Inspection Detail

Inspection: 15243710 - Echols Brothers, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Manassas (Regional Office)- Safety 0355114

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 AM ON JUNE 9, 1986, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS OPERATING A BULLDOZER ATOP AN 11 FOOT HIGH EMBANKMENT. THE BULLDOZER WAS A 1966 CATERPILLAR, MODEL D6C, WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A ROLL-OVER PROTECTIVE STURCTURE. THE GROUND WAS WET AND SLIPPERY FROM AN OVERNIGHT RAIN. THE OPERATOR TOOK HIS MACHINE TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE EMBANKMENT AS HE WAS BACKING UP AND THE RIGHT TRACK SLID OVER THE EMBANKMENT EDGE. THE BULLDOZER SLID DOWN THE EAST BANK UNTIL IT STRUCK AN EARTHEN BENCH, THEN FLIPPED OVER, PINNING EMPLOYEE #1 BENEATH IT. THE EMPLOYEE SUFFERED FATAL CRUSHING INJURIES. THE OPERATOR DROVE THE BULLDOZER TOO CLOSE TO THE EMBANKMENT EDGE AND SHOULD HAVE OPERATED PERPENDICULAR TO THE BANK, RATHER THAN PARALLEL.

Keywords: EMBANKMENT, ROLL-OVER, WORK RULES, ROPS, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED, SLIPPERY SURFACE, BULLDOZER