Inspection Detail

Inspection: 103433850 - Colonial Sugars, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:45 p.m. on February 20, 1995, Employee #1 was acting as a spotter moving railroad cars along railroad spur tracks on the west side of the Colonial Sugar refinery in Gramercy, LA. The Trackmobile, model TM4000, used to move the cars was operated by another employee. Radio communication was provided between the spotter and the Trackmobile operator. Employee #1 had spotted one boxcar on Track 7 and was supposed to throw the switch to spot a car on nearby Track 6. For some reason, he failed to throw the switch and was consequently pinned between 2 railroad cars. He suffered fatal crushing injuries. The employer has a developed safety and health program and has written procedures governing the spotting of railroad cars. Employee #1 had spotted cars on many prior occasions and was familiar with the switch arrangement on the west side of the plant. It is believed that he was riding on the cars he was spotting; walking alongside the cars is a safer procedure.

Keywords: PINNED, WORK RULES, RAILROAD CAR, RIDING ON EQUIPMENT, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, RAILROAD TRACK