Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1623790.015 - Hendricks County Board Of Commissioners

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

At 9:40 a.m. on September 21, 2022, an employee was part of a crew clearing a ditch alongside a road that was causing flooding in a field. Due to the position of the sun rising, the crew decided to wait until the sun was up higher in the sky since the work required traffic control on a rural road. The work crew consisting of the employee and Coworkers #1, #2 and #3 set up road signage to alert traffic to the pending work. While the employee was flagging traffic, Coworker #1 was operating a Gradall, Model XL4100, Serial 4150000118 excavator. The Gradall excavator has two cabs, with the upper cab used for driving the Gradall and working the excavator and the lower cab used to drive the Gradall while on the road. Coworker #1 was driving the Gradall from the lower cab and backing the vehicle down the edge of the road to the area where the ditch needed cleaning. Coworkers #2 and #3 were at the intersection approximately 100 feet away. As Coworker #1 was backing up the Gradall, he was watching out the mirror because the lower cab does not have a camera. Although the upper cab does have a camera, they are not in use while operating the Gradall from the lower cab. Coworker #1 did not see that the employee was behind the Gradall and felt a bump while he was backing up. When Coworker #1 stopped the Gradall and got out to see what the bump was from, he saw the employee under the Gradall. Coworker #1 started yelling and motioned for Coworker #2 and #3 to come over. The coworkers called 911 and the employer's office, and emergency services personnel took over the scene when they arrived. The employee was killed by multiple crushing injuries incurred when he was run over by the excavator.

Keywords: Construction, Construction vehicle, Crushed, Crushing, Ditch, Excavator, Road, Run Over, Struck By, Vehicle