State police and safety officials are investigating an industrial accident yesterday in Finksburg that claimed the life of a 27-year-old Reisterstown man.

Javier Hernandez of the first block of Ewing Drive was working on the edge of a trash-loading pit at Roll-off Express in the 2900 block of Dede Road about 3 p.m. when he lost his footing and fell under the wheels of a front-end loader that was backing up, said Tfc. John Linton of the Westminster barracks. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The front-end loader was operated by a 17-year-old employee, whose identity was not released. Linton said the vehicle's back-up warning beeper was working.