Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report: Hispanic Youth Laborer Died After Being Struck By Lightning

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Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report: Hispanic Youth Laborer Died After Being Struck By Lightning

A 16-year-old Hispanic general laborer for a landscaping company was struck by lightning on July 2, 2004. The work crew was manually moving several pallets of rocks from the bed of a dump truck into a front-end loader, which was positioned at the back of the truck. The victim was standing in the bed of the dump truck along with two other workers. Another worker was operating the loader, and the dump truck driver was standing on the ground beside the loader. A storm was approaching and there was light rain in the area at the time of the incident. The lightning strike injured the three workers in the back of the truck, and the truck driver was thrown at least 10 feet from the work area. Witnesses and volunteers from a nearby building responded quickly by calling 911 and rendering first aid. The three laborers were transported to a local hospital; the victim died from his injuries 11 days later on July 13, 2004. Oklahoma Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OKFACE) investigators concluded that to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should: develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive written safety and health program, including procedures for inclement weather; ensure that all workers receive formal documented training on inclement weather policies and procedures in appropriate languages and literacy levels; and ensure that a competent person evaluates the site before work begins and re-evaluates the site during the workday, in order to provide a safe working environment free of hazards to employees.