JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One man died and another was injured in an industrial accident Thursday afternoon in the Mid-Westside area, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.
Officers responded just before 12:30 p.m. to Mary Eaves Apartments, a new development on West 16th Street near Myrtle Avenue North.
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According to police, two men were standing in a wooden crate on a forklift that was transporting items through a third-floor window when the crate tipped over and the men fell out.
One man in his 40s, who has not yet been identified, died at the scene, and the other man in his 30s was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.
Investigators said it is not yet known if the men were wearing harnesses.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to the scene.
Just before the incident, OSHA and the Safety Council of Northeast Florida were hosting a fall protection seminar in the St. Nicholas neighborhood. They said falls on construction sites are the cause of the most injuries, deaths and citation.
At the seminar, local contractors demonstrated proper safety procedures and equipment for workers. But OSHA Assistant Area Director Buddy Underwood said not many businesses showed up for the free safety event.
"I'm disappointed. This is part of the problem. Industry employers are not taking an active interest in what's available. They're not using it. Fatality rates are going up. Industry rates are going up. It's depressing," Underwood said. "You can go to any job site, any roofing rob in Jacksonville -- more than likely, you're going to see four or five employees on the roof without fall protection."