Meanwhile, workers continue to die. Here are how some were killed last week: Scaffolding collapse, machinery, mudslide, falls, farming tree care, vehicle incidents, shootings stabbing. 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.
3 Workers Killed, 2 Injured in Industrial at Port Arthur
Port Arthur, TX — A work-related accident left three workers dead and two others injured early Tuesday morning in Port Arthur, according to the authorities. A scaffolding reportedly malfunctioned at the construction site and three workers fell off. The three workers died in the accident. Two other workers on the scaffolding did not fall and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is working to determine the cause of the accident. The victims were identified as Felix Jose Lopez, 42; Felipe Mendez, 25; and Reginald Magee, 41. Lopez and Mendez were pronounced dead at the scene. Magee was taken to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Machine operator dies in Baldwin Place construction accident
Putnam County, NY — A machine operator died Wednesday, April 30, at a Baldwin Place construction site after the excavator he was operating overturned and trapped him. The Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services reported that an excavator at the construction site had overturned and partially ejected the operator, trapping him under the machine. Carmel Police, Carmel Fire Department and Carmel and Mahopac Falls EMS workers responded to the scene and attempted to remove the operator, a 49-year-old resident of Pawling, from under the machine. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Carmel Police Detectives say the investigation remains ongoing. The identity of the victim was not immediately released.
Worker buried and killed by mud slide
Atascosa County, TX — A construction worker was killed on the job after getting hit by an apparent “mudslide” on Thursday. According to the chief deputy, the worker was Alan Herrarte. His body was found in the sand pit around 4:55 a.m. Friday morning. Authorities said Herrarte was operating heavy equipment when he was hit by an apparent “mudslide” while working in the bottom of a sand pit about 80 to 90 feet deep. The mudslide turned his equipment over and filled the cab with sand and mud. Authorities believe the sand got wet from the recent weather and collapsed. Atascosa County Sheriff Jake Guerra described the scene as “an avalanche at a sand plant.”
Man killed in construction site accident just 6 days before his wedding
Akron, OH — A construction worker was killed Thursday in an Akron construction site accident and was due to get married just six days later. The Summit County Medical Examiner on Friday identified the victim as Marcus Miller, 23, from Millersburg. The 23-year-old man leaves behind his fiancée, parents, siblings and members of his church family. APD Lt. Michael Murphy says Miller was working on a new housing development at the time of the incident. Murphy says workers nearby reported hearing a wall collapse, and they found Miller deceased when they checked on him. Preliminary information indicates the 23-year-old was carrying out the framework when an exterior wall collapsed, Murphy says.
One dead in Hy-Tech Mushroom Compost accident
West Grove, PA — A worker was killed during a May 1 machinery accident at the Hy-Tech Mushroom Compost facility at 155 Valley Road in West Grove. At 6:30 p.m., area fire and emergency responders were dispatched to the scene after being informed that a worker had become trapped in industrial machinery. The worker sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene and removed from the machinery just after 9 a.m. on May 2. The identity of the deceased has not been released. The death is under active investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Man dies after fall from Utz potato chip factory roof
Hanover, PA — An employee was killed in a fall from the Utz potato chip factory roof in York County Friday morning. Trever Staten, originally from Perth Amboy, New Jersey and was living in Harrisburg, according to his social media, has been identified as the man who fell approximately 30 to 34 feet onto a loading dock while setting up scaffolding on the roof of the Utz Quality Foods facility. Staten was reportedly a subcontractor who was part of a crew that was setting up scaffolding to do roof work. For an unknown reason, the man fell through a skylight and onto the loading dock below. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name hasn’t been released yet. Police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating.
UTA rail maintenance worker dies after being struck by vehicle
Salt lake City, UT — A Utah Transit Authority rail maintenance worker has passed away after being struck by a vehicle while working in Murray late April. “We are deeply saddened to share the loss of our colleague, Juan Madrid, a dedicated and beloved rail maintenance worker,” a statement from the Utah Transit Authority reads. A second employee was hit and seriously injured. UTA spokesperson Gavin Gustafson told ABC4.com a group of four employees were doing maintenance work around 1:30 a.m. near 5900 South and 300 West in Murray. As they were finishing their work, a white SUV traveling eastbound struck two of the employees. Murray Police confirmed a suspect turned themselves in after allegedly hitting the two Utah Transit Authority employees working near a FrontRunner railroad crossing on April 24.
Sheriff deputy killed in alleged vehicular homicide near college campus
Cincinnati, OH — A Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy was killed on Friday in an alleged vehicular homicide near the University of Cincinnati’s campus. The fallen officer has been identified as Larry Henderson. According to Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, Henderson served for 33 years with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in 1991. His roles with the sheriff’s office included time spent as an academy instructor, dive team member, SWAT team member, FBI task force member and bomb unit member. Henderson was working a special detail with the sheriff’s office to help assist with traffic around UC’s campus as graduation ceremonies were underway there on Friday. After being struck by the car at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Burnet Woods Drive at approximately 1 p.m., he was rushed to nearby UC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Immediately after the incident, the car’s driver, 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr., was arrested and charged with aggravated murder in connection with Henderson’s death. Hinton’s son, 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, had just been shot and killed by Cincinnati police the morning before.
Alabama Power contract worker killed by falling tree limb in Birmingham
Birmingham, AL — A contract worker for Alabama Power was killed after being hit by a falling tree in Birmingham over the weekend. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Monday identified the victim as Jeffrey Scott Duffie. He was 57 and lived in Daviston in Tallapoosa County. Duffie worked for Utility Line Construction Services. The company had contracted with Alabama Power to perform power line repairs from the strong storms that happened Friday night and into Saturday. A second victim was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Gas station employee killed in shooting
Harnett County, NC — A gas station clerk was shot and killed Saturday night. According to security video shared by an employee and reviewed by WRAL News, the shooting occurred around 11 p.m. at the Marathon gas station at the corner of N.C. Highway 87 and Broadway Road, near Sanford. The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found a man, later identified as 50-year-old Alfredo Escalona Mares, dead inside the store. An employee shared surveillance video with WRAL News and said it took barely more than a minute before the attempted robbery. The video shows a man dressed head-to-toe in black clothing enter the store carrying a pistol. After wandering behind the counter, the man is seen approaching a customer standing in front of the counter and hitting that customer with the gun. The gun appears to fire, and Mares, who was standing behind the counter, collapses. The man with the gun is then seen running out of the store.
Montgomery County bus driver died while on duty
Gaithersburg, MD — Ruize Bell who worked as a Ride On bus driver in Montgomery County died while at work on Wednesday, but not before protecting his passengers first. Ruize suffered a heart attack while driving a bus full of passengers in Gaithersburg. He was able to pull over and stop the bus before he passed away. Anthony Cash has known Ruize since he became a driver in 2012. “That’s the kind of person he wanted to be. A protector, a savior and that conversation I knew he had between him and God, he had enough time to pull his bus off, pop the brake and that was that,” said Cash. Zhane Bell is one of Ruize’s daughters. She says her father was a source of comfort to everyone who knew him.
Firefighter Dies After Sustaining Injuries at Wildland Fire
Harford, PA — Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Chip Chidester died Sunday from injuries sustained while battling a 30-acre brush fire. The fire took place on March 11 in Lenox Township, with Harford on scene providing mutual aid. Chidester suffered a serious leg fracture while battling the fire, and died from complications of the injury, WNEP reports. Flags across Susquehanna County were lowered to half-staff Tuesday in honor of Chidester, following a directive from Governor Josh Shapiro. just a day before his passing, the department held a benefit to support Chidester as he recovered from his injuries.
Truck driver in Chesterfield killed after axle collapses on him during a tow
Chesterfield, VA — A tow truck driver was killed after the axle of another vehicle collapsed on him while he was working in Chesterfield County. Police say a dump truck had been disabled at the intersection of Otterdale Road and Woolridge Road and the tow truck responded. The driver of the tow truck had to go under the dump truck to fix it when it collapsed. He died at the scene. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been called in by police to investigate this incident as an industrial accident.
Man killed in farm equipment accident
Stearns County. MN — A man died on Tuesday in what authorities describe as a farm equipment accident. When deputies arrived, they learned two men were working on a John Deere DB66 planter that was having hydraulic problems. One of the men, 46-year-old Eric Segaar, of Brooten, was underneath the planter when it’s believed the hydraulic system failed, causing the planter to lower suddenly to the ground, pinning Segaar. Segaar was freed from the planter and provided lifesaving aid by responders, but was pronounced dead at the scene.
Father of 3 killed while working on the back of a garbage truck
Lincolnton, NC — A husband and father of three was hit and killed by a car while working on the back of a garbage truck in North Carolina Tuesday night. Brandon Carpenter, 35, died in the collision. His family described him as a devoted husband and loving father. Troopers said a Mack garbage truck was stopped in the travel lane of Highway 27 when a Toyota Camry, driven by 35-year-old Danica Borders, “failed to reduce speed adequately” and hit Carpenter near the back of the truck. Paramedics rushed Carpenter to an area hospital, but he did not survive.
Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Rollover Crash In Washington
Tacoma, WA — The driver of a semi-truck was killed in a fiery crash that closed Interstate 5 in Washington early Tuesday morning, officials said. A semi-truck struck a barrier on I-5 near South 84th Street in Tacoma at around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, rolled over and burst into flames. The driver of the truck was killed in the crash and has not yet been identified.
Employee shot, killed at Austin grocery store
Chicago, IL —A gunman fatally shot an employee at a grocery store in Austin. Officers said the gunman entered the store and fatally shot a 32-year-old man who was working at the meat counter. The victim, Armontye Alexander, suffered gunshot wounds to his head and torso and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Witnesses told police that they spotted a possible female accomplice who had seemingly left their car running outside of the store. Moments after the gunfire, she was spotted running out of the shop with the gunman, and the two are said to have jumped into a small four-door, dark gray vehicle, possibly a sedan, before fleeing the scene northbound on North Laramie.