Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100142280 - Lasalle County Asphalt Company

Inspection Information - Office: Naperville Area Office

Investigation Summary

A ROAD CONSTRUCTION FIRM WAS HIRED TO WIDEN THE SHOULDERS OF A PAVED, TWO-LANE RURAL ROAD. THE EMPLOYEES AT THE SITE WERE SCRAPING THE MATERIAL OFF THE OLD SHOULDER AND WERE SPREADING AND ROLLING NEW MATERIAL (SAND AND GRAVEL). A TRUCK DRIVER EMPLOYED BY THIS FIRM HAD DELIVERED A LOAD OF MATERIAL TO THE SITE. (IT WAS HIS FOURTH LOAD OF THE DAY.) AFTER DUMPING HIS LOAD, HE LOWERED THE BED OF HIS DUMP TRUCK AND DROVE INTO A NEARBY PRIVATE DRIVEWAY TO CLEAN OFF THE APRON OF THE TRUCK AND TO TURN AROUND. HE RAISED THE DUMP BED TO FACILITATE CLEANING THE APRON, AND IT CONTACTED A 7200-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. WHEN HE GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK, HE WAS ELECTROCUTED. THE COMPANY HAD RECOGNIZED THE HAZARD POSED BY THE OVERHEAD LINES AND HAD ASSIGNED AN EMPLOYEE TO CHECK FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LINES AND TO DIRECT THE TRUCK DRIVERS IN RAISING AND LOWERING THEIR DUMP BEDS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TRUCK DRIVER WHO WAS ELECTROCUTED WAS OUT OF SIGHT OF THE REST OF THE SPREADING CREW.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, ELECTROCUTED, E C, DUMP TRUCK, DUMP TRUCK BED