Man Crushed in Heavy Machinery

A 38-year-old man was crushed to death in an accident involving heavy machinery at the Lakewood 400 Antiques Market, which is located in south Forsyth. According to the Forsyth County News, Jose Rodriguez-Duarte was sitting on a trailer, which caused a metal pill presser to tip over and crush him. The worker was brought to North Fulton Hospital after being tended to by EMS, but later died. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the cause of the accident.

Rodriguez-Duarte, was a Mexican native, lived in Buford and had been in the United States for 15 years. The worker had the machinery taken off him by dealers at the market and CPR was administered by a bystander. He was conscious when brought to the hospital, but passed away five hours later at the hospital. Rodriguez-Duarte was not married and had no children.

There are multiple mechanisms that can be used to help workers who are either injured or killed while working. Employees can file forworkers' compensation if they are injured on the job or the family may file awrongful death lawsuit if one of their loved ones is killed while in the scope of employment.

In Georgia, most employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation provides wage and medical benefits for employees that are injured in the scope of employment.