A construction worker on a California housing project was killed when a piece of heavy equipment ran over him on Sept. 20. The man died at the scene.
The 51-year-old man was a surveyor from New Jersey who was working for a Vacaville construction firm. The firm was doing ground prep work for three houses planned for construction at Flagship and Club drives on Mare Island. Construction workers were grading the land. Vallejo police said the driver of a large earthmover was making a U-turn at the site when he hit the surveyor. Police said the driver did not see the surveyor or his pole until after he struck him, though he had been driving toward them before the accident happened.
The driver stopped when he saw the surveyor on the ground and went to check on him. The driver called for medical help, but the man was declared dead at the scene, police said. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
Even though California construction companies are required to provide a safe working environment, it is still a dangerous industry to work in. Accidents happen; people are injured or even killed. California provides assistance to help injured workers. This assistance includes paying for medical treatment and replacing lost wages as well as death benefits when a worker is killed. A workers’ compensation attorney may be able to help victims, including their surviving family members, with their workers’ compensation claims. An attorney may be their advocate to the state agency to see victims get the compensation they are entitled to receive.
Source: KPIX, “Constructor worker killed by large Earthmover on Mare island“, September 20, 2013