OSHA proposes hefty fine ($119,500) for NH company after forklift death

[Omaha Steve]

The U.S. Labor Department wants to fine a freight company $119,500 for alleged safety violations after a Hillsborough man was crushed to death last October in a forklift accident in Manchester.

Luke Tenhave, 52, died Oct. 3 when he was pinned under a forklift at Con-Way Central Express at 56 Pine St. He died at the scene. Tenhave was a Con-Way Central Transportation Services truck driver and had worked for the company for about 10 years.

According to a press release issued by the labor department, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wants to fine the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based delivery carrier for alleged willful, repeat and serious safety violations following an inspection of its Manchester service center after Tenhave's death.

Tenhave was crushed to death after his forklift went off the edge of a loading dock. OSHA's inspection determined he was not seatbelted into the machine and the company had not trained him and other forklift operators to follow the manufacturer's guideline that seatbelts be used during operation.

"Con-Way Freight repeatedly has refused to require forklift operators to use seatbelts even though another employee died in a similar accident in Dallas in 2003," said Francis Pagliuca, OSHA's acting area director for New Hampshire. "This practice must change, or employees nationwide continually will remain exposed to the dangers of fatal or disabling injuries."

FULL story at link.