Hot weather can be fatal when companies don’t provide their employees enough training, supervision, or equipment for the conditions.
The family of a roofer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Weathercraft Inc. and the owner of the company for negligence. The roofer was an employee of Weathercraft Inc. and was working with a crew installing roofing materials at a high school located in Missouri. The roofer was only on his third day on the job when he was supposed to work in hot weather conditions. The family says the roofer had not receive adequate training. The roofer allegedly reported feeling ill to his supervisors and co-workers, left the roof area, and was found collapsed on the ground. He had a body temperature of 107 and died from organ failure one day later.
Employers have the responsibility to provide to each of its employees a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. If a dangerous condition or hazard is known by the employer – like severe weather – then the employer needs to take reasonable efforts to eliminate that recognized hazard.
Evidence can disappear fast. If OSHA actually investigates the incident, OSHA still may not get all the evidence you need to prove a personal injury case involving a work injury. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed while on the job, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-231-9360 or 1‑800-594-4884 for a free consultation.