Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for New York: Contractor Crushed against the Cab of a Dump Truck by the Dump Body

摘要

In July 2008, a self-employed construction contractor (the victim) sustained fatal injuries when he was crushed against the cab of a dump truck by the dump body at a residential construction site. At the time of the incident, the victim was using the dump truck to deliver soil to the site and then grading the soil with a backhoe. The victim worked alone and there was no witness to the incident. The incident was initially reported by the property owner who arrived on site at approximately 5:00 PM and found both the dump truck and the backhoe idling. The property owner saw that the victim was crushed between the back of the cab and the front of the dump body that was in the down position. With the dump body down, the width of the space was 7 inches. The dump body movement was controlled by a dump lever located inside the cab. Post-incident examination determined that the dump lever was stuck and inoperable. There was a mechanical linkage between the dump body hydraulic control lever and the dump body cylinder valve. The linkage was located underneath the chassis between the frame members. The dump body could be actuated if the linkage was pushed. It appeared that the dump body may have been stuck when the last load of soil was being unloaded. The victim may have climbed up on the truck chassis, sat on the frame facing the dump body that was in the up position with his back against the cab trying to kick the linkage to actuate the hydraulic valve to activate the dump body. The dump body came down and crushed the victim before he could escape. The homeowner placed a 911 call and the paramedics arrived within minutes. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. New York State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (NY FACE) investigators concluded that to help prevent similar incidents from occurring, employers should: (1) Ensure that an elevated dump body is securely blocked or cribbed to prevent inadvertent movement while workers perform troubleshooting work or maintenance; (2) Ensure that operators strictly follow manufacturers' safe operating procedures by using proper machine controls when operating dump trucks; (3) Ensure that periodic inspections and preventive maintenance are carried out strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications; and keep and maintain manufacturer's operating and maintenance manuals for the specific model of dump trucks. Additionally, manufacturers of dump trucks should: (4) Enclose the mechanical linkage to discourage unsafe use.