Road Paving Crew Member Dies After Being Run Over by a Dump Truck

A 27-year-old male member of a road paving crew (victim) died of injuries he received as a result of being run over by a dump truck. The victim, a truck driver, was positioned on the outside of his dump truck on the passenger side between the cab and the rear tandem wheels; it is unknown whether he was lying under the truck or whether he was squatting next to the truck. Some tools found next to him after the incident indicate that he may have been attempting to adjust the truck brakes. A roller operator who needed the truck moved in order to continue his tasks entered the truck on the driver’s side. He moved the truck forward approximately 15 feet and, in the process, ran over the victim. MN FACE investigators concluded that, in order to prevent similar occurrences, the following guidelines should be followed:

• use of a lockout-tagout system should be required when vehicles are left unattended or undergoing repair/adjustment; and
• wheels of vehicles undergoing repair or adjustment should be chocked to help prevent unintentional movement of the vehicle.