Special Road District Foreman Struck by Oil Distributor Truck

On July 25, 1996, a 60-year-old male, special road district foreman (victim), died from multiple trauma after he was struck by an oil distributor truck at a rural county road chip-and-seal project. The victim was the job-site foreman of a four-man crew. They arrived at the incident site at the of intersection of two rural county roads. The victim led the crew to the work site. He was followed by the rock spreader machine and a dump truck loaded with the aggregate rock. Upon arrival at the work site the victim stopped his truck on the roadway and exited the driver’s side door. He began walking behind the truck and toward the rock spreader. He was instructing the rock spreader operator that he wanted to begin the chip seal work in the area where he was standing. At that time the rock spreader operator saw the oil distributor truck rolling backwards and about to strike the victim. He attempted to warn the victim and began backing his rock spreader machine out of the path of the truck. The oil distributor truck struck and pinned the victim against the front of the rock spreader. The dump truck operator was then able to stop the truck and radioed in the emergency on the truck’s two-way radio. Local Emergency Medical Services were was notified and responded. They transported the victim to the local trauma center where he was pronounced dead. The MO FACE investigator concluded that in order to prevent similar occurrences all employers should:

• ensure that all machine operators are trained and routinely briefed on the importance of setting the parking brakes any time the vehicle is left unattended;
• develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive safety program that includes, but is not limited to, training in hazard recognition and avoidance.