California FACE Report # 00CA006: A Construction Flag Person Dies After Being Backed Over by a Truck

A 27 year-old male construction flag person died when a tractor-trailer side dump truck backed over him. The truck had just entered the #1 lane (closest to the median), which had been divided off from the rest of the lanes with tubular markers and was backing into position to dump a load of dirt onto the median. The decedent had just allowed the dump truck into the #1 lane. The decedent was wearing an orange reflective vest and hardhat at the time of the incident. The dump truck’s back-up alarm was operational and functioning properly. The truck traveled only a few feet in reverse before backing over the decedent. The driver of the truck stated he looked into both of his tractor’s side rear view mirrors and did not see the decedent. The decedent had his back to the vehicle. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future occurrences, employers should, as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP):

• Require drivers to get out of the cab of the vehicle and check the rear of the vehicle for obstructions before backing.
• Use a second person as a spotter when backing heavy equipment with blind spots and in a congested area.
• Consider using additional safety devices for heavy equipment to warn workers of a backing vehicle and to warn drivers when someone is in their blind spot.
• Consider closing down another lane of traffic when the work zone and flagging station occupy the same space.