Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100269216 - The Western Company Of North American

Inspection Information - Office: Houston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEEE #1 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WERE MAKING REPAIRS TO A CAB-OVER TRACTOR UNIT. THEY HAD RAISED THE CAB AND WERE READY TO BLEED THE AIR FROM THE POWER STEERING UNIT. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE, STANDING ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, REACHED INTO THE CAB TO START THE ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, THE TRUCK LURCHED FORWARD, THROWING THE OTHER EMPLOYEE FORWARD ALSO. AS THE TRUCK SLOWLY MOVED, IN GEAR, TOWARD A CLOSED BAY DOOR, EMPLOYEE #1 GRABBED THE OTHER EMPLOYEE AND PULLED HIM AWAY FROM THE TRUCK TO SAFETY. EMPLOYEE #1 THEN REACHED INTO THE MOVING TRUCK TO GRAB THE KILL-CABLE. HIS WORK SHIRT SOMEHOW BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE ENGINE, AND THE FRONT WHEEL KNOCKED HIM OFF HIS FEET. DRAGGING EMPLOYEE #1, THE CEMENT BULK TRUCK CRASHED THROUGH THE BAY DOOR INTO THE SHOP, WHERE EMPLOYEE #1 WAS RELEASED AND FELL TO THE SHOP FLOOR. THE TRACTOR'S LEFT SIDE DRIVER WHEEL RAN OVER EMPLOYEE #1'S LEGS AND PELVIS. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE WAS ABLE TO GRAB EMPLOYEE #1 AND PULL HIM OUT OF THE PATH OF THE REAR DUALS. ANOTHER MECHANIC RAN TO THE CURB SIDE OF THE UNIT AND WAS ABLE TO PULL THE KILL CABLE. THE MACHINE STOPPED ABOUT 18 INCHES FROM THE SHOP'S WEST WALL. IT HAD TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET FROM ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. EMPLOYEE #1 RECEIVED A BROKEN LEG, BROKEN PELVIC BONE, SEVERE LACERATIONS ON HIS ARMS AND UNKNOWN INTERNAL INJURIES. THE EMPLOYEE WAS RUN OVER ON FEBRUARY 27, 1986, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:40 AM, AND DIED ON MARCH 14, 1986.

Keywords: FRACTURE, REPAIR, WORK RULES, MECHANIC, STARTED IN GEAR, CRUSHED, TRUCK, TRACTOR TRAILER, RUN OVER, LEG