02.02.2009

Fatality at paper mill

A 66 year old crane operator was killed yesterday after he was struck by his own timber loading crane in the wood yard of a paper mill in Richmond County Georgia.

Bill Drake was struck by the crane while clearing wood debris along railway tracks at the plant which is located on the Mike Padgett Highway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crane’s warning systems were said to have been operational at the time of the accident. Drake was one of the operators of the crane, but was assigned to track clearing duties yesterday. He had worked at the paper mill for 43 years.

The accident is being investigated by the U.S. Occupational Health & Safety Administration’s (OSHA) Atlanta office.