Inspection Detail

Inspection: 303385132 - Billy Gerrell-Grading, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Atlanta East Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was operating a roller or packing machine at a job site to smooth the ground when he became stuck in some mud at the top of a slope at a manhole. Employee #1 asked a coworker to pull him out. The coworker hooked the pan machine he was operating to the roller machine that Employee #1 had been operating earlier with a steel cable the company had for the specific use of pulling equipment out when they become stuck, as frequently occurred. The coworker started to pull the roller out and had gone forward about 10 feet when he felt a "jerk" and couldn't go forward anymore. The coworker looked back and did not see the roller or Employee #1. The roller had flipped into the manhole ditch and landed on top of Employee #1. The coworker did not witness how this happened. However it was speculated that Employee #1 jumped onto the roller machine just as the coworker started pulling the machine, to straighten the steering wheel and to make it easier to pull out, when it flipped. When the roller flipped, Employee #1 must have been thrown into the ditch and the roller landed on top of him. Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the scene.

Keywords: WIRE ROPE, DITCH, ROLLER--CONST EQUIP, STUCK, CRUSHED, MANHOLE