13 December 2023 , 15:47
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An 86-year-old woman was tragically killed in a “completely preventable” accident while working in parcel depot.
Verna Mae Jackson was working in the FedEx World Hub in Memphis, Tennessee, on November 30 when she was injured in a work-related accident at 11:21pm. The elderly woman was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead according to the Memphis Police Department.
Ms Jackson was a long-term employee at the Memphis FedEx hub, according to the family’s lawyer Jeffery Rosenblum, who argued that she died because the health and safety measures which were necessary to prevent an accident were not in place at the time of her death.
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FedEx said they are "deeply saddened" by the loss (Getty Images)
(Bloomberg via Getty Images)The 86-year-old stalwart of the FedEx hub was killed after she saw an envelope sticking out of a container and rushed over to retrieve it, according to Rosenblum. But a tug driver pulling a big load of mail failed to honk to warn Ms Jackson as she went over to grab the envelope, the lawyer alleges according to ABC 24.
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Ms Jackson was later found under a 2,500 pound dolly according to Action News 5, where she sustained serious injuries which would prove to be fatal. “The safety precautions that could’ve protected her were not in place. This was a completely preventable death,” Action News 5 reported Rosenblum as saying. “Her family wants the community to know that she loved working for FedEx, and she loved the people that she worked with,” Rosenblum added.
Ms Jackson has been described by the church which she regularly attended, Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, as someone who “has made our world a brighter, better place” in a Facebook post in heartwarming tribute to her long and active life. The poetic post read: “A life well lived is a precious gift, of hope and strength and grace, from someone who has made our world a brighter, better place.
“It’s filled with moments, sweet and sad, with smiles and sometimes tears, with friendships formed and good times shared and laughter through the years. A life well lived is a legacy, of joy and pride and pleasure, a living, lasting memory our grateful hearts will treasure. Gone too soon!”
In a statement made to Inside Edition Digital, FedEx said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Verna Jackson, a highly valued member of our team for more than 20 years, who will be dearly missed. Our heartfelt sympathy and condolences go out to her loved ones during this extremely difficult time. We are fully cooperating with the investigating authorities.”
The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) said an investigator from the department had been sent to determine the circumstances of Ms Jackson’s death, a process which will take between eight and ten weeks. “To ensure the investigation’s integrity, TOSHA does not release any preliminary information regarding the incident,” they said.