A spokesperson for a Tennessee construction company reported the death of a 16-year-old employee in Nashville. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an investigation into this tragic construction site accident. Reportedly, the young worker was a part-time worker employed by a subcontractor. The spokesperson said this was the only fatality in the company’s 33-year history.
Reportedly, the worker fell from a height of 120 feet from a scaffold. Metro police reported that the deceased worker’s 18-year-old brother was on the same structure. He said a noise alerted him, and he turned around to see his brother falling. Detectives who were at the scene reported that the victim was not wearing a fall harness.
Working at heights require the use of fall arrest equipment, which might have prevented this fatality. It is not clear what caused the worker’s fall, and TOSHA investigators will work to determine the cause. The agency will likely also assess the employer’s compliance with the prescribed safety standards.
Victims of construction site accidents in Tennessee are typically entitled to workers’ compensation benefits to cover medical expenses and lost wages. Similarly, surviving family members of workers who lost their lives may be eligible for survivors’ benefits. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can assist with the benefits claims process. In a case such as this one, in which the deceased worker was a part-time employee, legal counsel can assess eligibility for benefits. If the insurance did not cover the worker, the lawyer might find grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim against the employer and/or other negligent parties.
