On May 22, an employee of an antenna and tower service provider based in Oklahoma lost his life while working in another state. The 47-year-old worker suffered a fatal workplace injury when he fell from a broadcast tower. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that the agency’s investigators determined that this fatality could have been prevented.
According to an accident report, the worker was doing repairs 1,000 feet above ground level. While working on a process to hooking up an existing antenna, the worker reportedly had to reposition himself. To do that, he had to disconnect and reconnect his lanyard. For an unknown reason, he slipped and fell to his death.
OSHA investigators determined that the worker was not wearing the mandatory harness and lanyard while working on the tower. They also found that there was personal protective equipment available that could have arrested his fall. They also learned that no safety net or other approved protective systems were in place. Instead, some of the pieces of equipment with which he was provided were not strong enough to arrest his fall because they did not comply with the approved standard.
Regardless of the penalties that OSHA proposed for the Oklahoma employer, the surviving family members of the man who suffered the fatal workplace injury might be eligible for death benefits. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help them with the navigation of a workers’ compensation benefits claim. The compensation typically covers the costs related to end-of-life arrangements. They might also receive a financial package to make up for lost wages, which can assist the family with day-to-day living costs and other obligations.