Two California workers are dead after unrelated logging injuries that both appear to have been from on-the-job accidents. Authorities are still investigating the circumstances of each death, while the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration has also begun their own investigation into the two incidents.
On Oct. 18, a Humboldt County woman called in a report that her husband had not returned home from his job cutting timber. The 53-year-old man was subsequently found by co-workers on a Sierra Pacific Industries logging site. According to reports, the man had been in the process of cutting down one large tree when he was struck by another that fell from uphill. The reasons for the second tree falling are unknown.
A second lumber worker was killed on Oct. 19 when he was struck by a tree. The tree that struck the man was knocked over by another tree being transported up a hill by other workers. The man believed that he was in a safe location, according to reports. The county coroner in charge is unsure where exactly the man was struck, stating that the precise cause of death is not yet obvious. Autopsies for both men have been scheduled. California OSHA has opened an investigation into the two incidents and is waiting on accident reports, according to a spokesperson.
An on-the-job injury caused by a negligent employer could result in that employer having liability for lost wages, medical expenses and other damages. An attorney who has experience in the area of industrial workers’ accidents may be able to help determine whether the injured worker is eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Source: Times-Standard, “3 Humboldt County men dead in unrelated weekend logging accidents: Cal/OSHA opens investigation into 2 industrial accidents”, Lorna Rodriquez, October 22, 2013
