A concrete saw operator was killed when he was pinned between the boom and the rear of a backhoe.
Authors
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Source
Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 03OK096, 2004 Sep; :1-4
Abstract
A 56-year old concrete saw operator died on December 31, 2003, from asphyxiation and compression injuries received when he was pinned between the boom and the rear end of a backhoe. The decedent was working alone at a roadway construction site. He was working in the late evening and early morning hours to finish saw cutting newly poured concrete. The decedent was using a rubber-tired front-end loader and backhoe for lighting and to transport the concrete saws to the maintenance building. The backhoe, which did not have a boom swing lock pin installed, was left running to maintain a charged battery. After completing the work, the victim laid a handheld portable concrete saw on the floor of the backhoe through the opening in the rear. The saw was placed on the right boom swing pedal, causing the boom to swing to the side, pinning the victim between the boom arm and the rear of the backhoe. The decedent was found later that morning by the superintendent and pronounced dead at a local hospital. Oklahoma Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OKFACE) investigators concluded that to prevent similar occurrences, employers should: 1. Ensure that machine guarding is in place, and that any additional safeguards needed to eliminate hazards are utilized prior to equipment operation. 2. Ensure that all employees receive documented training on existing and potential hazards on or around mobile and stationary equipment. 3. Ensure that special work procedures are in place for all employees working alone, including training on any unique hazards that exist. 4. Review modifications or additions to equipment with the manufacturer and obtain authorization from the manufacturer prior to alteration.
Keywords
Region-6; Accident-analysis; Accident-prevention; Accidents; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Traumatic-injuries; Work-operations; Work-analysis; Work-areas; Work-performance; Work-practices; Safety-education; Safety-equipment; Safety-measures; Safety-monitoring; Protective-measures; Equipment-operators; Equipment-reliability; Training; Construction; Construction-equipment; Construction-workers; Road-construction
Document Type
Field Studies; Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
NTIS Accession No.
PB2006-112878
Identifying No.
FACE-03OK096; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-CCU-613938
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Performing Organization
Oklahoma State Department of Health
