Columbia County officials are saying that the incident took place on Monday February 4. Ralph Pickens became entangled on an industrial conveyor wood chipper.
Paramedics were called to the Pollard Lumber Company in order to help the victim. Sadly, though, Ralph Pickens was beyond medical aid and pronounced dead at the scene.
A full investigation into the accident remains ongoing at this time. It remains unclear if the wood chipper involved in the accident had adequate safety features.
Nearly 5,000 workers are killed every year in the United States with 2022 being one of the deadliest years on record. Many of these accidents involved workers who became entangled in machinery. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Fatalities due to contact with objects and equipment increased 4.7 percent from 705 fatalities in 2021 to 738 in 2022. This is the highest count for this event category since 2018. Machinery was the source of 199 fatalities within this category.” There are a number of steps that businesses should take in order to prevent workers from being injured by machinery.
When a worker is injured or killed in Georgia, they or their family will typically have recourse through the worker’s compensation system. Worker’s compensation in Georgia operates off of a no-fault system. In other words, there is no need for an injured worker to demonstrate negligence in order to receive benefits. A worker or their family will still be able to recover even if a worker contributed to their own injury.
Depending on the facts of any case, there could also be third party liability for any workplace accident. A third party liability claim may be possible if an entity separate from a worker’s employer contributed to any accident. For example, a third party may include the company that manufactured a piece of workplace equipment. Companies have a legal obligation to make products that are reasonably safe. They must also warn about the non-obvious dangers associated with their products.
Consider, for example, one lawsuit against Williams Patent Crusher and Pulverizer Co. who make the XR430 Hog Wood Chipper. A 38-year-old man in St. Joseph Missouri tragically died after he fell into a wood chipper. Legal counsel for the worker’s family argued the XR430 Hog Wood Chipper lacked crucial safety features. It didn’t have an automatic shut-off or an emergency stop button. It also lacked rope, guards or flaps to protect operators. It is important that certain steps are taken after any workplace accident.
The vast majority of workplace accidents are preventable. They often involved lapses in safety standards. But no matter how safe a business or employee may be, there is still the chance of injury or death with any piece of machinery. Manufacturers of heavy machinery have known for a long time how to best keep workers safe. But a number of companies have chosen to forgo certain safety features in order to increase their own profit margins.
We at The Butler Kahn Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ralph Pickens. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong for the sake of this man’s family. Any person that may have more information should reach out to OSHA. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent similar tragedies. Going to work to provide for your family should never become a death sentence.
Do you need more information about a Columbia County workplace accident? Our team of worker’s rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that workers are aware of their rights and employers are doing everything in their power to keep workers safe. Whether you have any questions or need a free, independent investigation into any particular incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 678-940-1444.