Sugar Mill Held Liable for Death of Three-Year-Old Boy in Roof Collapse

The Third Panel of Brazil's Superior Labor Court recently ruled to significantly increase the compensation to be paid by Zihuatanejo do Brasil Açúcar e Álcool sugar mill, raising it from R$50,000 to R$300,000. This payment is for the parents of a three-year-old boy who tragically died in an accident at a residence provided by the company for its employees. The unfortunate incident occurred when the boy, whose father was a rural worker, was living in a housing complex provided by the company in the rural area of Ribeirão, Pernambuco. On December 19, 2022, the boy was playing with other children on the porch of the neighboring semi-detached house. He was struck on the head by a wooden stake that supported the roof, which collapsed when he leaned against it. The child died hours later. In their lawsuit, the boy's parents alleged that the houses had precarious structures, posing a risk of collapse, and that the company had never taken steps to make improvements. A photograph attached to the legal proceedings shows the house where the worker lived and, next to it, the one where the accident occurred. The property features peeling walls and an irregular roof supported by thin wooden stakes, indicating clear structural instability. The sugar mill, in its defense, claimed that the accident did not occur in the house provided to its employee and that there was no employment relationship with the victim. It also argued that the fault lay exclusively with the resident of the neighboring house, who allegedly placed the beam without authorization. However, evidence suggested that the supporting beams were severely worn.