Inspection Detail

Inspection: 104399753 - S. M. Russell Trucking

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was driving a 1985 Mack Econodyne truck tractor (Model No. R688STB309, Vehicle Identification No. 2M2N188Y1GC013561) with a Fruehauf trailer. He had backed the trailer into a raw materials storage area where a front end loader (Model No. JD544-B, Serial No. 248097T) was being used to load a hopper with old bakery waste food. The food was to be used for animal feed ingredients. Employee #1 got out of the cab, walked along the side of the trailer, turned the corner, and positioned himself behind the trailer to loosen the lugs of the dump door and his tarpaulin. The front end loader backed up and crushed him between itself and tractor trailer, injuring his chest and killing him. The front end loader operator had been operating equipment for 3 months. He had received on-the-job training for 1 week from experienced operators and had been supervised by the plant manager. The back-up alarm on the loader was inoperable and the windows of the cab were dusty and caused visible distortion to the operator.

Keywords: BACK-UP ALARM, CHEST, DUST, FRONT END LOADER, INADEQUATE MAINT, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, HOUSEKEEPING