Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14739155 - Inland Steel Company

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 1:15 AM ON 08/20/84, EMPLOYEE #1, A CONDUCTOR FOR INLAND STEEL COMPANY, 3210 WATLING ST, E CHICAGO, INDIANA, INCURRED FATAL INJURIES AS A RESULT OF A FALL BETWEEN A YARD ENGINE AND A 'SLUG' CAR. THE SLUG CAR WAS LOCATED AT THE SOUTH END OF THE #4 BASIC OXYGEN FURNACE CASTER BUILDING IN PLANT 2 OF INLAND STEEL COMPANY. EMPLOYEE #1 FELL BETWEEN THE YARD ENGINE AND THE 'SLUG' CAR, BETWEEN THE TRACKS. HE WAS STRUCK BY THE AXLES OF THE SLUG CAR AND THE NORTH PILOT CAR. THE ENGINE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING SOUTH TO THE REFUSE TRACK SWITCH TO PICK UP A SET OF MOLDS AND RETURN TO THE SOUTH POURING LEAD TRACK. THE ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS ON THE LEAD PILOT CAR AT THE SOUTH END OF THE TRAIN. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE PILOT CAR ON THE NORTH END OF THE TRAIN. FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, EMPLOYEE #1 ATTEMPTED TO MOVE TO THE ENGINE WHILE THE TRAIN WAS MOVING. IT IS ASSUMED THAT HE TRIED TO JUMP FROM THE SLUG CAR TO THE ENGINE. THERE WERE SAFETY RAILINGS INSTALLED ON BOTH CARS TO PREVENT THIS ACTION. EMPLOYEE #1 APPARENTLY SLIPPED AND FELL BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE 'SLUG' CAR, BETWEEN THE TRACKS. HE WAS STRUCK BY THE AXLES ON THE 'SLUG' CAR THE PILOT CAR AS THE TRAIN MOVED SOUTH. HE SUFFERED A CRUSHED TORSO, A BROKEN NECK AND HEAD INJURIES.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, GUARDRAIL, TORSO, ENGINE, CRUSHED, NECK, RAILROAD