Kansas City, MO — A federal agency has opened an investigation after conveyor belt death at a UPS facility in Kansas City, Missouri. A spokeswoman for UPS said Tuesday afternoon that the man, who was transported to North Kansas City Hospital in life-threatening condition on Monday night, died Tuesday morning. The man was an employee of a UPS vendor and was maintaining equipment at the facility when the incident occurred.
Authorities have not released the man’s name or any other details about what led to the incident.
In a statement, UPS said it was continuing to work with authorities.
“We are saddened for the loss of a vendor’s employee, who was maintaining equipment at one of our facilities,” the statement read. “We are working with the responding authorities, and extend our heartfelt condolences to the individual’s family, friends and coworkers.”
According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Labor, compliance officers with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have opened an investigation at the UPS facility at 1010 N. Century Ave.
The spokesperson said that no further details will be released until OSHA completes the investigation, which it has six months to do by law.
Understanding OSHA’s regulations and having proper employee training is essential in avoiding hazardous situations, such as this conveyor belt death.
The agency, which has jurisdiction over 7 million work sites across the U.S., prioritizes inspections at places that present “imminent danger situations” or where “severe injuries and illnesses,” including work-related fatalities, have occurred.
Emergency crews responded to the facility, which is just south of Front Street and east of Interstate 435, around 6 p.m. Monday. Crews performed CPR on the man on the way to the hospital.
Police initially reported that the man had been pronounced dead at the UPS facility, but said about an hour later that he was alive but had life-threatening injuries. UPS confirmed his death on Tuesday afternoon.
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