A worker at a Ford-owned warehouse in Brampton, Ontario, near Toronto, was killed in an accident yesterday when a load of parts on a forklift she was operating shifted off of the machine and crushed her. Shara Flanigan, 36, was rushed to a nearby hospital where she died as a result of the accident.
Flanigan, a mother of two children, had worked for Ford since 1997 as a forklift operator. Her task that day was to stack heavy skids of auto parts in the Ford-owned warehouse. The warehouse employs about 250 workers, most of whom left work yesterday shortly following the incident.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour says it is investigating the accident, according to the Associated Press.
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01/15, 10:22 AM
posted by:
Bimmer
RIP
01/15, 10:31 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I took a few workplace safety courses last year which you kind of laugh off until you see what can happen. This sucks.
01/15, 10:33 AM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
fork lifter operators need to be more careful when they have a load above their height. i think the company will get sued for not properly training them on how to be careful when using/operating a forklift/towmotor.
01/15, 11:13 AM
posted by:
400horseSS
What LLN, no stupid comments about being lazy and overpaid, im disappointed LLN bloggers, RIP fellow factory rat.
01/15, 11:43 AM
posted by:
Bankruptcy2009
Sorry to hear about it RIP Shara Flanigan. And I personally have been on enough loading docks and work around enough Fork Lifts to last several life times. All I can say is that most Fork Lift operators don’t have an adequate safety cage. they need to mandate that they do. That would help to prevent terrible accidents like this from occuring. It does suck because who raises the kids if she was a single mother
01/15, 12:49 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
What a tragedy for her family, and her loss of life.
01/15, 4:40 PM
posted by:
moparsalesman
condolences to her family and especially her children
01/15, 4:49 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Wow. Is LLN coming out of the five year old baby stages?
Maybe not, but no rude comments… on this page.
I think if she was working for eleven years, she would be experienced. Yeah, the machines could be safer, and yeah, she could have been trained better, but you can always *improve*. You can never avoid accidents.
01/15, 4:55 PM
posted by:
miket
Sad news–especially for the kids.
jayjc08 — I disagree that you can never avoid accidents. Most safety professionals would agree with this statement. Attitudes like “you can never avoid accidents” is what causes many of them. I have spent a lot of time at my last plant teaching forklift safety and doing refreshers. Most “accidents” are not really accidents at all. There is always a condition that leads up to the accident. When there is a rectifiable condition, it’s no accident.
01/16, 9:19 AM
posted by:
Local584member
Shara was operating a reach truck at the time, not a fork truck as has been reported. It is a stand up vehicle that goes up and down. She was crushed by a skid that wasn’t secured. Her beautiful children will be looked after by an incredible extended family. I was there when this happened and Local 584 lost a beautiful and vibrant member on Wednesday. I am still in shock.
01/17, 12:21 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Local584member, thanks for letting us know. Be strong. We’re all glad to know her children are in good hands.
01/21, 10:19 PM
posted by:
sef2smiles
On behalf of the CAW Local 199 Women’s Committee we send our deepest condolences to all friends & family. Having witnessed the loss of two co-workers killed in tragic workplace accidents it pains me to know that the lives of those left behind will never be the same. An injury to one is truly an injury to all. Be safe everyone and know that a paycheck is only worth the paper it is written on if you’re alive to spend it. To our Brothers and Sisters at Local 584 our thoughts are with you.