10-year-old had to pick out dad’s headstone, casket

February 28, 2011 by Fred Hosier

Posted in: Fatality, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, What Would You Do?, Workers' attitudes about safety

Some managers have success with safety training by making it extremely personal. “Imagine what would happen to your family if you weren’t around anymore.” This story from Texas shows the impact a workplace death can have on a family.

Ronnie Lynn May, 44, was killed while working on a drilling rig in Midland County, TX.

May and a co-worker were moving pipe on a drilling rig when a portion of the pipe slipped, pinning the co-worker’s leg.

As May tried to rescue the worker, he was crushed by another piece of the rig. May was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other worker’s injuries weren’t life threatening. OSHA is investigating.

The San Antonio Express-News reports that May’s son, 10-year-old Seth, spent the day after his father’s death picking out a headstone, casket and funeral flowers.

May’s mother, Mamie May, told the newspaper that the father and son were great friends. The two spent time together riding four-wheelers, fishing and hunting.

“They did everything,” Mamie May said. “And today, Seth made all of his father’s funeral arrangements.”

Do you use personal stories to drive home the importance of safety? Let us know in the Comments Box below.

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Tags: casket, funeral, workplace death

2 Responses to “10-year-old had to pick out dad’s headstone, casket”

Dexter Noonan Says:
February 28th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
After stopping at a Walmart upgrade in Michigan to shop many years ago I saw an employee was smoking while sitting on the 40 foot ledge of the building. I told a company manager that I worked for OSHA in Illinois and did not have juristiction for Michigan but would like him to get his employee away from the edge he immediately complied.

Then my 14 year old daughter told me “that is embarrising, why do you do that?”. I was able to explain to her that if I looked the other way and then while driving home to Illinois I heard someone fell off the roof of Walmart I would regret not saying something. I then told her that by identifying myself as a compliance office hopefully the employer would be more obsurvant and make sure the employees worked safely.

Kids do watch us and our responces and now many years later they still bring unsafe acts that they see to my attention.
Heidi Brightly Says:
March 8th, 2011 at 11:25 am
When Dexter identified himself as OSHA from another state, he did the exact correct thing. It is easy to walk by and not say anything-if you are a true safety person you will do what it takes to help people exchange safe behavior for at risk behavior. If you walk by, and something extreme happens, it is not something a true safety person wants to live with. Speak up, help people think when they forget to think or themselves.