Man dies in workplace accident

BY ELAINE VAN DEVELDE
Staff Writer

EDISON –– A 35-year-old man’s work day had barely started last week when his life was cut short after several 300-pound boxes toppled on top of him.

The man, Earl Lising of Union Township, was unloading a truck at the M&M International Corp. warehouse, 160 Raritan Center Parkway, when another employee was using a forklift to remove heavy boxes that contained metal tubing from the same truck at about 9:40 a.m. on March 30, Patrolman Robert Dudash said.

Six of the roughly 300-pound boxes containing the tubing fell off the forklift and back into the back of the truck, crushing Lising, who was unloading it, according to the police report.

Police said that after the heavy boxes fell on top of Lising, the forklift operator who was moving them rushed to his aid.

“He was able to move the boxes off Lising,” Dudash said. “But he was bleeding from the head and neck area.”

The victim, who suffered severe head and neck trauma, was still alive when police arrived, Dudash said, but not responsive.

In addition to police and firefighting personnel, the Clara Barton First Aid Squad responded and transported Lising to Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival there at 10:43 a.m.

The incident is being considered an accident and no charges have been filed, Dudash said.

However, he added that the accident is under investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).