Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312092158 - The Harper Group

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

On August 25, 2008, and employee was killed from multiple injuries received when a dump truck loaded with concrete backed over him. A dump truck was backing down the Fed Ex airport terminal expansion project preparing to dump its load of concrete into a concrete paver. The dump truck was traveling at a speed of approximately 5 to 7 miles per hour, and was approximately 180 feet from the paver. The driver stated he looked in the mirrors of the dump truck to make sure everything, and everyone was clear of the trucks path. He put the vehicle in reverse paused for a second, to make sure he was straight in the lane, checked his mirrors again, and started backing towards the concrete paver. As the driver of the dump truck was backing down the airport terminal, he felt an unusual bump. Out of instinct, he stopped the truck. No-one on site saw the employee behind the dump truck, or knew how close the employee was to the dump truck, or why he was in the area. The employee was in the driver's blind spot, and coworkers recall hearing the dump trucks reverse signal alarm. Coworkers recall hearing screams after the accident had happened. The employee was run over by the rear tires of the vehicle, and the airport police department was called immediately. The medical examiner listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma. The Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Inspectors report stated the reverse signal was working, and the truck was in good working order.

Keywords: CONSTRUCTION, DUMP TRUCK, STRUCK BY, RUN OVER, MOTOR VEHICLE, WORK SURFACE, BACKING UP