If we are lucky, we have jobs that we go into every day and support our families. Some of us are luckier than other employed groups. We have jobs that aren't very dangerous. Workers who do their jobs in manufacturing plants or at construction sites face health risks on just about an everyday basis.

While sitting at a computer all day can come with its own risks, it isn't quite as risky as maneuvering a forklift around. A 21-year-old worker died in a Texas accident last Friday when his forklift tipped over. Whether this could turn into a wrongful death lawsuit won't be evident until further investigation.

As with all work accidents, the Texas employer has reported the fatal incident to the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Texas safety officials will investigate the forklift accident and determine whether federal safety standards were violated and, therefore, resulted in the worker's deadly injuries.

Reports indicate that the accident occurred when the driver's forklift got caught in a pothole in the Texas company's parking lot. As he tried to get the machine out of the spot, the weight of the forklift shifted, causing it to tip and fall on top of the worker.

We will post an update when the investigation produces more details into the accident. This Texas business reportedly has had no other fatal accidents in its 21-year history. Whether it has ever been cited for safety violations is undisclosed.

Source

Denton Record Chronicle: "Forklift fatality under investigation," Dec. 9, 2011