Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1586015 - Beker Industries Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Boise Area Office

Investigation Summary

ON AUGUST 7, 1984, AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30 PM, EMPLOYEE #1, A BRAKEMAN, WAS SWITCHING RAIL CARS FOR WEIGHING. WHILE THE ELEVEN CAR TRAIN, WITH ENGINE, WAS IN MOTION EMPLOYEE #1 STEPPED BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD CARS, SEPARATED THE COUPLERS AND TURNED OFF THE AIR BRAKE COCK ON THE THIRD CAR. HE THEN TOLD THE ENGINER TO SPEED UP. AS THE ENGINE THROUGH SECOND CAR ACCELERATED, THE AIR HOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD CARS WAS PULLED APART. BRAKE AIR PRESSURE THEN ESCAPED FROM THE BRAKE SYSTEMS OF THE ENGINE AND CARS 1 AND 2, ACTIVATING THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM. AS THE ENGINE AND FIRST TWO CARS SLOWED DOWN, THE BRAKEMAN SAW HIS MISTAKE AND STEPPED BETWEEN CARS 2 AND 3 AGAIN TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. CARS 3 THROUGH 11, NOW ROLLING FASTER THAN THE ENGINE AND CARS 1 AND 2, STRUCK EMPLOYEE #1 AND CRUSHED HIM AGAINST THE STOPPED ENGINE AND CARS 1 AND 2.

Keywords: BRAKE, RAILROAD TANK CAR, BRAKEMAN, CRUSHED, AIR HOSE, RAILROAD