Inspection Detail

Inspection: 306915554 - Allegany Tn Highway Dept Fatality 2007

Inspection Information - Office: Nys Dol Pesh Buffalo

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:45 a.m. on July 23, 2007, Employee #1 was operating a 1984 Dynapac single drum, vibrating compactor-roller, model CA-25A, equipped with two rubber driving wheels. He was traveling uphill in the west lane of a two-lane, 0.61 mile-long, seasonal use dirt road when the approximately 10 ton roller suddenly lost power and began to freewheel back down the hill. In an attempt to stop the roller, Employee #1 tried to steer it into an embankment on the west side of the hill. He went into the embankment at a severe angle and the inertia of the roller caused it to flip over sideways and down the hill, throwing Employee #1 onto the road surface. The roller then landed on top of him, fatally crushing him against the road. The roller continued to flip, coming to rest upright, with its wheels against the embankment on the west side of the road and with its engine running. The Town of Allegany Highway Department had purchased the roller used in 1985. It was not equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) or with a seat belt.

Keywords: EJECTED, HIGHWAY, ROLLER--CONST EQUIP, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, ROPS, CONSTRUCTION, STEEP GRADE, CRUSHED, SEAT BELT, OVERTURN