22.05.2025

Fatal load drop

A man died on Tuesday when a load being lifted by a telehandler was diislodged and fell on him at a Hyundai car and EV battery plant currently under construction near Savannah, Georgia.

While we have been told that the incident involved a telehandler we do not yet have a second independant source for this information, but looking at earlier video footage and photos from the site, it is clear that telehandlers are a main method for loading and unloading forked loads, although there are also a few heavy duty fork trucks on site too.

The telehandler - or forklift - was apparently loading a truck at the time and the man, Allen Kowalski, 27, an employee of a subcontractor, was standing alongside when the load came off the forks and fell on him.

Hyundai spokesman Michael Stewart said in a statement: “The health and safety of everyone at our facilities and construction sites is our highest priority. Our direct employees as well as our subcontractors understand our commitment to safety and occupational industrial safety and health policies. Together with the subcontractor and relevant authorities, we are fully supporting a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the incident and to help prevent such accidents in the future.”
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the individual’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”

The plant seems to have a poor safety record this latest fatality is the second at the site in two months. In late March a man was struck by a telehandler and dragged three or four metres until it stopped, the investigation revealed that his body was severed at the waist in that incident. In April 2023 Victor Gamboa, fell to his death from a structure at the plant, he was wearing fall protection gear, but his safety lanyard sheared on the edge of a steel beam, causing him to fall 20 metres to his death. His employer, Eastern Constructors was cited by OSHA for providing worn, damaged and inadequate safety gear. And these are just two of numerous incidents reported, with emergency services called to the site on 44 occasions since 2023.