A construction worker in his 50s was killed Wednesday after a loader hit him at a job site near MC 85 and Miller Road in Buckeye, according to police. Buckeye Police said the man has been identified only by age while relatives are notified, and the scene remains under investigation.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, officers said a worker operating a loader struck and killed a coworker at the site near MC 85 and Miller Road. The station reported that the department did not release the victim’s name and shared only basic information about the incident in statements to the media.
Workplace safety context
Construction remains one of the nation’s deadliest industries: the Bureau of Labor Statistics has found the sector accounted for roughly one in five workplace deaths in 2023, with falls, struck-by incidents and transportation events among the leading causes of fatal injuries. BLS data shows fatal falls and struck-by events continue to exact a heavy toll. Federal safety experts say struck-by incidents involving heavy equipment, including loaders, are a persistent hazard and urge employers to use internal traffic control plans and similar steps that keep people on foot away from moving machinery. NIOSH has issued guidance outlining controls that can help reduce those risks.
State reporting and inspections
In Arizona, the Industrial Commission’s Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health oversees workplace-fatality reporting and compliance inspections. ADOSH guidance requires employers to report any work-related fatality within eight hours and explains how the agency responds to imminent-danger situations and follows up with on-site reviews. The Industrial Commission of Arizona provides instructions for employers and contact information for filing required reports.
What’s next
Buckeye Police say the investigation is ongoing and have not released additional details about the equipment operator or the employer. State workplace-safety inspectors typically review fatal incidents at construction sites, and any findings or citations would be announced by ADOSH or local authorities as those inquiries move forward.
