Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314062779 - Commercial Construction, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Omaha Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 30, 2011, Employee #1 was operating a 1980 Caterpillar Model Number D9H bulldozer. Employee #1 was part of a road construction crew that was preparing a site for a roadway. As part of the project, a lake that was in the path of the planned roadway had to be filled, using sand from an adjacent "borrow pit". Employee #1 began operating the Model Number D9H bulldozer at approximately 8:00 a.m. and moved the bulldozer to the lake at approximately 8:45 a.m., after another bulldozer suffered a mechanical failure. The superintendent instructed Employee #1 about the fill pattern (east to west) and left him unattended. At approximately 9:30 a.m., the superintendent, who was working 200 yards north of the lake, noted the absence of sound for the fill location at the lake. He proceeded to the lake but was unable to find the Model Number D9H bulldozer or Employee #1. Employee #1 had driven the Caterpillar bulldozer into the lake, while moving fill material, and he drowned. The Investigation revealed that the Model Number D9H bulldozer was in reverse, and the throttle position was at full, as confirmed by underwater photographs. The transmission had three forward and three reverse gears. For unknown reasons, Employee #1 had pushed a large amount of fill into the lake, in the center of the fill area, instead of moving in a consistent left to right pattern. The reason for the left to right pattern was to slowly extend the line of fill into the lake consistently, so that it could support the weight of the equipment. It appears that the Model Number D9H bulldozer was on this central peninsula, which failed under the weight, and caused the bulldozer and Employee #1 to enter the lake.

Keywords: CONSTRUCTION, EARTHMOVING EQUIP, UNSTABLE SURFACE, BULLDOZER, DROWN, BACKING UP, WATER