Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301573630 - U.S.Dept Of Veterans Affairs-National Cemetery Adm

Inspection Information - Office: El Paso Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:08 a.m. on May 17, 2002, Employee #1, a truck driver, was delivering his third load of dirt to a landfill. He was driving a Ford dump truck that was equipped with a Heil, 12-yard hydraulic dump bed. As Employee #1 exited the cab of the truck and was descending the truck bed, he was standing with his left foot resting on the gas tank while holding onto a pull bar. The employer reached with his left hand for the lever that locked the tailgate and he either slipped or missed the lever. This caused him to pivot his left foot and, with his hand on the vertical hold bar, rotate into the area between the back of the cab and the truck bed. The truck bed descended and trapped him between the large rear window and the edge of the bed, a 3.25 inch space. Employee #1 was pinned in an upright position with his feet dangling off the ground, which led to suffocation and eventual death. The coroner's autopsy revealed no fractures. A detailed investigation revealed that Employee #1's actions were common practice among the dump truck drivers. Additionally, dents were found in the rear of the cab and the rear window was busted out.

Keywords: ABDOMEN, ASPHYXIATED, PINNED, CAUGHT BETWEEN, DUMP TRUCK, UNTRAINED, DUMP TRUCK BED, TRUCK DRIVER