Worker Injured by Falling Pallet at Depot

South Windsor police said a worker was seriously injured on May 12 after a pallet fell at Home Depot’s distribution center at 360 Ellington Road in South Windsor, Connecticut. Fire Chief Kevin Cooney told local media that first responders were dispatched just after 3:45 p.m. to the warehouse. Police said the worker suffered severe head trauma and was breathing when responders arrived, though not responsive. The worker was taken to Hartford Hospital, and police said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to investigate. ### Where did the accident happen, and when were responders called? The South Windsor Home Depot distribution center is at 360 Ellington Road, according to local reports and business listings for the site. South Windsor Fire Chief Kevin Cooney said first responders were sent there shortly after 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12. (patch.com) Patch reported the accident took place just before 4 p.m. at the distribution center. FOX61 reported that three police officers provided medical care at the scene before the worker was transported to a hospital. ### What do officials say happened to the worker? South Windsor police said a pallet fell on a worker during operations at the facility. (fox61.com) Patch reported the worker was seriously hurt, and police described the injuries as severe head trauma. WFSB reported the victim was a man and said he was breathing but not responsive while being taken to the hospital. (patch.com) FOX61 similarly reported that the injured person suffered a serious head injury. Officials did not publicly identify the worker in the initial reports. ### What has Home Depot said about the incident? (patch.com) Home Depot’s public careers pages describe the company’s warehouse and distribution network as part of its logistics operation, but the reports available on the South Windsor incident do not include a public statement from the company. The available local coverage focused on police and fire officials’ accounts of the accident and the emergency response. (wfsb.com) The South Windsor site is listed online as a Home Depot distribution center operating at 360 Ellington Road. That address also appears in mapping and business directory records tied to the facility. ### Why is OSHA involved in this case? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to the South Windsor site after the injury, according to South Windsor police and local television reports. (careers.homedepot.com) OSHA investigates serious workplace incidents and publishes inspection information through its federal database, though inspection records and any citations can take time to appear. (chamberofcommerce.com) The reports available as of May 22 did not include any OSHA findings, citations or a public agency statement describing the cause of the pallet fall. Local coverage said only that OSHA had responded and that police were treating the event as a workplace accident under investigation. ### What remains unanswered? (patch.com) Police did not release the worker’s name in the initial accounts, and the public reports reviewed did not provide an updated condition from Hartford Hospital. The available coverage also did not say what equipment was in use or what caused the pallet to fall. As of May 22, the next public milestone is likely to come from OSHA’s inspection records or from any update issued by South Windsor police or town officials. (patch.com) OSHA’s establishment search is the federal database where inspection outcomes are eventually posted. (osha.gov)