Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300581147 - Diversified Energy Contractors Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Lubbock Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and two coworkers, of Diversified Energy Contractors Company, and a truck driver were off-loading industrial materials from an 18-wheel flatbed trailer. Two of the crew workers were approximately 300 ft away at the material offload/staging area, while Employee #1 and the truck driver were at the south side of the vehicle. The truck driver later stated that he had gotten into his cab to rest. Approximately 1 minute later, Employee #1 walked around to the north side of the trailer to the water jug and the driver heard a loud thud that sounded like something had fallen off the trailer. He looked in his right rear view mirror and saw Employee #1 pinned under one of the stainless steel baffles that had fallen from the trailer. The driver got out of his cab and tried to remove the baffle but couldn't lift it; he then ran over to the two other coworkers and told them that Employee #1 was down. One radioed the company safety director and they returned to the accident scene and collectively lifted the baffle off of Employee #1. He had suffered blunt force trauma to the right side of his head, his neck, the left side of his chest, as well as a ruptured aorta. Both the safety director and his assistant attempted first aid and CPR until Emergency Services arrived, but Employee #1 was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Keywords: HEAD, UNSECURED, IRON WORKER, CONSTRUCTION, RUPTURE, CRUSHED, OFF LOADING, STRUCK BY, ARTERY, FALLING OBJECT