Workplace dangers come in all forms and in all professions. Every worker in America, from fry cooks to factory workers to accountants, has to deal with certain hazards in the workplace. The one thing that ties all these professions together is the fact that all workers are protected by certain laws and regulations designed to ensure worker safety. When followed, these laws generally protect workers from injury or death. If a company ignores them, however, or encourages its employees to ignore them, tragedy can ensue.
Authorities are investigating the scene of a terrible accident in La Mesa, California, where a tree trimmer was struck and killed by a falling branch. The 41-year-old man was working with a co-worker on a eucalyptus tree in front of a private home at the time of the accident.
Both the victim and the co-worker were in the basket of a cherry picker when a large branch came free of the tree and landed on the 41-year-old man's head. The man's co-workers attempted to assist him, but to no avail. He died of his injuries at the scene.
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the incident to determine exactly how this could have happened. In particular, they will probably look into the culture and common practices of the tree trimming crew to determine wither any safety violations were committed on the day of the accident.
If an employer pushes their employees to work beyond the bounds of safety, or otherwise allows or encourages them to skirt around the regulations, they could be found complicit in a wrongful death action. This is a relatively common concern among construction accidents and other serious incidents, one that often leads to civil litigation.
Source: KNSD-TV, "Man Killed Trimming Trees in La Mesa" Megan Tevrizian and R. Stickney, Nov. 12, 2013