Inspection Detail

Inspection: 304312325 - Malouf Construction Corporation, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Jackson Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on January 8, 2002, Employee #1, a foreman for a construction company that was involved in a highway median crossover and turnout renovation project was struck by speeding vehicle. Employee #1 had parked his vehicle in the median of a four-lane highway at the western end of the construction zone; and was either retrieving or repairing a construction zone sign that had been damaged in an automobile accident that had occurred at the same site one hour earlier. Weather conditions had caused water that was seeping through the cracks in the concrete roadway and flowing across the East bound lanes to freeze, creating an ice patch about 4 ft wide. A vehicle traveling East bound at approximately 70 mph (as stated by the driver to the investigating officer), in a 45 mph limit construction zone, hit the icy patch and lost control. The vehicle veered right never leaving the paved surface, over corrected to the left, traveled 369 ft, struck the company vehicle and then Employee #1. The company vehicle (a full size FORD Pickup) was moved 63 ft and Employee #1 was dragged or thrown 70 ft from the impact, as documented in the police report. Employee #1 was transported to a near by hospital where he died.

Keywords: HIGHWAY, TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, CONSTRUCTION, SLIPPERY SURFACE, STRUCK BY, LOST CONTROL, MOTOR VEHICLE