An employee at Pratt Industries was killed last week when he was caught in a conveyer belt at the company’s bio-energy plant in Savannah, Georgia. According to reports, 31-year-old Charles Alan Lemaster was apparently clearing debris below a feeder that carried wood chips into the gassifier when his left arm and hand got stuck and he was pulled into the conveyer belt structure. Lemaster reportedly sustained extensive injuries in the accident, which took place on December 4, and may have suffocated in the wood chips. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the Georgia workplace accident. If you have lost a loved one in a fatal work-related accident in Georgia, contact our workers' compensation attorneys at Rechtman & Spevak for legal help.
Protecting Workers from On-the-Job Injuries
Following the fatal on-the-job accident, Pratt Industries was shut down and will remain so until an investigation is conducted by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. According to OSHA, a planned inspection of the bio-energy plant in May 2013 found no violations, and the plant is currently under a National Emphasis Program on Amputation, which targets “workplaces with machinery and equipment that cause (or are capable of causing) amputations.” Prior to his death, Lemaster worked as a temporary employee at the Pratt Conyers plant before becoming a regular employee in November. The 31-year-old was a military veteran and leaves behind a wife and two young children.
Previous Citations Against Pratt Industries
In 2011, the Target Container, Inc., a box plant in Atlanta owned by Pratt Industries, was cited for three work safety violations, including one for “general machine guarding hazards rotating chuck on drill press.” In 2008, the Pratt-owned East Point recycling plant in Georgia received a citation for violating regulations associated with “Point of operation guarding on machinery or equipment” and “confined space danger signs.”
Contact Our Workers’ Comp Lawyers for Help
In the United States, employers are responsible for the safety of their employees, providing the training and safety equipment necessary to protect workers from harm. Unfortunately, some employers cut corners to save time and money, putting workers at unnecessary risk of serious injury or possibly even death. If you have suffered injuries in an on-the-job accident in Atlanta, Marietta, or elsewhere in Georgia, consult our knowledgeable attorneys at Rechtman & Spevak to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a workers’ compensation claim in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, medical bills, long-term disabilities, and any other damages related to the workplace accident.
Source: http://www.rockdalenews.com/section/1/article/18096/
