Death on the Job: Industrial Accident Fatalities in Illinois and Indiana

Serious accidents on the work sites of Illinois and Indiana can result in permanent bodily harm, where the lives of injured workers as well as their loved ones are forever changed.  Examples of these life-changing on-the-job injuries include workers who suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or limb amputations.  See, e.g., Amputation Injuries from On-the-Job Work Accidents in Indiana or Illinois and What are Catastrophic Injuries? Severe Bodily Harm Suffered by Accident Survivors in Indiana and Illinois.

The Tragedy of Death on the Job

The horrific events of permanent incapacity and irreversible bodily harm are surpassed only by the tragedy of a worker who dies from injuries sustained in a job site accident.  Unfortunately, all too often in our area, a beloved family member or friend will be fatally injured and die as a result of a work accident.  For more, read:  Industrial Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: Serious Injury or Death on the Job.

Things are not becoming safer for the American worker.  Consider the following sober statistics, reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (with 2019 being the latest data provided):

• A worker died every 99 minutes from a work-related injury in 2019.
• Fatalities among workers age 55+ increased 8 percent (8%) from 2018 to 2019, the largest number ever recorded for this age group.
• Hispanic or Latino worker fatalities in 2019 were the highest reported since 1992.
• Fatalities in the private construction industry were the highest reported since 2007.
• Driver/sales workers and truck drivers had the highest number of fatal occupational injuries since the BLS began collecting data of driver deaths in 2003.

Employers Have Duty to Provide Safe Workplace

The risk of dying from a fatal job site injury varies depending upon the type of work being performed by the accident victim, of course, as well as the accident site location.  Certain industries in Indiana and Illinois are notorious for endangering workers with potentially deadly worksite hazards.  This is true even though employers have a legal duty to provide a safe working environment for their workers.  

For more on the employers’ duty of care for employee safety, read:

• Serious or Fatal Slip and Fall Injuries: The Employer’s Duty of Care
• Workplace Violence Injury Victims: Employer Liability for Occupational Violence in Indiana and Illinois
• Employers’ Duty to Protect Workers during Coronavirus Outbreak
• Trucking Companies Liable for Semi-Truck Crashes in Indiana and Illinois.

Dangerous Work in Illinois and Indiana

Here in the “Crossroads of America,” with our proximity to transportation hubs including interstate highway connections, national railways, and ports, there are particular risks facing workers in Indiana and Illinois that may not be as high in other parts of the country.  Serious injury and fatality risks are known to be high in the following industries:

• Construction (Residential and Commercial);
• Railroad;
• Longshoremen / Maritime;
• Ironworkers / Steel Mills; and
• Factories and Plants.

Where is the Greatest Risk of Work Accident Death in Illinois and Indiana?

Any worker who is exposed to hazardous and unsafe working conditions is at risk of serious injury or death on the job, regardless of the type of work being performed or the work site location.  For instance, a roofer with proper protections may face less risk of harm than an office worker being asked to use defective equipment with known, and unrepaired, electrical malfunctions. 

However, fatality statistics for Indiana and Illinois do provide some warnings for workers on where the greatest risk of fatality on the job may be in our communities. 

Consider the ten latest fatality statistics for Illinois and Indiana, provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with data ending in September 2020:

Illinois:

1. 09/30/2020 South Holland IL – Worker drowned in rock quarry.                              
2. 09/09/2020 Wyanet IL – Worker fatally struck by motor vehicle.
3. 09/04/2020 Minooka IL – Worker electrocuted by contact with switchgear cabinet.             
4. 08/19/2020 Bloomington IL  – Worker fatally crushed when lawnmower overturned.  
5. 08/18/2020 Alton IL – Worker drowned after falling from marina dock.               
6. 07/13/2020 Chicago  IL  – Worker fatally struck by forklift.              
7. 07/08/2020 Chicago Hts.IL  – Worker died in gas cylinder explosion.  
8. 07/08/2020 Martinsville IL  – Worker died in fall from scaffold.            
9. 07/02/2020 Amboy IL  – Worker fatally crushed when pneumatic compacter overturned.
10. 06/24/2020 Bethany IL  – Worker died in fall from roof.

Indiana:

1. 08/28/2020 Greenfield IN – Worker electrocuted when ladder contacted power line.              
2. 07/02/2020 Mishawaka IN – Worker fatally struck by SUV.   
3. 06/04/2020 New Carlisle IN – Worker fatally struck by freight train.    
4. 05/21/2020 Portage IN – Worker fatally struck by vehicle.             
5. 05/19/2020 Lafayette IN – Worker died in fall from elevated arms of forklift.           
6. 03/24/2020 Montpelier IN – Worker died in fall from elevated platform.       
7. 03/17/2020 Fort Wayne IN – Worker died in trench collapse.
8. 03/10/2020 Lafayette IN – Worker fatally struck by falling rack.       
9. 03/05/2020 Fort Wayne IN – Worker died after becoming caught in conveyer belt.    
10. 02/04/2020 Indianapolis IN – Worker died in fall from roof.    

These tragedies are not unknown and undiscovered risks facing workers.  Industry leaders, company management, and supervisors are well-aware of the dangers of things like falls; electrocutions; caught-in-between incidents; drownings; and explosions. 

For more on the duties of safety legally mandated for workers in Indiana and Illinois in these situations, read: OSHA and Work-Related Accident Claims in Indiana and Illinois.

Justice for Worker Deaths on the Job in Illinois and Indiana

Nevertheless, safety agencies and accident victim advocates understand all too well how the temptation to put profits over people and to minimize the need for safety protocols on the job site will result in worker deaths in our part of the country.

It is for this reason that the state legislatures of both Indiana and Illinois as well as the federal government have passed laws and statutory schemes to provide justice in the aftermath of a worker death on the job in either Illinois or Indiana.  Workers’ compensation laws as well as Wrongful Death statutes may be available to help the accident victim and grieving family members. 

For more, read: 

• Fatal Accidents and Wrongful Death Lawsuits in Indiana and Illinois
• Work Injuries and On-the-Job Accidents in Indiana and Illinois With Federal Law Protections: FELA, Jones Act, LHWCA, DBA
• The Jones Act vs. the Longshoreman and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act for Maritime Workers
• Workers Compensation in Indiana and Illinois: Work-Related Injuries and the Fight Against Corporate Greed
• Job Site Injury in Illinois or Indiana: When Accidents at Work Are Not Worker’s Compensation Claims.

As the ramifications of COVID-19 continue to impact our state economies, the hazards facing workers on the job will continue, sometimes in unprecedented ways.  No matter the worksite, workers must be vigilant for the personal safety of themselves and their co-workers.  This is especially true for those who work in jobs known to be dangerous, such as construction workers or commercial truck drivers.  Please be careful out there!