Man dies in industrial accident at Michigan auto factory

(CBS-DETROIT) – A 36-year-old man died after an equipment malfunction at a Michigan auto plant just days before the plant was scheduled to begin shutting down, officials said.

On Monday, officers responded to the call at Dexter Stamping at 1013 Thorrez Road in Jackson County after receiving a report of a dead employee.

The worker, a mold maker, was in the process of transporting and lifting a mold with a crane when the pivot pin broke, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity report said.

This caused the corner of the cube to hit the ground and the top half to break off, crushing the man. The accident report stated that the pivot bolt was not fully screwed into the cube.

The incident occurred just days before the plant was scheduled to close permanently. The first round of layoffs was scheduled for July 17, with final layoffs to occur by July 31.

The closure affects all employees at the plant, the car manufacturer said.

So far this year, 14 workplace deaths have been reported to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).

There were 36 workplace deaths in 2023. The lowest number of workplace deaths in one year was recorded in 2009 with 24 deaths.