CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Workers at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport are seeking safety improvements after a man was killed last month when a baggage-hauling vehicle flipped over and pinned him.
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Workers at the airport have asked the City Council for various safety upgrades after the death of 24-year-old Kendrick Darrell Hudson. Police said Hudson turned to avoid hitting luggage on the tarmac, but the tug hit it and rolled over.
The accident occurred near Concourse E.
Donielle Prophete, vice president for Communications Workers of America Local 3645, said poor visibility at parts of the concourse has led workers to dub it "Death Valley."
"We feel this is an accident waiting to happen," said Donielle Prophete, who is a unionized employee with CWA Local 3645. "We don't know if the lighting contributed to Kendrick's death or not, but we want to be proactive."
Charlotte aviation director Brent Cagle said an existing airport lighting analysis of C and D concourses now will include parts of E. The accident happened at Gate E3, he said.
"We have already been conducting a lighting analysis around the C and D concourse. We will be adding in those E areas," Cagle said.
Workers are speaking up partially because unfortunately they lost one of their own last month. In a freak accident, a tug hit luggage that dropped on the tarmac. It flipped, pinning the worker underneath. This happened at gate E3, but workers don’t want it to happen again @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/HLpDmbphz5
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) September 25, 2019
OSHA is investigating the incident.
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Associated Press
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