January 20, 2016- Galax, VA
The American Mirror Company was fined $2,450.00 by the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for citations related to a maintenance worker’s death.
The OSHA investigation was initiated after Benjamin Lee Hancock, age 34, was killed after he became trapped in a piece of equipment at the company’s plant on East Stuart Drive in Galax, and suffocated.
According to the Galax Gazette, the American Mirror Company originally faced eight citations (carrying a projected fine of $10,675.00), which were eventually reduced to four.
The automated systems and non-stop production lines commonly found in industrial workplaces pose substantial risk for factory employees. Even with the strongest safety precautions in place, machines that slice, weld, compress, crush, or shear are incapable of distinguishing industrial materials from the human body. In the blink of an eye, factory employees can be seriously injured or killed by factory machinery. Naturally, these risks are even greater when management violates or fails to enforce workplace safety procedures.
When Virginians are killed on the job, Virginia’s workers’ compensation laws provide for payment of burial expenses and lost wages to surviving family members, including the surviving spouse, any children under the age of 18, children under the age of 23 who are enrolled full time at an accredited college or university, and other qualifying dependents. Those beneficiaries may be entitled to wage loss benefits and burial expenses (not to exceed $10,000) plus $1,000 for transportation costs.
If you or a loved one has been injured at work due to an OSHA violation, the experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at ReidGoodwin may be able to help you collect compensation for your injuries. Contact ReidGoodwin today to schedule a legal evaluation.