Inspection Detail

Inspection: 720128 - Elkem Metals Company

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Inspection Nr: 720128

Report ID: 0316400

Date Opened: 01/14/1987

Site Address:
Elkem Metals Company
U. S. Route 60, East
Alloy, WV 25002

Mailing Address:
, , 00000

Union Status: Union

SIC:3313

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: Y

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 01/26/1987

Planning Guide: Safety-Manufacturing

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 01/27/1988

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	360114391

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	4					4
Current Violations	4					4
Initial Penalty	$2,430	$0	$0	$0	$0	$2,430
Current Penalty	$1,230	$0	$0	$0	$0	$1,230
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event
1.	01001	Serious	19100022 A02	03/17/1987	03/20/1987	$150	$540	$0	04/07/1987	F - Formal Settlement
2.	01002	Serious	5A0001	04/01/1987	04/04/1987	$630	$630	$0	04/27/1987	-
3.	01003	Serious	5A0001	04/01/1987	04/04/1987	$450	$630	$0	04/27/1987	F - Formal Settlement
4.	01004	Serious	5A0001	04/01/1987	04/04/1987	$0	$630	$0	04/27/1987	F - Formal Settlement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 14481816

Event: 01/01/1987

Employee caught and killed between rail cars and locomotive

At about 11:50 a.m. on January 1, 1987, Employee #1 was working as a mix equipment operator in Department #077 of the Elkem Metals Company. The head mix unloader had asked some employees of the Traffic Department to bring in three railroad hopper cars full of mix materials. Two of the three cars were to be positioned over the #1 rail crossover on track #1, and the last car was to be located on the straight track. The mixmobile (a small locomotive) and a string of four cars coupled together were already parked on track #1 inside the building. The Traffic Department employees pushed the last three cars over the #1 crossover, but the middle car wouldn't clear the straight at the crossover. The Traffic Department employees decided to push all the cars forward 2 to 3 feet. There was an estimated 6 foot clearance between the parked mixmobile and the first car parked on the track. Employee #1 finished a conversation with a coworkers and approached the rail cars from the blind side; he was not seen by either the Traffic Department employees or by the head mix unloader. Employee #1 did not know the cars were going to be moved and was not given any warning. He was crushed and killed between the parked locomotive and the rail cars as he passed between them. Employee #1 had been employed sporadically as a mix equipment operator since April 30, 1979.

Keywords: HOPPER CAR, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, LOCOMOTIVE, TRAIN, COMMUNICATION, RAILROAD

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	720128			Fatality	Other	Occupation not reported

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