to a Tyler Police Public Information Officer. The worker, an employee of M&L Dry Wall of Dallas, became pinned when the lift he was on struck a pipe, pinching him between the iron beams and the lift in the new sanctuary.

He was transported to East Texas Medical Center where he later died from the internal injuries he sustained in the accident.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have been notified and they are expected to conduct a full workplace accident investigation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Man Dies at Marathon Oil Refinery

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:59:37 GMT

A 34-year-old worker at the Marathon Oil Refinery in Garyville, Louisiana died on Friday night. He was driving a company vehicle and somehow ended up in a retention pond. The man drowned in the pond. It is unknown what caused the oil refinery accident.

An internal emergency response crew at the Garyville refinery arrived at the scene of the accident Friday about 11 p.m., Graves said. She said further information about how the response team was called to the plant's retention pond, which collects rainwater, is under investigation.

The victim had been an employee of the refinery for four months. The accident is being investigated by the local Sheriff's Office.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann