Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309474526 - Scott Hutchison Enterprises, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on December 20, 2006, Employee #1 and a co-worker were installing a drainage pipe and backfilling and compacting the area. Employee #1 was operating a roller and his co-worker was operating a bulldozer. The co-worker had finished moving dirt with the bulldozer and was sitting at the top of the hill watching Employee #1. Employee #1 was on the opposite side of the slope pointing away from the co-worker. He had finished compacting, backed down the far slope, and was positioned at the bottom of the hill pointing at a downward angle parallel with the drain pipe. Employee #1 started forward and then made a right hand turn up the slope, towards his co-worker, to park the roller. He was approximately two-thirds of the way through the turn when the roller drum went past the edge of the compacted area and into a downward slope portion of soft dirt. The roller started tipping over onto its left side, where the operator sat. The roller continued to tip onto its left side and pinned Employee #1 between the ground and the steering wheel of the roller. His co-worker went down and used his bulldozer to keep the roller from tipping all the way over. The co-worker then got a backhoe to tip the roller upright and free Employee #1. Emergency Medical Services were called. During transport to the hospital, Employee #1 died due to crushing injuries to his chest.

Keywords: CHEST, INSTALLING, ROLLER--CONST EQUIP, ROLL-OVER, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED, UNSTABLE SOIL, SLOPING, STEERING WHEEL