Safety Lapses Contributed To Worker’s Death In Virginia
The death of a Norfolk, VA sanitation worker was caused by safety lapses and equipment failures. 51-year-old Jerry Holton, was crushed inside a recycling truck in February. A lack of safety training and both the city’s waste management department and worker failed to follow certain rules was cited in the report by a city safety officer. The report also explains that two safety systems on the truck did not work because the vehicle had been rewired to bypass the hopper door safety system.
City officials have not been able to determine how the rewiring occurred. In October, the state cited Norfolk for 19 serious safety violations relating to the incident.