MEC&F Expert Engineers : TRUCK DRIVER CHARGED IN DEATH OF WORKER AT US STEEL PLANT

Thursday, April 23, 2015

TRUCK DRIVER CHARGED IN DEATH OF WORKER AT US STEEL PLANT




APRIL 23, 2015

ECORSE (WWJ/AP) – A Sterling Heights man has been charged with manslaughter after authorities say he ran over a U.S. Steel employee at the Great Lakes Works Cold Mill Shipping in Ecorse.

Miho Saljic, 48, was arraigned Wednesday in Ecorse District Court. He’s free on a $20,000 personal bond, with the condition he wear a tether.

Investigators say Saljic was backing up a semi-truck loaded with steel coils when he fatally struck 41-year-old Heather Warren last Saturday. Warren was apparently directing trucks in the facility’s loading area when she was struck by Saljic, who was not using a spotter. Saljic was into custody at the scene.

Saljic is a driver for ALCO Transportation. No one answered the company’s phone after business hours Wednesday, and a person who answered Saljic’s home phone hung up when asked for comment.

If convicted as charged, Saljic faces up to 15 years in prison. He’s due back in court for a probable-cause hearing May 5.

Based on facts available to date, driver had to backup because this bay doesn't have door on the other side. According to eye witnesses he was told it was clear to go. She was wearing headphones at the time and no safety west. Coworkers were screaming at her to move but she didnt hear them. It's a tragic accident because of lack of safety rules at U.S. steel. I don't see driver's fault here at all.

The fact is that there are two truck doors for that building and one has been out of service for over a year which means that for the two loading bays to get used the drivers are instructed to use the same door, the exit door was blocked so the only way for trucks to get out of the building after being loaded was to back out.

The driver did not back out of his own accord, the drivers are told when to back out, but in most cases that the drivers have to back out (instead of pulling through like normal operation) they are told to and the person that tells them to remains by the front of the truck, I've never seen an employee in traffic or shipping walk behind a truck after instructing the driver to back out...this was a case of someone filling in a job they did not know how to safely perform and a tragic accident is the result.

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US STEEL WORKER DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FACILITY NEAR DETROIT
APRIL 20, 2015

ECORSE, MICH. (AP) – A semitrailer driver has been arrested in a fatal trucking accident involving a U.S. Steel employee at the Great Lakes Works Cold Mill Shipping near Detroit.

Forty-one-year-old Heather Warren of Inkster was killed Saturday after she was struck by a semitrailer as it backed up at the facility in Ecorse.

Warren’s sister says she was spotting a truck when she was run over by another truck that didn’t have a spotter. She says Warren worked as a shift supervisor and wasn’t trained to spot trucks.

Ecorse Police Cpl. Chris Trevino said Sunday that the 47-year-old driver is in custody. He said the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office could file charges against the driver.

No further details were available. An investigation is ongoing.

Source: http://detroit.cbslocal.com