Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1194523.015 - 94326 - Kirk Almendinger Dba Kirk Almendinger Contracting

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:25 a.m. on November 23, 2016, Employee #1 and a coworker were removing snow from the lot of a commercial semi-truck freight carrier transfer station. Employee #1 was using a John Deere front end loader and the coworker was using a Ford F-250 pickup truck with an attached plow blade. The two had just finished removing snow from one side of the business and Employee #1 backed the loader up to the front of the pickup. Employee #1 then got out of the front end loader and walked to the coworker's door where they had a conversation about where to plow next. Employee #1 then returned to the loader and the coworker proceeded to put the pickup truck in reverse to turn around so he could drive to a different area of the lot. When the coworker pushed on the gas pedal on the pickup truck, the truck lurched forward rather than backwards. The coworker went to hit the brakes and inadvertently pushed on the gas and lurched forward striking Employee #1 with the front of the pickup truck and/or plow blade. Employee #1 was pinned between the asphalt lot and the underbody of the pickup truck. Employee #1 was transported to a medical center for treatment and died later that day as a result of his injuries.

Keywords: Snowplow Blade, Struck By, Truck