OSHA Concludes Employer

OSHA Concludes Employer's Negligence Led to Fatal Forklift Incident

Oxford Airport Technical Services faces four serious citations and $46,096 in proposed penalties as a result of the investigation.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Mar 15, 2024

Following a fatal forklift incident at Logan International Airport in Boston, OSHA has decided the Aug. 29, 2023, incident would have been preventable with the proper safeguards in place.

According to a release dated March 11, an employee of Rochester, New York-based maintenance firm Oxford Airport Technical Services was operating a forklift when the forks and mast struck the entrance overhang, causing the vehicle to tip over and fatally strike the operator.

OSHA inspectors revealed several safety violations by the employer, resulting in four serious citations and proposed penalties of $46,096. These include a failure to ensure seatbelt usage, improper training and certification of forklift operators, and neglecting to examine and remove damaged forklifts from service.

“Every workplace fatality is tragic, especially when there are well-known safety measures that could have prevented the loss of a person’s life,” OSHA Area Director James Mulligan in Braintree, Massachusetts, said in a statement. “In this case, the employer failed to train and certify their forklift operators on critical safety requirements. It’s simply inexcusable.”

Oxford Airport Technical Services has 15 business days to comply with the citations and penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the agency’s findings.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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