A workplace accident involving a piece of heavy equipment cost the life of a Missouri man earlier in October. The victim died of injuries suffered when the Bobcat he was operating somehow overturned and fell on top of him. Just how this terrible work accident occurred is currently not known.
The man worked at a recycling center near Piedmont, Missouri. On Oct. 10, he was using a Bobcat as part of his duties, working in the plant’s parking lot. Somehow, the machine went out of control and ended up on top of him, pinning him to the ground below his shoulders.
He was conscious after the accident, and called for help. Someone, possibly co-workers, used a track hoe to pull the heavy Bobcat off of the victim. It took about 10 minutes to free him. That done, emergency workers rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. However, his injuries were too severe, and he was dead by the time they reached the hospital.
It does not appear that the Bobcat tipped over due to being on a ramp or slope. The Wayne County sheriff said that the parking lot was “pretty well level.” Mechanical failure could have been a factor, though that may not be known for some time.
The victim was 38 years old. An article about his work accident does not mention if he was married or had any children. His family surely will miss him terribly after he was taken from them too young. They also may be left without the income that he provided, creating a financial hardship.
Source: Southeast Missourian, “Work accident kills Piedmont man,” Michelle Friedrich, Oct. 13, 2013