East Nashville Construction Worker Crushed to Death by Forklift at ZMX Development

A construction worker was killed by company negligence at an East Nashville development owned by ZMX Inc. on April 8.

Stephen Mattson, 42, died at the scene after a forklift moving lumber uphill lost power and rolled down the slope, pinning him against an excavator as he tried to escape.

Neighboring construction workers spoke to The Worker, sharing that it was a “very steep area to be moving heavy machinery” and that “the failure of the forklift caused the death of Mattson.”

ZMX purchased the property for $3 million to develop “The Elle,” a 156-unit condominium project. The project is part of the company’s broader expansion across Nashville, including its more than 1,000 residential units in the city’s formerly Black neighborhoods.

ZMX contracted Reed Civil Construction to supply equipment for the site, including the forklift that killed Mattson. In March 2026, company owner Jaren Reed was charged with theft of more than $250,000 from construction partners. Former partners allege poor workmanship and that the company sold equipment without proper ownership documentation, including machinery they say belonged to other rental companies.

Federal safety records show prior violations on ZMX construction sites in 2018 and 2021 due to fall hazards.

Mattson’s death adds to a series of fatal incidents on Nashville construction sites, where monopolists seeking to maximize profits create unsafe work conditions. Nashville was labeled “the most dangerous city for construction workers in the South” by monopoly media in 2018.

Nashville expects 200,000 primarily young and high-earning new residents in the next 5 years. Developers and general contractors have benefited from the region’s increased demand for new construction. Meanwhile, construction workers are frequently killed on the job due to a lack of safety training and equipment, negligent oversight and enforcement of labor regulations, faulty equipment, and intensifying work conditions stemming from the monopolists’ drive for profits.

The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) has only 34 inspectors responsible for more than 3 million workers statewide, greatly limiting its ability to enforce safety regulations. When the law is enforced, it comes as a slap on the wrist to monopolies, who factor it into their business expenses while maximizing exploitation of workers.

TOSHA has shut down “The Elle” site and is conducting a post-mortem inspection. Local activist organizations are taking action to support Mattson’s family and his coworkers.

Image: A construction worker installs reinforced steel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Credit: Leon Roberts.

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