A state department of transportation road maintenance foreman died after being hit by a pickup truck while on the job, according to an AP wire report. Standra Jones of Gaston , South Carolina died of multiple injuries at 6:21am at Lexington Medical Center following the truck accident according to authorities. Jones was standing on the side of the road supervising a crew that cleaned concrete safety barriers overnight when he was struck.
Jones was hit by a vehicle driven by Robert Cunningham of Gaston, state troopers said. Authorities said it was unclear why Cunningham’s 1992 Chevrolet pickup ran off the right side of the highway as it headed west, colliding with a state truck and then Jones. Jones is one of 3 agency workers to die in the last 5 years while engaged in road maintenance.
While this tragic case is an example of the worst type of South Carolina workplace injury, one-time accidents aren’t the only type of on-the-job injuries. Many employees in offices, factories or other indoor workplaces find themselves with repetitive stress injuries, which can be just as devastating as accident injuries. Mental health issues directly caused by work may also qualify as injuries to be compensated under the law. Those who work with or around dangerous chemicals — whether they know it or not — are also at risk for diseases caused by occupational exposure to toxins. Employers who are careless about using, storing or disposing of substances that threaten human health can cause serious, even life-threatening, health problems to their employees. They are also breaking federal and state laws. They can and should be taken to court to stop this illegal behavior and compensate the victims of their wrongdoing.