Work accidents cost workers their lives

Flemington, NJ (WorkersCompensation.com) – A cemetery worker has died after an accident involving a wood chipper, one of several worker deaths this month.

Officials said a 22-year-old cemetery worker died at St. Magdalen Cemetery in Flemington, NJ on July 10. Police were called to the cemetery around 6:20 p.m., where they found Eonia Mateo-Perez. The Hunterdon County District Attorney’s Office said he was pronounced dead at the scene, where he sustained fatal injuries while “operating tree chippers.”

Officials said prosecutors and OSHA are investigating the accident, although no foul play is suspected.

On July 12, a golf course employee in Arizona died after being stung by a swarm of bees.

According to officials, Rich Messina, an employee of El Conquistador Golf in Oro Valley, Arizona, was mowing an area near the Pusch Ridge Course on June 24 when he was stung by bees. Oro Valley police said Messina was stung multiple times and was taken to a local hospital. He died of his injuries on June 27.

Following the incident, beekeepers “found no hives or bee activity” in the area and at the property’s 45 golf courses. The beekeepers have given the all-clear, El Conquistador Golf said in a statement.

“It appears Rick was attacked by a flying swarm of bees,” the golf course said in a statement.

According to CBS News and KOLD-TV, club members were notified of Messina’s death via email.

“Rick was a dedicated and valued member of our team, known for his exceptional work ethic, positive attitude and unwavering dedication to his duties. His sudden passing is a profound loss to our work family and our community. He will be sorely missed by all of us,” said a statement in the email, which was reportedly released to media outlets.

Anna Bifano, vice president of Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf, said Messina was working on completing a rest garden before his death.

“It was a combination of his ingenuity and his way of taking charge. Because he saw what needed to be done and nobody had to tell him what to do,” she said. Bifano said the organization will work to complete the garden in his honor.

The group created a GoFundMe page to support Messina’s parents, who lived with Messina, officials said.

“Rick shared a home in Tucson with his elderly parents – John and Marlene Messina. They will no doubt have expenses to deal with during this difficult time,” the campaign said.

In Mulberry, Florida, a process operator died when she inexplicably fell into a machine.

According to officials, 29-year-old Jameka Williams was working at the Mosaic plant south of the city when she was killed.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Williams was working on a machine on July 12 when she slipped and fell into the machine. Her death remains under investigation, Judd said. OSHA has also been called in and will investigate the incident. An autopsy should be completed on July 15, Judd’s office said.

On July 15, a mold setter working at Dexter Stamping in Sandstone Township died after a mold box fell.

According to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a 36-year-old mold maker in Jackson was moving and lifting a die cast part with a crane when the pivot pin came loose. Officials said this caused the weight to shift and the entire die cast part to fall. The employee was crushed by the falling die cast part, according to MIOSHA.

The employer’s accident report shows that the pivot pin was not fully screwed into the die and came out of the hole, MIOSHA said.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said the accident did not appear to be alcohol or drug related. It was the 14th Michigan worker death reported to MIOSHA this year.

And on July 12, a traffic accident occurred at Seaboard Foods in Guymon, Oklahoma, in which an employee was killed, authorities said.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 12:30 a.m. in the trailer park of the pork processing plant. When police arrived, they found a deceased adult male at the scene. The employee was not identified.

Seaboard expressed its sincere condolences to the employee’s family and friends.

“We fully cooperate with any investigations conducted by local law enforcement and regulatory authorities,” a company spokesperson said. “Because Seaboard Foods is concerned about the safety and well-being of its employees, we offer counseling services to any employees who are interested in such services.”

Operations at the plant have resumed, officials said.