A spate of recent struck-by accidents in Texas, Indiana and Florida have left three workers dead – and OSHA investigators busy.
In Robertson County, Texas, an employee at a used auto parts business died when a vehicle fell on him. OSHA is investigating the incident at Abco Auto Parts, which claimed the life of 43-year-old Carmelo Aguirre-Ortega on August 19th.
In Pinellas Park, Florida, the owner of Junker Joe Hauling died on August 20 while repairing a dump trailer. Witnesses say 59-year-old Joseph Freeman, Jr. was adjusting the height of a bucket on the dumping trailer when a safety bar came undone, causing the bucket to fall and crush Freeman between the bucket and the frame of the trailer.
And in Warsaw, Indiana, an employee of Meade, a pipe-laying company, was killed on August 23 in an accident involving a front-end loader.
According to the Warsaw Police Department, preliminary indications were that the front-end loader was operating in reverse when it struck the employee, causing a catastrophic head injury. The man – who was not being identified pending notification of family members – was pronounced dead at the scene.
OSHA is investigating the incidents.