Carrollton, TX — June 23, 2023, Victor Young was killed due to a work accident where an object fell on him around 6:10 p.m. at a Novolex facility in Carrollton.
Preliminary details released by OSHA officials say that the facility is at 1440 Lemay Drive. They say that 54-year-old Victor Young was either operating or near a forklift that had two containers of resin pellets, which investigators estimated to be about 2,000 lbs each. The forklift apparently tore open the bottom container, causing the stack to become unstable and drop the top container onto Young. Victor Young died as a result.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Something I feel the need to point out is that the fine listed in OSHA records which they recommended is $14,502 for the alleged violation of not handling material such that it is “secure against sliding or collapse.” I can’t say if that violation was confirmed, and the fines listed are recommendations as far as I know and could have been raised, lowered, or withdrawn since the accident. But the reason I bring up this number is to raise a question to readers: If the allegations here are true, does that fine really meet the value of someone’s life?
It’s a concern I often hear brought up in regards to OSHA fines. They’re usually seen as little more than slaps on the wrist for companies that get hard working employees killed, leaving their families to grieve and to carry the burden of losing a vital source of income. Don’t get me wrong—OSHA is important, and they do crucial work in calling out businesses on their behavior and seeing there are consequences. But at the end of the day, their efforts alone may not be enough to get a company to clean up its act before more people get hurt.
In a perfect world, workers wouldn’t lose their lives on the job. In a better world, families would at least see fair resolutions to their hardships in the event someone was killed on the job. But in our world, terrible accidents like this don’t always get the attention they deserve, and the authorities meant to address these issues don’t always have the best interests of the victims and families in mind. I can’t help wondering whether or not this situation has been handled properly behind the scenes.
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