Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1444312.015 - Calpine Operating Services Company Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

At 6:20 p.m. on November 5, 2019, an employee working as a Truck Driver for an electric power generating company was tasked with driving a water truck. The employee works with five coworkers, but his work as a Truck Driver requires routinely working alone. The employee had just finished working for the day and was being relieved by a coworker that he didn't normally work with who was not familiar with the area. The employee was in the process of showing him where he needed to go while the coworker followed in a separate vehicle. As the employee started to drive down an approximate 13 percent grade hill, his truck slipped out of gear. He applied the brakes but the truck wouldn't slow down. The employee he panicked when he could not get the truck into gear nor get it to stop, so he turned towards the steam lines on the side of the road to stop his momentum. The steam lines were horizontal and vertical and when he hit the vertical portion at approximately 35 to 40 miles per hour, the truck was heavily damaged. The employee was pinned between the steering wheel and the seat until help could arrive to free him. Due to his impact with the dashboard, he broke 6 ribs, fractured his sternum and his left hand/wrist was completely folded backwards. He also sustained multiple contusions and abrasions and bruises. The employee was hospitalized for treatment.

Keywords: Abrasion, Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Brake, Brake failure, Broken Bone, Chest, Collision, Contusion, Defect, Defective, Defective Equipment, Driving, Fracture, Gear, Hand, Head, Hill, Inspection, Leg, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Motor Vehicle, Rib, Traffic Accident, Truck, Truck Driver, Wrist