Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300202348 - Andrew Well Drilling Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Boise Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was assisting a driller with the drilling of a water well. In preparation for the job, both men were unloading well casing pipe from a flatbed truck. The pipe had an inner diameter of 8 in. and came in 20 ft sections that weighed 20 lb per foot, or 400 lb per section. The truck was carrying four casing pipes, one individual pipe, and one 1,200 lb bundle of three pipes. The pipes were secured to the truck with two chains and chain tighteners. One chain was attached to the steel rack behind the truck's cab, and the other was wrapped around the pipe and secured to the back of the truck. Employee #1 climbed on the truck and removed the chain that was wrapped around the rack over the cab. The driller then removed the chain wrapped around the lower end of the pipe, and the individual pipe slid off the truck to the ground. The bundled section of pipe would not slide off, however, so the driller got in the cab and pulled the truck forward about 7 ft. After the truck was moved, Employee #1 was standing at the back on the vehicle and on the downhill side of the unchained pipes. He started to push the bundle off the truck when it began to move, swung around, and struck him. Employee #1 fell to the ground and the pipes landed on his chest, crushing him. The driller called for emergency assistance, but Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the scene. The employer was cited for failure to adequately train his workers.

Keywords: UNSECURED, CONSTRUCTION, MANUAL MAT HANDLING, OFF LOADING, PIPE, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, FLATBED TRUCK, UNTRAINED, UNSTABLE POSITION