Cal/OSHA Investigating Death of Water District Worker in Beaumont

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, is investigating the death of a Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District employee who was struck and killed by a commercial truck Tuesday in Beaumont.

"He was marking the location of a water line when he was struck by a flatbed truck," Patricia Ortiz, a spokesperson for Cal/OSHA based in San Francisco, said Wednesday in a phone interview.

Ortiz said she was reading from a preliminary report.

A county coroner's report said Ricardo Flores, 24, of Beaumont, was a water district employee who was marking the street when he was struck and fatally injured by a truck on Veile Avenue at 2:44 p.m. Tuesday.

The state agency was notified at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, Ortiz said. A Cal/OSHA investigator visited the accident site to gather information, Ortiz said.

The agency has up to six months to finish its investigation, though similar Cal/OSHA investigations typically take three to four months to complete, Ortiz said.

"Cal/OSHA inspectors work to protect and govern the safety and health of workers in California," Ortiz said later in an email. "The investigation is to make sure Labor Codes are not violated. Safety programs are reviewed and inspectors check to see if standards are followed. Employers are cited with monetary penalties if violations are discovered."

Asked Wednesday morning about whether Cal/OSHA was investigating, Anthony Lara, interim general manager for the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District, said he was preparing a statement.

"It is with deep regret and sadness that I report that on Tuesday afternoon, June 28, 2011, Ricardo Flores (Ricky), age 24, an employee of the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District was fatally injured when struck by a passing vehicle while working on Viele Street, south of Sixth Street in Beaumont," Lara said in his statement.

"This tragic event is currently under investigation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ricky's family and friends. Ricky worked at the District and was part of our family for the past seven years, he will be missed."