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2022 MIOSHA Fatality Information
Use the information in this table to build hazard awareness and prevent risk for similar occurrences in your workplace. This table shares preliminary details about many of the fatalities reported to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These descriptions reflect information provided to MIOSHA at the initial report of the incident and are not the result of the official MIOSHA investigation.
When available, MIFACE Summaries of MIOSHA Inspections will be included at the end of the description.
FATALITY NUMBER |
DATE |
OCCUPATION |
AGE |
TYPE OF INJURY |
DESCRIPTION |
INCIDENT LOCATION (CITY) |
1. | 01/11/22 | Steel Laborer | 29 | Caught in or between | A 29-year-old steel laborer was operating an extendable boom forklift to pick up pre-insulated metal panels when he leaned through the cab and was crushed by the lift boom. | Dundee |
2. | 01/17/22 | Loader Operator | 61 | Crushed by | A 61-year-old loader operator had a hydraulic line break. As he attempted to replace the hydraulic line, he loosened the wrong line and the load came down on him, crushing him against the axle. | Baraga |
3. | 3/1/22 | Laborer | 35 | Struck by | A 35-year-old laborer was struck by a dozer that was backing up. | Jackson |
4. | 3/4/22 | Truck Driver | 57 | Crushed by | A 57-year-old truck driver was delivering trusses to a jobsite. While the employee was unloading the trusses, the trusses fell off the truck onto him, and he passed away on the scene. | Allendale |
5. | 1/18/22 | Corrections Officer | 51 | Other | A 51-year-old corrections officer felt ill and did not report to work. He tested positive for COVID-19 on December 18, 2021 and passed away on January 18, 2022. | Detroit |
6. | 3/28/22 | Construction Foreman | 61 | Fall | A 61-year-old construction foreman was performing framing activities and fell from the third story of a residential construction project. He was not wearing fall protection. | Pinckney |
7. | 3/29/22 | Tree Trimmer | 61 | Fall | A 61-year-old tree trimmer was aloft in a tree, using a chainsaw to trim branches, when he fell approximately 50 feet. He passed away at the scene. | Montague |
8. | 3/29/22 | Electrician | 68 | Fall | A 68-year-old electrician was performing electrical activities when he fell off a ladder. He was transported to the hospital and passed away. | Pontiac |
9. | 1/2/22 | Corrections Officer | 45 | Other | A 45-year-old corrections officer fell ill and did not report to work. He tested positive for COVID-19 on December 8, 2021 and was hospitalized on December 14. He passed away on January 2, 2022. | Carson City |
10. | 1/16/22 | Head Milker | 24 | Struck by | A 24-year-old dairy milker was working in the yard when another employee operating a loader ran over him. | Decker |
11. | 1/11/22 | Supervisor | 56 | Other | On December 22, 2021, a 56-year-old supervisor tested positive for COVID-19 and did not return to work. On January 9, 2022, the employee went to the hospital but was released the same day. She passed away on January 11, 2022 due to COVID-19. | Troy |
12. | 1/22/22 | Direct Service Personnel | 77 | Other | On December 22, 2021, a 77-year-old direct service professional tested positive for COVID-19. She was admitted to a hospital and put on a ventilator. On January 22, 2022, the employer was notified that the employee had passed away from COVID-19. | Mt. Clemens |
13. | 4/29/22 | Laborer | 68 | Cave-in | On April 29, 2022, a 68-year-old laborer was placing underground drainage tiles for a pole building project. The property owner discovered the excavation had collapsed and called 911. Authorities later recovered two bodies. | Alto |
14. | 4/29/22 | Owner | 59 | Cave-in | On April 29, 2022, a 59-year-old owner was placing underground drainage tiles for a pole building project. The property owner discovered the excavation had collapsed and called 911. Authorities later recovered two bodies. | Alto |
15. | 5/27/22 | Flagman | 65 | Struck by | On May 27, 2022, a 65-year-old was standing adjacent to the racetrack at the pit entrance observing a race as a flagman. A race car lost control and struck the employee, crushing him into a tire barricade. |
Norway |
16. | 6/21/22 | Roofer | 34 | Fall (from elevation) | On June 21, 2022, a 34-year-old roofer was installing a metal roof. While climbing down, he fell off the ladder, falling approximately 10 feet and struck a metal trash bin. | Imlay City |
17. | 6/24/22 | Maintenance | 48 | Crushed by | On June 24, 2022, a 48-year-old maintenance worker was taking down a section of air ducts to perform cleaning tasks. A powered industrial truck was used to help support and lower the duct system. As the worker was removing bolts, the weight of the ducts resting on the fork extensions caused the powered industrial truck to tip over, crushing the victim. | Pigeon |
18. | 6/24/22 | General Laborer | 49 | Fall (from elevation) | On June 24, 2022, a 49-year-old laborer was removing trash through a second story window into a wood box on the forks of a rough terrain fork truck. The worker exited the window into the box. Both the box and the employee fell off the forks approximately 16 feet to the ground. | South Haven |
19. | 6/30/22 | Maintenance Technician | 57 | Struck by | On June 30, 2022, a 57-year-old maintenance technician was installing components for a new conveyor system with two other employees. The conveyor components were temporarily staged and set onto 4x4 blocks. A forklift was used to lift the conveyor components off the blocks, when the conveyor component toppled and landed on the victim. |
Trenton |
20. | 7/7/22 | Mechanic | 58 | Caught in or between | On July 7, 2022, a 58-year-old mechanic was performing maintenance on a conveyor system when it began moving and the employee was struck by and became caught in the system. | Fremont |
21. | 7/14/22 | General Laborer | 44 | Crushed by | On July 14, 2022, a 44-year-old general laborer was attempting to repair a tire on a wood chipper. The employee removed the damaged tire and went underneath the woodchipper to place a cement block when the jack shifted and the woodchipper fell, crushing him. | Troy |
22. | 7/15/22 | Truck Driver | 53 | Struck by | On July 15, 2022, a 53-year-old truck driver walked behind a tandem dump truck to clear the bumper of concrete debris, when they were struck by a bulldozer backing up. | Chesterfield |
23. | 7/20/22 | Lead Worker | 57 | Struck by | On July 20, 2022, a 57-year-old lead worker was attempting to clear a tree that was blocking both lanes of a roadway, when he was struck by a vehicle. | Bridgman |
24. | 3/30/22 | Mental Health Technician | 30 | Homicide | On March 30, 2022, a 30-year-old mental health technician was overseeing patients outside of the clinic when he had a confrontation with an individual near the facility. The individual fatally shot the employee. | Detroit |
25. | 7/27/22 | Crewman | 18 | Struck By | On July 27, 2022, an 18-year-old crewman was driving an off-road vehicle on a public road and was struck by a motor vehicle. | Chesaning |
26. | 8/2/22 | Painter | 47 | Fall (from elevation) | On August 2, 2022, a 47-year-old painter was on a ladder painting the exterior of a residential house. He fell approximately 20 feet head-first on to another painter below. | Plymouth |
There were 52 MIOSHA-related deaths in 2021. 2009 saw the lowest number with 24.
If you need help or assistance in ensuring your workplace is safe, MIOSHA is here with resources to help. The Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division provides workplace safety and health training and consultations to employers and employees throughout Michigan free of charge. Contact CET today at 800-866-4674 or submit a request online.
Every life is precious. Our mutual goal must be that every employee goes home at the end of every shift unharmed.
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