The family of a 47-year-old longshoreman is likely struggling to cope with a recent fatal accident that took the employee’s life. The man died in an on-the-job accident when a 40-foot container crushed him. Some sources have said the container weighed 8 tons at the time of the accident.
In the aftermath of this tragic accident, one of the many things the man’s family members may be thinking about is how they will survive without his income. Losing a loved one is extremely difficult for any Colorado family, but the loss of his or her income also makes it very difficult to cover the costs for which his or her income was previously earmarked. When a family member dies on-the-job, however, it may be possible to receive death and dependency benefits through the Colorado workers’ compensation program.
The man was crushed to death after a crane dropped the container nearly 200 feet to the deck of the ship on which the man was standing. The crane had been on land and was depositing the container, which had been stacked with others six high and two deep, on a ship docked in the Port of Long Beach. The container in question started to tumble and the 47-year-old and his crew tried to run out of the way. While no one else was hurt, the man was tragically crushed.
Both the state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administrations are investigating this horrific accident. Authorities gave an early estimate of a two- to four-month investigation, but they must complete the investigation within six months.
Source: Los Angeles Daily News, “Longshoreman killed at Port of Long Beach tried to escape falling container,” Tracy Manzer, Jan. 20, 2012
