Oct 26, 2016

Worker dies after 20-foot fall at Michigan fruit facility

An employee at Belding Fruit Storage in Belding, Michigan, died from a 20-foot fall at the facility on Oct. 15. Arturo “Sam” Medina was a 38-year employee of the Belding Fruit Storage facility, the Ionia Sentinal-Standard reports.

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.

Here’s more from the Ionia Sentinal-Standard:

“Medina, 62 of Gowen, had been attempting to change light bulbs in one of the facility’s large fruit cooling rooms when the accident occurred, officials report. Medina was inside of an apple crate and a co-worker had raised him up with a forklift to a height of approximately 20 feet. The wood in the bottom of the apple crate was rotten and gave way. The apple crate tipped over and ejected Medina, who authorities say was not wearing a safety harness or hard hat.

“Medina then fell 20 feet to the concrete floor and sustained fatal injuries from the fall. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”