Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110464435 - A.O. Steuber

Inspection Information - Office: Wichita Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employer was preparing a mile-long bridge (K-16) for resurfacing. There were motion detector stop lights at each end of the bridge. There were rumble strips also at each end of the bridge. One lane was marked off with orange barrels as a work lane. One lane was to be designated for car traffic. The employer had rented a large sand blaster, deciding not to use their own, which was smaller and would only allow them to do one side at a time. The larger sand blaster allowed them to work in both lanes of traffic at the same time, placing workers into the traffic zone lane. There was apparent concurrence with this from KDOT, who had a project manager and an engineer on site. On September 13, 1995, the employer had Employee #1 and another employee in the traffic zone sandblasting the traffic zone side of the bridge. Flagmen were on duty at this time, Employee #2 was positioned on the west end of the work zone. The east-side and front flagman did not have a flag and was motioning vehicles to stop using only hand signals. A sixteen-year-old driver approached the bridge, traveling east to west, taking the green light and approaching the employees in the traffic zone with what appears to have been excessive speed. The first flagman, attempted to slow the driver down by using hand motions, as he had no flag or stop sign. The driver continued into the dust cloud caused by the sand blaster, hit Employee #1 who was in the traffic zone, then hit the Employee #2, the flagman on the west side who was running up to try to warn the working employee. Employee #2 was killed instantly, and Employee #1 died on September 22, 1995, after his family suspended the use of the life support system.

Keywords: FLAGMAN, AUTOMOBILE, STRUCK BY, BRIDGE, SANDBLASTING