St. Petersburg, FL – Worker crushed while removing fluid from hydraulic elevator pit
A Northdale, Florida man was fatally crushed around 10:30 a.m. on April 24, 2013, while removing oil and water from the pit of a hydraulic elevator at the TradeWinds Resort Hotel. The victim and a co-worker, who was not injured, were cleaning out the pit subsequent to an elevator inspection two days prior that noted the pit contained excessive fluid. St. Petersburg Beach Fire Chief Ernie Hand described Johnson as apparently standing halfway between the ground floor landing and the interior of the elevator shaft when the elevator descended on top of him, crushing him. The elevator may have been improperly locked out at the time of the incident. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and OSHA are investigating. Continue reading