September 9, 2015
One worker died when a granite countertop fell on him at his job in Marietta. Another in Murrayville was electrocuted while working on a fluorescent light. A list of other Georgia worker deaths this fiscal year highlights the perils many face on their jobs. Others died when a crane’s brakes failed; from inhaling toxic fumes from asphalt; from being struck by a dump truck; crushed between poles in a kiln; and falling from a variety of structures.
Erik Hilario
You rarely hear about most of them.
A 2011 death made the news this Labor Day week. That’s because a Fulton County jury awarded $29 million to the family of a 19-year-old burned to death while doing his job at Newell Recycling in East Point. The jury wanted to punish the company for what it saw as unsafe practices by the company, but jurors themselves won’t know how Erik Hilario’s case winds up. That’s because after the verdict, the scrap metal company and the family reached a confidential settlement, with the company agreeing not to appeal.
In recognition of labor Day week, here are the Georgia workplace deaths reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration so far this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
Georgia workplace deaths, FY 2015 through July 16
Date Employer City Incident
16-Jul CLM Quality Inc. Marietta Worker struck and killed by granite countertop slab
7-Jul Fieldale Farms Poultry Murrayville Worker electrocuted by fluorescent light balance
22-Jun International Paper Company Augusta Worker killed when crane’s brakes failed
10-Jun Masonry by Design Fayetteville Worker killed in fall
29-May ER Snell Contractor Lithia Springs Worked struck and killed by dump truck
8-May Southeastern Gin Inc. Surrency Work struck and killed by falling fan shroud
1-May Wade Blackwell Norcross Worker killed in fall from attic window
22-Apr Asphalt Refining & Technology Co. Douglasville Worker died from hydrogen sulfide exposure
19-Mar Quality Steel Corp. Thomasville Worker loading truck struck and killed by falling propane tank
17-Mar SynCot Plastics Cartersville Worker killed after being caught in extruder machine
11-Mar Parkway McIntyre Lumber Co. Marietta Worker struck and killed by falling tree
26-Feb G.P.S. Enterprises Bonaire Worker fatally crushed by rebar that fell from truck
24-Feb Ace Pole Co. Blackshear Worker fatally crushed between poles in a kiln
18-Feb Roofing Professionals Inc. Savannah Worker on roof killed in fall through skylight
16-Feb Medellin Concrete Chipping Service Marietta Worker fatally engulfed by gravel after falling into silo during cleaning operations.
10-Feb JDF Welding Toccoa Worker killed in fall from steel structure
23-Jan Gilman Building Products Co. Dudley Worker fatally crushed inside banding machine
21-Jan Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation Inc. Dahlonega Worker killed in fall from tree
15-Jan Macuch Steel Products Augusta Worker killed in fall from scissor lift that was struck by crane
12-Jan Georgia Architectural Stone Tate Worker fatally crushed by marble slab that fell during loading
10-Jan W H Reeves & Co Inc. Evans Worker fatally crushed by fracking storage tank that fell from trailer
11-Dec TLC Building Valdosta Worker struck and killed by forklift
9-Nov Power Corp. of America, dba Southeast Power Corp. Midland Worker struck and killed by truck that rolled over chock during maintenance
4-Nov Parks Volkswagen Repair Gainesville Worker fatally crushed under vehicle while making repairs
31-Oct Boston Gin Co. Boston Worker breaking overhead seed jam in storage container fatally engulfed when seeds fell
27-Oct Claude Howard Lumber Co. Statesboro Worker crushed by lumber banding and strapping machine while trying to clear jam
20-Oct Harold Billingham Alapaha Worker drowned when tractor overturned in pond
14-Oct Michael Scott Moseley Doraville Worker struck and killed by electrical cabinet that fell from forklift
7-Oct Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. West Point Crane operator pinned and fatally crushed by casting machinery
2-Oct Design Print and Display Group Atlanta Worker fatally crushed between truck and dock lift
2-Oct WBT Farms Services Rebecca Worker struck and killed by loader bucket