Inspection Detail

Inspection: 116232190 - Grady Fortner Dba Grady Fortner Excavating

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on September 1, 1995, Employee #1 was operating a John Deere 4506 dozer down a steep hillside. It appears that the employee tried to put the dozer in reverse when he came upon a small rock cliff approximately 6 ft tall, but the dozer spun around. According to a witness, the dozer rolled sideways before flipping head over heels twice and then landing back in its tracks. Employee #1 was thrown from the dozer and died of multiple trauma injuries. The dozer was equipped with rollover protection and seat belts, but Employee #1 did not use the seat belt while the dozer was in operation.

Keywords: ROLL-OVER, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, STEEP GRADE, SEAT BELT, BULLDOZER, OVERTURN