Just before 7:30 a.m., on March 1, a man working at a Holmesburg, Pennsylvania, Waste Management recycling facility was killed when a large bale of recyclable paper fell on him. Each bale of paper weighs around a ton or 2,000 pounds.

The Waste Management recycling facility is the only one of its kind in the Philadelphia area, according to the regional spokesman for the company. He also said, “Today is a day of profound sadness for the family of the deceased and for the Waste Management family.

According to police, the victim was inspecting his forklift when another employee in a forklift struck the cardboard bales. In what was described as a “cascade effect,” one of the bales fell. Emergency medical services transported the man to Aria Health’s Torresdale campus, but he was pronounced dead about an hour after the accident.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the workplace accident, as is the Northeast Detective Division.

When a worker is killed while on the job, his or her family may be eligible for death benefits from workers’ compensation. The family will need to file a claim. If for some reason that claim is denied, an attorney who is experienced in workers’ compensation cases can help file an appeal.

Third-party lawsuits are generally not allowed unless a third party, such as a contractor, acted negligently and was responsible for the worker’s injury or death. In order to understand more about seeking compensation from a third party or seeking benefits from workers’ compensation, your attorney is a terrific source of information.

Source: Philly.com, “Man crushed to death at NE Philly recycling plant,” Julie Shaw, March 03, 2016