Sheriff confirms details of fatal workplace incident

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A 36-year-old worker is dead after a workplace equipment failure at Jackson automotive manufacturer Dexter Stamping on Monday.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department says that the initial investigation indicates that the death was a result of an equipment failure. The worker was using a crane to move a heavy die cast when a chain malfunctioned, causing the weight of the cast to shift.

The entire cast then fell from the crane, hitting the worker on its way down.

Officials say neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the incident.

Officials from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration released the following statement when asked by 6 News about the incident.

“MIOSHA has initiated an investigation of the incident that occurred in Jackson on July 15, 2024. MIOSHA cannot provide information on an open investigation. Typically, this type of investigation may take several weeks or months to complete.”

Officials confirmed there was a workplace fatality.

Late Monday afternoon, MIOSHA published the following details on the incident:

On July 15, 2024, a 36-year-old die setter was transporting/lifting a die with a crane when the swivel bolt broke loose. As a result, one corner of the die hit the ground, causing the top half of the die to separate and crush the victim. According to the employer’s incident report, the swivel bolt was not fully threaded into the die and came out of the hole.

MIOSHA 2024 Fatality Information website

UPDATE: This story has been updated to include the initial MIOSHA incident report available on the agency’s website and details from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

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