An incident that took place at a Supervalu Food Distribution Center in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Sept. 21 has left a worker dead. Emergency responders received a call at around 2:35 p.m. after the 51-year-old man was reportedly pinned down by equipment.
By the time emergency responders arrived on the scene, located on 2nd Avenue South, the man had already passed away. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the local police department were said to be investigating the incident, and the distribution center was reportedly shut down. It was not stated what type of equipment was involved or what the direct cause of the man’s death was. The grocery store company released a statement expressing its sympathy and stating that it would be cooperating with investigators.
Local police stated that they had only responded to one or two accidents at the distribution center in the last 20 years. The number of total fatal work injuries in Minnesota had also been reduced from 70 in 2012 to 67 in 2013, according to the Minnesota Department of Labor.
Someone who is injured in a work-related accident is generally barred from filing a lawsuit against their employer. However, they may choose to file a workers’ compensation claim. Employers are generally required to have insurance policies to provide their workers with compensation if they are injured on the job. The family of someone who is killed in a workplace accident may also be eligible to receive death benefits that could provide compensation for their loved one’s lost wages.
Source: Fox9, “Man dies after pinned by equipment at Supervalu Distribution Center,” Iris Perez, Sept. 21, 2014
Source: KARE 11, “Man killed working at Supervalu warehouse”, September 22, 2014