Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301988036 - M.A. Patout & Sons, Ltd.

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:00 a.m. on December 26, 1997, Employee #1 was operating a Caterpillar 966C front end loader with a bucket attachment, loading sugar cane bagasse into a hopper for transport to a boiler. A coworker in the bagasse shed was operating a similar vehicle with a grapple attachment on the front. As the coworker backed away from the hopper and turned, he momentarily fell asleep and ran into Employee #1's loader. The grapple attachment struck Employee #1's cab, knocked out the windows, and struck Employee #1 in the chest. He was killed. The coworker later stated that he woke up when his loader struck Employee #1's machine. Apparently, the coworker had not had sufficient sleep or rest during the previous 12 hours. Sleep deprivation was found to be a cause of the accident.

Keywords: CHEST, FELL ASLEEP, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, FATIGUE, STRUCK AGAINST, LOADER, MECH MAT HANDLING, STRUCK BY, BACKING UP