Lack of Job Safety Causes Death at New Dickies Arena

Fort Worth man crushed by gate at new arena

A report that was just released showed that Dickies Arena made at least 14 mistakes installing a gate. Tragically, this caused a hard-working man to lose his life. You have to wonder how safety inspectors failed to notice all of these obvious problems — and why there is such a lack of job safety in Texas.

Last month, Juan Carlos Julian, Jr., who was 24, was locked out of the building after a TCU basketball game. He was on the janitorial crew and needed to start working. He saw the on button through the gate and tried to let himself in. But his arm got wedged between the bars as the gate opened and he was crushed.

The man’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the arena’s management company and the building contractors. It has sought damages of more than one million dollars.

Workplace accidents can be devastating for the victims and their families. If you or someone you know have been the victim of a work accident, you need to contact a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer who can explain your legal rights and get you the justice that you deserve.

Galling lack of job safety caused this avoidable death

An expert hired by the attorney for the family and an analysis by the Fort Worth Star Telegram found that the gate was not installed in accordance with basic job safety regulations.

They found that the gate failed because it did not have the following safety measures:

• sensors to detect when a person or object was stuck so it could immediately reverse (which any home’s garage door opener has);
• on-off switch that could not be reached through the gate;
• wire mesh to stop someone from being able to reach the switch through the gate;
• sensors or clutch pads that could release pressure if an object or person was trapped;
• detection devices that could see anything smaller than an automobile;
• emergency stop button;
• adequate or working motion detectors;
• warning signs in English and Spanish (but they were also in French – really?)

This tragedy has marred the grand opening of what is a wonderful addition to our city. We have been able to see the arena being built as it is just up University Drive from us. We were impressed with the design and attention to detail – until this catastrophe occurred.

It is important to note that the architects and builders chose gates that were usually used in industrial areas. They have fewer features to prevent serious injury and death.

You know that there were numerous safety inspections before the $540 million center was opened. How did they miss these glaring problems?

But there are about 100 deaths just like this one each week in the United States. One out of every employee who died worked in the construction field in 2017.

Granted, these jobs can often be more dangerous. But a majority were caused by a lack of job safety. Workers were killed by preventable falls, being struck by an object, electrocuted, or being pinned or caught in between an object, like what happened here.

The Occupational Safety Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death.

And once again, the courts will decide the damages of the survivors of this hard-working man.

Let’s hope the arena has been thoroughly reinspected and that no one visiting the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo during these next few weeks gets hurt.

We can help you with job safety claims

If you have any questions, please contact Berenson Injury Law at 1-885-801-8585 or by clicking here.