Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123703423 - Trumbo Appliance Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Winchester - Safety 0355115

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, the crew chief, and two coworkers were unloading refrigerators and appliances from a tractor trailer and placing them onto a compact pickup truck to shuttle the appliances along a level street to a condominium complex. After the crew had loaded two refrigerators onto the bed of the pickup, Employee #1 and one of the coworkers stood on the truck's tailgate to steady the load as it was transported to the complex. After the truck traveled 100 ft at walking speed, Employee #1 shouted "Whoa," then fell sideways from the tailgate. He struck the side of his head against the asphalt street. Employee #1 died 17 hours later of massive head trauma and edema of the brain. Employee #1 worked two jobs, and extreme fatigue or an unknown pre-existing medical condition (dizziness) may have contributed to the fall.

Keywords: HEAD, WORK RULES, FATIGUE, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, RIDING ON EQUIPMENT, DIZZINESS, FALL, PICKUP TRUCK, BRAIN