Malfunctioning equipment at a Michigan manufacturing plant has caused the death of a 36-year-old worker. According to CBS News, the die setter, who was employed by Dexter Stamping, was killed days before the facility was set to begin closing down.
According to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), the worker was “transporting/lifting a die with a crane when the swivel bolt broke loose. As a result, one corner of the die hit the ground, causing the top half of the die to separate and crush the victim.” An incident report generated by Dexter Stamping indicates that the swivel bolt was not fully threaded into the die and came out of the hole.
This is the fourteenth workplace fatality in Michigan this year.
Ashley Smith for WKHM is reporting that representatives from Dexter Stamping are cooperating with the continuing investigation. The company also “expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended their deepest condolences to the family of the victim.”
Dexter Stamping Company, LLC is a supplier of complex and tightly-toleranced parts for the automotive industry. According to Charles E. Ramirez for The Detroit News, the company informed Michigan’s Labor and Economic Opportunity office that layoffs would begin in June, affecting 66 workers, with operations permanently ceasing by July 31.
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