HOUMA -- An employee at a local machine shop was killed in a forklift accident Monday morning, authorities said.

Emergency officials said the victim was a man between 40 and 50 years of age and that the incident occurred at K&B Machine, 2186 Grand Caillou Road.

According to preliminary information gathered at the scene, the victim was standing behind a forklift when it backed into him and ran him over, said District Fire Chief Ernie Miller of the Houma Fire Department.

Fire personnel, he said, were dispatched at 8:11 a.m.

K&B manufactures and engineers oilfield equipment.

Company officials refused to comment when contacted shortly after the incident.

The company is required to report the death to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA will conduct an accident investigation to find out what happened and if any of its standards were violated. OSHA has six months to complete an investigation, said Diana Petterson, OSHA spokeswoman in Dallas.