Inspection Detail

Inspection: 3343480 - Armada, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Manassas (Regional Office)- Safety 0355114

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, a diesel truck mechanic working alone, had just changed the brake diaphragm located on the left side of the rear axle of a 26,500 lb Mack truck with refuse container, which had been backed into service bay #2. The approximately 12 ft wide and approximately 53 ft long truck was parked with its bed partially on the inclined ramp. Three coworkers' statements indicate that when Employee #1 began the repair the truck's front wheels were chocked with a piece of wood approximately 4 ft by 4 in. by 4 in. Apparently, Employee #1 completed the repair and removed the chocks. He then cranked the truck and realized that the brakes were failing, so he went back underneath the truck on his mechanic's creeper to make an adjustment without rechocking the wheels. Employee #1 had been working with ordinary mechanic's tools including wrenches and a vise-grip (found attached to the diaphragm). While Employee #1 was underneath the truck, it began to drift down the ramp with the left rear tires apparently rolling onto the creeper on which Employee #1 was lying. The truck dragged the creeper approximately 37 ft, almost to the bottom of the ramp. When he rolled off the creeper, apparently to evade the truck's tires, the truck rolled over most of Employee #1's body, including his head, The truck continued to roll down the ramp until it struck a dumpster and stopped. Employee #1 sustained multiple severe crushing injuries, but was conscious when found by a coworker who thought the truck was ready when he saw it roll out of the bay. Employee #1 was pronounced dead on arrival at National Orthopedic Hospital. The failure of Employee #1 to rechock the wheels of the truck on which he was working caused the accident.

Keywords: CHOCK, HEAD, REPAIR, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, MECHANIC, TRUCK, UNMANNED, RUN OVER, SLOPE