Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314041146 - Black Horse Carriers, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Naperville Area Office

Investigation Summary

At about 10:15 a.m. on December 24, 2010, Employee #1 was working as the driver of a freight delivery truck at a warehouse distribution facility in Elgin, IL, run by the grocery firm Aldi, Inc. Black Horse Carriers, Inc., had been contracted by Aldi to provide courier services. Penske Truck Leasing Corporaion had been contracted by Black Horse to lease and provide maintenance to the trucks on the Aldi facility. Employee #1 was working for Black Horse Carriers, Inc. He was dispatched for delivery from the Elgin facility at about 10:15 a.m. Employee #1 was walking to his truck on a flat asphalt trailer yard at the time of the accident. A coworker, working as a mechanic for Penske, ran over Employee #1 while backing up an Aldi-owned 1997 Ottawa spotter/tow tractor, Serial Number 75871. The six-wheel spotter was used to tow the trailers around the yard for servicing. On the day of the accident, it was snowing and windy, and according to employees interviewed, visibility was poor. There was, however, no snow accumulation on the ground at the time of the accident. When backing up, the mechanic was looking out of the rear door, which remained open, because the spotter's mirrors were frosted. Employee #1 was found on the ground at a point between the dispatch office and his truck shortly thereafter. Employee #1 was transferred to Delnor Community Hospital by the Batavia, IL, fire department. He had sustained crushing injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. According to a Black Horse spokesperson and its employees interviewed, Employee #1 was wearing a high visibility vest, but the mechanic had not seen him when backing the spotter. The spotter did not have a back-up alarm, and its horn and back-up lights did not work.

Keywords: BACK-UP ALARM, INADEQUATE MAINT, WAREHOUSE, CRUSHED, TRUCK, STRUCK BY, TRACTOR TRAILER, RUN OVER, BACKING UP, POOR VISIBILITY