A worker in San Antonio, Texas, suffered fatal injuries when he was crushed by a massive sack of sand. The worker, in his 60s, was apparently crushed by a 3,500-pound bag of fracking sand that fell on him while he was spotting a forklift operator. The workplace accident occurred on Aug. 18, according to official reports.
Authorities say that the incident occurred at a warehouse operated by Chalk Mountain Services of Texas. That warehouse stores fracking sand and other related materials. The 3,500-pound bags are stacked in piles of three or four, according to representatives from the San Antonio Fire Department, which responded to the scene. The operator of the warehouse, Chalk Mountain, is characterized as an oilfield transportation organization that is responsible for hauling items such as frac sand and flow back water for oil production groups.
So far, the company has not released any additional information about the nature of the accident or the identity of the victim. The county medical examiner is also continuing an investigation into the matter, and a specific cause of death has yet to be determined. Investigators from the San Antonio Police Department and national safety groups are working to determine the cause of the accident.
Fatal work accidents occur in all industries, but the expansion of the oil and gas industry in Texas may be leading to higher death rates because of a variety of hazards. Oil and gas industrial work is often accompanied by special hazards that are not found in other types of employment. Family members of victims who are killed at an oil and gas company facility should be entitled to survivor benefits after the fatal work accident. A wrongful death lawsuit may be necessary to secure damages and workers’ compensation from the negligent employer.
Source: KSAT, “Worker killed by falling bag of sand on North Side” David Ibanez, Aug. 18, 2014