Aaron Henderson Polk County contract worker crushed to death by bulldozer while using porta potty at Florida landfill in industrial accident.
A contractor was crushed to death while using a porta potty at a Florida landfill over the weekend in a freak accident according to Polk County authorities.
Aaron Henderson, 43, of Winter Haven, who had been tasked to be a spotter for heavy equipment coming in and out of the landfill was crushed by a bulldozer while using a porta-potty, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say a heavy equipment operator, another contract worker, was operating a bulldozer at the landfill Friday afternoon while Henderson was tasked with providing traffic control.
Deputies say the driver took the bulldozer up an embankment towards a ‘heavy equipment staging area’ to park at the end of the day. While doing so, the front blade of his bulldozer was elevated 3-4 feet off the ground, and he could not see directly in front of him due to the blade obstructing his view, according to PCSO.
Deputies say the driver began to turn his bulldozer and heard a loud crumble. As he continued forward he noticed he went over a porta-potty which he was unaware was near the staging area 10 Tampa Bay reported.
Polk County contract worker killed at landfill site
According to investigators, he immediately exited the bulldozer and ran towards the porta-potty to see if anyone was inside. Investigators say he saw Henderson unresponsive inside the porta-potty.
Deputies say the foreman responded to the scene and dialed 911.
Henderson who had been contracted out via CertiTemp died at the scene.
‘[The] incident was a tragic accident,’ said Board Chair Martha Santiago. ‘Our Board asks that you keep the family and friends of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers.’
Deputies said the tragedy ‘appeared’ to be the result of an industrial accident. An autopsy will be conducted at a later date.
Authorities said the incident marked the first fatality in the history of the North Central Landfill, according to Polk County.
OSHA has been notified and the tragedy remains an ongoing investigation.
