A truck driver in Houston, Texas, and member of ILA Local 28, Deborah McAlister, 55, died on the job earlier this week while working for Maersk-Sealand. She was pinned between her own truck and the truck in front of her, which backed up without realizing she was adjusting her numbers.

Members of the LWC health and safety committee are trying to collect all the details of this tragic work accident. Why was the truck in front of her flagged to move backwards and what was the job classification of the flagger? Was there a back-up alarm on the truck and/or was there too much noise for Deborah to hear it? Were workers being asked to work too fast and safety provisions ignored?

The LWC will use the information collected from this work accident and others, and provide a fact sheet on yard safety. If you would like a copy of this fact sheet, email info@lwcjustice.org or call 718-865-8782. We need to make sure members know their rights when it comes to enforcing safety rules or we need to organize to improve our contractual safety rules so they really work at protecting our lives on the job.

We are also writing to various Houston newspapers and asking why her tragic death was not reported.

The LWC sends its sincere condolences to Deborah McAlister’s family and friends. Please click here for Deborah’s obituary.