A sanitation worker was killed in the compactor of his garbage truck, the Phoenix police reported, according to kpho.com. The 60-year-old worker later identified as Robert Amaral was declared dead at the scene.
The terrible accident happened when Amaral was trying to repair the machinery. He had the misfortune to get caught in the equipment and consequently, was crushed to death in his garbage truck. Because no one intervened to help him, police believe that the man was alone when the accident took place.
What's more, a private contractor owns the truck, Darin Perkins, director of the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health, said. He added that his agency was trying to find out if Amaral's death was accidental or if improper safety standards were those who caused the accident.
As for the police, they consider the incident as accidental and treat it accordingly.
The drama reminds us of another work accident that happened to a car wash worker last month. A Massachusetts car wash worker almost died after her scarf got caught in machinery at her job but fortunately for her, a customer intervened to save her life. Her scarf got caught on a spinning scrubber brush in a car wash and began strangling her. The heroic customer jumped out of his vehicle and used his pocketknife to free her. If it hadn't been for him, the woman would have probably had the same tragic fate as Amaral who had the misfortune to be alone when the incident happened.
This kind of incidents should be like a warning for all those who work surrounded by machinery that could put an end to their lives instantly. They should be twice more attentive than people who work in a safer environment.
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