Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316981513 - Total-Western, Inc Dba Gene Watson Construction

Inspection Information - Office: Bakersfield District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on February 11, 2014, an employee was working as a heavy equipment operator for a firm engaged in oilfield construction and maintenance. It had 350 workers. The employee had worked his shift as a heavy equipment operator and was riding in an air-conditioned pickup truck traveling to an offsite meeting. When a coworker who was driving the truck stopped, he noticed that the employee would not wake up. Emergency medical services were contacted, and they responded to the location. The employee was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, where he was admitted. He died several days later. The employee's supervisor was not present during this incident. The employer notified the Division of the incident at 9:23 a.m. that same day. The Division opened an investigation with the employer on February 20, 2014. The investigation concluded that the employee's medical event was idiopathic in nature and that there was no other cause for the incident. The narrative did not go into further details regarding the nature of the medical event. As a result of the investigation, the Division issued the employer a regulatory citation.

Keywords: CARDIOVASC SYSTEM, RESPIRATORY, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, MACHINE OPERATOR, OIL WELL DRILLING, CONSTRUCTION, EARTHMOVING EQUIP