A dozen workers die almost every day in the U.S. as a result of a traumatic injury on the job. In order to identify the factors that contribute to these fatal injuries, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts investigations through its Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program.

This information is used to develop comprehensive recommendations for preventing similar deaths.

A look at recent FACE reports reveals the details behind the accidents that claimed workers’ lives:

Maintenance Worker Struck by Forklift Carriage—Tennessee
A maintenance worker was crushed by the forks of a forklift he was repairing. As the worker was under the forklift, he tightened a hydraulic fitting and the carriage and forks fell, striking his head and pinning him underneath. The worker died from his injuries.

Tree Care Worker Electrocuted While Trimming Branch Near Power Line—New Jersey
A tree care worker was electrocuted after his power pole saw made contact with a 7,200-volt primary transmission line. The worker was on an extension ladder, and as he used the power pole saw, it contacted the power line. The worker died from high-voltage electrocution.

Plant Manager Crushed to Death Under Fallen Pile of Steel Beams—New Jersey
A plant manager was killed after a pile of steel beams fell over and crushed him. The manager was walking between an unsecured, stacked pile of steel beams and a flatbed trailer that was being loaded. The manager suffered blunt impact injuries of the head and neck and was pronounced dead on the scene.