Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1781082.015 - Northeast Paving Company, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Augusta Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:25 a.m. on October 1, 2024, an employee working as a flagger for a paving contractor was performing temporary traffic control operations (flagging) in a construction zone. The employee was an experienced subcontracted employee. The employee was using a stop/slow paddle and was working on the west side of the project, standing somewhere between the middle and right side of the roadway. Due to the time of day and location of the employee, the solar glare was significantly diminishing visibility for vehicles approaching from the west and heading to the east. The employee was struck by a pickup truck. The driver of the truck said he could not see the employee due to the glare. In conducting interviews, it was discovered that the general contractor instructed flaggers where to stand and many of the employee's coworkers complained that the glare was hazardous for those working in that location. A coworkers who was the supervisor on site stated that he was not aware of the hazard and received no complaints or notification of the glare. The employee died from blunt force trauma due to impact with the vehicle and the ground.

Keywords: Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Construction, Driver, Flagger, Ground, Highway, Highway Shoulder, Highway work zone, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Motor Vehicle, Multi-employer Worksite, Multiemployer, Pavement, Pickup Truck, Poor Visibility, Road, Road Grader, Road Paving, Struck Against, Struck By, Torso, Traffic Accident, Traffic Control, Weather