Dockworker hit by forklift, killed
A 73-year-old dockworker was killed Friday after being run over by a forklift as he was helping unhook cargo from a ship at the Port of Long Beach, officials said. Carlos Rivera of Wilmington had worked on the waterfront for more than 40 years.
“This is a man with considerable experience,” said John Showalter, spokesman for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. “This affirms the fact that the docks are a dangerous place to work.”
The California United Terminal, where the 11 a.m. accident occurred, ordered cargo handling halted for 24 hours.
The union, representing dockworkers at 29 West Coast ports, named safety a top priority last month at the start of contract talks with shipping lines. Showalter said dockworkers are under pressure to rapidly load and unload goods.
The Long Beach Police Department, which is investigating the accident along with the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, did not release the name of the forklift driver, identified as a 67-year-old Long Beach resident.
-- Janet Wilson and Mary Engel
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