Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Today at 9:15 AM

The 13th & 14th Michigan worker deaths of 2015 occurred on July 7 & 8, 2015. Employers and employees are urged to
use extreme care and safety diligence in all work activities.
Summary of incident #13: On July 7, 2015, at approximately 2:10 p.m., a 57 year old journeyman maintenance
technician entered a robotic weld cell. The robot arm activated pinning/crushing the employee's head between a hitch
plate and a metal fixture.
Summary of incident #14: On July 8, 2015, at approximately 9:45 a.m., a 53 year old maintenance technician fell
approximately 20-feet from a platform to the ground below.
There were 37 MIOSHA-related deaths in 2014. 2009 saw the lowest number with 24.
If you need help or assistance in ensuring your workplace is safe, MIOSHA is here with resources to help. The
Consultation Education & Training (CET) Division provides workplace safety and health training and consultations to
employers and employees throughout Michigan free of charge. Contact CET today at 800-866-4674 or submit a request
online at www.michigan.gov/cetrca.
Every life is precious. Our mutual goal must be that every employee goes home at the end of their shift every day!

Fatality
Number

Date

Occupation Age Type of Injury

14.

Maintenance
07/08/15
Technician

53 Fall

13.

Journeyman
07/07/15 Maintenance
Technician

57 Crush

12.

06/27/15 Laborer

30 Fall

11.

06/16/15

Electrician
Foreman

40 Electrocution

10.

05/29/15

Production
Associate

53 Crush

Description
A 53 year old maintenance technician fell
approximately 20-feet from a platform to the
ground below.
A 57 year old journeyman maintenance technician
entered a robotic weld cell. The robot arm
activated pinning/crushing the employee's head
between a hitch plate and a metal fixture.
A 30 year old laborer was power washing a silo
from a boom lift raised approximately 60 feet in
the air when it contacted overhead power lines.
The laborer made it from the basket of the lift
onto the roof of the silo where he fell to the
ground below.
A 40 year old electrician foreman was preparing
to wire a fire pump to the electrical supply when
the employee received an electrical shock.
A 53 year old production associate was allegedly
crushed by the operation of a CNC machine.

Location
(City)
Grand
Rapids

Ionia

Lowell

Holland
Owosso

9.

05/28/15 Laborer

8.

05/11/15

Carpenter
Foreman

38 Crush

7.

05/05/15

Energy Center
Operator

53 Crush

6.

05/01/15

Part Time
Truck Driver

48 Crush

5.

04/24/15 Painter

4.

04/18/15

3.

04/15/15 Laborer

2.

03/20/15

Shipping
Coordinator

50 Crush

28 Fall

41 Struck By

49 Struck By

Crane Operator
61 Struck By
Trainee

An approximately 90,000 pound concrete I-Beam

that had been sitting on dunnage, tipped over and
fell on a 50 year old laborer, crushing him.
A 38 year old carpenter foreman was removing
supports in the basement of the structure when the
first floor above collapsed and crushed him.
A 53 year old energy center operator was cleaning
sludge from the filter press machine when the
press cycled, crushing the employee between
plates in the filter press.
A 48 year old part time truck driver and another
employee were working on a truck to free a stuck
wheel brake when the truck rolled, crushing the
part time truck driver and injuring the other
employee.
A 28 year old painter was painting a guardrail on
the third story of a house and climbed over the
guardrail to paint. While holding onto a baluster
and painting with the other hand, the guardrail
gave way. The employee fell thirty feet to the
ground.
A 41 year old shipping coordinator was directing
trucks into the loading bay where trucks drive into
and out of to be loaded with steel. After directing
one truck into the bay to be loaded, the employee
was waving another up into position when the
truck that just entered backed up striking the
employee and crushing her.
A 49 year old laborer was aloft in the base of a
tree trunk where the two sections meet up (tree
crotch) removing a trunk section. The trunk
section kicked back after being cut, striking the
employee resulting in fatal injuries.
A 61 year old was fatally injured after being
struck in the head by a 9,400 pound bundle of
steel round stock he was moving with an overhead
crane.

Saginaw

Ypsilanti

Detroit

Houghton

Ann Arbor

Ecorse

Oakland
Township

Warren

1.

01/15/15

Sheet Metal
Worker

A 37 year old sheet metal worker was in the

process of torch cutting and welding when it is
believed he had ignited the flame-retardant
insulation between the hopper and building
structure. The fire traveled up the 65-foot tall
structure trapping the sheet metal worker inside
the hopper. Fire-Fighters were able to extricate
Severe Smoke
him, but he had sustained burns to his head and
Farmington
37 Inhalation & 3rd
severe burns to his hand and wrist in addition to Hills
Degree Burns
smoke inhalation. The sheet metal worker, one
other employee, four sub-contractor employees,
and two fire-fighters were transported to area
hospitals. All but the sheet metal worker and one
other employee were observed and released. The
sheet metal worker succumbed to his injuries as a
result of the fire on January 15, 2015.

Use the information in this table to build hazard awareness and prevent risk for similar occurrences in your
workplace. This table sharespreliminary details about many of the fatalities reported to the Michigan Occupational
Safety and Health Administration.

"Work Safe... Be Safe!"