Accident: 202493748 -- Report ID: 0950621 -- Event Date: 11/02/2012
Inspection | Open Date | SIC | Establishment Name |
316519719 | 11/02/2012 | 1794 | Creative Home Inc. Dba Chi Construction |
At approximately 9:00 a.m. on November 2, 2012, Employee #1, the owner of a heavy equipment company, was working for Creative Home Interiors, Inc., dba Chi Construction. Chi Construction had been hired by Plumas County, CA to rebuild a boat launch at Honkers Bay Dock, Lake Davis, in Portola, CA. Employee #1, who had been hired as the main equipment operator for the project, was operating a Komatsu PC 290 hydraulic excavator rented by Chi Construction and excavating mud from the lake. Employee #1's brother, Coworker #1, a regular employee of Chi Construction, also was working at the site, operating a backhoe loader and assisting Employee #1. However, Coworker #1 was away from the excavation site, driving the backhoe to a parking lot approximately .25 mile away to dump a load of mud and then returning. During this time, the excavator, with Employee #1 in the operator's cab, apparently tipped over and sank into the lake. Employee #1 drowned. According to Coworker #1, who was interviewed during the investigation, he and Employee #1 had performed all their pre-shift inspections on the equipment, and both machines were in good working condition. The employer provided an IIPP and Code of Safe Practices meeting minimum requirements. Both Employee #1 and Coworker #1 were experienced operators.
Keywords:
excavation, asphyxiated, roll-over, machine operator, construction, excavator, drown, mud slide
Accident Details
End Use |
Proj Type |
Proj Cost |
Stories |
NonBldgHt |
Fatality |
Shoreline development, dam, reservoir |
Alteration or rehabilitation |
$50,000 to $250,000 |
|
|
X |
Employee Details
Employee # |
Inspection |
Age |
Sex |
Degree |
Nature |
Occupation |
1 |
316519719 |
|
|
Fatality |
Asphyxia |
Miscellaneous material moving equipment operators |