Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201167228 - Laborer in Excavation Is Overcome by Exhaust from Compactor

Accident Summary Nr: 201167228 -- Report ID: 0950641 -- Event Date: 08/31/2005
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
126151646	09/16/2005	1771	238110	J W Sutter Inc

Abstract: On August 31, 2005, Employee #1 was working as a laborer for a general engineering company. The company had been contracted to construct a parking lot behind a strip mall in Los Angeles, CA. The construction of the parking lot involved a vertical cut of a hillside and the placement of a retaining wall. The vertical cuts were achieved by a slot cut method designed by an engineer. Employee #1 was assigned to prepare one of the slot cuts for backfilling at the completion of the construction of the retaining wall. He was working with a gas-powered compactor in the excavation (the space behind the retaining wall, in front of the vertical cut). As he was using the compactor to compact the soil, the compactor malfunctioned and started to buck and smoke. Employee #1 was being overcome by the smoke. He turned off the compactor and called for assistance. Coworkers lowered a ladder to him and helped him out of the excavation. Emergency medical services were called, and Employee #1 was taken to Sherman Oaks Hospital. He was evaluated, treated for smoke inhalation, and released on the same day. He was not hospitalized.

Keywords: EXCAVATION, LUNG, DIRT TAMPER, EXHAUST FUMES, RETAINING WALL, SMOKE INHALATION

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Other heavy construction		New project or new addition		$250,000 to $500,000	1

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	126151646			Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Construction laborers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Backfilling and compacting Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor

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