Malman Law
Legal News

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Unsafe Work Conditions

Unsafe Work Conditions Lead to Student Death at Notre Dame

The Chicago Sun Times reported earlier today,
“The state of Indiana has found that the University of Notre Dame did
not maintain safe working conditions when a student died as he filmed
football practice from a hydraulic lift that toppled in extreme high
winds.”

As a result, the university will be fined for five violations totaling $77,500. The violations include lack of regular inspections of the machinery in question, a hydraulic lift, and failure to train the student on use of the lift.

The 20 year old student, Declan Sullivan, was in his junior year studying film. Last fall he was filming Notre Dame’s football practice when wind gusts of up to and possible in excess of fifty mph caused the lift to fall over. The young man died as a result of the fall, caused by unsafe work conditions.

Chicago injury lawyers
may suggest that it should have been the university’s responsibility to make sure that certain safety procedures were followed when
using the lift and that no unsafe conditions existed that could possibly contribute to serious injury, illness, or death.

It is also
unfortunate that there may not have been appropriate warnings regarding
the instability of the apparatus when exposed to high winds or inclement
weather.

These types of accidents and other unsafe work conditions can be avoided by the following:
– Enacing necessary safety procedures
– Training regarding safety procedures and protocols
– Monitoring and updating of equipment and safety procedures as necessary