The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) concluded an investigation into the death of two 14-year-old female farm workers in the village of Tampico in Whiteside County, according to the Rockford Register Star. The two young women tragically died in the summer of 2011 when they were electrocuted while removing tassels from corn in the rural northwestern Illinois city. An estimated 72 employees for the St. Louis-based company Monsanto Corp. were also de-tasseling corn when the fatal accident occurred, and eight of the workers were injured.
The father of one of the victims filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company claiming his daughter’s death could have been prevented, but the company denied these claims, saying workers would not have been allowed to work in the cornfield if they were aware of any electrical hazard. OSHA’s six month investigation into both companies associated with the accident, Monsanto Corp. and R & J Enterprises of Illinois Inc., found they were not at-fault. The organization determined that lightning may have struck the field’s irrigation system, causing the electrocution accident to occur.
OSHA will be issuing no citations in the case, stating the two companies could not have reasonably recognized the hazardous conditions based on the collected evidence. An OSHA spokesman asserts the tragic accident could not have been prevented as no one was aware of the hazards. In August of 2011, Monsanto announced that they had changed safety procedures for corn growers and farm landlords in all corn-growing regions as a result of the accident, including requiring landowners and growers to unplug irrigation systems at the panel.
When a loved one dies unexpectedly, it can lead family members and friends of the deceased to look for answers surrounding the death and ask whether or not it could have been prevented. If you have lost a loved one in any type of accident, an Illinois wrongful death attorney can help you get answers to your questions and hold any at-fault parties responsible. At the Bradley Law Firm, we are dedicated to helping families seek justice in the case of a wrongful death. Please call (312) 252-1488 for a complimentary review of your case.
