As winter arrives, it’s a good time to remind workers not to start gas-powered engines in enclosed spaces. The result is too often fatal.
A 21-year-old worker died after starting a lawn mower in the back of an enclosed truck to keep warm.
Jorge Perez was part of a landscaping crew that had been working in the Bronx, NY. The crew members got into two trucks to return to Queens after a day of work.
In the back of one truck, Perez and his cousin, Isias Ramirez, were trying to keep warm. One of them started a lawn mower, hoping the engine’s heat would help.
When the trucks reached their destination, the other workers wondered why Perez and Ramirez hadn’t left the back of the truck. Another landscaper checked on the two and found them seated with the mower running.
An ambulance rushed both men to a hospital where Perez died. Isias was admitted in critical condition.
Click here to get OSHA guidance on carbon monoxide hazards.
