Inspection Detail

Inspection: 304960321 - Aviza International Carriers.

Inspection Information - Office: Oklahoma City Area Office

Investigation Summary

On November 14, 2001, Employee #1, a truck driver, arrived in Bixby, OK, with a trailer load of PVC pipes that he had picked up in Atlanta, GA. There were two bundles of pipe, each containing six, 20-ft lengths of 16-in.-diameter pipe, and each length of pipe weighing approximately 75 lbs. Employee #1 was late in arriving at the site in Bixby, and as he hurriedly maneuvered the rig around a tight corner near the site, the straps securing the rear bundle were damaged against a utility pole. One strap was broken and the other strap was compromised. By the time he reached the site, the rear bundle had shifted to the point where it was hanging partially off the passenger's side of the trailer. Despite the warning of the construction site supervisor, Employee #1 began to unlatch the single nylon strap that was securing the back bundle of PVC pipe. He was pulling down on the ratchet handle for the damaged nylon strap when it broke under the load of the pipe. The approximately 450-lb bundle fell on Employee #1, who was crushed and killed. Federal regulations place responsibility for securing a load on the driver. Rules governing the placement of tie-down straps are part of the written driver's licensing test that is required for all over-the-road truck drivers. These regulations require that at least two straps be placed on each load at intervals of 10 ft. Although the bundles traveled without incident from Atlanta to Bixby, they were improperly secured. Employee #1 had a commercial driver's license and was rated to haul flatbed loads. Investigators concluded that the responsibility for this accident rested with Employee #1.

Keywords: UNSECURED, WORK RULES, LOAD SHIFT, CRUSHED, OFF LOADING, SHARP TURN, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, TRUCK DRIVER, UNSTABLE LOAD