The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Bacardi for numerous alleged safety allegations which they feel contributed to this temporary worker's death. But they have also cited many manufacturers for similar incidents. It is the duty of these employers to provide safe working environments and to take steps to prevent work injuries.
According to OSHA, there are mandatory guidelines in place which require businesses to train its employees effectively to prevent work injuries. In addition to this training, there are multiple safety measures that employees are required to both be aware of and to use to prevent work injuries. In this instance, these safety measures were not used. As Mr. Davis was cleaning glass from beneath the palletizer, another employee started the machine, killing him. Had safety measures such as lock outs been used by Bacardi's employees, this death could have been prevented and Mr. Davis would not have had his last first day on the job.
Fatal Work Injuries Can Be Prevented
According to OSHA, fatalities and work injuries are often the result of lack of training or lack of appropriate attention. When it comes to jobs in machine shops, manufacturing environments and construction sites, workers can be severely injured and even die if appropriate safety guidelines are not followed.
This can include the following kinds of work injuries:
- back, neck, spinal cord injuries
- amputation
- burns
- traumatic brain injury
- heart attack, stroke
- paralysis, quadriplegia
- death
These severe injuries could be avoided if employers take caution to instill work injury prevention programs. If you are an employee in an environment which utilizes heavy machinery, you should be trained appropriately on the machines and on safety guidelines. If you have been injured on the job due to inattention to worker safety, you could be entitled to compensation for your work injury. You should contact a skilled work injury attorney to discuss your case in depth.
