Franklin County's top stories of 2018: It was a deadly year for manufacturing workers
This is one of our top stories of 2018. Check out the others here.
2018 was a deadly year for manufacturing workers in Franklin County.
Seven people, all men, were killed in accidents at four facilities: Manitowoc Crane in Shady Grove, Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, Mellott Manufacturing in Mercersburg and Franklin Logistics in Chambersburg.
While there were workplace deaths in the surrounding region in recent years, 2018's were the county's first since August of 2013, when a man died after being pinned between two cranes at Manitowoc, according to records from the Occupation Safety and Health Administration.
Crane accident kills three
Three men died after a 300-ton capacity crane collapsed Feb. 2 at Manitowoc's U.S. Grove Plant. Chris Robison, 49, Marion, and John Marcoux, 66, Chambersburg, died that day, while Isaac Dean Notz, 38, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, was pronounced dead eight days later. All three died from blunt force trauma.
OSHA fined Manitowoc Cranes $14,976, the maximum amount allowed, six months later.
More:Manitowoc crane accident: Third person dies
More:OSHA requires Manitowoc to pay maximum fine, correct crane testing after employee deaths
The report revealed what happened: Employees were positioned within striking distance of prototype lattice crawler cranes, according to the investigation. A Manitowoc MLC300 lattice crawler crane had its boom and luffing jib extended in 35 mph winds while employees worked in or near the Test Pad 7 technical control room. The crane collapsed in a 40 mph wind. Its components struck three employees trying to escape.
Heavy equipment falls on man, 19
Just weeks later, 19-year-old Cameron Funk was killed when a heavy piece of machinery fell on him on Feb. 28 at Mellott Manufacturing. The Greencastle man made a mistake while loading a truck and a piece came off of it, said Sam Mellott, president of the logging equipment manufacturer.
OSHA subsequently inspected the facility and fined the logging equipment manufacturer more than $20,000. All violations were related to spraying or handling hazardous chemicals.
More:Mercersburg company fined after fatal workplace accident
Letterkenny explosion kills two
Two men were killed as a result of an explosion the morning of July 19 at Letterkenny Army Depot.
Eric Byers, 29, of Satillo, Huntingdon County, was pronounced dead that evening, and Rick Barnes, 60, of Greencastle died about three weeks later.
Three others were injured as a result of an explosion and fire in the paint shop in Building 350.
More:Second worker dies after explosion at Letterkenny Army Depot
More:'It's a tough time': Explosion rattles Letterkenny Army Depot, injures 5
Byers had been handling chemicals when there was a "flash fire," according to a statement on Byer's death from the coroner's office in Lehigh County, where he was pronounced dead.
Man dies at Franklin Storage
The most recent fatal industrial accident, on Nov. 28, claimed the life of Glenn Alan Shelly, Mercersburg. He was 64.
Emergency responders received a call at 2:50 a.m. for a person found under an 1,800-pound stack of plywood at Franklin Storage in Guilford Township, according to a report from Franklin Fire Company. The person, Shelly, died before rescuers arrived.
More:G. Alan Shelly dies in warehouse accident
Shelly died of blunt force trauma to the neck and chest, according to Franklin County Coroner Jeffrey Conner.
More coverage:
More:OSHA: 23 people have died on-the-job in the past 6 years in southcentral Pa.
More:Dozens of serious on-the-job injuries reported in Franklin County over 2 years