Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CRUSHING

Minn. Stat. 182.653 subd. 2: The employer did not furnish to each employee, conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards which caused or were likely to cause death or serious injury to employees: The employer did not ensure that sustained manual pressure control for raising and lowering the hopper cover was maintained to factory operating specifications on the Dempster Automated Curbside Recycling Loader vehicle #502064. The control lever, located outside the passenger side door, is used for raising and lowering the recycling containers and the hopper cover. The control was defective and able to continue to run without the victim operating it. On 10/30/01, when the victim climbed up to the hopper cover to free an obstruction that was preventing the hopper cover from closing, the control was stuck in the "down" position. Once the victim freed the obstruction, the control continued to lower the hopper cover, subsequently crushing the victim's torso.'s