A mechanical worker recently hired at Florida State University in Tallahassee was killed in a workplace accident. The man was hired less than a month before the accident as a Mechanical Trades Technician by FSU’s Mag Lab, which is the largest and most powerful magnet laboratory in the world.
While working with a team of other individuals on a pipe responsible for feeding cooling water to the magnets, the victim was struck by a pipe cap that was blown off by built-up pressure. He was pronounced dead soon after. A statement providing the exact cause of death is pending a medical autopsy.
Friends of the deceased, who worked closely with him for years at his previous job with the City of Tallahassee’s Underground Utilities, described the man as a “tinkerer.” They say he was fond of repairing broken items and broken-down cars he found on Craigslist.
“A tragedy like that – somebody that you work with right beside each other and talk to everyday and spend more time with him than you do your own family, you know, it was just really, really, really hard to hear something like that happened to Nick,” said one former co-worker.
Another friend says he was heartbroken when he first heard there was an accident at FSU and got no answer when he called to check that his friend was okay.
FSU released a statement shortly after the incident saying that the facility was completely shut down following the accident, and that an investigation was underway. They also pledged complete cooperation with the FSU police department, which is expected to release an official report soon.
It is unknown at this moment if negligence or any workplace safety violations are attributable to the accident.