Saturday, December 20, 2003

The Weekly Toll

Worker Crushed Under Falling Lumber

DENVER -- A construction worker died Friday when he was crushed under a large pile of two-by-fours that fell off a semitrailer.

Co-workers dug him out and he was transported to a local hospital, where he died.

The 56-year-old worker was not identified.

Garbage Truck Worker Killed

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A garbage truck driver who was killed when he was run over while trying to stop his runaway truck did not set the emergency break, setting off the deadly accident, police said.

Gregory Leonard, 46, of Crafton, apparently fell while trying to jump into his out-of-control garbage truck and was run over Oct. 2.

Fast Food Employee Killed in Robbery

A San Antonio man is dead after three suspects robbed a fast food restaurant late Tuesday night.

Police say after a 21-year old clerk handed over the money, he tried to escape. Then, police say the employee was shot in the back.

Think OSHA investigated to see if the store had taken any recommended precautions to protect their late night employees? I doubt it.

Falling Boom Kills Worker

A Buras (LA) worker was killed in an industrial accident at a Venice business early Monday morning, Plaquemines Parish authorities said.

Kenneth Price, 29, a crane operator, died about 7 a.m. when the boom on a crane fell, pinning him to the ground and causing head and chest injuries, according to coroner's investigator Anthony Buras. He said an autopsy will be performed today.

The accident happened at French's Welding Service in Venice.

Worker Dies In Trench Collapse

McKEES ROCKS, Pa. -- A man was trapped and killed Monday when a trench collapsed in McKees Rocks, Channel 4's Chris Glorioso reported.

Will Steadman, 38, of Pittsburgh's North Side, was identified as the victim by a family member.

Steadman and three other people working on a sewer line nine feet under the ground floor were trapped when the walls of clay on either side of the trench apparently gave way. The other three were able to make it out.

Man Shot During Robbery Dies From Injuries

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Police searched overnight for some violent robbers in the Orlando area. The latest incident was late Wednesday night, where a Chinese restaurant worker was fatally shot in the head and another at a Game Stop store in College Park.
See comment above

Bridge worker killed in accident on barge

A worker died yesterday afternoon when a barge he was operating during reconstruction of the Potee Street Bridge on the Patapsco River struck an I-beam under the bridge, causing a pilot's station to collapse onto the man, authorities said.

The man -- Travis Mayfield, 23, of the 9400 block of Wind Pine Road in Baltimore County -- was moving the small work barge about 2:15 p.m. when the barge struck the I-beam, said Detective Gordon Carew.


South Side (IL) food store employee murdered

An unarmed grocery store employee was killed during an apparent robbery attempt on the South Side.

Errol White, 54, was shot in the chest when he confronted two gunmen who entered the store about 6:25 p.m. Wednesday and accosted the cashier.See comment above

Train Accident Investigation Could Take 9 Months

It could be another nine months before the investigation into a deadly train accident is complete.

This weekend a worker was killed at an east side rail yard as he ran a remote controlled train.

37-year-old Jody Allen Herstine was killed instantly. He was the only worker on duty at the time.

IDOT Worker Killed Helping Motorist

CHICAGO (AP) An Illinois Department of Transportation worker, Eddie Gates, 35, was killed when he was struck by a truck while helping a motorist change a flat tire on the Dan Ryan expressway, authorities said.

Machinist Dies In Job Accident

A machinist was killed in a work-related accident that occurred in Elk Grove Township last week.

Saleh Atwel, 63, a Chicago resident, died on Sunday at Alexian Brothers Hospital after suffering several injuries while on the job at O'Hare Precision Metals LLC, 2404 W. Hamilton Rd. on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

According to Thomas Knowles, president of O'Hare Precision Metals, Atwel was operating a bar straightener during the accident shortly before 8 a.m. "The safety guard was open," Knowles said. "He was trying to make an adjustment in the unguarded area, when the drive shaft snagged his uniform jacket." At that point, Knowles said, Atwel "suffered numerous traumatic injuries."


Gunman kills Mail-Well employee

A former employee of Mail-Well Inc., which makes envelopes and prints documents, shot a worker to death and then apparently killed himself at a central California printing plant Tuesday morning, according to police and the company.


Roofer killed as brickwork, trash chute fall on him

A 45-year-old Cleveland roofer was killed and another man was injured yesterday when part of a brick ledge gave way on top of a three-story building in the 4100 block of Pearl Road and fell onto them, police said.

The two were inside a trash container at the side of the building about 4:45 p.m., shaking a circular waste chute attached to the brick ledge. They were trying to loosen roofing material that had become lodged inside the chute when part of the brick ledge gave way, police said.

Bricks from the ledge and the metal bracketing holding the chute to the ledge crashed down on the trash container, police said,