OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14278881
R.J. FOLEY JR. TRUCKING CO.
NORWALK, CT·
Event description
EMPLOYEE KILLED WHEN SOD HANDLER OVERTURNED AND STRUCK HIM
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1, THE COMPANY OWNER, WAS BACKING A SPYDER SOD HANDLER DOWN A DRIVEWAY NOT POSSIBLE IT CAN BE DRIVEN BACKWARDS, BUT THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS SHOULD BE EXTENDED AND THE CASTERS LOCKED. EMPLOYEE #1 DID NOT EXTEND THE WHEEL CYLINDERS OR LOCK THE CASTERS. WHICH WAS INCLINED AND ELEVATED ABOVE THE SURROUNDING GROUND SURFACE. THE DRIVE WAY WAS ALSO WET AND HAD BEEN TREATED WITH JENNITE. THE SOD HANDLER SUDDENLY SKI DDED AND BEGAN TO VEER OFF THE DRIVEWAY. EMPLOYEE #1 JUMPED FROM THE MACHINE IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS IT WAS VEERING OFF THE DRIVEWAY. THE MACHINE STRUCK A TREE AND OVERTURNED ONTO EMPLOYEE #1. THE VEHICLE'S ROLL CAGE STRUCK HIM ON THE HEAD , KILLING HIM. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SEAT BELT, BUT EMPLOYEE #1 DID NO T USE IT. THE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE VEHICLE RECOMMEND THAT THAT IT BE D RIVEN FORWARDS WHEN TRAVELLING DOWNHILL. WHEN DRIVING IT FORWARD DOWN A HILL IS
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 45 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 27
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 6
- Task assigned
- 1
Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.