In many instances, injuries can seem minor when the accident occurs but can later develop into serious injuries. For example, a worker who suffers a neck injury may experience slight pain initially. But that slight pain can develop into severe pain that can make it difficult for workers to perform their job functions.
Neck injuries can be caused by a work accident in which an employee falls and is injured. But any fall can cause serious injuries and sometimes even death. Though the specifics of the accident are not given in the article, a worker was killed while working on an offshore drilling platform.
An investigation is still ongoing to determine how the accident happened and whether there were any safety violations. Federal regulations dictate how employers ensure their working environments are safe for employees.
This accident occurred during the week of the anniversary of the BP deepwater explosion. The BP explosion resulted in 11 fatalities and the sinking of a drilling rig. In addition, millions of barrels of oil seeped into the Gulf of Mexico. As a result of that accident, there have been a number of new regulations that companies have had to implement.
Though this death was not caused by an explosion, the worker had still been at work on the rig permanently sealing the wells. If the employee’s death was the result of the employer’s negligence to adhere to safety regulations, the worker’s family may be able to obtain dependency and death benefits. These benefits can help with lost income, funeral costs, and other unexpected costs that can arise after the death of a loved one.
Source: Reuters online, “Offshore natural gas platform worker dies,” 18 April 2011
