Government dam engineer dies from fall-related head injuries

Government construction workers are often vulnerable to serious injuries when they are employed at major public works projects in the state of Colorado. Sadly, other such workers also suffer the same fate; one West Coast man has died after he fell at a construction site at a dam. The man, age 62, died in Washington after suffering serious injuries in the fall. He suffered work-related head injuries after he tumbled about 35 feet onto a concrete surface, according to official reports.

The man, an employee of the Bureau of Reclamation, was a civil engineer for the organization’s Pacific Northwest Regional Office. The victim was transported by helicopter to a medical center in Spokane, where he perished on Christmas with his family members by his side. The victim in this case served as an engineer and construction inspector during the 1970s and 1980s. Then, he obtained his professional engineering certification and began working for the Bureau of Reclamation again in 2011.

An investigation has been launched into the matter, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration works to uncover the cause of the accident. Investigators must issue a written report about the fatal head injury within six months, according to national law.

Relatives of the victim in this case may be able to pursue financial compensation from his employers for their negligence. The victim suffered serious brain trauma after suffering what could might have been a preventable fall. Every worker on municipal and public works projects deserves to feel safe on the job; when the risk of falls exists, that is no longer possible. A qualified personal injury attorney in Colorado may be able to assist family members of victims who have perished in such accidents, providing them with additional information about their legal rights and options.

Source: Columbia Basin Herald, “Reclamation employee dies after fall Monday” Joe Utter, Dec. 27, 2013

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