Many young workers from Texas travel to other states with construction crews to earn a living working on projects. Life on the road is usually not ideal for these young men, and, like all construction work, it can be very dangerous.

This week, it was reported that a 19-year-old irrigation construction worker from San Antonio was killed while working on a project on a Tennessee farm in Dyer County. According to The Houston Chronicle, the worker was killed when the three-person crew was lifting a heavy piece of equipment and a heavy piece of it fell onto him.

Reportedly, the crew had been repairing a 1,435-feet-long irrigation system that had tumbled over due to the flooding in April. But as the crew lifted up the rig, a section from the sprinkler system began to fall and hit the 19-year-old, causing severe head trauma.

The young worker was rushed to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. A local sheriff's investigator said that the county coroner had examined the body and that the death is believed to have been an accident.

Accidents like this are far too common within the construction industry. Heavy equipment and dangerous environments make injuries likely at construction sites, unless the proper safety rules and regulations are closely followed. Under federal law, construction companies are required to follow the safety rules established by OSHA.

If the accident was the result of negligence on the part of the employer, the family of the worker killed may be able to bring a claim for compensation on that basis. Employers have a duty to keep their employees safe and their working environment safe, which means providing the appropriate safety training and equipment.

Source: The Houston Chronicle, "Young worker killed in Dyer agricultural accident," Aug. 2, 2011.