Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

Although details are sparse, local news is reporting that a worker was killed yesterday in an industrial accident at the Stolthaven Houston plant in southeast Harris County. Around noon a piece of heavy construction equipment shifted, pinning the worker against a wall. Other workers used a bulldozer for pull the earth mover away from the pinned worker so paramedics could reach him. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Because there was an on-the-job fatality OSHA will investigate the incident. The Stolthaven facility is located at 15602 Jacintoport Boulevard. The 40-year old worker’s name has not yet been released. Channel 13’s report is here.

The arrow point to the earth mover that pinned the worker

Scene of yesterday's accident

Channel 2 is reporting that a person was killed this morning in an accident involving a crane collapse.  The accident happened around 10:00am this morning at the Garden Ridge store in Conroe. Construction crews are currently rebuilding the store after it was damaged in an arson fire in October 2011. Police say the crane was in the process of hoisting a portion of the store wall when the collapse happened. The cause of the crane collapse is under investigation. FOX News’ report indicates that a worker was seriously injured in the accident, but does not mention a fatality.

A person was killed today when a crane collapsed at the Garden Ridge store in Conroe

Manuel Funez, described by Channel 11 as a contract worker for Richardson Steel has died in an accident at the Port of Houston. Workers were taking steel pipe from an 18-wheeler trailer at city dock 17, ramp 5, when one of the pipes became dislodged and struck the 18-wheeler driver, Manuel Funez, who was standing near the back of the truck as it was being loaded. Channel 11’s story is here. Channel 2’s story is here. The channel 2 news story states that Mr. Funez was an employee of Lone Star Staffing.

An 18-wheeler driver was killed by falling steel pipe at the Port of Houston today

Smith & Hassler has been helping injured workers and their families for work injury claims, plant explosions and workplace wrongful death claims for 23-years. Houston workers are entitled to do an honest days work in a safe workplace: if you or a loved one have been injured at work, contact Smith & Hassler any time, day or night, and ask to speak to an attorney to make sure you understand your legal rights.

Channelview emergency responders rush to the scene of the explosion at Oiltanking Partners plant.

Two workers installing a flagpole yesterday at the Riata West subdivision off Barker Cypress Road in Cypress were rushed to hospital when the pole made contact with an overhead electrical wire. The men, who were contract workers installing the flagpole for developer CastleRock Communities, suffered burns to their hands and feet. Investigators say that as the men were installing the flagpole it began to lean, so the men grabbed the pole to prevent it from falling and that’s when the power line was contacted. CastleRock Communities say the two men work installing signs an flagpoles for them. Channel 2’s article on the incident did not include information on the men’s conditions. If you have been injured at work and aren’t sure of your rights, call the experienced personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler and request a no-cost evaluation of your work injury case.

Workers at the Riata West subdivision in Cypress were electrocuted when a flagpole touched an overhead power line

The Galveston Daily News is reporting that a contractor was seriously injured in a 60 foot fall while working on a roof at Malin International Ship Repair and Drydock in Galveston. The incident happened shortly before 11:00am on Wednesday April 18th. According to a spokesman for Galveston Police Department, the contractor had been working on the roof, pressure washing it, at the time of the fall. One of the roof panels he stepped on gave way and the man fell 60 feet, striking his head on a table when he landed. An ambulance hurried the man to UTMB Galveston in critical condition. A video of the scene is available at the Galveston Daily News’ web site. Malin International is located at Pier 40/41 in the Port of Galveston. The name of the injured worker has not been released.

A contractor was pressure washing the roof of this Malin International Ship Repair building when a roof panel gave way and the man fell 60 feet

Houston Fire Department rescued one man but another man remains buried after a trench collapsed around 7:30pm on Friday January 6, 2012. The two men were working on a drainage project at the Little Nell Apartments in the 8220 block of West Sam Houston Parkway at Beechnut when the dirt surrounding the trench collapsed in on them. Approximately 40 firefighters were involved in the rescue effort, but unfortunately the man who remained buried is presumed dead. A photograph of the scene on Channel 2 News’ web site shows heavy construction equipment present but it is not clear from the news report if that equipment was already present or was part of the rescue effort. One 28-year old workers was pulled from the trench at around 9:25PM and was transported to hospital, though his condition was not reported. A story on the trench collapse by ABC Channel 13 indicates that the collapsed trench was behind the apartment complex, and may not have been on the property. The same article indicates that the cause of the collapse was when a slough around the trench pushed a pipe, pinning one worker and burying the other. FOX News Houston’s coverage reports the trench was 12 feet deep and 8 feet wide.  Certainly with a trench that is deeper than it is wide, one would hope the trench had the appropriate protective system to minimize the chance of a collapse.

OSHA’s web site includes extensive information regarding trenching safety practices, including the use of a trenching protective system to stop the trench walls collapsing in on workers.

Two workers were buried when a drainage project trench collapsed on 01.06.2012 at the Little Nell Apartments

Five workers have been burned in an accident at the TXI Cement Company plant in Midlothian, three of them were burned critically. The plant is in North Texas near Dallas. In a statement issued last night, TXI said it had few details about what happened but the men suffered their burns while doing maintenance work in a kiln in the main processing area of the plant. The three workers with the worst burns were air lifted to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, the two others were taken by ground ambulance. Channel 13 News’ story is here.

If you or a family member have been injured at work, such as in a construction site accident, call Houston-based personal injury attorneys Smith & Hassler for a free consultation regarding your legal rights. Smith & Hassler has represented hard-working Texans injured on the job for more than 20-years.