Diadon Enterprises © 2018

Second worker dies on Port Tampa Bay project | Dump Trucks Charlotte NC

An image of a large ship on a river traveling through a city.
Tampa Bay, Florida, has a thriving port that serves the world through this canal and others. Chris Boswell via Getty Images

A construction worker at the Port Tampa Bay project in Florida was crushed by building material and died Wednesday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The incident marks the second worker death at the project in the last three months.

On Wednesday morning, a worker was clearing the way for a forklift that was transferring two bundles of lumber weighing 3,000 pounds each. When the operator hit the brakes, the bundles rolled forward. The first bundle clipped the worker, and the second rolled over and crushed him, the sheriff’s office said. 

The sheriff’s office and Port Security responded to the incident. The worker was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital.

Another worker died earlier this fall during a construction mishap on the site. Early on Sept. 16, a concrete slab estimated to weigh 3,000 pounds broke off the seawall, fell and struck 27-year-old Brennen Wagoner, killing him.

The sheriff’s office said it could provide no additional information — not the employers of the slain workers nor status of the project — and instead referred Construction Dive to OSHA, which is investigating both incidents. The agency does not comment on ongoing investigations. 

Port Tampa Bay is undergoing a capital improvement program, dubbed “Vision 2030,” which seeks to expand, rehabilitate and modernize its marine terminals and supporting infrastructure.

Construction Dive news delivered to your inbox

Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts

  • view sample
  • view sample

Editors' picks

  • Explore the Trendline
    Image attribution tooltip
    Patrick Lux via Getty Images
    Trendline

    Construction Technology

    The construction industry is relying on tech solutions now more than ever, as it faces a skilled labor crisis and global pandemic.

    By Construction Dive staff
  • Three construction workers look at plans on a jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    ljubaphoto/E+ via Getty Images

    Top takeaways from Construction Inclusion Week

    Construction Dive rounds up its coverage of the industry’s grassroots effort to stamp out hate and racism on jobsites nationwide.

    By Construction Dive Staff • Oct. 27, 2022