Driver Paralyzed After Accident at Employer Under Investigation
- A driver at Salt Lake City-based Saia LTL Freight suffered catastrophic injuries, including internal bleeding, spinal cord damage, a broken arm and a concussion, after being crushed between two trailers at the firm’s terminal Aug. 19 when another driver backed into the area at night.
- The Utah Division of Occupational Safety and Health (had already opened an unrelated safety “Referral” inspection at the same terminal on five days before Peterson’s accident, though public records don’t identify what hazard or allegation prompted it. UOSH opened a separate accident inspection the day after Peterson was injured.
- Because Peterson was injured on the job, Utah’s workers’ compensation system is expected to be central to covering his medical expenses and lost wages, though his individual claim status isn’t public.
Contractor Suffers Severe Burns in Propane Tank Fire at Ford Plant
- A contract employee working for Leadec Industrial Services sustained severe burns to his legs and body from a fire during at Ford Motor Co.’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan.
- A Ford spokesperson said emergency responders were immediately notified, and the incident site has been contained; the worker’s name and current condition have not been released, and Leadec did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- The fire occurred while a propane tank outside the building was being filled, but the cause of the incident remains under investigation, and production of Bronco SUVs and Ranger midsize trucks at the plant was not disrupted.
- UAW Local 900, which represents about 6,100 hourly workers at the plant including Leadec and other contractors, held a safety huddle later that day to review proper procedures following the incident.
Forklift Loses Control During Post-Concert Teardown, Injuring Six
- Six workers were injured Aug. 29 following an Ed Sheeran show at Ford Field in Detroit, in a forklift injury accident near the vehicle tunnel where crews were tearing down the stage.
- Workers said they were walking toward another part of the stadium for a break when the equipment lost control and struck several of them near a ramp. One worker who was hit in the chest said the accident happened in a split second and he’d never experienced anything like it.
- The Detroit Fire Department confirmed all injured workers were transported to nearby hospitals, with two in serious condition and four in stable condition at the time of transport. None of the injuries were reported as life-threatening.
- Ford Field confirmed one of the injured individuals was a member of its own team and said it has begun a full review, cooperating with authorities and the event’s production partners.