• 01
  • September
    2010

Without a doubt, some of the most dangerous occupations are connected with the construction industry. These jobs are typically very physically demanding and they often require long and exhausting workdays. Moreover, many of these occupations involve the use of heavy machinery and dangerous power tools that can cause devastating construction-related injuries and workplace fatalities.

Late last week, a construction site in Cleveland County became the scene of one such construction accident. According to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department, a 19-year-old from Charlotte working for D.R. Mozeley Inc. was struck and killed by a piece of heavy machinery. The investigation is reportedly ongoing, but preliminary accounts say the man may have been struck by a Caterpillar road grader.

The site of the accident was the future site of a Duke Energy Inc. training center on Beason Creek Drive in the Cleveland County Business Park. KBR Inc, the company in charge of construction at the site, confirmed later that day that an employee on the job site was fatally injured, but declined to provide any additional information while the incident was being investigated.

The North Carolina Department of Labor has reportedly begun conducting an investigation into the incident.  According to spokesman Neal O'Briant, the investigation is standard practice in a work-related death such as this. Typically, an employer will call the Department of Labor to report that a work-related death occurred and then allow an inspection of the site.

Few details are known about the incident thus far, but these situations often become very complex when it comes to dealing with workplace injuries and workers' compensation issues. The primary reason for the complexity is that construction sites are often managed by one general contractor using several other subcontractors. Consequently, issues of who precisely works for whom and who is liable for particular incidents can become quite convoluted.

Related Resources:

Worker killed at construction site identified as Charlotte teen: Investigation at Duke Energy location ongoing (Shelby Star)