On July 18, 2006, a 21-year-old male road construction worker (the victim) was fatally injured when a dump truck partially loaded with asphalt backed over him. The victim was a member of a road construction crew working at night on a state highway paving project. The dump truck driver was backing through the work zone, with the trucks back up alarm sounding, toward the next section of roadway to be paved when the truck struck the victim. The paver and paving crew had already repositioned to the next section of roadway to be paved. The dump truck driver was watching the driver's side mirror as he was backing to align the truck with the re-positioned paver. As he was backing he did not see anyone behind the truck. He then saw something appear out from under the front of the truck, at which time he stopped the truck. Evidence suggests the victim had his back to the dump truck. The victim had not been assigned tasks within the work zone, but may have been shoveling spilled asphalt. Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel were called and arrived on the scene to find the victim deceased. NIOSH investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should: (1) ensure that backing procedures are in place for the use of mobile construction vehicles, and use spotters for assistance when backing trucks and equipment in the work zone; (2) ensure that all workers, including sub-contractors, receive work zone safety training and are familiar with standard operating procedures before beginning work or being allowed entry into the work zone; (3) ensure that during planning phases of roadway construction, procedures are developed which minimize backing distances of vehicles and equipment through the work zone; (4) ensure that the work zone is properly illuminated; (5) consider installing after market electronic signaling devices or sensors on construction vehicles to help monitor the presence of workers on foot within blind areas; 6. implement a 'buddy system' for employees working around construction equipment; and, (7) consider having paving machine(s) and crew(s) remain in a safe area at the paving location until clean up work is complete and all workers are in the clear and accounted for.
Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Virginia: Laborer Dies After Being Run Over by a Backing Dump Truck During a Nighttime Paving Project
2006
11 pages
Report
No indication
English
Public Health & Industrial Medicine , Environmental Health & Safety , Industrial Safety Engineering , Highway Engineering , Occupational safety and health , Accident investigations , Construction workers , Fatalities , Accident analysis , Accident causes , Injuries , Work operations , Highway construction , Dump trucks , Motor vehicle accidents , Warning systems , Industrial accidents , Safety training , Accident prevention , Virginia