Kentucky Warehouse Worker Seriously Injured

A Save-A-Lot worker was seriously injured over the Christmas holidays in Winchester, Kentucky. According to news reports, the worker was working alone at a warehouse at the Winchester Industrial Park on December 30 while other workers apparently were on their lunch break.

The worker became trapped under a steel docking plate used to create a bridge between the warehouse and delivery trucks. “This heavy steel plate is connected to the building and it’s hinged, normally in an upright position so you can close the door of the building,” said Winchester Fire-EMS Battalion Chief Sam Byrd.

According to Byrd, the injured man accidentally cut one of the hydraulic lines used to keep the plate in the upright position. As a result, the plate slammed down on top of the worker, striking him and trapping him underneath it. When his co-workers returned from their lunch break, they had to use forklifts to remove the plate. Fire-EMS personnel were then able to secure the plate and remove the injured worker from the scene of the accident.

The worker suffered serious injuries and was last reported to be in critical condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. A second Save-A-Lot worker also suffered injuries when he fell off the dock while trying to lift the plate off of his injured co-worker. That worker was transported to a nearby hospital where he was treated and released.

“Caught in/between” Injuries

Injuries such as those suffered by the Save-A-Lot worker occur far too often in the manufacturing and construction industries, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. In fact, injuries involving being struck by an object and being “caught in/between” equipment or objects are both among OSHA’s “Fatal Four.”

The “Fatal Four” represent three out of every five construction worker deaths and include:

• Falls – falls accounted for 36 percent of all construction worker deaths in 2012
• Struck by object – fatal injuries caused by being struck by an object accounted for ten percent of all construction industry deaths in 2012
• Electrocution – nine percent of construction workplace fatalities were caused by electrocution in 2012
• Caught in/between – caught in/between accidents round out the “Fatal Four”, representing two percent of all construction worker deaths in 2012

Fortunately, the Kentucky worker was not fatally injured when he was trapped by the docking plate. However, an accident such as that could easily have been fatal. We will not know whether OSHA issues any safety violations to the injured worker’s employer until after they complete their investigation, but we do know that many of OSHA’s regulations prohibit situations where a worker is working alone around dangerous equipment or conditions. Whether OSHA rules prohibit it or not, it is never a good idea to work alone when there is a risk of a serious accident.

A worker who is injured in a caught in/between accident, or any other type of workplace accident, in Kentucky may be eligible for workers’ compensation that may include treatment for the injuries and wage replacement benefits. If you need help obtaining your full workers’ compensation after a Kentucky workplace accident, speak to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.