18,500-pound metal coil crushed worker

2009-10-19 03:48:05 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Employment Law, Justice News Flash)

Legal news for Illinois employment attorneys. A metal coil fell off a piece of machinery and killed a worker.

Occupational Health and Safety Administration alerts Illinois employment lawyers- A worker was crushed to death by an aluminum coil.

Chicago, IL—A 18,500-pound coil of metal crushed a man to death at a metal finishing company after falling off a piece of machinery. The fatal workplace accident happened on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 around 4:00 p.m., at Material Sciences Corporation, as reported by Chicago Breaking News Center.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the deceased worker as Dennis Woods, of West Chicago. Woods was reportedly attempting to relocate a coil of aluminum from a storage area onto a machine, so the coil could receive a paint finish. The 18,500-pound and 5,800 feet long coil fell off the machinery and onto the worker. The heavy metal coil crushed the man to death. When rescue teams arrived at the scene they pronounced Woods to be dead.

It took firefighters and rescue teams over five hours to remove the body out from underneath the heavy aluminum coil. Material Sciences Corporation reportedly employed Woods for more than 30 years before his tragic death. Wood’s body is undergoing an autopsy at the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Officials with the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov/ are conducting a full investigation into the fatal workplace accident.

Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for Illinois employment lawyers.