Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112116025 - Kasler Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and coworkers were cutting trees and shrubs between the freeway and a city street, clearing the area for a retaining and sound wall. They had removed approximately 100 ft of freeway fence, and were piling up cut trees and branches to be hauled away later. A backhoe/loader was brought in to pull out the tree stumps. The operator backed to the edge of the street, with the right rear wheel stabilizer up on a mound of dirt and the left rear wheel and stabilizer on the city street. The loader bucket was put in dumping position on the city street, and both rear wheels were raised off the ground. After he had pulled the last stump he could reach with the backhoe, the operator raised the stabilizers and began to turn his seat to the loader or forward position. Suddenly, the machine started moving forward very quickly. The operator said he returned his seat to the backhoe position and slapped at the stabilizer control levers in an attempt to lower them and slow down the loader/backhoe. The vehicle continued traveling forward very fast, and the left stabilizer scraped the street, turning the machine to the left. The loader bucket struck Employee #1, who was walking in the street. The operator was in the forward position by this time and had raised the bucket slightly, but did not see Employee #1. The machine continued traveling forward, pushing Employee #1, who was partially under the loader bucket, across the street and into a vehicle that was parked in the driveway of a private residence. Employee #1 was killed. The loader/backhoe operator stated that he did not see Employee #1 until he backed up the vehicle and raised the bucket.

Keywords: LOADER/BACKHOE, LOADER BUCKET, CONSTRUCTION, STRUCK BY, LOST CONTROL, MECH MALFUNCTION