OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #998286
MINN-KOTA EXCAVATING, INC.
MAPLEWOOD, MN·
Event description
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYEE INJURED WHEN STRUCK BY BACKHOE BUCKET
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WERE LAYING 20 FOOT SECTIONS OF 16 INCH DIAMETE MPLOYEES WERE VISIBLE TO THE OPERATOR WHEN THE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THE 2 BY 6 BOARD SNAPPED, CAUSING THE BUCKET TO STRIKE THE TRENCH BOX WALL. AT THE SAME TIM E EMPLOYEE #1 MOVED INTO THE DANGER ZONE AND WAS STRUCK IN THE LEG BY THE BACKHO E WHEN IT REBOUNDED FROM THE TRENCH BOX WALL. EMPLOYEE #1 SUFFERED A FRACTURED L EG. R PIPE IN A TRENCH BOX ON NOVEMBER 6, 1987. THE PROJECT WAS IN ITS THIRD WEEK. E MPLOYEE #1 WAS CONSIDERED TO BE PROFICIENT AT HIS JOB. THE BACKHOE OPERATOR LOWE RED THE PIPE INTO ITS LOCATION FOR THE TWO LABORERS TO SET THE PIPE. THE EXCAVAT ION WAS TOO SHALLOW AND THE PIPE HAD TO BE LOWERED ONE MORE INCH TO ATTAIN GRADE . THE EMPLOYEES PLACED A 2 BY 6 BOARD ON THE PIPE AND THEN DIRECTED THE BACKHOE OPERATOR TO LOWER THE BUCKET ONTO THE BOARD. AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION, THE EMPLOYE ES MOVED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE 23 FOOT TRENCH BOX. IN AN EFFORT TO PUSH THE PI PE THE NECESSARY 1 INCH DOWN, THE OPERATOR PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THE PIPE. BOTH E
Victim
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 36 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 16
- Event type
- 2
- Source
- 27
- Occupation code
- 859
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 8
- Task assigned
- 1
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