Around 50 farm workers were on their way to pick watermelons at Cannon farms in Dunnellon when a collision with a pick-up truck ended eight lives and injured nearly four dozen others early Tuesday morning.RELATED: ‘Massive traffic homicide investigation’: 8 dead, dozens hospitalized in Ocala bus crashWESH 2 News talked with the president of Olvera Trucking Corporation of Immokalee, the company transporting the Mexican migrant workers.RELATED: Truck driver involved in Ocala bus crash that killed 8 arrested on DUI manslaughter charges”Never ever has anything like that ever happened. It’s devastating. I don’t remember anything like this ever happening before. The driver has been with us for a while and is experienced,” Olvera said. While the state builds its case against the driver of the pick-up that struck the bus, Bryan Howard, an investigator with the Florida Highway Patrol, will investigate Olvera Trucking Corporation’s safety history. A Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation check reveals no current complaints or open cases against Olvera. RELATED: Mexican Consulate says victims of massive bus crash in Ocala seek legal, mental health supportThe U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services’ H2-A Data Hub, which tracks foreign employees in the work VISA program, shows Olvera had 109 approved farm workers. It’s one of 307 companies in Florida that, as of March 31, employ 37,626 foreign workers, mostly in agriculture, working on farms. WESH 2 Investigates has previously brought you stories explaining the intensive regulations surrounding these workers. Thousands work seasonally in the Central Florida agricultural market.On the federal level, safety in transporting these workers is improving.Under a rule finalized by the U.S. Department of Labor, transport vehicles will be required to have seat belts beginning June 28.While it’s unclear if the bus the Olvera Trucking was operating had belts and, if so, if they were being used, farmworker advocates say use and enforcement of belts must improve.The Coalition of Immokalee Workers co-founder, Lucas Benitez, spoke with WESH 2 Investigates.”Incidents like these are far too common, and we know that transportation safety laws – especially when it comes to farm labor buses – go largely unenforced. While accidents will happen, protecting workers while transporting them with mandatory and enforceable safety provisions, like seatbelts and safety inspections, can reduce injuries and deaths when accidents do occur,” Benitez said.
Around 50 farm workers were on their way to pick watermelons at Cannon farms in Dunnellon when a collision with a pick-up truck ended eight lives and injured nearly four dozen others early Tuesday morning.
RELATED: ‘Massive traffic homicide investigation’: 8 dead, dozens hospitalized in Ocala bus crash
WESH 2 News talked with the president of Olvera Trucking Corporation of Immokalee, the company transporting the Mexican migrant workers.
RELATED: Truck driver involved in Ocala bus crash that killed 8 arrested on DUI manslaughter charges
“Never ever has anything like that ever happened. It’s devastating. I don’t remember anything like this ever happening before. The driver has been with us for a while and is experienced,” Olvera said.
While the state builds its case against the driver of the pick-up that struck the bus, Bryan Howard, an investigator with the Florida Highway Patrol, will investigate Olvera Trucking Corporation’s safety history.
A Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation check reveals no current complaints or open cases against Olvera.
RELATED: Mexican Consulate says victims of massive bus crash in Ocala seek legal, mental health support
The U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services’ H2-A Data Hub, which tracks foreign employees in the work VISA program, shows Olvera had 109 approved farm workers.
It’s one of 307 companies in Florida that, as of March 31, employ 37,626 foreign workers, mostly in agriculture, working on farms.
WESH 2 Investigates has previously brought you stories explaining the intensive regulations surrounding these workers.
Thousands work seasonally in the Central Florida agricultural market.
On the federal level, safety in transporting these workers is improving.
Under a rule finalized by the U.S. Department of Labor, transport vehicles will be required to have seat belts beginning June 28.
While it’s unclear if the bus the Olvera Trucking was operating had belts and, if so, if they were being used, farmworker advocates say use and enforcement of belts must improve.
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers co-founder, Lucas Benitez, spoke with WESH 2 Investigates.
“Incidents like these are far too common, and we know that transportation safety laws – especially when it comes to farm labor buses – go largely unenforced. While accidents will happen, protecting workers while transporting them with mandatory and enforceable safety provisions, like seatbelts and safety inspections, can reduce injuries and deaths when accidents do occur,” Benitez said.
Credit: Source link
