Tragedy in Liepāja: 550 kg Safe Door Crushes Worker, Court Rules on Guilt
A worker died in Liepāja when a 550 kg safe door fell during dismantling. The employer tried to blame the victim, claiming he acted arbitrarily and was under alcohol influence.
A tragic incident occurred at a construction site in Liepāja, where a 550-kilogram safe door crushed a demolition worker, resulting in his death. The accident happened while two workers were tasked with dismantling the heavy safe door and its frame. The employer attempted to prove in court that the victim acted on his own initiative and was under the influence of alcohol, hoping to refute the findings of the State Labour Inspectorate and avoid liability.
The court examined a complex legal question: where the line lies between an individual worker's responsibility and the company's negligence in planning dangerous tasks. Such operations require careful engineering plans and calculations, but in reality, the work was carried out chaotically and without proper preparation. The court's decision will determine whether the responsibility rests with the employer or the deceased worker.
