How workers die. Forklift incidents, falls, drowning, train derailment, shooting, firefighting, vehicle incidents. On average, over 100 workers are killed every week in the United States due to traumatic injuries suffered at work. More than 20 times as many die from occupational diseases, many due to exposure to hazardous substances many years before they died. The few narratives below (gathered from almost 100 Google News searches) do not come close to capturing the full toll that work takes on the working people of this country. Nevertheless the accounts below gave you a taste of the preventable carnage occurring in workplaces across the country every day.
Another DPW worker dies while on duty in Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — DPW solid waste worker Timothy Cartwell died on the job Friday, according to officials. On November 8, officials say Mr. Cartwell sustained fatal injuries while collecting trash in the alleyway of 1800 Baker Street. He was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he passed away from his injuries. Senior DPW leadership visited the hospital “to provide support during this difficult time,” officials say. Timothy Cartwell was a solid waste worker assigned to the Reedbird Sanitation Yard.
Texas worker killed after falling into fabric company machine
FORT WORTH, Texas — One person was killed in an industrial accident in Fort Worth, officials say. Firefighters arrived at Fiber Co. on East 1st Street around 10:30 a.m. after employees reported a coworker missing from the work floor say they and quickly learned they would be making a recovery rather than a rescue. Fiber Co. Inc. uses heavy machinery to manufacture and distribute needle punch non-woven fabric. “We may be here several hours because it is a lot of machinery,” said Clay, “It’s practically one big machine, and its maybe 80 feet long one way and another 20 another way. So, it’s a big machine.” Employees noticed one of their coworkers who was cleaning the production floor was missing and called 911. Firefighters trained to respond to industrial accidents recovered his body from one of the company machines. The victim was later identified as 44-year-old Keith Varner of Hurst. “I’m not sure if he got a piece of his clothing caught and then, which drew him into the machine,” said Clay.
Mississippi man dies after a dump truck releases asphalt onto him
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Police in Mississippi’s capital said a man died Monday when he was trying to repair a dump truck and asphalt poured onto him. Darrell Sheriff, 41, was underneath the truck working on a hydraulic line when the tailgate opened and asphalt fell on him, Jackson Police Department said in a statement. The police department classified the death as an accident.
Industrial accident at Eugene train yard kills 29-year-old man
Eugene, OR — The Eugene Police Department is investigating the cause of a train derailment at the Greenhill Reload Main Yard in Eugene that killed 29-year-old Colton Brant on Friday. EPD says a caller reported just after 2 p.m. that a railcar loaded with logs had derailed and tipped over, pinning Brant underneath. Brant was declared dead at the scene. The Eugene-Springfield Fire Department, along with officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Lane County Medical Examiner’s Office, developed a plan to safely remove the logs and recover Brant’s body.
Muncy Target employee found dead in store; death ruled accidental
PENNSDALE PA – A young female employee at Target, 170 South Lycoming Mall Road, was found dead inside the store early Saturday morning pinned between a manlift she had been operating and the frame to an interior door, Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. said Monday. State police termed the death accidental and identified the woman as Brianna Burley-Inners, 26, of South Williamsport, according to a news release. “She was last seen about 11:30 p.m. Friday by her co-workers. At midnight, as employees were clocking out, the closing lead employee radioed Burley-Inners to ask her if she was on her way (to check out),” police said. When there was no response, the employees went to check on her, police said. “She was then found hunched over a manlift with her body caught between the manlift and a door frame-wall,” the release said. The woman was using the lift near the pharmacy to clean the lenses of security cameras near the ceiling, Kiessling said his office was told. Somehow she became pinned between the piece of equipment and the door frame
2 dead in Montgomery industrial accident
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Two men are dead following an industrial accident, according to the Montgomery Police Department. Friday morning, shortly before 10:15, Montgomery police and fire medics were dispatched to the 1400 block of Hunter Loop Road in west Montgomery. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene, the other was transported to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. The victims have net yet been identified. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
62-year-old man dead in skidder accident in Bullitt County
SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A man is dead after an accident involving a skidder at a logging site in Bullitt County. The Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office responded to the reported accident at 1:15 on Oct. 30 in a wooded area of Mt. Elmira Road, northwest of Shepherdsvlle. Bullitt County Sheriff Walt Sholar said the man is 62 years old and was operating the skidder at the site. He is from the Cub Run area. A skidder is a heavy-duty vehicle used to move cut trees from the forest to a landing site.
Worker dies after falling at construction site on BJC campus in Central West End
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – A sheet metal worker died after he fell at a construction site on the Barnes-Jewish Hospital campus in the Central West End. The incident happened Friday. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says the victim was working from a ladder when he fell 12 feet onto a concrete floor. He died two days later. The victim worked for IWR, a St. Louis-based company; the construction company working on the project is McCarthy.
Stamford man, 64, dies after being hit by front-end loader at warehouse, police say
STAMFORD, CT — A 64-year-old resident died after he was hit by a front-end loader at a local business Wednesday, according to police. Stamford police Sgt. Jeffrey Booth said the incident took place at around 8:15 a.m. The victim was working at the back of the business assisting a customer when he was hit by the loader, which was being operated by a 28-year-old Stamford resident, Booth said. The victim, who was not immediately identified Wednesday, was taken to the hospital and, despite life-saving measures, succumbed to his injuries, according to Booth. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to the scene.
TOSHA investigating after traffic control worker killed on I-75 in Bradley County Thursday
BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. — Tennessee OSHA says they are investigating after a traffic control worker was hit and killed on I-75 in Bradley County Thursday. TOSHA says they are investigating the circumstances that led to the worker’s death. According to experts in the field, situations are just to common. Megan Cooper with AAA tells us “It is a very dangerous job. We know that about every year, 23 roadside workers are killed and many, many more are injured while on their job at the roadside.” A Roadway Systems and Drivers technical report examined OSHA between 2002 and 2017, looking at every reported death and injury, finding that “106 total injuries or deaths of towing operators, including 39 in which the towing operator was a pedestrian struck by a passing vehicle.”
Wichita man dies after a work van he was riding in rear-ends semi-trailer along I-235
Wichita, KS — A 49-year-old man died after a work van rear-ended a semi-truck Wednesday on Interstate 235 in southwest Wichita. The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the man as Justin R. Higgins of Wichita. The incident was reported at 1:21 p.m. along northbound I-235 just south of K-42. A 2007 Chevrolet Express Cargo van was heading northbound on I-235 in the right lane. Higgins was a passenger in the van, according to a KHP crash log. At the same time, a semi-truck that was stopped on the right shoulder of I-235 moved left into the right lane of northbound I-235, and was in the process of accelerating up to interstate speeds. The work van was unable to stop in time and struck the rear left corner of the semi’s trailer.
Man identified in fatal incident at Resource Recycling
LIMA, OH — A federal agency continues to look into an incident that killed an employee at Resource Recycling, Inc., on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration began an inspection following the death of employee, Miguel A. Martinez Serna, 50, at the facility at 1596 Neubrecht Road, Lima. Martinez was working on a conveyor approximately 45 feet off the ground when the conveyor was turned on. Martinez fell off the conveyor and to the ground suffering fatal injuries, said Scott Allen, U.S. Department of Labor Regional Director for public affairs and media relations. OSHA has six months to complete its inspection, issue citations and propose monetary penalties if violations are found during the inspection process. Martinez, of Waynesfield, was born in Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, according to his obituary, before coming to Lima to work several decades ago.
Dump truck driver killed
JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – One person is dead after the dump truck they were driving collided with a Nissan Sentra that ran a stop sign on Highway 199 Tuesday. According to the Oregon State Police, the Nissan Sentra was driven by 22-year-old Joshua Chaska Patrick from British Columbia. Patrick ran a stop sign and turned onto Highway 199 near the intersection with Helms Road just before 12:30 p.m., that’s where his vehicle was hit by a Kenworth dump truck heading northbound. The impact caused the dump truck to roll onto its side. Driver of the dump truck, identified as 85-year-old Uwe Jens Stehnike of Grants Pass died at the scene.
40-Year-Old Cesar Abarca Carillo Identified as Construction Worker Killed in Accident on Morena Boulevard
BAY PARK, CA – Authorities identified 40-year-old Cesar Abarca Carillo of San Diego as the construction worker killed in an accident on Morena Boulevard, Sunday evening. According to the San Diego Police Department, the incident happened on October 27, at about 9:30 p.m. For reasons still under investigation, Carillo was struck by an excavator at the construction site in the 1900 block of Morena Boulevard. Emergency crews rushed the victim to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he later died. The San Diego police and the California Department of Industrial Relations will investigate the fatal accident. Authorities will release additional information once it becomes available.
Border Patrol employee killed in two-vehicle crash in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County, Texas — A Border Patrol Processing Coordinator was killed Friday night after a truck driving on the wrong side of the road crashed into their transport van, according to Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson Sgt. Maria Hernandez. The crash occurred at around 8:46 p.m. on U.S. 281 Military Highway east of FM 493 in Hidalgo County. Hernandez said preliminary investigation revealed a U.S. Border Patrol transport van, occupied by a male driver and a passenger identified as 21-year-old Jose Martin Rodriguez-Lua, a Brownsville resident, was traveling eastbound on U.S. 281 Military Highway east of FM 493. A Ford-150, occupied by an unidentified male driver, was traveling on the wrong side of the road, not passing westbound on U.S. 281 Military Highway, and collided head-on with the transport van, according to Hernandez. Hernandez said the Ford rolled over and became engulfed in flames.
Portsmouth shipyard worker who went missing over a week ago found dead
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The body of Derrick Fluellen, a missing Portsmouth shipyard worker, was recovered, his family confirmed to News 3 Monday. Fluellen was last seen over a week ago on Saturday, October 26 working on a ship at Portsmouth Marine Terminal, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard said the search for Fluellen–which took place the weekend he went missing and the following Thursday–included boats in the Elizabeth River, a helicopter, sonar and cell phone data. The circumstances leading up to Fluellen’s death are unclear. News 3 has reached out to the Virginia Port Authority Police Department–the agency that’s been investigating his disappearance.
Yakima worker killed in forklift rollover accident
YAKIMA, Wash. – An accident involving a forklift rolling over resulted in the death of a Yakima man on Tue., Nov. 5. Chief Deputy Coroner Marshall Slight reported that the incident occurred near Smurfit WestRock at around 10:30 p.m. The victim, 62-year-old John Scerbik, was on duty transporting materials for WestRock when the forklift he was operating went off the road. The vehicle flipped and rolled, trapping him underneath. Deputy Coroner Slight stated that Scerbik died at the scene due to a crushing injury to the chest, confirming it was an accidental death in a Nov. 6 autopsy.
Monroe County Sheriff: Construction worker killed in I-90 crash was hit by drunken driver
Oakdale, WI — Authorities say a road construction worker was killed Friday when the driver of a pickup truck crashed into the machine the worker was operating on Interstate 90 west of Oakdale. The Monroe County Sheriff’s office said Isaac Morales Jr., 25, was drunk when the pickup truck he was driving struck the rear of a semi before colliding with the road surface machine operated by 35-year-old Andrew Skupniewitz. Skupniewitz was pronounced dead at the scene. Morales and a passenger in his vehicle sustained minor injuries. Morales was arrested by Tomah police and booked into the Monroe County Jail on Nov. 2. He faces charges including homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, driving with a revoked driver’s license, drunken driving as a second offense and possession of THC.
Man Killed in Pennsylvania Excavator Mishap
STOWE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 52-year-old man was killed in a workplace accident in Stowe Township when an excavator tipped over, striking him with its bucket, authorities said. The Allegheny County Police Department’s Homicide Unit responded to the incident after receiving a call from County 9-1-1 at approximately 11:19 a.m. on Friday. First responders arrived at the 2200 block of Robinson Boulevard, where they found the victim deceased at the scene. According to preliminary findings, the man was struck by the bucket of the excavator as it overturned. Detectives determined that there was no foul play involved in the incident. The investigation has since been turned over to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which will conduct a thorough review to determine the circumstances leading to the fatal accident.
NY Thruway worker struck and killed on I-90
Hanover, NY — A state Thruway worker was killed while working on Interstate 90 Monday morning in Chautauqua County, according to New York State Police. Stephen C. Ebling, a maintenance employee for the New York State Thruway Authority, died Monday after he was struck by a westbound vehicle near Exit 58 in Hanover, said Trooper James O’Callaghan. Ebling was 58 and a resident of Eden, Erie County. Ebling was stopped on the left shoulder of the highway near mile marker 455 with a Thruway Authority vehicle. Ebling was standing in front of his vehicle when a car driven by a 20-year-old Ohio man crossed over the hazard markings on the highway toward the Thruway vehicle, according to State Police. “To avoid the potential collision, Ebling ran into the passing lane of the I-90 and was struck by the (involved car) after it corrected back into the left lane,” O’Callaghan said in a news release.
N.J. truck driver killed in overnight crash on highway ramp
Camden County, NJ — A truck driver was killed after he crashed on the ramp from Interstate 76 east to Interstate 295 in Camden County on Monday morning, officials said. Jorge Valdivia was navigating the tractor-trailer just after 2 a.m. in Bellmawr when the truck went over the right guardrail and down an embankment, State Police said. Valdivia, of North Arlington, was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Semi driver killed in multi-vehicle accident Tuesday morning identified as Chicago man
Kane County, IL — On Thursday, the Kane County Coroner’s Office announced the identity of the semi truck driver killed in an accident involving two semi tractor-trailers Tuesday morning. The driver was identified as 32-year-old David Brown of Chicago. The accident took place at Miller Road and Route 31 near West Dundee at approximately 7:40. The coroner’s office took possession of Brown’s body and conducted an autopsy on Wednesday. The preliminary cause of death was noted as multiple injuries. Toxicology samples were collected and sent to a forensic lab for analysis.
BNSF employee killed in train-truck collision identified
NEW ROCKFORD, N.D. (KFGO) – Eddy County Sheriff Paul Lies has released the name of a BNSF Railway employee who was killed when he backed a track-service truck across the tracks and into the path a train northwest of New Rockford. Darrin Polansky, 58, of Brainerd, Minnesota died. A passenger in the truck, 53-year-old Chad Chandler of Baldwin, Wisconsin, was treated at the hospital in Carrington. The collision happened late Monday morning. Lies says Polansky died at the scene.
Houston firefighter dies battling warehouse fire in Greater East End
HOUSTON, TX — The Houston Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of their own after he died battling a three-alarm warehouse fire in the Greater East End Wednesday night. Marcelo Garcia, 42, has been identified as the firefighter who died. A second firefighter was hospitalized but is expected to be OK. Garcia was a 10-year veteran assigned to Station 23, fire officials said. He died when a wall collapsed. The incident began when fire crews responded to a warehouse fire just before 11 p.m. on Supply Row near Polk Street, just west of Highway 90. According to fire officials, a second alarm was pulled at 11:04 p.m., and minutes later, a mayday was called following a wall collapse, leading to a third alarm. Garcia and another firefighter were taken to Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center after being injured in the collapse.
Construction worker falls to their death at Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) – Virginia Tech says a construction worker has fallen to their death on November 6. According to a release, a construction worker at the wind tunnel renovation project near the former Randolph Hall on Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg Campus died after a fall. A second worker was also injured; however, the current status of their injuries is unknown. The construction sites located on the campus are under the control of the contractor and the two workers involved in the incident are not university employees. The incident is still under investigation by University Police. Virginia Tech has released the following statement regarding the incident.
Construction worker dies after being hit by car on I-75 in Detroit
DETROIT, MI – A construction worker died from injuries he suffered after he was hit by a car while in a work zone Wednesday in Detroit. Police said the 53-year-old Lincoln Park man was working in the right lane of southbound I-75 near Springwells when he was hit by a Kia car driven by a 71-year-old Allen Park man around 1:40 p.m. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he died overnight.
Tow Truck Driver Killed in Brown County Crash After Hydroplaning
BLANKET, TX – A 43-year-old tow truck driver from Glen Rose died Sunday morning after his vehicle hydroplaned and overturned on U.S. Highway 67/377 near Blanket Creek. This happened around 11:30 a.m., according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The driver, identified as Lucas Bentley Randall, was traveling southbound in a 2012 Peterbilt 337 tow truck when his vehicle lost traction on the wet road. Randall overcorrected after skidding toward the median, causing the truck to veer off the west side of the road and overturn. Randall was pronounced deceased at the scene by Justice of the Peace Bryan Thompson. DPS reported that Randall was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Chicago Police officer killed in shootout on city’s South Side
CHICAGO, IL — A Chicago Police officer was killed in a shootout in the East Chatham neighborhood Monday night. Just after 8 p.m., officers from the Gresham (6th) District stopped a vehicle with three occupants in the 8000 block of South Ingleside Avenue. As officers approached, one of the occupants opened fire on an officer with what sounded like rapid gunfire, according to police Supt. Larry Snelling. The officer, identified as 26-year-old Enrique Martinez, was struck multiple times. Martinez was driven to the University of Chicago Medical Center by fellow officers, and he died at the hospital, Snelling said. An occupant of the vehicle was also struck by the gunfire and killed, Snelling said. Snelling said this occupant was believed to have been killed “by the gunfire that was released in the vehicle.”
Walmart employee shot, killed by accused shoplifter, authorities say
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Walmart employee in southeastern North Carolina was shot and killed after confronting a man accused of shoplifting from the store Saturday evening. According to officials with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, several employees tried to stop 35-year-old Dean Michael Newman from shoplifting when a fight started. Newman pulled out a gun and fired one shot that hit employee Mark Thomas Paz. Paz was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 6 p.m.
Construction worker, dad of 3 killed in Kennedy Expressway hit-and-run
CHICAGO, IL — A construction worker was killed in a hit-and-run on the Kennedy Expressway Monday night, Illinois State Police said. The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. in the outbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway at Kinzie Street. State police closed several lanes of traffic Monday night while they investigated the crash that killed 54-year-old Francisco Javier Padilla-Gutierrez, who was working there. Police said Padilla-Gutierrez was on a lift, painting the walls in the tunnel, when a tractor trailer hit the lift and kept going. Two other vehicles then crashed, but no one was injured. Padilla-Gutierrez was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died. “Says goodbye to family, goes to work. ‘I’ll be back at 5, 6 in the morning.’ It wasn’t the case,” said Jorge Padilla, the victim’s nephew.
Tow truck driver killed when truck overturns on wet road
Brownwood, TX — A tow truck driver from Glen Rose was killed Sunday in Brown County when the truck he was driving hydroplaned on a wet road and overturned.
2 Workers Killed At Navy Pier By Disgruntled Ex-Employee: Authorities
CHICAGO, IL — Two workers were killed by a disgruntled ex-employee while on the job Tuesday at Navy Pier, according to authorities. Officers responded around 1:30 p.m. to shots fired on the north side of the pier in a loading dock office in the 600 block of East Grand Avenue, where the two men were struck, police said, adding the gunman fled but a person of interest was being sought. A shelter-in-place ordered at the pier was lifted by 3 p.m., a spokesperson said. The men, ages 47 and 51, were both shot in the head and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital but succumbed to their injuries, according to authorities, who said that the victims worked for a subcontractor and that the shooter was a former employee of a subcontractor who had been terminated in mid-October. The victims were identified as Lamont Johnson, 51, and Peter Jennings, 47, according to the medical examiner.
Fargo taxi driver dies while behind the wheel
FARGO, N.D. – The husband of a Fargo taxi driver says he doesn’t know how to move on after her death. Fred Flood says his wife Juni Flood died suddenly on Friday after suffering a stroke while on the job. The driver for Doyle’s Taxi had just pulled into a parking lot when she suffered the stroke and died. It took her husband hours to find her in her cab.
Lawncare worker dead after being hit by out-of-control car
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A lawncare worker died Wednesday afternoon after a Jeep veered off Braddock Road and struck him. Around 2:50 p.m., a man in his early 20s was edging the sidewalk, when a teenager driving a Jeep lost control of the car and veered off the roadway, according to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The lawncare worker was pronounced dead at the scene. JSO says the driver of the Jeep stopped and is cooperating with investigators.
Truck driver dies after being struck by auger conveyor
RHODES, Mich (WNEM) – A 65-year-old truck driver was killed while picking up a load of soybeans on Nov. 1, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) said. According to MIOSHA’s preliminary investigation, a farm – located in Rhodes – stored soybeans in two storage bins that were on a trailer connected to a truck. MIOSHA said while moving the empty bins back, the trailer or grain bin struck the auger conveyor, which then tipped over and pinned the victim to the ground. The death is believed to be covered by the MIOSH Act.
Golden police officer fatally struck by suspected DUI driver while investigating crash on Highway 58
GOLDEN, Colo. — A Golden police officer was killed — a second seriously injured — after they were struck by a suspected DUI driver while investigating a crash on Highway 58 Wednesday evening. Golden Police Chief Joe Harvey said three of his officers were called out to investigate a crash on Highway 58 near Washington Avenue around 5 p.m. The officers were outside of their vehicles when two were struck by a suspected DUI driver, according to Harvey. The two officers were trapped underneath the vehicle. One of the officers was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The second officer, Evan Dunn, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene.