On June 12, 2008 37-year-old Omar Wray of Irving, TX. was killed in a crane accident in Dallas, TX. The accident occurred as the crane was lifting its large hook into the air. A cable snapped and the hook fell onto Omar Wray killing him. Wray was reportedly cleaning a cement truck at the time of the accident.
A note from wrongful death attorney E. Michael Grossman:
My law firm has represented numerous families who lost a loved one due to a work related injury. This story in particular frustrates me. It is upsetting to think that Omar Wray likely has family members who are waiting for him to return from work only to find out that he is gone.
I have extensive experience representing those who have been killed in construction accidents and I have always taken a special interest in these cases just because I feel it is necessary to give the victim's family some closure.
OSHA will investigate this accident but I must stress the importance of hiring an attorney who can ensure that the evidence is preserved and that an investigation of their own can be conducted. I strongly recommend that the family of this man hire an attorney as soon as possible to ensure that the investigation takes place before any of the evidence is altered.
I will keep Omar Wray and his family in my thoughts and prayers. I wish them all the best.
Additional information:
OSHA is in the process of updating the standards related to crane inspection and operations in light of the recent rash of crane accidents. OSHA requires that cranes used at construction sites must be inspected annually and prior to each use. Additionally OSHA insists that inspection methods and frequency as described by the manufacturer must also be closely followed.
In this accident the lingering questions yet to be answered is whether or not these guidelines were followed.
Currently, in the City of Dallas alone there are some 20 plus cranes in operation. The potential for crane accidents not only puts the lives of construction workers in danger but anyone within close proximity as well.
As we learned from the recent accident in New York City, a crane collapse can cause large scale damage and can result in multiple deaths.
Although OSHA is planning to generate more stringent inspection standards it is worth pointing out that none other than the former director of OSHA, Charles Jeffress, has commented that even when an OSHA violation is noticed the company is hardly punished.
He claims that the laws and punishments are outdated and do not serve as a severe enough punishment for businesses.
"The penalties in the OSHA act are inadequate to deal with people that don't take their safety responsibilities seriously. The penalties were first established in 1970. They've only been increased one time since then. And it's very low. A serious violation, something that might lead to someone's death, carries a maximum penalty of $7,000", says Jeffress.
There is one question that I am always asked by the families that my law firm represents, and that is "What can we do to make sure that no one else has to go through this?..."
Frankly, in the past 20 years of practicing law I have seen numerous cases, particularly in the construction industry, where a company simply does not take safety seriously and in some cases one might even go so far as to say that they shortcut necessary safety measures in order to maximize profitability.
The simple fact of the matter is that in the short term it will cost most companies more money to follow safety protocol than it will for them to simply ignore it. In the event that an accident does occur many companies are not particularly concerned as the fines levied against them are so minute.
When a company has this type of mentality there is only one thing that they understand and that is a hit to the pocket book. Hiring an experienced attorney who is not afraid to take them to court is often the only way to create a change that will benefit the safety of everyone in the company or even in that industry.
Posted by: E. Michael Grossman | Posted on: 6/12/2008
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