Abstract: At approximately 9:30 a.m. on August 13, 1987, Employee #1, a 21-year-old temporary (summer) worker for the Department of Transportation, was trying to back up a 9 rubber-tire Gabion road compactor/roller, model #P-3500 AWD. The roller began to tip and he tried to leap away, landing in a 4 foot ditch/trench at the side of the road. The 13,000 to 14,000 lb partially loaded road compactor continued to tip over toward Employee #1, who was lying face down on the ground. It landed on his chest and torso area and he died of mechanical asphyxia. Probable causes of the accident include employee inattention combined with no vehicle training and, potentially, the lack of adequate supervision at the job site. Employee #1 was not assigned to operate the compactor/roller. Investigation of the accident is continuing and includes an inquiry into why he was both operating the vehicle and trying to back up.