Inspection Detail

Inspection: 304213036 - Jml Masonry

Inspection Information - Office: Hi-E-Honolulu

Investigation Summary

On July 15, 2001, Employee #1 was working as a mason. On the day of the accident, another employee, an equipment operator, was operating a Ford front-end loader and backhoe, Model Number 555. The equipment had a front end bucket and a backhoe attachment on the rear. The equipment operator was delivering a 0.75 cubic yard bucket of free dirt from one property to another. The equipment operator was dumping the first load of dirt onto the ground when all of a sudden the front right side of his equipment slid towards the right. The equipment's front right side of the bucket pinned Employee #1 against the end corner of a retaining wall. The manager on-site noticed that Employee #1 was pinned against the end corner of the retaining wall and immediately told the equipment operator to drive the front-end loader and backhoe to the left in order to release Employee #1 from the wall. Employee #1 dropped to the ground. Employee #1 died after receiving an open skull fracture on the left back side of his head, facial bruises on the left side, and bruises on his chest area. A day after the accident, the owner of the Ford front-end loader and backhoe tested the brakes and found that the left rear brake was operating properly, but the right rear brake was very low. The equipment owner stated that he adjusted the right rear brake by tightening the adjusting nuts under the equipment, retested the brakes, and confirmed proper operation. The equipment owner concluded that at the time of the accident the right rear tire brake did not operate properly. The brake system would only hold the left rear tire, but the right rear tire would roll backwards on the slope and the front-end loader's bucket would swing towards the right side.

Keywords: FRACTURE, FRONT END LOADER, STRUCK BY, BUCKET ELEVATOR