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Man dies just an hour after sending selfie to fiancée on first day at work

Man dies just an hour after sending selfie to fiancée on first day at work

Lawrence Daquan Davis' first day of work as a temp worker would ultimately end up his last after he passed away around 90 minutes in

A man passed away just over an hour after starting his first day at work and texting his fiancée.

On 16 August, 2012, 21-year-old Lawrence Daquan Davis - known to loved ones as 'Day' - went off to his first day at his first ever job at a bottling company in Jacksonville, Florida.

However, it would also mark his last.

Lawrence Daquan Davis passed away in 2012 (TS Warden Funerals)
Lawrence Daquan Davis passed away in 2012 (TS Warden Funerals)

The circumstances surrounding Davis' passing were discussed on the Lights Out podcast - hosted by Josh and Austin.

In the podcast episode - titled Five TRUE Workplace Disasters That Ended in the Worst Possible Way - uploaded to YouTube on 24 May, 2024, the pair recalled the day Davis went to work at Bacardi Bottling Corp.

According to the podcast, Davis graduated from military-style school the Youth Challenge Academy in Georgia and then enrolled in Job Corp where he studied to be a medical assistant. It's there he met Alicia Lloyd - who he'd go on to become engaged to.

After the pair suffered a stillborn birth with their first baby, Davis decided to try and go into the military, but after struggling to pass the aptitude test and with his mom ending up out of work in 2012 too, he came across the opportunity to be a temp worker at Bacardi Bottling Corp.

Davis was on his first day of temp work at Bacardi Bottling Corp (John Keeble/Getty Images)
Davis was on his first day of temp work at Bacardi Bottling Corp (John Keeble/Getty Images)

He took on the job in a bid to financially support his mom, himself and his fiancée and ahead of his first day. Davis went with his mom to get a white shirt, some khaki pants and steel toe boots required for the role, before heading to his 15-minute orientation at the plant.

Davis' first shift began at 3:00pm and he'd just sent a selfie to his fiancée wearing his work gear and high-vis jacket, promising to call during his break.

He then started to get to work on a machine known as the 'palletizer' - used for packing and stacking cases of rum - employees expected to clean the machine when bottles had spilled or smashed on and around it.

However, just 90 minutes into his shift, disaster struck.

Davis had just sent a selfie to his fiancée (YouTube/ Lights Out)
Davis had just sent a selfie to his fiancée (YouTube/ Lights Out)

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported at the time the machine had been stopped to allow employees to clean around it, as per Jacksonville.com.

However, while Davis was within the machine cleaning glass from under the hoist, another employee pushed the start button on the palletizer.

The Lights Out podcast explains 'standard procedure' would be to place 'a lock' on the machine, which prevents any workers from accidentally, or intentionally pushing the start button again incase another employee is within the machinery, however, in Davis' case, a lock allegedly wasn't used.

"There was also a second emergency stop button and some bars to put under the palletizer platform to keep it from collapsing but employees rarely use the bar because it slowed down production," the podcast claims.

Hearing Davis' screams as he was crushed by the machinery, employees rushed to turn off the machine and tried to manually lift it off him, while others called emergency services.

However, despite their best efforts, they were unable to move it and by the time emergency services arrived, Davis had passed away.

Assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. David Michaels said: "A worker's first day at work shouldn't be his last day on earth.

"Employers are responsible for ensuring the safe conditions of all of their employees, including those who are temporary."

In a 2013 statement, Bacardi said it had been 'steadfast' in its approach to workers' safety and 'addressed or put in place plans that resolve all safety and health matters identified by OSHA'.

UNILAD has contacted Bacardi for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Funerals by T.S Warden

Topics: Health, US News, YouTube, Business