A routine shift at Tacoma's main trash transfer station turned into a life-or-death emergency, according to a lawsuit filed by a city solid-waste collector who says a heavy metal bar fell and struck his head while he was on the job.
The worker, identified in court records as Robert Meadows, is suing the City of Tacoma over what he describes as a preventable 2023 workplace accident that left him with serious, life-threatening injuries. His complaint, filed May 7 in Pierce County Superior Court, alleges the city ignored repeated warnings about aging container equipment and kept using it long after its safe service life.
What the lawsuit alleges
The complaint says Meadows was hurt in August 2023 while he was trying to unlatch a 40-cubic-yard roll-off container when a metal “T-bar” came loose and fell, striking him in the head, as reported by The News Tribune.
According to the filing, Tacoma “operated the metal roll-off containers well past their shelf lives.” The suit also claims supervisors had been warned after at least two earlier near-miss incidents involving similar equipment but did not pull the containers from service. Meadows is seeking unspecified damages, including medical expenses and legal fees, the complaint states.
Where it happened
The incident is tied to the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center, the city’s self-haul trash and recycling facility that takes garbage, yard waste and household hazardous waste. The site, including its hours and location, is listed on the city’s website, according to the City of Tacoma.
Safety rules and workplace risks
At the heart of the complaint is the allegation that the roll-off containers were worn and unsafe, which runs headfirst into federal safety rules for handling large containers.
Under Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, employers must inspect containers before they are hoisted and remove defective equipment from service. The standard requires that “prior to hoisting, each container shall be inspected for any visible defects in structural members and fittings that would make the handling of such container unsafe,” and that defective containers be handled or emptied in a safe manner, according to OSHA.
Legal and civic reaction
The lawsuit contends the city did not retire the contested roll-off boxes until after another scare the previous July, when a container door “fell on or near” a different worker, according to The News Tribune.
City officials declined to address the specific allegations in Meadows’ complaint, citing Tacoma’s practice of not commenting on pending litigation. Messages left for Meadows’ attorney were not returned by the publication deadline, The News Tribune reports.
What comes next
Now that the complaint has been filed, the case will move through Pierce County Superior Court, where both sides can seek documents, take depositions and file motions before any trial date is set.
Pierce County’s court system notes that civil cases are processed through the Superior Court clerk’s office and that hearings, motions and other filings will show up in the public court record as the lawsuit progresses, according to Pierce County Court.
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