PITTSBURGH -- Police said a garbage truck ran over a city of Pittsburgh refuse worker in Carrick around 10 a.m. Monday.

According to police, three male refuse workers were on the job, with two of the men acting as spotters.

44-year-old Eugene Sunseri, of Carrick, was riding on the back of a waste removal vehicle in the 200 block of Stewart Avenue, when he apparently fell off the vehicle and was run over, police said.

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VIDEO: Watch Jake Ploeger's report that aired on Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m.

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Sunseri was a City of Pittsburgh Environmental Services employee.

He died at Mercy Hospital shortly before 10:30 a.m.

Allegheny County Coroner Cyril Wecht ruled Sunseri's death accidental.

History:

This is the second time in as many years a city refuse worker has died in an accident.

City officials say they do regular training exercises for refuse workers and drivers. But there have still been two other fatal accidents in the past seven years.

Two years ago, a city garbage truck driver died when he was run over trying to stop his runaway truck.

Accident investigators said the driver failed to apply the emergency brake when parking the truck -- one of the basic rules for truck drivers.

In 1998, another city garbage truck driver was killed when his truck crashed into a house in Greenfield.

Investigators found a low level of coolant in the truck that caused the engine to shut down while the truck was backing up a steep hill.

City public works officials say drivers undergo regular training exercises to prevent these sorts of accidents.

"They're taught the proper methods as far as driving the vehicle, assisting the driver, backing people up and it's a program that we take very seriously," said Pubic Works Operations director Bill Klimovich.

Even with proper training, officials recognize accidents are difficult to avoid.

"People don't come to collect rubbish and then die so it's very upsetting to everyone involved. Even if you weren't directly involved, you know it could have easily been you out there one time or another," said Klimovich.

The victim in Monday's fatal accident was a relatively new employee.

So was the truck driver. He has been on the job a little over a year.

It will take police several days before they can figure out what exactly caused the accident.