Forklift Operator Fatality at Logan Airport Results in OSHA Citation
Published in on March 11, 2024
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Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have cited a company in connection with a fatal forklift incident that took place at Boston Logan International Airport last year. According to federal worksite overseers, the tragic accident that claimed the life of a 51-year-old man from Winthrop was deemed avoidable.
The accident occurred at an outdoor loading area in Terminal C on August 29, when the forklift the victim was operating struck an entrance, causing the machinery to tip over onto him. The forklift operator was contracted to JetBlue and was employed by Oxford Airport Technical Services, which is headquartered in Rochester, New York. An investigation conducted by OSHA revealed that the employer failed to ensure that the employee was using a seatbelt at the time of the accident.
Further findings from OSHA’s investigation indicate that not all forklift operators at Oxford were fully trained and certified appropriately. Additionally, the forklift that caused the fatal injury was reported to have its mast and forks raised higher than necessary, and a separate damaged forklift was placed into service without a proper examination. The violations discovered in the investigation have resulted in proposed penalties totaling $46,096 against Oxford Airport Technical Services.
James Mulligan, OSHA’s Area Director, stated that the failure of Oxford to train and certify their forklift operators on critical safety requirements is “simply inexcusable.
Source: NECN