Longshoreman Killed at Norfolk International Terminals in Industrial Accident | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A man was in his car at the North Berth of the Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) when a light pole fell on his vehicle. Sadly, the man died on the scene, according to WVEC.com. My sympathies go out to the friends and family of the victim.

There are so many questions that need to be answered regarding this tragic industrial accident. First and foremost, what caused the light pole to fall? Were vehicles permitted in that area of NIT? How long did it take before someone notified authorities of the accident? Let’s hope the Virginia (VA) Occupational Safety and Health Administration finds the answers to these important questions.Industrial accidents are not uncommon in Virginia (VA).

Last year, there were 154 fatal industrial accidentsincluding 27 deaths from “contact with objects and equipment.”A study conducted by the Monthly Labor Review revealed most injured longshoremen lacked recent safety training in longshore operations and many of the workers felt their accident could have been avoided pointing to an array of preventive actions, methods, and procedures.