Michigan officials on June 18 confirmed the construction worker who was killed after a June 16 accident at Potterville High School was the state’s 12th worker death in the state this year.
Construction workers were placing steel decking on top of steel trusses for a construction project at the Main Street high school when at least five trusses fell 40 feet and struck two workers, men in their 20s and 30s, at about 2:15 pm. on June 16, Benton Township Fire Department Capt. Richard Sullivan said.
Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials gave a more detailed description of the incident. They said the 27-year-old worker and another employee were setting steel trusses on the high school’s gymnasium.
“A few hours before the fatal incident, there was a near miss when unsecured steel trusses fell, one landing on the ground and one landing on an aerial lift occupied by the two employees,” MIOSHA officials said in a statement.
“As the two employees were in an aerial lift going up to reinforce the trusses on a second attempt, several unsecured steel trusses fell. The steel trusses struck both employees trapping them in the aerial lift …”
The 27-year-old died from his injuries. Sullivan said earlier this week the worker in his 30s was hospitalized but was listed in stable condition.
Previously, the most recent death was an Oakland County laborer who was pinned by a lawnmower.
MIOSHA said the fatal incident took place May 28 in Oakland Township and the victim, whose gender was not released, died on May 31 after being hospitalized.
The 32-year-old laborer was operating a riding lawnmower along the edge of a steep embankment with a 10-foot drop to a drainage ditch on May 28, MIOSHA said. The lawnmower overturned, and pinned the victim at the bottom of the ditch for about five minutes before coworkers could free them. The victim was transported to a hospital.
The fatality was the second in one week in Michigan and the third in May.
In 2024, Michigan saw 11 worker deaths in the first five months of the year while 14 workers died through May 2023.
There were 36 MIOSHA-related deaths in 2023 and 31 overall in 2024. 2009 saw the lowest number with 24.
“Employers and employees are urged to use extreme care and safety diligence in all work activities,” MIOSHA said in an email. “Every life is precious. Our mutual goal must be that every employee goes home at the end of every shift.”
What to know about worker safety in Michigan.
How many on-the-job deaths have happened in Michigan in 2025?
According to MIOSHA, in addition to the latest fatality, the following deaths have occurred in 2025:
Michigan worker deaths in recent years
The number of workers killed on the job by year:
How many workers died in 2024 nationally?
In fiscal year 2024, federal OSHA investigated 826 worker deaths, an 11% reduction from 928 in the previous year, the agency said. Excluding COVID-related deaths, fiscal 2024 was the lowest number of worker fatalities OSHA has been mandated to investigate since 2017.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan officials confirm Potterville school accident was 12th workplace death of 2025
Reporting by Dan Basso, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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