Twenty-Nine-Year-Old Asphalt Compactor Operator Dies From Crushing Injuries Received During Machine Rollover – North Carolina

On July 10, 2000, a 29-year-old equipment operator (the victim) was killed when the asphalt compactor he was operating slid off the pavement, down an embankment (Figure 1) and overturned, trapping him beneath. The victim was part of a five-person crew that was contracted to pave a private residential driveway which was located on a wooded lot on hilly terrain. One witness to the incident reported that he saw the victim position the compactor close to the edge of the driveway. It appeared that the smaller front roller of the compactor became caught on the pavement edge. With part of the front roller hanging over the pavement edge, the witness reported that the victim started to reverse the compactor when the larger back roller slipped sideways over the edge of the pavement. When the compactor started to slip, the victim apparently tried to jump clear, but his leg become entangled and he went over the embankment with the compactor. Coworkers immediately ran over the hill to aid the victim while the property owner called 911. While waiting for emergency medical services (EMS) to arrive at the site, coworkers removed the victim from underneath the compactor and attempted to administer first aid. EMS and fire department crews arrived at the site and transported the victim to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. NIOSH investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar incidents, employers should
ensure that all equipment used in a location where there is a danger of overturn be equipped with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) and that operators are trained to wear seat belts when operating machinery equipped with ROPS
use extra caution when using heavy equipment on steep or hilly terrain