OSHA investigates Silver Dollar City employee death

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death this week of a maintenance employee at Silver Dollar City.

Rhonda Burke, deputy director of public affairs for the Department of Labor's Chicago office that covers Missouri, said the unnamed employee "was hospitalized July 20 with head injuries allegedly sustained during maintenance and testing of a ride and died of his injuries July 21." OSHA opened its investigation today.

"The investigation will determine how the injuries occurred and if any violations of safety regulations contributed to the injury and subsequent death," Burke said via email. "OSHA has six months to complete its investigation, issue citations and propose monetary penalties."

Silver Dollar City announced the employee's death in a statement issued yesterday. The employee had worked in maintenance and construction since 2017.

"It is with great sorrow that we share the loss of a Silver Dollar City employee following an incident that occurred while working late yesterday afternoon," the statement reads. "Silver Dollar City is working closely with the proper entities to identify the cause."

Burke said that under federal law, employers are required to notify OSHA when an employee is killed or has a work-related injury on the job.

The incident this week appears to be the second work-related death at Silver Dollar City. Spokesperson Lisa Rau said an employee was killed in the 1990s when a lightning strike hit a nearby tree and traveled through a metal picnic table.