Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307181693 - Paramount Ready Mix Concrete, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:05 p.m. on June 15, 2006, Employee #1 went up to the aggregate weigh-and-storage hoppers at the top of the batch plant for a regular check. He found that sand clay was built up on the walls of the Hopper #2 and began to scrape it off with a long metal pole. The clay was too hard to scrape off from the wall, so he entered the hopper to clean it with a shovel. He opened the small entrance cover on the catwalk adjacent to the hopper and entered the hopper through a fixed ladder. Unexpectedly, while Employee #1 was stepping down the ladder, a coworker, the batch person, was ready to batch a customer's order. The coworker did not notice the employee entering the hopper. He activated the computer to open the control gate and a 10,000-pound batch of sand was released into hopper and trapped Employee #1's legs. At approximately 1:09 p.m., another 10,000 pounds of sand was batched into the hopper and trapped the employee to his upper abdomen. As he was trapped inside the hopper, unable to move or escape, he realized he had his radio in his shirt pocket. The employee called his lead person for help. The lead person called the dispatcher to shut off all the power of the batch plant immediately and searched for the employee in the facility. The employee was found trapped inside of Weight-Hopper #2. The Fire Department was called for rescue. Shoring was placed around the employee by other coworkers, and buckets were used to pour out sand from the hopper until the Fire Department rescue team arrived and took over the rescuing work. At approximately 4:00 p.m. the employee was freed from the trapped sand. Employee #1 was transported by air to Saint Francis Hospital and was hospitalized for three days.

Keywords: SAND, CAUGHT BY, HOPPER