Lebanon man killed in Franklin accident ‘lived life to the fullest’

UPDATE @ 3:15 p.m. 8/24/17:

Ashley Phillips, a friend of Douglas Mescher, the Lebanon man killed in an industrial accident, described him as “a wonderful man with a heart of gold who truly lived life to the fullest.”

UPDATE @ 3:45 p.m. 8/23/17:

The Lebanon man killed in an industrial accident Tuesday died from multiple blunt force trauma, according to the Warren County Coroner’s Office. His death was ruled an accident.

Doyle Burke, chief investigator for the coroner’s office, said Douglas Mescher, 30, of Lebanon, was killed Tuesday when he was struck by machinery that weighs 26 tons.

UPDATE @ 1:30 p.m. 8/23/17:

The results of the autopsy performed today by the Warren County Coroner’s Office have not been released, officials said.

Douglas Mescher, 30, of Lebanon, was killed Tuesday when the load he was under slid off the forks of a forklift and crushed him, said, Scott Allen, U.S. Department of Labor, Regional Director for Public Affairs.

MORE: Subcontract worker killed in industrial accident at Franklin vehicle parts maker

He said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an inspection with Walther Engineering in Franklin and SK Rigging Co. Inc., which was hired by Walther’s to move the machine.

INITIAL REPORT, 8/23/17:

Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are returning to the site of a fatal accident at a Franklin business, said Ken Montgomery, area director.

Douglas Mescher, 30, of Lebanon, was killed Tuesday afternoon at Walther Engineering and Manufacturing Company in the 3500 block of Shotwell Drive.

Mescher was a subcontractor and he worked for SK Rigging in Cincinnati. He was helping move a large piece of equipment into the business, Montgomery said.

Montgomery said the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

There have been workplace safety violations at Walther in the past. OSHA issued the company several serious violations in 2010, according to records obtained by this news organization.

The company was issued nine penalties related to how employees were handling materials and general requirements for all machines.

SK Rigging has closed the rest of the week to provide grief counseling to its employees, Montgomery said.

No one from the company was available this afternoon, officials said.

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