A 64-year-old Hispanic laborer died after being backed over by a dump truck in a street work zone. The victim was assisting equipment operators and truck drivers to maneuver within the work zone when the incident occurred. The driver of the dump truck did not see the victim as he backed his truck, and did not expect the victim to be behind the truck. The dump truck speed was 2-3 miles per hour (mph) and the distance backed was approximately 30 yards when the incident occurred. The back-up alarm was working and the truck had adjustable mirrors on both sides of the cab. The victim was wearing a high visibility vest and hard hat at the time of the incident. The CA/FACE investigator determined that in order to prevent future occurrences, employers, as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) should: (1) Ensure that workers who are on foot stay out of the work area where heavy equipment is operating, and in clear view of operators. (2) Ensure that when visual contact is lost with workers on foot, drivers of trucks and heavy equipment stop and do not resume work until visual contact is re-established. (3) Minimize the distance trucks need to back up in order to gain access to the work area. (4) Consider using additional safety devices for trucks and heavy equipment to warn workers of a backing vehicle and to warn drivers when someone is in their blind spots. (5) Consider educating employees on the concept of teamwork in safety as part of the documented safety meeting program.
Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for California: A Laborer Dies in a Street Work Zone After Being Backed Over By a Dump Truck
2007
6 pages
Report
No indication
English
Public Health & Industrial Medicine , Environmental & Occupational Factors , Highway Engineering , Transportation & Traffic Planning , Transportation , Accident analysis , Dump trucks , Backing , Laborers , Fatalities , California , Hispanic Americans , Heavy equipment , NIOSH , Accident causes , Blind spots , Accident investigations , Occupational safety and health , Worker safety , FACE-07-CA-001