A man in his 50s died after being crushed by the bucket of a skid steer loader in Sandy, Utah, on Sunday afternoon, police say. The man had been helping move the piece of heavy equipment near 1500 East and 11000 South when the bucket came down on him just after 1 p.m.
Officers who responded attempted to save the man's life, but he later died from his injuries at a local hospital, according to police statements reported by Fox 13. A skid steer is a compact loader commonly used to move material from one place to another on construction and residential job sites. Sandy Police described the incident as a tragic accident, per the same report.
Skid Steers Carry Well-Documented Crush Risks
Federal safety officials have long flagged the dangers posed by skid steer loaders to workers standing nearby or reaching into the cab. The CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warns that people operating or assisting near skid steers face severe crush hazards, particularly at pinch points between the machine frame and the lift arms or bucket, according to a federal safety alert from the agency.
A Prior Fatal Heavy Equipment Accident in Sandy
Sunday's death follows another fatal heavy equipment incident in Sandy. Forty-six-year-old Russell D. Andrews was killed when a roughly 4,000-pound concrete pipe fell near 11450 South and 1000 East, according to KSL.
What Happens Next
It remains unclear whether UOSH has opened a formal investigation into Sunday's incident, and Sandy Police's characterization of the death as a tragic accident stands as a preliminary description while any further review proceeds.
