UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1483198.015 - Omega Coatings & Construction, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Madison

Investigation Summary

At 8:30 a.m. on July 13, 2020, Employee #1 and a coworker, employed by a commerc ial surfacing company, were working in an enclosed area on the outside lane of a two-lane highway. They were abrasive blasting old paint beneath a bridge. Jer sey-style concrete barriers 2.75 feet high were set up along the edge of the hig hway work zone. The highway's posted speed limit was 70 mph. After leaving the work zone to take a water break, the two employees began returning to their wor k area, walking inside and parallel to the concrete barriers. A boom truck drov e by. The truck's boom leaf with clam shell bucket was swinging freely and cros sed over the concrete barrier. The coworker was able to jump away from the swin ging boom leaf. He yelled to warn Employee #1, but Employee #1 was unable to mo ve out of the way. The boom leaf's bucket struck Employee #1 between his ribs a nd waist. Employee #1 sustained blunt force traumatic injuries and was killed.

Keywords:abrasive blasting, barrier guard, blunt force trauma, bridge, bucket , construction, highway work zone, painter, struck by, torso, truck boom