Inspection Detail

Inspection: 302934567 - Hansen-Lambert, Inc. Dba Rowan Temporary Service,

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Winston-Salem

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:30 a.m., Employee #1, a sanitation worker, was standing behind a garbage truck that was stopped in the eastbound travel lane of Statesville Boulevard. A private vehicle pulled out of the access drive of Westside Manor Apartments and was traveling eastward at approximately 40 mph when it struck the rear of the garbage truck, pinning Employee #1 between the two vehicles. He sustained multiple traumatic injuries, including amputation of both legs from being crushed between the vehicles. Rescue workers pronounced him dead at the scene, and it took them an hour to extricate his body. Apparently, the bright, early morning sun, which was just above the horizon and just to the left of the stopped garbage truck, was shining directly in the face of the driver of the private car. She later stated that a tractor trailer had entered the left turn lane between the two traffic lanes of Statesville Boulevard and was attempting to merge into the eastbound traffic lane. She said she was watching the tractor trailer and giving him the opportunity to pull into the lane in front of her. The driver was apparently distracted by the movement of the tractor trailer, or had her vision obstructed by the sunshine, and did not see the garbage truck stopped in the traffic lane in front of her. According to police reports and witness statements, the car made no attempt to stop prior to striking the truck, and there were no skid marks at, or in front of, the impact site. The garbage truck's six warning lights were flashing at the time of the accident.

Keywords: GARBAGE TRUCK, HIGHWAY, AMPUTATED, TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, PINNED, WORK RULES, AUTOMOBILE, STRUCK BY, INATTENTION, POOR VISIBILITY