Dead on the Job: The Weekly Toll

How workers died last week: Falls, firefighting, grain bin suffocation, lumber mill, vehicular collisions, forklifts, shootings, occupational cancer. On average, 100 workers die every week from traumatic injuries on the job in the United States. 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. Why We Write The Weekly Toll.

ILWU worker dies in Port of LA incident now under investigation

LOS ANGELES, CA — A port union worker died Sunday, June 7, at a Port of Los Angeles terminal in what has been characterized as a tragic incident by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Details of what happened have not been released and the circumstances remain under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and Cal/OSHA. The worker was a member of ILWU Local 94. A union bulletin, “Tragedy at APMT,” was issued Monday to inform union members. “Tragically, a fatality occurred yesterday at APMT/Maersk,” the bulletin read. “At this time, the circumstances surrounding the incident remains under investigation, and details are limited.”

Man killed in Cottonwood County grain elevator accident

STORDEN, MN — A southwestern Minnesota man is dead after being trapped in a grain bin. On Thursday night, Cottonwood County sheriff’s officials responded to a call after the man had disappeared into the bin on a farm near Storden. First responders found 72-year-old William Quade submerged in about three feet of corn. Quade was taken to Sanford Westbrook Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Semi-truck driver killed in Saturday morning crash in Lamb County

LAMB COUNTY, TX — A 54-year-old Texas man was killed Saturday morning when the semi-truck he was driving rolled over on U.S. Highway 84 in Lamb County, DPS said. Clodoaldo Faustino Salas of Socorro was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash at about 10:34 a.m. about a mile northwest of County Road 267. He was not wearing a seat belt, officials said. Investigators said the Freightliner truck-tractor towing a semitrailer was traveling northwest in rainy, wet conditions when it left the roadway into the median, crossed lanes and entered a barrow ditch before crossing back across the highway. The truck and trailer began to skid, rolled over and came to rest on the driver’s side. No other injuries were reported.

Man killed after being trapped between semi-cab truck, power lift system in Mixon Town

JACKSONVILLE, FL — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a man was killed after being trapped between a semi-cab truck and a power lift system in Mixon Town on Tuesday. JSO said the accident took place at 10 Stockton Street at the Absolute Truck Repair building. At 10 a.m., officers arrived and found a male employee lying next to a heavy-duty vehicle lift system with extensive injuries. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue arrived and said the man died at the scene. JSO said the man was working on a semi-cab truck, which was being placed onto a power lift system. At some point, the semi-cab truck shifted, causing it to fall and trap the man between the lift system and the semi-cab. Investigators are on scene working with the Medical Examiner’s Office and OSHA.

Man dies in ‘fatal workplace accident’ in Buckhannon

BUCKHANNON, WV — A Marion County man is dead after what deputies describe as a “fatal workplace accident” at an Upshur County lumber mill. According to a release from the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on June 9 at around 3 p.m., deputies responded to a report of an industrial accident at the Appalachian Forest Products facility in Buckhannon. When emergency crews arrived on the scene, they located Michael D. Martin, 73, of Mannington, who “had sustained fatal injuries as a result of the incident.” He was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies said that the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation, adding that the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office is “working in cooperation with appropriate workplace safety and regulatory agencies to determine the events that led to the incident.”

Coroner: 31-year-old Reading man dead after workplace accident

EXETER TWP., PA — Authorities in Berks County are investigating a deadly workplace accident that happened on Wednesday morning. Police in Exeter Township and the Berks County Coroner responded to a report that came in at 10:54 a.m. of a male worker in a bucket truck in the rear of a private residence in the 4000 block of Grant Street in Exeter Township. The victim, a 31-year-old Reading man employed by a local tree service company, had reportedly been trimming a hedgerow when the equipment he was operating came into contact with an electrical power line, according to coroner Matthew Stitzel.

Sun Valley man killed in industrial accident in Storey County

STOREY COUNTY, NV — A Sun Valley man is dead after authorities say he was hit and crushed by an excavator bucket in Storey County early Tuesday morning. Deputies say the incident happened at a business on Peru Drive in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, just after 7 a.m. Deputies say despite life saving measures, 64-year-old Trino Saucedo Lechuga died on scene. The Storey County Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration are conducting investigations.

Jackson-Milton school worker dies following on-campus incident

MILTON TWP., OH — Those at the Jackson-Milton Local School District are mourning the loss of their maintenance supervisor. David Cameron, 53, passed away following an incident reported at the high school on Wednesday afternoon. According to a Milton Township Police report, Cameron was hit in the head with a tree branch. Workers at the school were administering CPR when officers arrived. EMS took Cameron to the hospital. Cameron later died from his injuries.

OSHA investigating after 50-year-old man killed in forklift incident in York County

YORK COUNTY, PA — OSHA confirmed it’s investigating after a workplace accident claimed the life of a man in Heidelberg Township. The accident was reported around 12:23 p.m. Wednesday on Amy Way near Gitts Run Road. The York County Coroner’s Office confirmed that a 50-year-old man became trapped by a large concrete block while operating a forklift. The concrete block was being used as a counterweight on the forklift, the coroner’s office said. However, when the forklift tilted, the operator became trapped and was killed. The incident happened at a Mid-Atlantic Precast job site, according to a release from the coroner.

Worker dies in fall from scaffolding into empty pool at Pittsburgh Obama Academy

PITTSBURGH, PA — A worker died after a fall from construction scaffolding into the empty pool at Pittsburgh Obama 6-12 in the city’s East Liberty neighborhood, a Pittsburgh Public Schools spokesperson said. The incident happened at about 9 a.m. Monday, while work was being done on the pool at the school on North Highland Avenue, PPS spokesperson Ebony Pugh said in a statement. “Arriving responders located the adult female at the bottom of the empty pool after she fell approximately thirty feet. The victim suffered traumatic injuries to her head, consistent with a fall of that height,” the statement said. “She was transported by Pittsburgh EMS in grave condition. She unfortunately succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital shortly after arrival.” The medical examiner has not released the name of the worker who died. Pugh said the woman worked for a contractor and was not a school district employee.

Man in Bucket Truck Dies of Electrocution After Equipment Comes into Contact with Power Line While He’s Trimming Hedgerow

Exeter Township, Pa — A worker for a tree service company was electrocuted while trimming a hedgerow on June 10 in Exeter Township, Penn., authorities said. The Berks County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Erik Reyna-Wright, 31, of Reading. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident. In a Thursday, June 11, updated news release, the Berks County Coroner’s Office detailed the circumstances that led to the death of Erik Reyna-Wright in what is being described as a workplace accident. Authorities said that on the morning of Wednesday, June 10, Berks County 911 dispatch was notified about Reyna-Wright, an employee for a local tree service company, who was in a bucket truck in the rear of a private residence in the 4000 block of Grant Street. Authorities said Reyna-Wright was reportedly trimming a hedgerow “when the equipment he was operating came into contact with an electrical power line.”

Twelve people killed in Missouri plane crash, aircraft operator says

BUTLER, MO — Eleven skydivers and a pilot died in the ​crash of a private plane on Sunday in Butler, Missouri, ‌aircraft operator Skydive Kansas City said. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the crash occurred near the Butler Memorial Airport, about 60 miles (100 km) south of ​Kansas City, Missouri. “Tragically, all 12 individuals aboard lost their lives in ​the accident,” the skydiving company said. The names of ⁠those involved will not be released until all next of kin have ​been notified, the company said. It added that it is working closely ​with local authorities, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Man crushed to death by vehicle inside Stuart tire shop service bay

STUART, FL — A deadly workplace accident in Stuart is now under investigation. It happened Tuesday morning at Atlantic Tire on Southeast Monterey Road. Martin County Fire Rescue says crews responded around 6:30 a.m. and found a 24-year-old tire technician pinned by a vehicle inside a service bay. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Stuart police say the victim had been helping guide an elderly customer’s truck into the service bay at the time of the incident. According to investigators, the customer was behind the wheel as the truck drove onto a drive-on vehicle lift when it suddenly lunged forward. The worker was pinned against a wall inside the shop. The business, Atlantic Tire Center Tire Pros, tells CBS12 News the tire tech was killed when a customer accidentally drove into the garage bay and hit the worker, pinning him. Police also confirmed the worker was not alone at the time, and that the vehicle lift itself did not malfunction. The Stuart Police Department and OSHA are now investigating the death as a workplace incident. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.

Fugitive Manhunt: Tampa Hit-And-Run Now A Murder After Nightclub Guard Killed

TAMPA, FL — A fatal hit-and-run outside a local after-hours nightclub has officially turned into a homicide manhunt. Tampa police detectives, working alongside federal marshals, are actively hunting for a 32-year-old man accused of intentionally using his car as a weapon to strike and kill a security guard early Sunday morning. The incident unfolded around 4:30 a.m. on June 7, 2026, inside the Vale after-hours nightclub at 7123 N. Armenia Ave. According to police, Jose Zamora Valdes was being kicked out of the club following an altercation with a woman he knew. While security staff escorted him outside, Zamora Valdes shoved the woman, causing her to stumble into another customer and spark a brief verbal argument. Shortly after, a security guard—described as a Hispanic man in his mid-30s—began walking toward his car with a friend, a Hispanic man in his early 40s. Investigators say Zamora Valdes got into his own vehicle, drove northbound on Armenia Avenue, and then made a sharp, deliberate turn directly into the security guard. The guard suffered critical injuries and later died at the hospital. His friend was also struck but sustained only minor injuries.

Farmer dies after his industrial sprayer collided with a train

WICHITA, KS — A farmer died Monday after his industrial farm sprayer collided with a train. The Kansas Highway Patrol said Ryan Friedrichs, 41, was driving the sprayer on a private driveway when he failed to stop at a stop sign. The sprayer was hit by a train, and Friedrichs was ejected. Two conductors on the train were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Hammond business increases security after employee killed in gas station shooting

HAMMOND, LA — A Hammond business is increasing security after police say someone killed one of its employees at a nearby gas station. Police say the suspects were targeting someone else but killed Patricia Sheppard. The suspects tracked the car Sheppard was in from her workplace, Wayne Sanderson Farms, police said. “We were shocked and saddened to learn about the death of Ms. Sheppard and the circumstances surrounding the situation. We’re working directly with investigators to provide any assistance they need to solve this crime, and we are increasing security and law enforcement patrols at our properties as a precaution,” said Wayne-Sanderson Farms Hammond Complex Manager Stephen Selman. Wayne Sanderson Farms is increasing security and law enforcement patrols as a precaution. The business is also helping its workers with grief counseling.

County officials mourn area EMT who died in the line of duty

BROOKVILLE, PA — At Tuesday morning’s Jefferson County commissioners meeting, Tracy Zents, director of emergency services, gave a sad update by informing those in attendance of the sudden death of one of their own. Scott Wachob, who died in the line of duty, was an advanced emergency technician for Clearfield EMS Medic 1, and an EMT for Reynoldsville Sykesville Ambulance. He was also a member of Brady Township Fire, Rescue & Ambulance, where he served as secretary. Zents said this sudden loss further cripples an alarming situation that not only local counties but the state of Pennsylvania itself are dealing with, and that is the shortage in first responders.

Walker Co. inmate dies while on work crew

Huntsville, TX — Texas Rangers are investigating the death of a Walker County inmate who died while assigned to a county work crew. Walker County Sheriff Clint R. McRae said that on Tuesday about 9:30 a.m., an inmate work crew from the Walker County Sheriffs Office was assigned to the Walker County Courthouse to perform outdoor grounds maintenance under the supervision of Sheriffs Office personnel. During the work assignment, one of the inmates collapsed and became unresponsive. Sheriffs Office staff immediately notified emergency medical services and began life-saving measures. Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and transported the inmate to Huntsville Memorial Hospital for further treatment. Despite all efforts by first responders and medical personnel, the inmate was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Farm worker, 23, dies while transporting newborn livestock in U.P.

DAGGETT, MI — A farm worker is dead after an incident in which an off-road vehicle rolled and pinned the victim to the ground, authorities said. On June 6, the 23-year-old farm worker was transporting newborn livestock from one farm location to another that was approximately two miles away in the area of Daggett in Menominee County, according to preliminary information released by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Driving on a county road with an off-road vehicle, the victim attempted to turn at an intersection, officials said. The vehicle rolled and pinned the victim to the ground, resulting in their death.

Victim in Sunday RC fairgrounds shooting dies

SIOUX FALLS, SD — The victim who was injured in a June 7 shooting at the Central States Fairground in Rapid City has died. On June 7, Maintenance Manager Paul Nebel, 50, of Rapid City, sustained serious injuries after authorities say being shot by 58-year-old employee John Troy Lee. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that Nebel died from his injuries sustained in the shooting. Lee had been residing in a camper on fairgrounds property, and preliminary investigation indicates Nebel was addressing a personnel issue with Lee when the incident occurred. Following the shooting, Lee fled from Rapid City, where he was later located by Oglala Sioux Tribal Law Enforcement on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Texas firefighter dies after injuries suffered at trailer fire

ODESSA, TX — Odessa Fire Rescue is mourning the death of Lt. Isai Huerta, who was injured while battling a trailer fire. According to the city of Odessa, firefighters responded around 4:59 p.m. on June 14 to a trailer fire in the 1900 block of South Westcliff. Officials said conditions deteriorated while crews were operating at the scene, injuring three firefighters. All three were transported to Medical Center Hospital. Huerta, 29, died from his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The two other firefighters injured in the incident suffered non-life-threatening injuries and are receiving treatment and support, officials said.

Second firefighter dies from injuries at Maine lumber mill fire and explosion

PORTLAND, ME — A second firefighter has died from injuries suffered while fighting a fire and explosion at a Maine lumber mill last month. The May 15 fire at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont sent plumes of black smoke into the sky and necessitated a response from hundreds of firefighters to a rural part of the state. Searsmont Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury, 76, died Sunday morning from his injuries, the Maine Department of Public Safety said. Woodbury was among more than 10 people injured in the fire and explosion. Andrew Cross, 27, of the Morrill Volunteer Fire Department also died.

Cincinnati firefighter dies after battle with occupational cancer, union announces

CINCINNATI, OH — A Cincinnati firefighter has died of occupational cancer, the Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 announced Thursday. Ryan Zwick, a 43-year-old who has spent 12 years fighting fires, died following a fight with occupational cancer connected to the exposures he had throughout his career. Zwick spent his entire career with Truck 35 in Westwood, where union leaders said he “served with honor, professionalism and an unwavering commitment to protecting others.” “Ryan’s passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the sacrifices firefighters make throughout their careers and the lasting impact occupational cancer continues to have on our profession,” Joe Elliott, Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 president, said in a statement. “We ask the community to keep Ryan’s family, friends and fellow firefighters in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Because of the cause, Zwick’s death is recognized as an Occupational Cancer Line of Duty Death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters due to their exposure to dangerous substances like gas, vapors or particulates that are known or suspected to cause cancer.

Rockdale County firefighter dies after fire truck overturns in crash

CONYERS, GA — A Rockdale County firefighter died Friday after a fire truck overturned in a rollover crash at Sigman Road and Eastview Road. Rockdale County officials confirmed the tragedy and are asking the community to keep the emergency responders and the victim’s family in their prayers. According to the Georgia State Patrol, a Rockdale County Fire Rescue truck rollover accident at the intersection of Sigman Road and Eastview Road around 5 p.m. Friday while responding to a structure fire call in the area. Investigators say the truck was turning left and overturned onto the passenger side, ejecting a firefighter riding in the back. The firefighter died at the scene.

Dispute between city workers leads to deadly shooting in Downtown Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV — A city worker allegedly shot and killed a colleague in Downtown Las Vegas Friday morning after a long-running dispute, according to police. The shooting was reported just after 6 a.m. in the area of 7th Street and Stewart Avenue, near Las Vegas Boulevard and Interstate 11/U.S. 95, said Lt. Robert Price with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. The suspect had called 911 and reported shooting his coworker, according to Price. Officers arrived to find a man suffering from a gunshot wound inside the office, and medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. The officers located the suspect at the scene and took him into custody. Homicide detectives learned the suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Brysen Kim, and the victim were city of Las Vegas maintenance workers who had an ongoing dispute “for a while,” according to Price. “Today, when they came into work, a verbal argument ensued, turning physical, resulting in the suspect pulling out a firearm and shooting his coworker,” he said.

Amherst soldier dies in training accident in California

FORT STEWART, GA — A 3rd Infantry Division Soldier from Amherst who was stationed at Fort Stewart was killed during a training exercise at Fort Irwin, California, on Wednesday, a 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson said. Spc. Adrian Bonsey, 29, was struck and killed by an M2 Bradley at approximately 4:30 a.m. Bonsey was performing his duties in the training area during hours of limited visibility, the spokesperson said.

Columbus barbecue worker dies after medical emergency following shooting

COLUMBUS, OH — An employee of a popular Columbus barbecue restaurant has died following a medical emergency after a shooting Saturday morning in Columbus, according to the Columbus Police Department. Police said officers responded shortly after 1:30 a.m. to the 2900 block of Peabody Avenue in reference to shots being fired into a residence. Norma Jones, 61, was not wounded by the gunfire, but police said she had a medical emergency related to the shooting. Police said a murder investigation is underway. Jones’ body was sent for an autopsy, according to police. Shelby Dixon Hood, general manager of Clearview BBQ, 4222 River Road, confirmed Jones was an employee of the restaurant for over 25 years.

Deputies identify two men who died after shooting each other inside Nash County Dollar General

WHITAKERS, NC — Nash County Sheriff’s Office identified the two men who died after a shooting Saturday morning. Deputies were called at 9:55 a.m. to reports of a shooting inside a Dollar General on South White Street in Whitakers. When they arrived, deputies said they found a man, later identified as 35-year-old Herbert Earl Lawrence Jr, who had been shot in the chest. Lawrence died from his injuries, deputies said. While investigating, deputies found a second man just a half a mile away at the intersection of Nash and White Streets who had also been shot. Deputies later identified him as 32-year-old Wilbert Silver III. He also died from his injuries. According to the investigation, deputies said the two men were arguing before exchanging gunfire. One of the men worked at the Dollar General. During a press conference on Saturday, deputies said it is unclear if the two men knew each other. Deputies believe one employee was inside of the store, but no customers were inside during the shooting.