Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311301907 - Public Works Operationa

Inspection Information - Office: Dosh Tacoma Service Location, Tacoma, Wa

Investigation Summary

On August 22, 2007, Employee #1, a truck driver, finished depositing asphalt for patch area and was standing outside his truck at its rear, performing some sort of operation there. The truck was parked in the inside lane. A supervisor had to reposition his vehicle, a city pickup that was parked in the outside lane, to clear the path in preparation for laying 2-in. layer asphalt and spraying an asphalt solution down. While executing this maneuver, the supervisor backed into Employee #1, pinning him against the parked dump truck and rearward moving pickup truck. Employee #1 was killed. The supervisor pulled forward slightly and noticed Employee #1 standing there and about to fall. The supervisor lowered him to the ground and immediately called for Emergency Medical Service. Most crew members did not see incident as it was partially blocked by the dump truck and pothole truck spraying the asphalt. The crew members were involved in their own tasks. The supervisor did not recall seeing Employee #1 until he struck him. Then, he noticed only a flash of orange. The pickup truck was not equipped with a back up alarm, nor was one required. Employee #1 was wearing a high visibility work shirt provided by the City of Bremerton Public Works Department.

Keywords: BACK-UP ALARM, ABDOMEN, PINNED, STRUCK AGAINST, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, DUMP TRUCK, ASPHALT, BACKING UP, TRUCK DRIVER