Virginia Paper Mill Employee Killed In On-The-job Accident

A 38-year-old worker at a Franklin, Virginia, paper recycling plant was killed in a work-related accident last week. The Virginian-Pilot said the incident occurred Friday afternoon at the International Paper mill located on Union Camp Drive.

The worker was an employee of PPM Industrial maintenance who was contracted by ST Tissue, LLC, to complete a project at the facility. The worker suffered serious traumatic brain injuries and blunt force trauma to the head while he was operating an overhead crane to move several heavy loads of tissue paper in the warehouse. He was rushed to a Southhampton hospital for treatment, but died a short time after arrival.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to the scene of the accident in order to conduct an investigation into what may have caused the accident and if it could have been prevented.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) called the type of work the victim was doing the fourth most dangerous job in the United States last year, with Refuse and Recyclable collectors reporting dozens of deaths and an injury rate of 41.2 workers hurt per 100,000.

At Geoff McDonald & Associates, we believe employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their workers at all times. That’s why the firm would encourage anyone who has been hurt in a work-related accident to discuss your legal rights with an experienced workers compensation attorney immediately.