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Fatality narrative: brush cutter operator struck by section of pipe.

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 71-34-2005, 2005 Apr; :1

https://lni.wa.gov/safety-health/safety-research/files/2005/BrushCut.pdf

20051848

On June 18, 2004, a track hoe operator was fatally injured when he was struck in the head by a piece of debris (a section of pipe) kicked up by the brush cutter he was operating. The 51-year-old equipment operator was employed by a construction company that was doing site clearing for an airport runway. The victim was part of a crew that had been clearing brush from the work site. His job was to operate a rotating hydraulic brush cutter that was mounted to the boom of a track hoe. He was an experienced brush cutter operator and had worked with his present employer for 15 years. While in the process of running the brush cutter, the rotating cutting disc came in contact with a 19" by ¾" piece of metal pipe that was lying on the ground. The disc kicked the pipe through the windshield of the operator's cab, striking him in the head.

Workers; Work environment; Construction; Construction equipment; Construction materials; Construction workers; Hydraulic equipment; Equipment operators; Equipment operation; Equipment reliability; Equipment maintenance; Protective equipment; Protective measures; Hazards; Fatalities; Traumatic injuries; Safety; Safety education; Safety measures; Safety practices; Education; Training; Worker safety; Accident prevention; Accidents

20050427

Other

Cooperative Agreement

2005

Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-OH-008487

Fatality narrative: brush cutter operator struck by section of pipe

WA

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries