Oceanside Man Dies While Working on Loading Dock

State authorities investigating incident

State officials are investigating a work-related death that happened in Carlsbad Friday morning.

San Diego’s Medical Examiner says Oceanside resident Arturo Cuellar died while he was at work preparing to assist in the unloading of a truck tractor trailor at a Carlsbad company. Carlsbad Fire Medics and Carlsbad Police Officers pronounced Cuello dead at the scene.

Cuello aparently opened the rolling door to the loading dock to prepare to unload. The shipping and receiving Flor-Expo employee stepped out to the edge of the loading dock, when the truck rolled backward, according to a Medical Examiner's report.

The big rig was from "D and D Transportation" out of Hialeah, Florida, according to Erika Monterroza of the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Cal OSHA says two drivers were in the big rig. They set the break, but the truck was still idling.

The ME report indicates the rear doors of the truck hit the Flor-Expo employee in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground.

The report Cal OSHA received indicates a man’s head was crushed between the wall and the truck, but during their months-long investigation they will find out exactly what happened. Cal OSHA says because there was an occupational fatality, it has started an investigation.

It is considered a multi-employer search. As such, Cal OSHA says it is possible that either or both companies can be issued a citation.

Jose Torres works at Flor-Expo and said he was shocked by the incident. He says he’s worked there for 15 years and has never seen any deadly accident.

Torres and several employees say while anything can happen, the work they do by the loading docks is usually very safe.

Flor-Expo says the Vice President of Human Resources, Jennifer Lab-Elsner, is in meetings regarding the deadly accident. The company says Cal OSHA is also on-site regarding the investigation.
 

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