How workers died last week. Trench collapse, crushed by industrial machinery, coal mine fall, electrocution, traffic accident, paint booth, shooting. 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.
Two construction workers killed in a trench collapse in Maryland
Construction worker electrocuted in North Lawndale identified by officials
Chicago, IL — A construction worker was killed and another was injured after coming into contact with an electrical current at a West Side construction site this week.Two workers, who ABC7 is told were not ComEd employees, were on a crane, working very close to several power lines, when things went wrong around 8:30 a.m. Chicago police say a 33-year old man died from his injuries, and a 26-year old man was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital for observation, reportedly in good condition. The deceased worker was identified Saturday by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Officer as 33-year-old Francisco Javier Ruiz-Reyes of Harvey, Illinois. His death was ruled an accident due to “electrocution, aerial lift contacting electrical wires,” medical examiner records showed. ComEd said the two workers were not ComEd employees nor were they contracted by ComEd. Employees of the city of Chicago, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and ComEd had been on the scene all day Tuesday, in addition to Chicago fire and Chicago police departments, who worked to secure the site and begin to investigate.
Man dies in work accident at South Carolina manufacturing site
York County, SC — A man was killed in an incident at a manufacturing factory in York County on Thursday. The incident happened at the Cummins Drivetrain and Braking Systems facility on Railroad Avenue in York on Thursday, the company said in a statement. The cause of the incident was not revealed. Stewart Campbell, 35, was taken to the hospital after the incident and later pronounced dead, according to the York County Coroner’s Office. The South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has not said if it is investigating. A request for comment has not been returned.
Worker killed at Raleigh County coal mine
Raleigh County, WV — A worker was killed in an incident at a Raleigh County coal mine on Friday, investigators said. The incident was reported just before 3 p.m. at the underground Black Eagle mine in Raleigh County, according to a report from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. The report classified the incident as a fall of face, rib, side or highwall within the mine. According to a Facebook post from Wright Concrete & Construction Inc., longtime employee Billy Stalker was the victim of the Friday accident at the Black Eagle Mine in Raleigh County. The death is the second mining-related fatality in West Virginia this year. According to the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training, a mine worker was killed in an incident at a surface mine in Boone County in January. West Virginia had five mine-related deaths in 2024, according to the state data.
Textron Aviation Employee Found Dead in Facility Paint Booth
Wichita, KS — A 61-year-old Textron Aviation employee was found unresponsive inside a paint booth at the company’s east Wichita facility on Monday afternoon and was later pronounced dead. he man was identified as 61-year-old Rocky Baldwin, of Wichita. Emergency crews responded to the Textron Aviation plant located at 9700 East Central shortly after 12:00 PM. The man was found not breathing while wearing a ventilator mask inside the facility’s paint booth. Despite medical treatment provided at the scene, he was pronounced dead around 12:30 PM. Authorities have not yet released the worker’s name as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death remains ongoing. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, along with Sedgwick County Fire District 1 and the Sedgwick County Coroner’s Office, are assisting in the investigation. Industrial facilities, including aviation plants, require strict safety measures, particularly in environments where employees work with chemicals, paint, and enclosed spaces. Paint booths often involve exposure to fumes, ventilation systems, and specialized protective equipment, making proper air circulation and monitoring critical for worker safety. While authorities are still investigating the cause of this incident, workplace fatalities can sometimes result from factors such as exposure to toxic fumes, equipment malfunctions, or medical emergencies.
Two workers die in fall at US wind farm
Winside, NE — Two workers have died in a fall at a US wind farm after a maintenance crew experienced equipment failure. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement on its Facebook page that the incident had occurred on 22 February south of Winside, a small rural town in Nebraska. Recharge subsequently confirmed that the project concerned is Orsted’s 230MW Plum Creek equipped with GE Vernova turbines. “A wind turbine maintenance crew experienced an equipment failure, which resulted in two men falling from a turbine,” it said. “Eddy Noriega Sebinet (age 46) and Raidel Justiz Noriega (age 37) were pronounced deceased at the scene.” The sheriff’s office said it was assisted at the scene by the Winside Volunteer Fire Department. The accident remains under investigation, said the sheriff’s office, which declined to share any further details of the incident with Recharge.
At least one truck driver killed in fatal fiery chain-reaction crash possibly caused by dust
Tonopah, AZ — At least one truck driver and three other people died after a fiery chain-reaction crash involving a dozen vehicles on an Arizona interstate. Several other people were hurt and hospitalized. The incident happened around 1 p.m. Saturday on Interstate 10 near Tonopah. The Arizona Department of Public Safety said one collision occurred, leading to more secondary crashes, KPHO/KTVK reports. A dozen vehicles were involved, including six commercial vehicles, four passenger vehicles, a van and an RV towing a trailer. The crashes caused multiple vehicles to catch fire. DPS confirmed Sunday that four people died in the incident. Two people remain in critical condition, and one person was admitted to the hospital. Five others were treated and released. One of those killed was confirmed to be the driver of a commercial vehicle.
Worker and patron shot to death in bar fight over spilled drink
Redland, FL — An employee and a customer were shot to death after an argument broke out Sunday night at a bar in deep southwest Miami-Dade, a third individual was also injured. The incident happened around 9 p.m. at Club Glades, 18401 SW 256th St. in the Redland, the county’s farming community, said Detective Samantha Choon, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman. Paul Edward Koch, 62, was in an argument with someone in the bar, pulled his gun and fatally shot an employee and a customer, said Detective Joseph Peguero, another sheriff’s office spokesperson. The third person wounded was not actually involved in the dispute, but rather pulled his handgun while trying to get away from the situation and accidentally shot himself in the leg, Peguero said. That man’s condition was not immediately available, according to the sheriff’s office. Koch was booked into Turner Guilford Correctional Center on two counts of second-degree murder with a weapon. A judge has not set his bond as of Monday morning, and information about his legal representation was not immediately available.
Dump Truck Driver Killed in Single Vehicle Rollover
Smyrna, DE — On February 26, 2025, a commercial vehicle driver was killed. A 1995 Freightliner dump truck was traveling in the right southbound lane of Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway (State Route 1), approaching the East Commerce Street overpass in Smyrna. A blown tire caused the Freightliner to exit the right side of the roadway. As it continued traveling in a southwesterly direction off the roadway, the Freightliner struck a steep berm and ultimately overturned. The driver of the Freightliner, 63-year-old Harry Brown of Magnolia, was transported to an area hospital, where he died.
Shop owner and unidentified victim killed in employment dispute at Tire shop
Atlanta, GA — Two men were killed in a shooting in southeast Atlanta late Thursday afternoon during a dispute. Atlanta police said the two victims were shot on the 2900 block of Jonesboro Road SE, at a tire shop. Investigators said three people were involved in the incident, including the owner of the tire shop, his son and a third person. They confirmed the owner of the tire shop and the third person involved, were killed in what appears to be a disgruntled employee situation. Police have not said what led up to the shooting or if any arrests have been made. Tire shop owner, 56-year-old Maurice Davis, was the first person killed.
Worker dies in incident at Chart Industries in New Iberia
Sulphur man dies in apparent work accident
Calcasieu, LA — The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating an apparent accidental death in Starks. At about 4 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies were dispatched to 1043 Highway 109 South in Starks in reference to heavy machinery falling on someone. Upon deputies’ arrival they learned an employee, Marcus D. Humphries, 21, Sulphur, sustained fatal injuries after heavy machinery fell on him. CPSO detectives arrived on scene and took over the investigation. Information discovered during the initial investigation revealed Humphries was part of a subcontracted crew performing work at the site when he was crushed by a 9,000 pound piece of heavy equipment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be conducting a separate investigation. Drilling contractor Tiger Well Service confirmed the accident at the Starks Brine Field is under investigation by agencies including OSHA. Westlake Corporation operates the facility near La. 109.
Broadmoor World Arena employee dies from injuries following bus crash Thursday
Colorado Springs, CO — A worker is dead after being hit by a charter bus in Colorado Springs. According to police, the accident happened around noon along Willwood Road near the Bob Johnson Drive intersection. They say a man was hit by a charter bus. According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) the man who died was an employee of the Broadmoor World Arena. They say he was working at the time the incident happened. CSPD says the driver of the bus was the only one on-board when the crash happened. No other details were provided. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Wyoming Truck Driver killed in U.S. 30 accident
Wanatah, WY — A 34-year-old Wyoming truck driver was killed Thursday afternoon in an accident. La Porte County Coroner John Sullivan said a semi steel hauler driven by Andrew Costa, Sheridan, Wyo., was westbound at 3 p.m. on U.S. 30 at CR-700W when it struck the back of a slow-moving semi in front of it. The driver of that vehicle sustained only minor injuries, Sullivan said.
Authorities investigate a worker’s death inside a grain bin in Dallas County, Mo.
NEAR BUFFALO, Mo. (KY3) – Authorities are investigating the death of a worker in a large grain bin in Dallas County. Deputies and firefighters responded to the workplace accident at Ozark Organic. Emergency crews found the man dead inside the grain bin. Investigators have not released a cause of death or the worker’s identity. The Fair Grove Fire Protection District assisted in the incident. It is one of the few districts in the area with the equipment and training to respond to these incidents.