Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1458967.015 - Griffin Soil Group

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys Mining & Tunneling District Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:00 p.m. on January 23, 2020, Employee #1, who was a truck driver, arrived at a cement plant to pick up material. He was operating the truck alone and pulled up next the "Safe Racks", a work platform designed to provide fall protection for the truck drivers at the batch plant by helping drivers access the top of their trailers to open and close the lids. Video footage from Employee #1's truck shows that he stayed inside the truck for approximately five minutes, got out of the truck, and then walked across the front of the truck to talk with another truck that had pulled up along the "Safe Racks". Employee #2, who drove truck for a different company, observed Employee #1 was parked on the wrong side of the "Safe Racks" and was walking "funny", so inquired about his health. Employee #1 replied "for an old man, I am doing fine", and Employee #2 left the "Safe Racks" to load up material. Employee #2 discussed this with the weigh master, and told the weigh master he'd check on Employee #1 on his way out. When Employee #2 pulled his truck to a different "Safe Racks" location, they saw Employee #1 laying on the ground on the south side of the truck, several feet away from the truck. Employee #2 and a helper ran to Employee #1, called emergency services, informed the weigh master, and returned to perform first aide until ambulances arrived. A safety manager also arrived shortly after the incident occurred. Employee #1 was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he later died of his injuries. Employee #1 did not have any visible injuries to indicate a fall from the top of the "Safe Racks" and was found too far away (approximately 5 to 7 feet away from the truck and 12 feet away from the "Safe Racks") to have fallen from the truck or the "Safe Racks". Cal OSHA was unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, according the to medical examiner's report, Employee #1 suffered blunt force trauma to the head.

Keywords: Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Fall, Head, Traumatic, Truck, Truck Driver