REPORTED OCCUPATIONAL FATALITIES IN UAW-REPRESENTED WORKPLACES 2006

1. February 2, 2006 – William “Bill” Neill; 59 years old; Millwright; 39 years seniority; Ford Motor Company; Sterling Heights, Michigan; LU 228, Region 1. The victim was struck by a falling conveyor section while he and a co-worker were unloading a conveyor system and components from a flatbed truck trailer. After the co-worker had removed a skid containing components with a forklift, an unrestrained adjacent section of roller conveyor, which weighed about 800 pounds, toppled and struck the victim who was standing adjacent to the trailer.

2. February 17, 2006 – Ronald “Ronnie” Rodriguez; 46 years old: Utility Operator; six months seniority; NSK; Ann Arbor, Michigan; LU 38, Region 1A. The victim was killed when the forklift he was driving backed through and fell off a vacant truck well on a shipping-receiving dock. The well opening was not guarded.

3. February 26, 2006 (deceased April 3, 2006) - Michael A Kruszka; 57 years old; Millwright, 38 years seniority; DaimlerChrysler Sterling Stamping Plant, Sterling Heights, Michigan, LU 1264, Region 1. The victim suffered a head injury after falling five feet from a temporary maintenance platform in a press basement while securing a cushion to a press.

4. March 9, 2006 – Hector Rivas; 57 years old; Bus Mechanic; 12 years seniority, First Student Inc., Boston, MA, LU 1596, Region 9A. The victim was apparently overcome by carbon monoxide while seated in a school bus service vehicle. Carbon monoxide was generated by an un-vented gasoline powered generator mounted inside the vehicle.

5. August 30, 2006 – James Palmatier, 59 years old; Semi-Truck Driver; 29 years seniority, Automotive Component Carrier Inc., Flint, Michigan, LU 659, Region 1C. The victim was assisting another driver on a shipping/receiving dock, when he was pinned between the trailer and the overhead door jam causing fatal injuries.

6. November 28, 2006 - Allen Randleman, 58 years old; Maintenance Technician, 31 years seniority, Mayflower Vehicle Systems (CVG Inc.), Norwalk, Ohio, LU 1379, Region 2B. The victim suffered a head injury while troubleshooting doors that were jammed on a vehicle body in a sealer-curing oven.