A cement company silo in Bucks County's Bristol Township collapsed on Jan. 8, burying a worker beneath building materials and concrete powder. After initial rescue efforts proved that the worker, a 48-year-old man from Tullytown, was not likely to survive, the mission became a recovery effort. The worker's body was found on Jan. 11, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The 125-foot silo was owned by Riverside Cement, which is owned by Silvi Group. The silo held materials for the manufacturing of cement. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived on the scene and began investigating the accident soon after it occurred.
A Bristol Township police officer discovered the collapsed tower just after midnight on the morning of Jan. 8. The tower, which mostly contained cement powder, had collapsed at the distribution center, creating a debris pile 40 feet high. While at first, rescuers hoped that the worker might have lived, further investigation showed that he likely could not have survived the tower collapse. Rescuers stayed on the scene until the body was recovered.
Workers have a right to the safest workplace possible. The law requires employers to provide for the safety of their workers. However, accidents on the job can still lead to death. The family of someone who dies in a work-related incident is likely to be owed a death benefit if they are covered by workers' compensation. A personal injury attorney can help a family determine if they were covered by insurance or if a lawsuit would be necessary to receive compensation.
Source: NBC Philadelphia, "1 person presumed dead in Bucks County silo collapse," Alison Burdo, Jan. 8, 2015
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